20 years of top FP&A (from Amazon to Siemens and everything in between)
Jul 30, 2024
auto_awesome
In this engaging conversation, Maria del Dado Alonso Sanchez, a seasoned CFO with a robust background in finance across major corporations like Amazon and Booking.com, shares her transformative journey. She discusses essential strategies for financial adaptability in fast-growing sectors, revealing lessons from launching Amazon Prime and navigating Booking.com's acquisition. Maria emphasizes the importance of aligning KPIs with industry challenges and the promising role of AI in finance. Plus, she shares some fun personal insights about kickboxing and karaoke!
Maria del Dado emphasizes the importance of adaptability and understanding industry-specific KPIs for effective financial decision-making across diverse sectors.
The podcast highlights the transformative role of AI and advanced data analytics in finance, urging professionals to embrace continuous learning and ethical considerations.
Deep dives
Career Journey and Transformation in Finance
The guest shares her extensive career journey that began in a small town in Spain and led her to significant roles in major companies such as Amazon, Booking.com, and Berlin Brands Group. Starting as a business finance controller at Siemens, she emphasizes the importance of adaptability and transformation throughout her 20+ years in finance. Notably, her time at Amazon coincided with the launch of Prime in Europe, which was a pivotal learning experience in navigating rapid company transformations. Her diverse experiences have shaped her perspective on finance, highlighting her desire to continually embrace new challenges and drive change.
Key Performance Indicators in Different Industries
The discussion covers various key performance indicators (KPIs) that differ across industries but generally include metrics such as revenue growth, gross margin, and free cash flow. For instance, while working at Berlin Brands Group, inventory management became crucial, involving metrics like inventory turnover and customer return rates. Conversely, at Assyrian, focused on gaming, the metrics shifted towards user engagement, emphasizing daily active users and average revenue per user. This differentiation demonstrates the necessity of understanding industry-specific metrics to influence operational success effectively.
Harnessing Data for Better Decision-Making
The conversation highlights the pivotal role of data in financial decision-making and emphasizes the need for reliable databases and governance. The guest illustrates this point with her experience at CNA Netherlands, where she initiated the creation of a local database that significantly improved insights into unit economics and product performance. By building strong collaboration between teams and leveraging this data, the company was able to optimize pricing strategies and manage stock effectively. This case underscores the importance of democratizing data access to empower all teams in making informed decisions.
The Future of Finance with AI and Emerging Technologies
The guest expresses optimism about the transformative potential of artificial intelligence and machine learning in finance. She notes that advanced data analytics and AI tools can streamline processes, improve forecasting accuracy, and enhance collaborative decision-making. However, she also warns of the risks associated with AI, highlighting the importance of ethical considerations and the necessity for finance professionals to adapt and embrace these innovations. Lastly, she advocates for continuous learning and the acquisition of skills related to technology, as these will be essential for the future of the finance profession.
Maria del Dado Alonso Sanchez, a recognized and respected Board Member and Chief Financial Officer for large & mid-cap companies has been a finance leader in sectors including e-commerce, technology, gaming ad tech, and online hospitality. She says: “Each sector really presented its unique financial challenges and strategies.”
Learn invaluable lessons about FP&A from Maria who has served more than 20 years at blue chip companies:
How I grew as a finance professional at Amazon and the launch of Amazon Prime and Amazon Europe was created
Acquiring of Booking.com by Priceline
Azerion growth from 200m Euros to 500m Euros in only two years to IPO and Belin’s Brand Group ended up with a leveraged buyout
From law to finance and my finance career
Core KPIs and metrics across diverse businesses
Getting the “finance footprint” from a CEO before I join
Flexibility and adaptability in fast-growth companies
Customer obsession at Amazon vs the 80/20 principle at Booking.com
My approach to financial modeling
Levering analysts with historical data at C&A
Implementing BI tools and justifying the investment
Why AI in finance is a phenomenal opportunity and my role as Board Member for Women in AI Netherlands