Transformation and new ways of working – the buzzwords that you hear a lot these days applied to business or IT functions. Are these concepts also suitable for finance, and especially finance in a stock listed large corporation? This article will describe this transformation and also outline the main success factors.

If the last year has taught us anything, traditional financial planning and analysis approaches did not work (or at least proved suboptimal) when navigating through uncharted landscapes. The pandemic forced FP&A practitioners to reassess and adapt our approach to planning, forecasting, and bringing to the forefront the importance of scenario planning. 

There is no doubt that the COVID-19 crisis brought a huge challenge for any business but it also brought a unique opportunity. FP&A professionals continue to play an essential part in navigating through the uncertainties.

In this digest, you will learn the biggest advantages that the FP&A team have in a post-pandemic business world, why business acumen is a must-have for all finance professionals, and how to optimise your decision-making process.

The power of Finance Business Partnering enables Finance to step outside of their traditional Performance Management roles (setting budgets and reviewing actuals) in order to contribute to real value creation initiatives.  

Simply put, spending more time working together is mutually beneficial for both Finance and the business.  
But what is the best way to structure that relationship?  Should Finance operate as an advisor, a consultant or perhaps even an investor?