The FP&Ai Podcast

Welcome to the FP&AI Podcast, where finance meets the future. In this episode, Roger is joined once again by Anthony and Donovan to dive into one of the most critical pillars of a successful finance function: planning. Stay tuned for the next episode, where the discussion moves to collaboration and business partnering in finance. Conversation Highlights: [0:00] Roger welcomes listeners back and recaps the previous episode on setting 3–5 year strategic objectives. He now moves on to the internal perspective of the balanced scorecard, asking: Which processes must finance excel at to satisfy stakeholders? [1:30] Roger notes that while Deloitte’s shareholder value framework lists hundreds of options, most internal objectives can be grouped into a few big themes: planning, quality, collaboration, speed, efficiency, innovation, and governance. [3:00] Anthony emphasizes the importance of planning, analysis, and reporting in finance. He highlights accuracy, timeliness, cost-effectiveness, and well-defined processes across cycles such as month-end, year-end, and budgeting. Clear roles, timelines, and responsibilities are critical for smooth execution. [6:00] They discuss practical planning rhythms. Processes should be reviewed at the start of cycles (e.g., January year-end planning), with regular team meetings—weekly or daily as needed—to monitor progress and address issues. Donovan adds that planning should start before year-end, often as early as mid-December. [9:00] The conversation shifts to dependencies on other departments during cycles like budgeting. Since other teams may not prioritize finance timelines, communication and early engagement are vital. Finance should build these requirements into processes and send reminders to ensure collaboration. [12:00] Roger stresses that budgeting must be framed as a business-wide responsibility , not just a finance deliverable. Departments should take ownership and accountability for their inputs, with finance facilitating and translating commitments into value. [16:00] Examples from IT planning illustrate how continuous engagement with business units avoids last-minute pressure. Finance should adopt similar practices, using ongoing communication and relationship management to integrate planning into everyday operations. [19:00] The concept of finance business partners is introduced. These roles embed in operations, bridging the gap between finance and other departments. They improve collaboration, ensure timely information flow, and enhance the quality of reporting—though organizations often fail to measure the ROI of these roles. [23:00] Roger returns to the importance of early communication and budget guidelines , which help divisions prepare and align. Effective planning should include communication checkpoints and reminders across cycles. [26:00] He adds that planning applies beyond finance—HR, IT, marketing, and all business processes should start with planning. Poor follow-through on insights can leave “money on the table,” highlighting the value of business partners in ensuring opportunities are realized. [28:00] As the podcast wraps up, Donovan stresses the quality and speed of planning , not just the act itself. Standardization and automation can improve efficiency. Anthony adds that planning must be continuous and iterative —even a bad plan provides useful feedback for replanning.  [31:00] Roger closes by emphasizing that planning is central to finance and business success. Whether strategic or operational, good planning creates clarity, drives collaboration, and enables long-term value creation.

In this episode of the Smart Business Performance Podcast, Roger Knocker welcomes Anthony Wilson and Donovan Moses to explore the strategic objectives of the finance function and how they can align with broader business goals. The discussion highlights key areas where finance can create value—through efficiency, compliance, working capital management, operating margin improvement, and by acting as a trusted advisor across the business. Tune in now to discover the practical steps finance teams can take to strengthen their role as true business partners. Conversation Highlights: [00:04] Roger introduces the topic of finance’s role in setting strategic objectives and welcomes Anthony Wilson and Donovan Moses. [01:06] Roger explains that strategic objectives set the long-term direction for finance, guiding the function over a 3–5 year horizon. [02:30] Anthony Wilson highlights efficiency as a primary goal, pointing out the growing pressure on finance to deliver faster results. He notes that automation and better tools are replacing reliance on Excel. [06:02] Wilson stresses closing speed as a key efficiency benchmark, explaining that top performers close in a few days while others can take weeks. [06:49] Donovan Moses identifies working capital optimization as a critical objective, emphasizing the need for collaboration between finance and supply chain to ensure cash isn’t tied up unnecessarily in excess inventory. [11:27] Roger introduces operating margin improvement as another finance objective, noting the importance of tracking customer profitability, asset utilization, and ROI on projects. [14:18] Wilson highlights the customer perspective, explaining that stakeholders expect accurate, timely, and consistent information. Dashboards and data visualization are recommended as more effective tools than spreadsheets. [17:31] Wilson explains how visualization enables the business to detect trends and shifts more quickly, improving decision-making. [23:16] Moses emphasizes the importance of compliance and risk management, pointing out that reliable execution of payroll, tax, and credit processes is essential for business stability. [27:12] Roger stresses that once compliance and efficiency are established, finance can step into the role of trusted advisor, supporting leaders with insights on pricing, costs, and profitability. [29:37] Wilson reinforces that finance must build trust by delivering efficiently and reliably before moving into advisory functions. [30:32] Roger closes the discussion by summarizing six key finance objectives: efficiency, working capital optimization, operating margin improvement, delivering trusted information, compliance, and advisory partnership. About Our Sponsor: KPI Management Solutions helps organizations achieve their stretch goals using KPIs, OKRs, AI-enabled technology, and training.

Welcome to Episode 0 of the FP&Ai Podcast – Where Finance Meets the Future! In this debut episode, host Roger Knocker is joined by co-hosts Anthony Wilson and Donovan Moses to introduce the vision behind the FP@&Ai Podcast. Together, they explore the future of finance, the transformational impact of AI and automation, and how finance professionals can adapt to the rapidly evolving digital landscape. Conversation Highlights: [0:04] Roger Knocker welcomed listeners to the FP&AI Podcast, describing it as a platform where finance meets the future. Episode 0 introduced co-hosts Anthony Wilson, co-founder of FP&AI, and Donovan Moses, a chartered accountant and recent hire. The focus of the podcast is finance transformation, particularly the role of FP&A and AI. [0:50] Anthony highlighted the importance of exploring current and future technology trends in finance, sharing insights on AI’s growing role in the office of finance, and helping professionals become early adopters. [2:16] Donovan explained that his experience in finance and operations drives his interest in AI applications. He is excited to explore practical use cases where AI can improve both controls and business partnerships, and to share real-world examples from finance professionals. [3:32] Roger reflected on his long-standing interest in the intersection of finance and technology, noting how the gap between IT and finance has narrowed over the years. He emphasized that AI is the latest advancement, allowing finance teams to leverage new technologies effectively. [6:03] Donovan discussed how AI can address common challenges in finance, such as lack of time and inefficient reporting. He stressed that AI can empower professionals to gain insights faster and partner more effectively with the business. [7:51] Roger stated that the podcast targets finance professionals at all levels, from CFOs to finance operations staff, but also benefits other business departments that interact with finance. The aim is to share practical insights and foster learning. [10:01] Donovan highlighted the importance of discussing AI-related risks, particularly data privacy and integrity, and the need for controlled environments to experiment safely with AI tools. [12:57] Both hosts emphasized that the content will be real, practical, and future-oriented, showcasing achievable outcomes in finance through AI and data-driven insights. [14:05] The podcast will release at least two episodes per month, featuring tools, frameworks, practical demonstrations, and guest interviews. The format will remain flexible and agile to respond to listener feedback. [15:01] Listeners are encouraged to subscribe, enable notifications, and engage through comments to shape future episodes. The podcast aims to build a community around finance transformation and practical application of AI.

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