Introduction: Strengthening FP&A Capabilities in a Changing World
On 22 May 2025, the 10th Frankfurt FP&A Board gathered senior finance professionals from leading companies, including Deutsche Bahn, Merck, Bruker, Visa, and Beko. The session, held at the Spaces Omniturm and chaired by Larysa Melnychuk, marked a milestone in the global International FP&A Board tour. Sponsored by EY, in partnership with Page Executive and IWG, the event focused on a pressing priority for finance professionals: how to design and empower a modern, future-ready FP&A team.
Figure 1: Members of Frankfurt FP&A Board №10, May 2025
The central theme was clear: how can we define and develop the critical roles and capabilities needed for high-performing FP&A teams? In today’s volatile business environment, this question lies at the heart of finance transformation.
Why This Topic Matters: FP&A Roles Are Evolving Rapidly
The session explored the strategic rationale behind rethinking FP&A roles. Today’s FP&A teams face growing complexity: AI integration, talent shortages, hybrid decision-making models, and rising expectations for finance to act as business partners.
The session was opened with a key question: What are the most essential capabilities of a modern FP&A professional?
The top responses were:
- Communication & Storytelling
- Flexibility & Agility
- AI Readiness
- Curiosity
- Analytical Thinking
- Business Partnering
Participants agreed that these traits must be reflected in both team structure and capability-building initiatives.
Key Frameworks: The Five FP&A Team Roles
The Frankfurt Board focused on a structured model of five critical FP&A roles, each reflecting a key pillar of a modern team:
FP&A Architect – Designs financial systems and data architecture
FP&A Analyst – Interprets data to drive operational and strategic decisions
FP&A Data Scientist – Bridges finance and data science to enable predictive analytics
FP&A Storyteller – Translates insights into compelling business narratives
FP&A Influencer – Builds trust and guides strategy through insight and alignment
Two emerging roles — Interpreter and Connector — were also highlighted, reflecting the growing need to translate between data, business, and decision-makers.
These hybrid roles should be nurtured by rotating team members across functions, exposing them to both data and commercial operations.
Figure 2
Case Studies: Real-World Application of FP&A Team Design
Christian Schürr, Head of Factory and R&D Controlling at Bruker and Frankfurt FP&A Board Ambassador, presented a practical case study. His team transitioned from traditional accounting to a modern FP&A function by:
- Reducing low-value tasks
- Communicating a clear vision
- Reassigning team members to new FP&A roles
- Investing in both technical (e.g., Analyst, Architect) and soft (e.g., Storyteller, Influencer) skillsets
Figure 3: Christian Schürr shares his practical insights at Frankfurt FP&A Board №10, May 2025
His experience reinforces the need for clarity, sponsorship, and phased transitions when redefining team capabilities.
Verena Weiß from EY introduced the concept of Agentic AI and its implications for FP&A:
- AI agents will complement human roles, transforming forecasting, reporting, and planning.
- Future FP&A teams will partner with GenAI and automation hubs.
- Agentic AI is expected to deliver up to 40% efficiency gains, with 15% reinvested into new skills.
FP&A teams should start by identifying repeatable manual tasks (e.g., data consolidation, template reporting) that can be delegated to AI agents. Pilot projects with finance-owned prompts can build confidence.
Figure 4: Verena Weiß presents the concept of Agentic AI at Frankfurt FP&A Board №10, May 2025
Group Work Outputs: Building the Modern FP&A Team
Participants split into three groups, each exploring a core pillar of team development:
Group 1 – Leadership
- Leadership buy-in and vision setting
- Challenging the status quo
- Building trust and communication
- Influencing and active listening
Figure 5: Group Work at Frankfurt FP&A Board №10, May 2025
Group 2 – Functional Skills
- Balancing analytical and storytelling skills
- Encouraging collaboration across finance and business
- Understanding stakeholder perspectives
- Data fluency and goal setting
Figure 6: Group Work at Frankfurt FP&A Board №10, May 2025
Group 3 – Business Partnering
- Strengthening cross-functional relationships
- Credibility and emotional intelligence
- Adaptability and organisational exposure
- Supporting strategic decision-making
Figure 7: Group Work at Frankfurt FP&A Board №10, May 2025
Conclusion: Laying the Foundation for FP&A Excellence
The Frankfurt FP&A Board made it clear: future-ready FP&A teams must be designed with intention. They need blended skills, clear roles, and collaboration with technology.
Next Steps for FP&A Leaders:
- Audit your current team structure using the Five FP&A Team Roles framework
- Map individual team members to roles and identify capability gaps
- Pilot a GenAI use case (e.g., planning assistant or narrative summariser)
- Create development plans that mix technical and soft skill growth
- Review the team's exposure to strategic decision-making forums
With London next on the tour, the journey to redefine finance continues, driven by insight, innovation, and international collaboration.
