Transforming FP&A: Embracing Innovation and AI

Annette DeYoung, Principal Solutions Consultant at Datarails, is an accountant-turned FP&A manufacturing leader. She has deep experience in leading finance teams at manufacturing companies including Berner Food and Beverage, Rockford Products, Fairbanks Morse Engine, and JL Clark. It was at JL Clark, as Director of FP&A, that Annette implemented FP&A Solution, Datarails to mop up inefficiencies and end drain all-late night sessions at the finance department— she  liked the product so much she ended up joining the company and has since spoken to more than 1000 FP&A professionals seeking to love FP&A again by removing tedious repetitive processes.

In this episode 

• Why I fell in love with manufacturing and finance over my career 
• How creativity drew me from accounting to FP&A
• Why a hard-coded accountant attitude was difficult to reconcile with more creative FP&A 
• How to create finance business partnerships on the manufacturing floor 
• Why I brought Datarails into my finance team at JL Clarke 
• The future of Excel in FP&A
• Is finance (finally) making a move with AI? 
• The power of getting out of your comfort zone in finance 

Connect with Annette on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahdeyoung/