CFI at Davos 2026: How Skills and Upskilling Are Shaping the Future of Finance
The conversations emerging from Davos this year reinforced a clear reality: the global workforce is at an inflection point.
AI is reshaping how work gets done. Economic uncertainty is forcing organizations to operate leaner and make faster, higher-stakes decisions. At the same time, widening skills gaps, shifting demographics, and unequal access to education are creating new socioeconomic pressures across regions.
Against this backdrop, one message consistently emerged across discussions on policy, business, technology, and education: the future of work will be defined by skills.
For Corporate Finance Institute (CFI), this message was not new. It was affirming.
Why Skills Matter More Than Ever
At venues like the USA House and the Saudi House, conversations focused on competitiveness, resilience, and long-term workforce transformation. While the contexts differed, the underlying challenge was the same.
How do organizations and economies ensure people have the skills to adapt as roles evolve faster than traditional education models can keep up?
In finance, especially, expectations are rising. AI and automation are accelerating analysis and reporting, but they are also raising the bar for judgment, interpretation, and strategic decision making. Strong fundamentals remain essential, but they must now be paired with the ability to apply new tools thoughtfully in real-world situations.
Upskilling has moved from a career advantage to a strategic necessity.
Workforce Transformation Starts With Human Capability
A recurring theme at Davos was the importance of investing in human capital, not simply through hiring, but through continuous learning and capability-building.
At the Saudi House, the focus was on leveraging human capability by upskilling talent and learning how to work alongside AI rather than assuming it will replace people. Technology can increase efficiency, but sustainable growth depends on people who understand how to apply tools responsibly and make informed decisions in complex environments.
This perspective closely mirrors what CFI sees through its global learner community, including a growing base of Saudi Arabia-based learners who are building finance skills that evolve alongside changing roles, tools, and economic conditions.
Workforce transformation succeeds when people are equipped to grow with it.
Skills as a Foundation for Economic Resilience
At the USA House, conversations about resilience repeatedly returned to the topic of skills.
As markets shift and uncertainty becomes a constant, organizations are placing greater emphasis on upskilling their teams. Continuous learning is increasingly viewed as a core driver of adaptability, productivity, and long-term performance.
In our work with learners in the US, one of CFI’s largest and most active communities, we see professionals investing in practical finance skills to stay relevant, advance their careers, and help their organizations navigate change.
Resilience is not built through static knowledge. It is built through skills that evolve.
Skills Travel in a Global Economy
One of the clearest takeaways from Davos is how global the conversation around talent has become.
Finance skills are increasingly transferable across teams, organizations, and borders. Strong fundamentals in financial analysis, modeling, and decision making open doors in virtually every market. Opportunity follows people who continue to learn and adapt.
CFI works with learners across more than 180 countries who use skills to navigate change, unlock new opportunities, and build resilient, future-ready careers. In a global economy, skills are among the most powerful equalizers.
AI Is Changing Finance, Not Replacing People
AI featured in nearly every conversation at Davos, but the prevailing view was clear.
AI is transforming how work gets done, not removing the need for human judgment. As new tools emerge, the most valuable skills are interpretation, critical thinking, and decision making. Technology amplifies capability, but it does not replace it.
In our work with learners, the strongest outcomes consistently come from professionals who combine solid finance fundamentals with the ability to use new tools thoughtfully and responsibly.
The future of finance belongs to those who understand both.
A Mission Reinforced by a Decade of Impact
The themes emerging from Davos strongly reinforce why CFI exists.
CFI was founded in 2016 to expand access to practical, job-relevant finance training and to support professionals as roles evolve and expectations change. From the beginning, the focus has been on skills that translate directly into better decision making, stronger performance, and long-term career resilience.
One of the clearest expressions of that mission is CFI’s Financial Modeling & Valuation Analyst (FMVA®) certification, created to help professionals develop the core skills required of modern, world-class financial analysts. Since its launch, more than 46,000 professionals across over 100 countries have earned the FMVA®, reflecting the global demand for accessible, skills-based finance training.
Over the past ten years, CFI has grown alongside a diverse and global community of learners committed to continuous improvement and lifelong learning. Many have gone on to advance into leadership roles, influence better financial decision making within their organizations, and help shape how finance teams operate in an increasingly complex environment.
As CFI marks its ten-year anniversary, the conversations at Davos affirm that the mission remains both relevant and necessary. In a world defined by rapid change, skills are not just a career advantage, they are the foundation of resilient organizations and economies.
Preparing for What Comes Next
The future of finance will continue to be shaped by change.
Markets will shift. Technology will evolve. Expectations will rise. What remains constant is the need for people who have the skills to adapt, think critically, and make informed decisions.
The insights from Davos underscore a simple truth: individuals and organizations that invest in upskilling today are better prepared for tomorrow. Corporate Finance Institute is proud to support that journey by equipping finance professionals around the world with the skills they need to thrive in a changing global economy.
