Our CFO Ahmet Nesimi Solmaz on the transformation of finance

KoçZer CFO Ahmet Nesimi Solmaz was at the Fast Company magazine’s CFO Meeting on 15 May, where he spoke about how the role of the CFO has changed over the past two years. He explained that CFOs are no longer focused solely on financial reporting and control. They now help shape growth, manage risk and lead transformation across the business.

New priorities for CFOs

According to Ahmet Nesimi Solmaz, today’s CFO agenda includes investment in artificial intelligence, reshaping costs rather than simply cutting them, responding to geopolitical risks and embedding sustainability into financial decision-making.

Other priorities include using data to support better decisions, avoiding growth that generates weak returns on capital, pricing risk accurately and assessing real returns in high-inflation environments. Liquidity management and attracting the right talent are also becoming increasingly important.

Finance at the heart of the business

The finance function is evolving alongside the CFO role. Technology, automation and advanced analytics are reducing the operational workload and giving finance teams more scope to contribute to strategic decisions.

Ahmet Nesimi Solmaz stressed that technology alone is not enough, commenting; “Data quality, sound governance and the capabilities of the team are all equally important in determining the success of this transformation.”

Creating sustainable value

In an article published by Fast Company, Ahmet Nesimi Solmaz said: “Today, we spend a significant amount of our time on strategic decision-making, scenario analyses and identifying new sources of value. I believe this shift is being driven by macroeconomic uncertainty, rapid technological change and evolving investor expectations.”

He added, “Finance was once seen mainly as a back-office function. It now sits at the centre of the business and plays an integral role in decision-making. At KoçZer, we focus on creating sustainable value by closely monitoring supply chain risks, continuously optimising our portfolio and pursuing long-term, sustainable growth.”