From Risk to Resilience
CFO strategies for navigating uncertainty and fueling growth
Today, one thing you can count on is constant change. CFOs are steering companies through the murky waters of uncertainty, tasked with a long list of responsibilities that extend from financial planning to risk mitigation and operational strategy. They're the key players who have to balance near term-decisions with long-term outcomes.
This article is all about providing CFOs with actionable insights on how to transition from risk management to resilience building. We'll examine the importance of investing in the right team, the transformative power of innovation and the art of managing cash flow for strategic growth. A special focus will be given to the potential of sale-leasebacks, an often underutilized form of alternative financing that can unlock significant capital. Whether you're a seasoned CFO or new to the role, this guide is the roadmap you need to help you rise above uncertainty and prepare your organization for sustainable growth.
Invest in Your Team
A strong team is the foundation of a resilient company. The right people bring wide-ranging perspectives that can make a real difference. What does this really mean for CFOs who are charting a course for growth and resilience?
The Value of a Multifaceted Team
A one-dimensional team just won't cut it in today's fast-paced business world. Companies need to have the right combination of skills and perspectives to navigate the complexities of the modern market. Each member of your team should bring a unique skill set that complements the others.
Take Google, for example. The company succeeds because it values new ideas, driven by a diverse team of engineers, data scientists, marketers and even psychologists. This multifaceted approach has been key in Google's ability to stay ahead of the curve.
Actionable Tip: Conduct a skills gap analysis to identify what your team is missing. Then, target those areas in your hiring and training efforts.
The Importance of Continuous Learning
The business landscape is always evolving, and your team should be doing the same thing. Continuous learning opportunities not only help team members get better at their job but also boosts employee morale and retention.
Actionable Tip: Allocate a portion of your budget for employee development programs. Whether it's workshops, online courses or conferences, make learning a priority.
Building a Culture of Resilience
A resilient team can adapt to change, bounce back from setbacks and seize new opportunities. It's more than just the luck of the draw. Investing in your team is a deliberate, strategic move that results in growth and resilience.
Actionable Tip: Invest in training programs and hire from a diverse talent pool to bring in a variety of skills and perspectives. Create a company culture where failure is seen as a learning opportunity. Encourage open communication to address challenges head-on.
Embrace Innovation
Innovation isn't just about thinking up the next big trend. It's about optimizing your current processes to be more efficient. Digitalization is a key player here. But how do CFOs use automation and technology to pursue operational excellence and business growth?
The Digital Transformation Journey
A digital transformation is a strategic overhaul of business activities, processes and models to fully take advantage of the changes and opportunities that digital technologies have to offer.
General Electric (GE) underwent a massive digital transformation to evolve from an industrial company into a digital-industrial company. The process involved implementing new technologies but also rethinking their entire business model.
Actionable Tip: Start by auditing your current tech stack. Identify outdated systems that are slowing things down and look for modern solutions that can streamline operations.
Data-Driven Decision Making
The ability to make informed decisions is a big competitive advantage. Data analytics tools can provide insights into customer behavior, market trends and operational efficiencies. That wealth of information provides many opportunities to take your operations to the next level.
Actionable Tip: Invest in data analytics tools that can provide actionable insights. Train your team to interpret and use this data effectively.
Automation
Automation can take over repetitive tasks, freeing up your team to focus on more strategic initiatives. For CFOs who need to manage resources efficiently, the time saved is invaluable.
Actionable Tip: Identify bottlenecks in your current processes and give some thought to how digital tools can eliminate them. Look for tasks that can be automated to save time and resources.
Embracing innovation is a necessity for CFOs aiming for efficiency and growth. And remember, innovation isn't a one-time event but an ongoing process. Keep your eye on new technologies and be ready to adapt.
Manage Cash Flow
Managing cash flow can be quite a juggling act. You need cash for day-to-day operations, but also to invest in growth. This is where sale-leasebacks come into play as a form of alternative financing. But let's take a closer look at the nuances of cash flow management, especially for CFOs who are trying to steer the financial ship through both calm and choppy waters.
The Liquidity Conundrum
Liquidity is like oxygen for a business. Without it, your operations can grind to a halt. But hoarding money isn't the answer either because idle cash doesn't generate returns.
Actionable Tip: Maintain a cash reserve covering at least three to six months of operating expenses. This gives you a safety net while allowing you to invest in growth.
