How to Light up FP&A Telecoms - Tory Bauman, VP FP&A Zayo
Apr 2, 2024
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Tory Bauman, VP FP&A Zayo, discusses FP&A metrics at telecom giant Zayo, forecasting churn, strategic alignment, cost per event on telecom network, profit from AI revolution, capital markets experience, and aspiring to be a CFO. She also shares insights on team structure, forecasting, strategic planning, and mentorship in finance leadership.
Importance of aligning FP&A with leadership strategy and goals for successful business partnering.
Utilizing predictive analytics and AI in FP&A operations to enhance accuracy, speed, and focus on strategic decisions.
Deep dives
Tori Bellman's Career Journey and Transition to FP&A
Tori Bellman recounts her career trajectory from starting in audit at KPMG to moving into operational accounting and eventually landing in FP&A at Zayo. She highlights her shift towards a more forward-looking role and the excitement of working with business leaders to predict financial outcomes based on strategic goals.
Deep Dive into Zayo's Financial Operations and KPIs
Tori delves into Zayo's financial setup, emphasizing how the FP&A team is structured by business unit and cost centers. She highlights the key KPIs tracked, such as top-line growth, recurring revenue model, sales bookings, and churn monitoring. Tori also underscores the importance of metrics like cash flow, cost of capital, and return on invested capital in the telecom industry.
Predictive Analytics and AI in FP&A
Tori discusses the integration of predictive analytics and AI in Zayo's finance operations. She outlines initiatives to improve accuracy and speed in reporting, leveraging AI to automate data collection and analysis processes. Tori emphasizes the goal to shift analysts' focus towards strategic business decisions by offloading repetitive tasks to AI models.
Career Goals and Mentoring in Finance
Tori shares her aspiration to become a CFO and highlights her approach to achieving this goal. She emphasizes the importance of vocalizing career objectives, seeking mentors, and filling experience gaps. Tori underscores mentorship as a two-way street and advocates for advocating for oneself to attain career aspirations.
Tory Bauman, Vice President, FP&A at Zayo Group joins new host Glenn Hopper. In this fascinating episode they go deep on FP&A metrics and processes at one of the most exciting companies in telecoms. Tory leads an FP&A team underpinning business decisions at Zayo whose network stretches over 16.8 million fiber miles and spans 141,000 route miles. With telecoms long at the forefront of technology, Tory explains her cutting edge philosophy around FP&A realizing “ leadership’s strategy and their goals” “closing gaps” and making necessary “pivots”.
In this episode Tory reveals:
Her move from accountant to finance and why she made the switch
How FP&A at Zayo is set up and the main metrics tracked including the importance of being good stewards of billions of dollars in capital investments
Measures for forecasting churn
Alignment as crucial to business partnering
Early warning signs and predictive analytics
FP&A and cost per event on telecoms network
Using external data and macro side on the pricing decisions
How Zayo is profiting by providing connectivity and bandwidth in the AI revolution
How I am trying to develop my experience in capital markets and mentorship
Why I am not shy about letting people know I want to be a CFO
Her golf career and the impact it has made on her finance goals