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Randall Bolten

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Randall Bolten is passionate about the importance of presenting financials and other numerical information in a cogent and effective way, and in his current life is the author of Painting with Numbers: Presenting Financials and Other Numbers So People Will Understand You (John Wiley & Sons, 2012).

He is a seasoned financial executive, with many years of directing the financial and other operations of high-technology companies. His experience includes nearly twenty years as a chief financial officer of software companies.

He has held the CFO position at public companies BroadVision and Phoenix Technologies, and at private companies including Arcot Systems, BioCAD, and Teknekron. Before his CFO positions, he held senior financial management positions at Oracle and Tandem Computers.

He received his AB from Princeton University, headed west to earn an MBA at Stanford University, and ended up staying in Silicon Valley. 

In addition to writing Painting with Numbers, he currently operates Lucidity, a consulting and executive coaching practice focused on organizing and presenting complex financial information. He divides his work time between Glenbrook, NV and Washington, DC, and maintains an office in Menlo Park, CA.

 

Author's Articles

The Most Useful Graph Ever
March 13, 2018
FP&A Tags:
Data Visualisation, FP&A Storytelling

Well-designed incentive compensation plans – especially sales commission plans – are an incredibly powerful way to motivate great performance. But designing a great plan is both an art and a science.

Read more
FP&A Data Vizualization: Showcase Your Critical Thinking Skills!
January 31, 2018
FP&A Tags:
Financial Planning and Analysis, Data Visualisation, FP&A Skills

You will be considered a great FP&A professional only if you can communicate clearly, effectively, and eloquently. The most basic of those choices is whether a use a table or a graph. To make that choice intelligently, it’s critical that you answer four questions that are described in this article. 

Read more
The Most Useless Visualisation Ever
December 16, 2017
FP&A Tags:
Data Visualisation, FP&A Storytelling

Let’s take a look at some of the most messed-up, incomprehensible recent examples of quantation. Not surprisingly, all are graphs. But some come from sources that definitely should know better.

Read more
FP&A Professional, Are You Choosing the RIGHT Graph for Your Story?
October 23, 2017
FP&A Tags:
Financial Planning and Analysis, Data Visualisation

There are so many ways to graph information, and many of them are not just labor-intensive, but cognitively ineffective. But even if you’ve chosen one of the more effective ways of graphing information, also remember that graphs work best when you’re trying to make a single, critically important point. 

Read more

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Event Calendar

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Transforming FP&A Together: Human & AI Synergy
 
From What-If to What’s Next: Scenario Management for Modern FP&A
 
Dynamic Shift: Mastering Predictive Planning & Forecasting
 
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From Insight to Impact: FP&A Business Partnering in the Age of AI
 
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Creating Your Transformation Map with the FP&A Trends Maturity Model
 
From Forecast to Action: Building Predictive Power into FP&A
 
Moving from FP&A to Extended Planning and Analysis (xP&A)
 
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The FP&A Analytics Playbook
 
 
All events for the year

Future Meetings

The Face-to-Face Boston FP&A Board: Debunking FP&A Myths: Agile Strategies for Forecasts and Scenarios
The Face-to-Face Boston FP&A Board Transforming FP&A Together: Human & AI Synergy

October 7, 2025

register for the FP&A Trends Webinar:From What-If to What’s Next: Scenario Management for Modern FP&A
The FP&A Trends Webinar From What-If to What’s Next: Scenario Management for Modern FP&A

October 8, 2025

The Face-to-Face Chicago FP&A Board: Dynamic Shift: Mastering Predictive Planning & Forecasting
The Face-to-Face Chicago FP&A Board Dynamic Shift: Mastering Predictive Planning & Forecasting

October 9, 2025

The Face-to-Face San Francisco FP&A Board:From Insight to Impact: FP&A Business Partnering in Action
The Face-to-Face San Francisco FP&A Board From Insight to Impact: FP&A Business Partnering in the Age of AI

October 16, 2025

The Face-to-Face Houston FP&A Board: Creating Your Transformation Map with the FP&A Trends Maturity Model
The Face-to-Face Houston FP&A Board Creating Your Transformation Map with the FP&A Trends Maturity Model

October 21, 2025

Register The Digital North American FP&A Circle: Predictive Planning & Forecasting: Building Intelligence into Every Decision
The Digital North American FP&A Circle From Forecast to Action: Building Predictive Power into FP&A

October 22, 2025

The Face-to-Face Austin FP&A Board: Moving from FP&A to Extended Planning and Analysis (xP&A)
The Face-to-Face Austin FP&A Board Moving from FP&A to Extended Planning and Analysis (xP&A)

October 23, 2025

The FP&A Trends Webinar: The FP&A Analytics Playbook
The FP&A Trends Webinar The FP&A Analytics Playbook

October 29, 2025

The Face-to-Face Zurich FP&A Board: Debunking FP&A Myths: Agile Strategies for Forecasts and Scenarios
The Face-to-Face Zurich FP&A Board Transforming FP&A Together: Human & AI Synergy

November 4, 2025

The Digital Nordic & Benelux & UKI FP&A Circle: First Steps into AI in FP&A: Getting Started Without Getting Overwhelmed
The Digital EMEA FP&A Circle First Steps into AI in FP&A: Getting Started Without Getting Overwhelmed

November 5, 2025

The Face-to-Face Munich FP&A Board: Creating Your Transformation Map with the FP&A Trends Maturity Model
The Face-to-Face Munich FP&A Board Creating Your Transformation Map with the FP&A Trends Maturity Model

November 11, 2025

The FP&A Trends Webinar: Mastering Data in FP&A – Building Analytical Capabilities for Strategic Growth and Informed Decision-Making
The FP&A Trends Webinar Mastering Data in FP&A: Turning Analytics into Strategic Advantage

November 12, 2025

The Face-to-Face Copenhagen FP&A Board
The Face-to-Face Copenhagen FP&A Board Creating Your Transformation Map with the FP&A Trends Maturity Model

November 18, 2025

The FP&A Trends Webinar: FP&A 2026+: Top 5 Trends Through the AI Lens
The FP&A Trends Webinar Visionary Trends in FP&A: A Strategic Look Toward 2030

November 19, 2025

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