MAY 26 2026
As AI reshapes how finance functions operate, CFOs are increasingly balancing operational efficiency, governance and long-term adaptability. Following his participation at PwC CFO Day 2026, we spoke with Jesper Söderberg, CFO, about how he approaches AI adoption in practice, where the real gains are emerging and how organisations can manage the risks that come with moving quickly.
The CFO role has been described as increasingly strategic. How do you experience that shift in practice?
"There is a long-term trend here that predates AI. Finance functions have been moving away from producing numbers toward explaining and improving them and better tools have made that shift faster.
At the same time, the scope of the role has expanded considerably. ESG, cybersecurity and AI governance all require cross-functional coordination and a clear risk perspective, which sits naturally with the CFO function. That is also part of why I think the CFO has a natural role in driving AI adoption rather than just overseeing it. We are trained to stress-test assumptions and hold the organisation accountable to what the data actually says."
How are you approaching AI adoption at Nordic Capital?
"We have an AI task force that I am part of, which helps coordinate how the firm uses these tools. But personally, it starts with curiosity and using the AI tools and models yourself. Perhaps my education within computer science helps, at least I have a natural interest, but I think every CFO benefits from hands-on using and experimenting with these tools. You learn the limits as much as the possibilities.
The finance function is well suited to AI-assisted ways of working. Our work is often recurring, structured and data heavy, which translates well into AI-assisted workflows. Operational processes like monthly reporting, liquidity planning and financial controlling are high-volume processes which lend themselves well to automation, and with these new powerful tools this can be significantly accelerated the gains are tangible. The goal is to continue the move from producing outputs to drive and improve the numbers."
How do you think about the risk side, both for Nordic Capital and for portfolio companies?
"Cybersecurity sits close to the CFO function and the tools that create efficiency also create new attack surfaces. You cannot protect against everything, so the realistic goal is building the right capabilities to protect, detect and respond as and when things happen. We have 25 must-dos on cybersecurity for our portfolio companies and the importance of adhering to those is just increasing with these new very powerful tools that unfortunately also can be used for this.
On AI governance, we are putting structure in place around how tools are used, with clear guidelines on what to use where. The landscape moves quickly, so this is less about a fixed setup and more about continuously refining how we work as the technology develops."
What would you say to CFOs who are still figuring out where to start?
"Use the tools yourself. Be curious and start basically anywhere, it does not have to be a complicated process. Build prompting skills, understand how to structure a project, learn what LLMs do well and where they fall short. That hands-on knowledge is hard to get any other way and without it you will struggle to make good decisions about where to invest.
On measuring progress: what matters is whether the work actually improves. Quality, speed, productivity. Early on it also makes sense to track usage as a leading indicator, because you need to see adoption before you can assess impact. The temptation is to measure what is easy to count rather than what the work produces."