Creative Financing
Investing in growth is important, but it's easier said than done, especially when liquidity is tight. Creative financing options like sale-leasebacks can be a lifesaver.
What is a sale-leaseback? A sale-leaseback is when a company sells its property to an investor for cash and simultaneously enters into a long-term lease. This frees up capital tied in real estate, which can then be redirected toward growth initiatives. It’s also permanent capital that never has to be repaid so there is no future refinancing risk. For example, a retail chain could use a sale-leaseback strategy to free up capital and then turn around and invest in expanding its online presence.
Actionable Tip: If you own valuable real estate, consider a sale-leaseback as a way to unlock permanent capital with no refinancing risk, while maintaining operational control of your building(s).
The Role of Financial Forecasting
Accurate financial forecasting can be a huge advantage. It helps you anticipate cash flow needs, making it easier to plan for investments and contingencies. It's another highly useful way CFOs can ensure financial stability and growth. Sale-leaseback arrangements also typically involve set lease payments over a period of many years (anywhere from 10-30 years). This predictability in cash outflows can make it easier to forecast future expenses.
Actionable Tip: Invest in financial forecasting tools and, if possible, bring in experts who can help you make the most of them.
Additional Strategies for CFOs
Navigating the financial landscape requires more than just a good compass. It requires a multi-pronged strategy. In addition to investing in teams, embracing innovation and managing cash flow, there are other tactics CFOs can use to build resilience and drive growth.
Scenario Planning
Always have a Plan B and even a Plan C. The more prepared you are for different scenarios, the more resilient your company will be. During the COVID-19 pandemic, companies that had robust contingency plans were more nimble and able to better adapt to the new environment, ie. moving to remote work or finding new suppliers.
Actionable Tip: Use financial tools to test out the impact of different business scenarios. This helps you prepare for unexpected issues, so you can make faster, smarter choices.
Debt Management
Look for ways to reduce or retire debt. This will improve your balance sheet, boost your credit metrics and increase cash flow. Sale-leasebacks can be another useful tool in this regard, enabling companies to unlock attractive capital to pay off debt coming due. Another benefit of a sale-leaseback is there is no refinancing risk or back-end balloon payments.
Actionable Tip: Review your debt profile regularly and consider sale-leasebacks as a way to strengthen your balance sheet and avoid expensive debt refinancing.
Transparency
Keep the lines of communication open with all stakeholders. Transparency builds trust, which is invaluable in times of uncertainty.
Actionable Tip: Use multiple channels like email updates, town halls or even social media to keep stakeholders informed. Transparency is about being honest when challenges arise.
Final Thoughts: The Road to Resilience
Resilience is about building a business that can withstand the shocks and disruptions that come its way and emerge stronger and even more competitive. For CFOs, this means wearing many hats — from being a strategic advisor and risk manager to an innovator and financial steward.
Remember that resilience is a journey, not a destination. It requires continuing effort, strategic planning and the right set of financial tools. Sale-leasebacks are one such tool that every chief financial officer should have in their arsenal, offering a practical solution to one of the most pressing challenges: balancing liquidity and growth.
Ready to unlock new growth opportunities for your business? Contact W. P. Carey today to explore whether or not a sale-leaseback makes sense for you!
