This paper revisits five key FP&A roles: the Architect, the Analyst, the Data Scientist, the Data Storyteller, and the Influencer, which were first introduced in our 2021 research paper. We explore how these roles have evolved, their impact on Business Partnering, and how they will adapt to new challenges and technologies. 

FP&A teams that integrate therapist-like skills — active listening, trust-building and behavioural psychology — can significantly enhance their impact on decision-making and business performance

Amarnath Kamath, CFO at AXA Group Operations, shares how he restructured finance using a unique cooking analogy—ensuring processes and people are all in sync. He unlocked new strategic capacity by centralising routine tasks, creating specialist teams, and empowering Finance Business Partners.

Balancing centralised and decentralised FP&A models is key to improving efficiency, collaboration and business agility — learn how to optimise your structure.

The article highlights how treating budgeting as a strategic advisory tool rather than an accounting exercise can align teams, inspire excellence and drive meaningful financial outcomes.

What does it take to build a world-class FP&A team? In this video, Natasha Rathee, SVP, Head of Finance at Bluerock Therapeutics (a division of Bayer), answers this question and shares her experiences on building and leading FP&A Teams.