GOOD MORNING, CFO
Tuesday, September 2, 2025
The Fed is not the only thing keeping CFOs up at night. Inflation risks are back, AI is rewriting finance roles, and Warner Bros just lined up a new finance chief.
In this issue:
Remote work reshapes career ambitions
AI changes the finance talent mix
Warner Bros names its next CFO
Tariffs add fresh inflation risk
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HEADLINES & DEADLINES
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Remote work reduces the motherhood penalty
A new NBER study shows that flexible work arrangements narrow the career gap for women in family-unfriendly jobs like finance and consulting. Not only are more mothers staying in the pipeline, but younger women are investing in high-growth career tracks they previously avoided. CFOs should take note: remote policies are not just about cost savings, they directly affect long-term talent pipelines.
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AI unlocks strategic finance skillsets
Finance leaders are already shifting from data entry to strategic oversight, but AI is accelerating the pivot. Insightsoftware says the most valuable teams will be those who use AI to produce sharper analysis, faster decisions, and better scenario planning. For CFOs, the message is clear: AI isn’t just a tool, it is a talent reshaper.
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Brad Singer named Warner Bros CFO
As Warner Bros prepares to officially split from Warner Bros Discovery in 2026, Brad Singer has been tapped as CFO starting this October. He will oversee finance for Warner Bros Film & TV, DC Studios, and HBO Max. The move signals Warner Bros’ intent to shore up leadership ahead of its independence.
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Tariffs raise inflation alarms
The Atlanta Fed flagged a fresh risk: firms facing tariffs have raised their one-year price expectations by 0.7 percentage points, while spillover firms are adding 0.3. The pattern mirrors early pandemic inflation and suggests tariffs could reignite pricing pressures just as the Fed weighs rate cuts.
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FAST FACTS
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0.7 points: tariff-driven increase in year-ahead price expectations (Atlanta Fed)
36 percent: CHROs still planning to expand hiring, down from 41 percent a year ago (Conference Board)
Mid-2026: expected completion of Warner Bros’ separation from WBD
2x: likelihood that young women will pursue high-growth careers when remote work is on the table (NBER)
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MORNING HACKS
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Reframe remote work policy: model retention gains and recruiting costs saved when offering hybrid roles.
Audit finance roles for AI readiness: flag which functions are ripe for automation versus which need deeper human judgment.
Build a tariff inflation buffer: stress test your cost base under 0.5 to 1.0 percent price hikes driven by supply chain exposure.
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