The FP&A Life at GE, Microsoft–and Now Google

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Apr 23, 2024

Antonio Reza, Head of Finance for Google Cloud Consulting in EMEA, shares insights on his finance journey at Google, Microsoft, and GE. Topics include the AI revolution in tech companies, storytelling in FP&A, real-time data demands, and the importance of economic context in decision-making. Reza also discusses his challenges transitioning to a managerial role and balancing sports with his career.

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Episode notes

Introduction

00:00 • 2min

Career Journey from Finance to Tech at Google

01:31 • 6min

Evolution of AI and Machine Learning in Finance

07:35 • 18min

Evolution and Challenges of FPNA in Real-time Data Demand

25:33 • 5min

Crafting Meaningful Narratives in Finance

30:57 • 10min

Exploring CrossFit, Triathlons, Excel vs Google Sheets, and Favorite Excel Function

40:40 • 3min

Antonio Reza is the Head of Finance for Google Cloud Consulting in Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). In this episode he reveals the FP&A life and lessons he has learned over the past 14 years working in finance and strategy at Google, Microsoft, and GE. He brings experiences across 10 different countries leading teams across the globe spanning different industries (he also speaks four languages). In this episode he reveals:

How Getting into GE’s finance and FP&A training was life-changing
Why so many tech people like himself are inspired to get into finance
Country specific differences in finance that he has learnt over his career
Google in the midst of AI revolution and how we used AI at Microsoft for our commercial forecasting
How AI in finance is still about automation – with insights the next frontier for FP&A
How FP&A at Google and Microsoft FP&A teams are set up
Why “Walking the Shop” remains core to his career in finance
How the biggest companies in the world manage real-time data
Despite the technological avalanche storytelling and persuasion is fundamental at the top tech companies
Why FP&A needs to focus on snapshots vs “real-time” dashboards
FP&A Need to Ask Why x5 Times: The Secret of great storytelling
Why I am focused on grasping and applying the economic picture in my work
My biggest challenges in moving from individual contributor to manager early in my career
How a “failure” led to my team and I staying in the office for 56 hours trying to close an audit – and the people skills I learnt along the way
Why Despite working at Google, Excel still bosses Google Sheets for finance teams
Using your 20s to hustle and have a successful career

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