Anders Liu-Lindberg

Business Partnering Institute (BPI)

As the author of Communicating Financials to Executives, I empower finance professionals to bridge the gap between financial reporting and executive decision-making.

The book offers a structured, practical guide for CFOs, FP&A teams, and finance business partners to communicate financials with clarity, context, and impact. It’s not about dumbing down the numbers; it’s about elevating the conversation so that financial insights drive real business decisions.

Core Concepts Covered:

- A 5-step framework for turning raw data into executive-ready insights, messages, and actions.

- Audience-first communication that speaks the language of decision-makers.

- Framing financials in a business context, highlighting risks, opportunities, and trade-offs.

- Structuring and simplifying complex information without losing substance.

- Using visuals and storytelling to make data engaging and memorable.

- Crafting impactful reports and presentations that inform, influence, and accelerate decisions.

Whether you're preparing a board pack, presenting monthly results, or enabling strategic planning, this book helps you become a trusted advisor, not just a reporter of numbers.

Author of Communicating Financials to Executives

Imagine you've stumbled upon a complex problem. It's a problem that's affecting millions of people across the world. At the time, no one has been successful in solving the problem, and as time passes more and more people's careers are being impacted. That's how I feel about business partnering.

All finance and accounting professionals face a choice. Evolve or be automated. Business partnering is one of those evolutionary paths that these professionals can take. However, despite being a desirable path for more than two decades only a few have found the way and made it to the other side. Most are still on the journey and are having a hard time making it.

This is why we have founded Business Partnering Institute and why I have made it my mission to help these millions of people find their way. In my role as Chief Commercial Officer, I'm responsible for creating awareness around what business partnering is and how you become good at it. In doing that I'm making the connection between companies and individuals who are looking for guidance and how BPI can help them.

As a former business partner myself, I have been on the journey and know all about the struggles that others are facing. That's why I and the team at BPI are ideally suited for helping finance teams across the world elevate their influence in the company through business partnering. We can help you too. Just send a message and let's get the conversation started.

Partner | Chief Commercial Officer (CCO)

We've founded the Business Partnering Institute because we want to crack the code on Business Partnering and unlock the value potential hidden in finance functions around the world. By helping them adopt a business partner mindset they'll instantly move closer to the business and start Creating Value Together.

At BPI we want to be the catalyst for change in Finance and help individuals and organisations to change in a digital world where the finance function of tomorrow looks very different from that of yesterday!

We focus on three core areas being Training & Advisory, The Business Partnering Round Table and an online Business Partnering Community. You can read more about each of the three areas at www.businesspartneringinstitute.org.

At the Business Partnering Institute my main focus is to grow the online community and in particular, the Finance Business Partner Forum which is the largest online Business Partnering Community in the world with close to 5,000 members. You can join the forum here https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8475765. In the forum thought leaders will share relevant content and new articles about Business Partnering and the changes happening all around the finance function. Everyone can join in the discussion and ask questions directly to the leadning thinkers in Business Partnering. What are you waiting for? Join today!

Co-Founder

Here's the most comprehensive piece ever written on how to become a successful finance business partner and how to implement the concept in your company. Moreover, we describe how being a finance business partner is just as much a mindset for the whole finance function as it is a specific role.

In essence, it's about knowing your business and how to create partnerships with your stakeholders/internal customers by always having the customer's needs left, front and center of everything you do.

Finance is not here to do Finance but to support the business create value or even create value on its own. Without value creation, neither you, your finance function nor your company will go anywhere.

You can buy the book here www.financebusinesspartner.dk [Currently only available in Danish).

Co Author of the book "Create Value as a Finance Business Partner"

Imagine you could work with something that you're immensely passionate about and fulfill your purpose. What would that be? To me, it's helping finance professionals across the world becoming better business partners. That's exactly what I can do at the Business Partnering Institute which I was part of founding in April 2018. 

Through learning and development programs we train finance professionals in the skills that are needed to succeed with business partnering. We also advise senior leaders in Finance to help them better understand how strong their teams are at business partnering. Lastly, we cover immediate needs through interim business partnering when you've received a critical resignation.

