FP&A Today

Bryan Lapidus, Director of the FP&A Practice at the Association for Financial Professionals, discusses the transformative shifts in Financial Planning and Analysis. He explores how AI is reshaping finance and challenges the notion that business school prepares students for FP&A roles. Lapidus highlights the evolving responsibilities of CFOs, particularly in private equity, and why FP&A professionals are highly sought after. Moreover, he shares insights on the significance of certifications in navigating the finance landscape and the essential skills for future finance leaders.

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/

Craig Barry, a seasoned finance consultant with a rich background at companies like Pixar and LinkedIn, shares insights from his incredible journey in strategic finance. He details his unique path from environmental studies to key FP&A roles, emphasizing the importance of revenue growth in creative industries. Barry discusses the intricacies of mergers and acquisitions, and the process of building FP&A from scratch at BioRender. He also touches on the evolution of financial practices in startups and the transformative role of AI in Excel.

In this engaging discussion, Mike Dion, a seasoned finance leader with a rich background spanning Fortune 100 companies and startups, reveals his insights on enhancing organizational efficiency. He shares how automation has allowed him to unlock tens of millions in value. The conversation explores the evolution of finance through AI, dynamic modeling secrets, and the challenges teams face with forecasts. Additionally, Mike emphasizes the importance of simple, approachable finance content and even shares a hint about his favorite Excel function.

In this engaging discussion, Michael Bayer, CFO of Wasabi Technologies, and Cathy Yang, CFO of Trexon Global, dive into the complexities of today’s financial landscape. They explore the impact of tariffs on business operations and pricing strategies amid trade tensions. The conversation also highlights the transformative role of AI in enhancing supply chain visibility and financial forecasting. Additionally, they address the talent crisis looming in the accounting field, stressing the need for adaptability and continuous learning in finance.

Shannon Nash, a multifaceted Chief Financial Officer and filmmaker with over 25 years of experience, shares valuable insights into the art of board presentations. She discusses the significance of turning numbers into compelling narratives and the role of FP&A in securing substantial funding. The conversation also touches on her unique journey through finance, law, and film, and how improv training has enhanced her communication style. Discover her perspective on the power of diversity in corporate strategy and the importance of effective storytelling in finance.

In this insightful discussion, Hyoun Park, CEO of Amalgam Insights, shares his journey from CRM administrator to a finance tech expert. He addresses how AI can optimize tedious tasks like invoice processing and contract management. Listeners will learn about the challenges of rising cloud costs and the implications for budgeting. Hyoun also explores the balance between AI job displacement and new opportunities, plus his predictions for the future of finance in the age of technology. Tune in for a mix of real-world advice and futurist insights!

Bill Hanna, CPA and founder of The Financial Controller, shares his unique journey from hotel management to a successful accounting career. He discusses the evolving role of controllers and their crucial relationship with FP&A teams. Bill emphasizes the importance of mentoring and continuous learning in overcoming accounting challenges. He sheds light on the impact of technology on finance jobs and his transition into being an influencer, while entertainingly revealing his favorite Excel features as a Mac user.

Today’s guest is perhaps the leading CFO name in data and analytics, the ex-CFO of Tableau and DataRobot. Now as Founder & CEO at Caliper, Fletcher draws on over a decade of executive experience at the intersection of finance and analytics. At Caliper, his mission is transform cloud cost and usage data into actionable insights In this episode Fletcher discusses  The relationship between analytics and the CFO Subscription, net dollar retention, customer retention, and annual recurring revenue as key metrics  Getting from CFO to CEO and the learning curve  How we rely on AI and predictive ML and seasonal patterns to find anomalies Getting to base analytics and starting in AI Challenges and waste with cloud and holding engineers accountable The opportunity to  save 30% on cloud spend Moving from Excel to Google Sheets Connect with Damon LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damon-fletcher-bb8a6614/ https://calipersoftware.ai

Walmart, Kraft Heinz, Blue Rock Therapeutics, and the Four Seasons hotels are just some of companies that  regularly invite Ron Monteiro to coach their finance teams in storytelling. But Ron’s success followed decades of fear in presenting and public speaking in FP&A settings. Starting in accounting at Hitachi (“Ron Monteiro: “it was actually the only job I could get”) the CPA and CMA was inspired by a manager who gave him direction and mentorship doing FP&A as Kraft, as well as work over a decade in daily overcoming his debilitating fears. Now he delivers a playbook to teams across the world where finance is “expected to be at the table, not just tactically, but strategically.”Ron is also the author of a new book: Love Mondays which draws on his experience and interviews with finance leaders.   In this episode  Fear of public speaking I’ve carried through my life  Kraft Foods and a leap of faith from my manager 15 years at Kraft with 7 jobs and five promotions including FP&A manager, analyst and director  Transforming Kraft FP&A into strategic value: Kraft Singles and “Getting Our Shit Together” meetings Brendan Flynn’s leadership of finance at Kraft developing future finance leaders  The downward trend of FP&A post 3G Capital’s buyout  CPG and the essential metrics  Learning what you can do to grow – listening tour as business partnering and putting your hand up Love Mondays! A Proven Process to Bring Joy Back Into Your Work Week and Life Paperback by Ron Monteiro https://www.amazon.ca/Love-Mondays-Proven-Process-Bring/dp/B0DPMTVYY3