#FinanceMaster

In this episode of #FinanceMaster, we speak with Anna Oblakova, PMP®, PhD, about what it really means to be a business partner in FP&A. Together, we unpack how FP&A can move beyond spreadsheets and forecasts to influence decisions, collaborate across teams, and help build world-class finance functions. Anders and Anna also explore what separates Finance Business Partnering from FP&A Business Partnering, and how professionals can develop the skills, curiosity, and confidence to create real impact.

AI is rapidly transforming the finance function, but most teams still don’t know where to begin. Finance Innovation Now aims to change that, providing practical, accessible AI education and advisory services built specifically for finance professionals. In this episode, Anders speaks with Marie Speakman and Kirsty Mackenzie about how finance teams can move from curiosity to implementation: gaining confidence with AI, identifying use cases, and embedding automation to drive efficiency and innovation without losing human insight.

As the finance profession evolves, FP&A is emerging as the engine driving insight, strategy, and transformation. In this week’s #FinanceMaster, Anders sits down with Vishaka Taneja, finance professional and FP&A advocate, to explore why this field has become one of the most exciting paths in modern finance. We unpack what makes FP&A distinct from traditional accounting, the skills professionals need to make the transition, and how AI and automation are reshaping the function to deliver deeper, faster business insights.

Tariffs, trade wars, and supply-chain disruption are redefining how finance leaders plan and protect their businesses. In this episode, Anders Liu-Lindberg talks with Thomas Mehlkopf from SAP Taulia about insights from the new e-book “Impact of Tariffs on Finance.” They discuss how CFOs can build resilience through better liquidity management, predictive analytics, and data-driven agility. To learn more about how finance can act in the current tariff-impacted environment, you can download SAP Taulia's latest report "Impact of Tariffs on Finance". Get the report here: https://bit.ly/437xliV

As finance evolves from reporting to real-time decision support, the role of the finance business partner is more important than ever. In this week’s #FinanceMaster, Anders speaks with Rachel Daly, Commercial Finance Manager and CIMA Committee Member for Northern Ireland, about how accountants can successfully transition into strategic business partnering roles. We explore the mindset shifts, key skills, and career decisions that enable this transformation—and how automation and AI are reshaping what it means to add value as a finance professional today.