What's my role in all of this? As a partner, I deliver our services and am in charge of our research and networks service line where we release business partnering best practices every day. As a COO I make the company run from strategy to execution and drive us to achieve our goals. It's also my job to take the company from a start-up to a scale-up. As a CMO I do marketing when it comes to our point of view on business partnering as well as our product offering.

Our ultimate goal is to crack the code on successful business partnering and start creating some value together with you! If you want to join the journey and improve on business partnering then don't hesitate to reach out!

Partner | Chief Operating Officer (COO) | Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)

As the CMO of the Business Partnering Institute, I'm in charge of all online marketing activities aiming at increasing brand awareness and placing the institute as the go-to company for training and advisory on business partnering. This includes lead generation and talking about business partnering with individuals and companies all around the world.
I'm also responsible for creating and publishing content that showcases the latest developments within business partnering and case studies of how individual companies are doing it.
Reach out to me if you'd like to learn more about our approach to business partnering and how we could potentially help you and your company.

Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)

LinkedIn

As a LinkedIn Learning instructor I create finance and accounting related content to the LinkedIn Learning platform. The content is routed in the thought leadership that we publish at Business Partnering Institute.

The first course is titled "Driving Business Impact for Finance Professionals".

LinkedIn Learning Instructor

LinkedIn is the world's largest networking site for business professionals. Since 2014, they have opened up their platform for the members to write content which they can share with other members.

I write about how the finance function is changing and what you as a finance professional or company can do to keep up with the changes. In addition, I write about personal branding, disruption, networking, leadership and other areas where I think I can add some insights.

I'm not a specialist, but I share my opinions and discuss them with other LinkedIn members.

Blogger

Linkedist

LinkedIn is the best marketing channel you haven't heard of yet! Most see it as a resume platform however there's a thriving content community on the platform and professionals go there for the latest news within their field. From companies to individuals this is a cannot miss opportunity to improve your employer or personal brand. Linkedist is your go-to company in the Nordics and Baltics for help unlocking this potential.

As advisory board member at Linkedist I help shape the strategy for the future and make real choices about where to play and how to win as a company. I use my experience from my own start-up and other advisory board roles to help the Linkedist team make the right choices. That and I get to further pursue my passion for how to best use LinkedIn as a platform!

Advisory Board Member

Profitability Analytics Center of Excellence

The Profitability Analytics Center of Excellence (PACE) is a non-profit community of professionals dedicated to helping organizations make better, more informed decisions through the use of data analytics employing integrated, causal models.  Focusing exclusively on how to enable better managerial decision-making within organizations through the use of such models, PACE is the go-to source for people looking for independent and impartial (vendor and methodology neutral) information in this area.

Board Member

Born Capital

The tides of change are flowing into the finance function which sends the function into the age of 4.0. We say it is "Enabled by tech - Driven by people". 

At Born Capital, we focus on tech enablement and are looking for early-stage startups in what we call #CFOTech that will enable the finance function to become a profit driver. We have a keen interest in FP&A and Business Finance as this is where we see the biggest improvement potential.

Actually, CFOs themselves know this as 71% of them are not happy with the performance of their FP&A team despite significant investments made in the past decade. We will help the office of the CFO get the right tech and tools to step up to the plate and deliver on the expectations of the CEO and other CXOs.

Feel free to reach out if you would like to know more about how we can help your start-up to the next level...

A.P. Moller - Maersk

8 months into my new senior finance business partner role I got an added scope. Now It's my job to drive value creation as a trusted partner for the trades from Asia to/from Middle East and Europe as well as Middle East to/from Europe. This scope makes up roughly 30% of Maersk's Ocean Business and a massive opportunity to create value!

My approach to business partnering is simple. 

Step 1: Go learn about how the business is doing. 
Step 2: Pair your newly acquired business understanding with your understanding of the numbers and present your view on the business. 
Step 3: Make recommendations for how to improve performance. 
Step 4: Follow-up on if the decisions made to improve performance yielded the expected results.

From here you repeat steps 3 and 4 and elevate your impact from an operational level, to tactical, and to a strategic level. This is my mission with my added scope as it was since I started my new role. Meet or beat targets and get a positive NPS score from my stakeholders. That's really all that counts!