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MIPIM 2026: Where Capital, Conviction and Opportunity Converge
As the industry gathers once again in Cannes for MIPIM 2026, the European real estate investment landscape appears to be at an important inflection point. After several years defined by volatility, repricing and constrained liquidity, there are growing signs of stabilisation — though the recovery remains uneven and market-specific. Against that backdrop, three questions are likely to dominate conversations at MIPIM this year: Are European transaction volumes expected to improve? How will the sale‑leaseback market evolve amid a significant wall of maturing debt? Which sectors appear best positioned as investors recalibrate their strategies? The Outlook for European Transaction Volumes Pricing expectations between buyers and sellers have adjusted meaningfully over the past 18–24 months, following one of the sharpest repricing cycles the European real estate market has experienced in decades. After a prolonged period of stalled activity, valuations across many markets now show clear signs of stabilisation, supported by greater transparency around interest‑rate policy and financing costs. While long‑term rates remain elevated relative to the pre‑2022 environment, the pace of change has slowed, allowing investors to underwrite returns with greater confidence and begin re‑engaging selectively with the market. This improved clarity around cost of capital is starting to translate into renewed deal momentum in several core European markets. Savills reports that European investment volumes are expected to rise by around 18% in 2026 as pricing firms up, macroeconomic conditions stabilise and institutional capital returns more consistently across the main sectors. That said, recovery is unlikely to be uniform. We continue to see divergence between markets and sectors, with liquidity gravitating toward assets where fundamentals are strongest and underwriting assumptions can be supported over the long term. Sale‑leasebacks and the Growing Need for Capital One of the most prominent themes we expect to discuss at MIPIM 2026 is the growing demand for alternative sources of capital — particularly as a significant amount of corporate and real estate debt comes due this year and next. Across Europe, many owner-occupiers are facing refinancing challenges in an environment where traditional bank lending remains selective and difficult to access. At the same time, businesses are contending with higher operating costs, investment requirements linked to competitiveness, and the need to preserve balance‑sheet flexibility. In this context, sale‑leasebacks are increasingly being viewed as a strategic financing tool. By unlocking capital tied up in real estate, owner-occupiers can redeploy funds toward growth initiatives, operational requirements and debt paydown, while retaining long‑term operational control of their assets. Sectors to Watch: Industrial and Retail When it comes to sector preferences, industrial and retail assets continue to stand out, provided they are underpinned by strong occupier fundamentals. In the industrial space, manufacturing and logistics assets that play a critical role in supply chains remain attractive. Structural trends such as nearshoring, supply‑chain resilience and e‑commerce continue to support demand in many European markets. Assets that are modern, well‑located and tailored to tenant needs are increasingly difficult to replace, reinforcing their long‑term importance. Retail also remains an area of opportunity — particularly for formats that serve non‑discretionary or value‑oriented consumer demand. Grocery‑anchored retail, DIY, and other essential retail categories have demonstrated resilience through economic cycles, supported by consistent foot traffic and defensive spending patterns. A Measured but Constructive Outlook MIPIM 2026 comes at a time when optimism is returning to European real estate markets. While challenges remain, there is growing evidence that capital is being deployed at more significant levels — particularly where opportunities are grounded in fundamentals rather than short-term trends. The conversations in Cannes this year are likely to reflect that balance: pragmatic, selective, but increasingly forward‑looking. For long‑term investors focused on durable cash flows and partnership‑driven transactions, the environment continues to present compelling opportunities.
Forging Long-term Partnerships Through Tenant-centered Real Estate Solutions
At W. P. Carey, we view real estate as a long‑term partnership — not a one‑time transaction. We stay closely connected with our tenants, aligning our capital and real estate expertise with the evolving needs of their businesses. That philosophy is embedded in Carey Tenant Solutions, our platform designed to support tenant growth beyond the initial acquisition. Through follow‑on investments, we help tenants modernize, expand, redevelop, relocate and improve the energy efficiency of their facilities — allowing them to focus capital on what matters most: running and scaling their core business. Below is an overview of the core capabilities within Carey Tenant Solutions and how each can benefit existing and prospective tenants. Build-to-suits In a build‑to‑suit, W. P. Carey funds and manages the construction of a new facility — or the expansion of an existing one — tailored to the precise specifications of a prospective or existing tenant. Upon completion, the tenant enters into a long‑term net lease while retaining full operational control of the new or expanded facility. We offer two flexible approaches to build‑to‑suits: Build-to-suit financing: We provide construction capital while the tenant’s developer executes the project, either through traditional construction financing funded over time or via take‑out financing upon completion. Turnkey build-to-suit: We finance and manage the entire construction process, from site selection to final delivery. For tenants, the primary advantage of a build‑to‑suit is capital efficiency. Rather than tying up their capital