Senior Finance Business Partner, EMEA (Europe & Middle East)

Business partnering is simple to understand but hard to do successfully. That's why I've decided to once again be a finance business partner at Maersk. I want to crack the code on successful business partnering and I hope that you want to help me! We need to collaborate on solving this challenge and it starts now. Connect with or follow me and let us create value together!

At Maersk, I'm a business partner to our largest product being the trade lane between Asia and Europe. I challenge the strategic direction setting and ensure we make the right choices about Where to Play and How to Win. It's my responsibility to answer the question "Are we Winning?". If we're not winning then I collaborate with my stakeholders to come up with actions that can improve performance. If we're winning I challenge them to deliver even better performance.

I measure myself on two success criteria: 1) are we achieving or overachieving on our targets and 2) do my stakeholders think that I made a positive contribution to that end. Nothing else matters.

Senior Finance Business Partner; Europe Trade Cluster

What would you do if someone offered you the opportunity to create a World-Class finance function? I decided to say "Challenge Accepted!" when offered this opportunity back in the Spring of 2017. With a purpose of helping the finance function become more involved with the business and drive value creation this role was ideally suited for me!

Now I work with providing strategic advice to our senior finance leaders in terms of how to develop our finance function at Maersk. I also help them execute on their strategic plans through overall program management and specific project support where needed.

I collaborate with The Hackett Group on understanding where we need to further develop the function and with top-tier consulting companies on some of our large-scale initiatives. One such initiative which I am particularly proud to have been part of is our Business Finance College. Probably the largest training program of its kind ever globally, we took 500 Finance Business Partners and leaders through a tailormade training program designed to make them better business partners and better leaders. We are aiming for a complete culture and mindset change with a winning aspiration to Drive Value Creation as a Trusted Partner.

We're not World-Class yet but we're not far off so watch out for the big fanfare when we reach this milestone!

Head of Global Finance PMO

Maersk Line is the world's largest container shipping company and operates a vast logistics network covering almost all countries in the world. Whether you need transportation from door to door, port to port or any other connection Maersk Line will get the job done for you.

I work as a Senior Finance Business Partner in the Europe Region where I help shape the finance function of the future in a global finance transformation project. We're moving almost all finance staff from the frontline to global service centers. Teams that only a handful of years ago consisted of several hundred people are now down to pure business finance teams supporting the front line. Consequently, the global service centers take end-to-end responsibility for processes and tasks and can make significant improvements the former teams could only dream about.

I work with defining what good finance business partnering looks like and how the remaining teams can accelerate their value adding activities. I help them implement the strategic direction set by top management and through performance management ensure that we reach Maersk Line's strategic goals.

In addition, I have been the project manager on a cost saving project where we several years running have saved upwards to USD 100M. I set the direction for the region and facilitate knowledge sharing sessions where operations managers come together to discuss how to come up with new savings ideas.

You should also read some of my articles on finance business partnering and how you can transform your finance function below.

Senior Finance Business Partner

Freelance writer at D!gitalist Magazine where I write about digital finance, finance transformation and the future of finance. 

Have a good story you want to publish? Reach out and let’s work on it together!

Freelance Writer

CFO innovation Asia

Contributing with articles about current developments in the finance function and in particular around how Finance can help the business add value.

Techstory.in

Jobindex A/S

Jobindex is the leading job site in Denmark where companies post their positions and enlist Jobindex to encourage candidates who have an active CV to apply for the positions.

I help people who are looking for a job refine their resume and cover letter and prepare pitches for interviews and have so far helped more than 10 candidates whereof several of them have found interesting jobs after receiving my guidance. My offer of assistance isn't limited to Jobindex as I generally try and help all job seekers out there getting closer to their dream job.

I have been recognized by https://www.topresume.com/ for having a resume ranking in top 4% of all resumes and I want to use that expertise to help you write a stellar resume too!

You can read some of my advice in below articles.

Job Search Coach

Leading advisor to senior Finance and FP&A leaders on how to succeed with business partnering

Tired of finance being stuck in reporting mode? Wondering how to make your finance team truly influence the business? Need to upgrade your planning, reporting, or business partnering model? You’re not alone, and we’re here to help.

📞 Let’s talk: anders@bpidk.org | +45 2926 6410

Who Am I?

I’m Anders Liu-Lindberg, Partner and CCO at Business Partnering Institute. I work with senior finance and FP&A leaders across Europe to elevate the role of finance. This means greater impact, stronger business partnerships, and more informed decisions through modern planning and reporting practices.

Formerly with Maersk, I’ve spent the last 10+ years bridging the gap between finance and business as a speaker, advisor, content creator, and interim leader. Whether it’s defining a new operating model, redesigning reporting, or leading from within, I bring both vision and execution to the table.

What We Do at Business Partnering Institute

We help companies build finance teams that matter, both inside and outside the room, at the table, and in the decisions. We’re hands-on, shoulder-to-shoulder, and always focused on real business outcomes.

Interim Finance Leadership
Step-in support for critical roles like VP Finance, Business Partner, or Controller, fast onboarding, and full ownership.

Consulting Projects
From planning & forecasting to reporting frameworks and service delivery models, we design, implement, and embed.

Learning & Upskilling
Tailored learning journeys that transform business partners into trusted advisors covering people, business, and leadership skills.

Why Reach Out?

Whether you're gearing up for the next budget cycle, scaling your finance team, or rethinking the role of business partnering, I’d love to hear where you’re headed.

We work across industries and company sizes, always tailoring our approach to your unique context. And we’re proud to see our clients succeed long after we’ve stepped away.

Let’s grab a coffee or set up a call. No pitch. Just a good conversation about finance with more impact.

📞 +45 2926 6410
✉️ anders@bpidk.org

𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝟵𝟱% 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗻.
And executives lose attention in just 47 seconds.

We just released Chapter 2 of our new book "Communicating Financials to Executives," and it exposes the brutal disconnect.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝗺𝗲:

Only 20% of finance professionals make actual recommendations in their presentations.

The other 80%? They're dumping data and hoping executives figure it out on their own.

Meanwhile, the average executive attention span has dropped from 2.5 minutes in 2004 to 47 seconds today. We're talking goldfish short!

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻:

Three fatal flaws kill every presentation:

• 𝗧𝗼𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀: Tables plastered with numbers. Every variance explained. Zero focus on what matters.

• 𝗡𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: Random numbers in chronological order. Starting with financials instead of business issues. Completeness over importance.

• 𝗡𝗼 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: The 99%-mindset paralyzes action. "They know best" becomes an excuse. Analysis without synthesis.

𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗲:

The book follows Sarah, a Senior Financial Analyst at Solara Tech, as she transforms from data dumper to strategic advisor.

Her journey mirrors what thousands of finance professionals face daily.

Meetings that finish early.
Zero action on critical issues.
Standard reports nobody reads.

Sound familiar?

𝗠𝘆 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲?

Stop defending the details. Start driving decisions.

Know the numbers, but show the story.
Anticipate questions, but lead with insights.
Build credibility through clarity, not complexity.

Chapter 2 is yours free. It diagnoses the problem.

The full book? It delivers the solution.

𝗦𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁: How many of your last 10 presentations actually led to action?

Ready to change that?

Get your copy here: https://bit.ly/4h2P9AA

P.S. That finance team still starting presentations with variance tables? They lost their audience before slide 2.

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🧑‍💼 I'm a partner at Business Partnering Institute
🆘 Need immediate help in your finance team, call us!
🤝 We help increase the influence of your finance team
🔔 To see more content, hit the bell on my profile
🧑‍🎓 Enroll in our LinkedIn course: https://bit.ly/4a5fB9l
📻 #FinanceMaster podcast: https://bit.ly/3NLSt73
📺 Follow us on YouTube: https://bit.ly/4bSBut6
📢 Join our WhatsApp channel: https://bit.ly/3WWGOrc
📄 Check out all our templates and cheat sheets here: https://lnkd.in/eC_zuCU4

Leading advisor to senior Finance and FP&A leaders on creating impact through business partnering | Interim | VP Finance | Business Finance

Communicating Financials to Executives - Chapter 2

𝟭𝟯 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗶𝘀.
𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗽 𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗳 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺.