in real estate, tenants can redeploy resources toward growth initiatives, innovation or strengthening operations — while still gaining a facility designed specifically for their needs. Learn how this approach helped support our tenant Cuisine Solutions’ growth. Redevelopments W. P. Carey offers comprehensive redevelopment capabilities, managing projects from initial design through delivery. Combining our internal development expertise and long‑standing relationships with leading architects, consultants and contractors, we assemble experienced teams capable of executing even the most complex redevelopment projects. Our redevelopment capabilities span: Repositionings, where we upgrade, modernize or expand an existing building while maintaining its core use. Redevelopments, which involve unlocking value of infill locations through adaptive reuse and ground up construction of state-of-the-art, primarily industrial, properties that meet the demands of modern occupiers. W. P. Carey’s turnkey redevelopment process is comprehensive and includes: Pre-construction planning and optimization Development feasibility and due diligence Zoning and entitlement approvals Design and permitting Budgeting and scheduling Construction management Creative lease structures Sustainable development Overall efficiency Our proactive approach allows us to work directly with incoming tenants to shape a property around their exact operational requirements, while enhancing the quality of our portfolio by retaining the best positioned assets in the highest barrier-to-entry locations. Learn more about our carbon-neutral redevelopment of a Class-A warehouse for a global IT services company. Energy Solutions Through Carey Tenant Solutions, we also help tenants reduce operating costs and advance their sustainability goals by designing, funding and implementing renewable power and energy efficiency projects directly at their facilities. We believe that improving the quality and sustainability of our assets delivers tangible benefits across our portfolio — increasing renewal probabilities, strengthening tenant relationships and enhancing long‑term asset value – all while helping our tenants reduce their carbon footprint. Our energy solutions include: On‑site renewables, including CareySolar® Efficiency retrofits, such as LED lighting upgrades Smart building technologies, including IoT‑enabled metering Green infrastructure, such as EV charging stations and battery storage Carbon‑neutral construction By integrating these solutions into our long‑term ownership strategy, we help tenants operate more efficiently today while building assets that are better positioned for the future. Read how we collaborated with our tenant, a healthcare products distributor, to fund a rooftop solar installation. A Platform Built on Partnership Collaboration with our tenants — and support beyond the initial transaction — has always been core to how we operate at W. P. Carey. With Carey Tenant Solutions, we have formalized and unified those capabilities, bringing decades of experience together under a single platform to deliver one of the most comprehensive tenant service offerings in the net lease industry. Interested in exploring Carey Tenant Solutions? Get in touch today.
2026 Net Lease Outlook
After several years marked by inflation, interest rate uncertainty and selective buyer activity, the U.S. net lease market enters 2026 with more clarity – and more momentum. As pricing resets work through the real estate sector and investors gain confidence in the direction of capital markets, we expect an increase in transaction volume in the year ahead. Below are three predictions set to shape the U.S. net lease landscape in 2026. Transaction Volume Will Rebound as Pricing Stabilizes The reset in valuations throughout 2024 and 2025 has narrowed bid‑ask spreads and revived buyer activity. As the sector digested Fed policy shifts and debt markets steadied, transaction activity began increasing meaningfully – particularly in industrial and logistics. As a result, we expect a measurable uptick in volume in 2026 as investors lean into improved cost‑of‑capital visibility. Colliers forecasts that U.S. CRE transaction volume will grow 15–20% in 2026. Industrial Will Continue to Dominate Industrial demand is positioned to remain strong in 2026. As trade‑policy uncertainty eased in late 2025, many companies who had paused expansion or relocation decisions finally moved forward, bringing a wave of leasing activity that is carrying into the new year. E‑commerce also continues to be a powerful structural driver, underpinning robust leasing demand as retailers and logistics operators expand fulfillment capacity to meet consumer needs. At the same time, development pipelines have slowed, allowing the market to work through new supply. As a result, vacancy is expected to stabilize in 2026, reinforcing a fundamentally balanced environment for investors and occupiers alike. Rising M&A Activity Will Drive New Sale‑Leaseback Opportunities An anticipated rise in M&A activity will likely fuel an increase in sale‑leaseback opportunities in 2026. Private equity firms often use sale-leasebacks to reduce upfront equity requirements and enhance returns when acquiring a new business, especially in deals where real estate represents a meaningful share of the purchase price. On the post-acquisition side, sale-leasebacks can offer PE firms considerable financial flexibility, supporting reinvestment into the portfolio company’s business or even future follow-on acquisitions. Altogether, the anticipated surge in M&A is expected to expand the pipeline of high‑quality real estate coming to market, providing ample opportunity for sale-leaseback investors. Final Thoughts As 2026 unfolds, the U.S. net lease market is entering a period of renewed stability and opportunity. With transaction volumes rebounding, industrial demand holding firm and sale-leaseback activity accelerating alongside M&A trends, investors have multiple avenues to deploy capital strategically. Staying attuned to these drivers will be essential for navigating the year ahead.