Looking at this framework, I'm reminded of a painful truth.

We've turned financial analysis into a checkbox exercise when it should be a strategic weapon.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝗺𝗲:

Everyone starts with financial statements. Most stop at ratios.

They calculate liquidity ratios like robots.
Generate trend charts on autopilot.
Then wonder why their recommendations fall flat.

The real magic happens in steps most analysts rush through or skip entirely.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗶𝘀:

Step 2 - Business Understanding - is where 80% of value lives.

You can't analyze what you don't understand. Yet I see analysts diving into numbers without knowing how the business actually makes money.

The other missed goldmine? Steps 10-13.

• 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: Not just "improve working capital." Specific, actionable steps.

• 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁: Storytelling, not spreadsheet dumping.

• 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗶𝘀: Where insights become influence.

• 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆: Because one-time analysis is like checking your health once a decade.

𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗲:

The analysts who nail all 13 steps become indispensable.

They don't just spot problems. They connect dots others miss.

They benchmark against competitors AND understand why differences exist.

They turn cash flow analysis into strategic recommendations.

They present insights that change decisions, not just inform them.

𝗠𝘆 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲?

Print this framework. Circle the steps you're weakest at.

Those are your biggest opportunities.

Stop treating analysis as a monthly ritual. Make it a continuous conversation.

Stop hiding behind numbers. Start telling stories that drive action.

Because here's what separates great analysts from spreadsheet mechanics:

They understand the business before they analyze it.
They recommend specific actions, not generic advice.
They communicate insights, not just calculations.

𝗦𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁: Which of these 13 steps does your team skip?

More importantly, what insights are you missing because of it?

P.S. If your financial analysis doesn't lead to changed decisions, you're just doing expensive arithmetic.

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🧑‍💼 I'm a partner at Business Partnering Institute
🆘 Need immediate help in your finance team, call us!
🤝 We help increase the influence of your finance team
🔔 To see more content, hit the bell on my profile
📘 Order our new book now: https://bit.ly/4h2P9AA
🧑‍🎓 Enroll in our LinkedIn course: https://bit.ly/4a5fB9l
📻 #FinanceMaster podcast: https://bit.ly/3NLSt73
📺 Follow us on YouTube: https://bit.ly/4bSBut6
📢 Join our WhatsApp channel: https://bit.ly/3WWGOrc
📄 Check out all our templates and cheat sheets here: https://lnkd.in/eC_zuCU4

𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘃𝘀. 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲. No, that's not a typo.
It's the most expensive confusion in our profession.

Sitting at the airport heading to London for the CFO Summit, my phone rang. A guy wanted to write a book about "The Future of Finance" and saw my 450,000 followers.

Perfect candidate for an interview, he thought.

Five minutes in, it became obvious. He was writing about banking, insurance, and fintech.

Not the finance function.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝗺𝗲:

He'd done his research. Found my profile. Saw "finance professional."

And still got it completely wrong.

The next day at the summit, a participant wanted to explore collaboration opportunities. Which conferences would be best for her?

Then she mentioned asset management and fintech.

She was at a CFO Summit. An FP&A Summit. The wrong room entirely.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻:

People are wasting years building the wrong careers.
Networking with the wrong people.
Attending the wrong events.
Reading the wrong content.

All because we use the same word for two completely different worlds.

𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Managing money within companies. Budgeting, forecasting, reporting. Internal focus. Led by CFOs and Finance Directors.

𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀: Providing money-related services to external clients. Banking, insurance, trading, asset management. External focus. Led by CEOs of banks and funds.

One uses management accounting to guide internal decisions.
The other uses financial products to serve external clients.

One exists within every company.
The other is an entire industry.

𝗠𝘆 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲?

Before you apply for that "finance" job...
Before you attend that "finance" conference...
Before you reach out to that "finance" professional...

Ask yourself: Which Finance are we talking about?

Because showing up at a CFO Summit to talk about asset management is like bringing a surfboard to a ski resort.

Both involve boards. Both involve going downhill. But they're completely different games.

𝗦𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁: Have you ever confused the two?

More importantly, are you absolutely certain you're building your career in the right Finance?

P.S. I created this graphic to settle it once and for all. Save it. Share it. Let's stop the confusion.

⸻

🧑‍💼 Partner at Business Partnering Institute
🆘 Need help strengthening your finance team? Let's talk.
🤝 We help finance teams increase their influence and impact.
🔔 Follow me for more CFO insights and hit the bell on my profile
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Companies that go through my FP&A and CFO training and engage my advisory services are companies you know, work with, and buy from:

ABM Industries, AICPA, AlixPartners, Allscripts, American Chemical Society, American Management Association, Association for Financial Professionals, BI Incorporated, Bloomberg, Choice Hotels, Chomps, CIBC, CHEP, Cigna, Conway MacKenzie (dba Riveron), Corporate Finance Institute (CFI), Cox Enterprises, Crawford & Company, Deloitte, Discover, Erie Insurance, EVRAZ, Express Scripts, EY, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Fresenius-Kabi, FS Investments, Genentech, Guy Carpenter, HCPI, Heartland Financial, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), Hormel, Hostess, Int’l Gaming Technologies, ILCPAs, International Game Technology PLC (IGT), KPMG, Marsh & McClennan, Michelin, NACVA, NDCPAs, NerdWallet, OnDeck Capital, Outsystems, Pulse Network, Radisson, Rice University, Robinhood, Saltchuk, Santander, Sloan Valve, Solar Turbines, Sol Petroleum, Spotify, StanCorp, United Technologies, Universal Business Team, University of Wisconsin-Madison, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Steel, Verizon, Whole Foods, Wall Street Prep, Walmart, and Workday.

But the proudest statistic of all: nearly 40% of program attendees are repeat participants. Which means they learn and come back for more.

100,000+ learners have upskilled through five (5) practitioner-focused LinkedIn Learning courses that focus on Excel, FP&A, AI, and effective communication.

As a Microsoft MVP and one of the most prolific professional speakers in FP&A, I personally address companies, associations, and student groups on strategic financial planning, workplace engagement, advanced business modeling, business storytelling, crisis management, and financial leadership development programs (FLDPs).

Want to connect or learn more?
info@seidmanfinancial.com

Carl Seidman, CSP, CPA

It keeps getting even better and easier. Here's how to build an actualized-to-rolling forecast using only 4 dynamic array functions.

What are you seeing here?

(1) Actual Results

As the company earns revenue, it's booked by customer and by month. The modeler can select all of the historical data to-date. 

Because the dynamic array is flexible, the modeler can choose 1, 2, 3 or as many historical months as desired and then apply an average, minimum, maximum, or override for the forecast.

(2) Forecast Revenue

The forecast is then driven off of the last month, adjusted by a growth rate applied to the average, minimum, maximum, or override. In this example, I'm using an average of the most recent two months.

The dates of the forecast are 100% dynamic which means that the future months will always update themselves automatically.

This means you can do a 3+9, 6+6, 9+3 or any other combination so long as you have underlying thread models of actuals and forecast.

(3) What Dynamic Arrays am I using?

I'm using only 4 dynamic arrays. Spills, TAKE, HSTACK, and BYCOL.

Spills: The most essential building block of dynamic arrays captures a spilled range of data from a single reference point. As new revenue comes into the system, the spill array automatically captures it.

TAKE: This largely unknown function is the key to this technique. You can capture only a portion of a dynamic array. This is how I'm grabbing only X months of actuals and Y months of forecast.

HSTACK: Another largely unknown function, you can stack two dynamic arrays together side-by-side. This is how I'm getting the actuals and forecast to site next to each other.

BYCOL: Regular SUM functions usually can't sum dynamic arrays as the arrays expand and contract. But SUM wrapped inside of BYCOL can.

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💡 You can learn this technique and others in Advanced Excel for FP&A: https://lnkd.in/ecb__uea

Helping finance professionals master FP&A, Excel, data, and CFO advisory services through learning experiences, masterminds, training + community | Adjunct Professor in Data Analytics @ Rice University | Microsoft MVP

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