Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) leaders have long aspired to be a strategic asset, but that change has been slow to happen—until now. In a GENCFO Talks session, FP&A experts discussed evolving business complexity and rapid technological shifts demand it’s time for FP&A to stop “standing on the sidelines” and claim their seat as strategic MVPs.

Overview

• For decades, FP&A’s role as a strategic partner remained more a vision than a reality. So why is 2025 different? The answer, as Revelwood’s Dino Daddona and other panelists emphasized, lies in the intersection of mindset, skillset, and toolset. COVID, artificial intelligence (AI), and data democratization have brought FP&A to the forefront, challenging old routines and raising expectations for involvement in big-picture decisions.
• The panel agreed that board-level adoption and flexible finance career paths are now essential. CFOs increasingly come from FP&A backgrounds because businesses need finance leaders who can “see around corners” and anticipate and shape business strategy, not just report on outcomes.
• Technology serves as the bridge, not the endgame. Advanced tools and automation free up capacity, but the shift to a “quarterback” role depends just as much on curiosity, storytelling, and business acumen as technical prowess.

Panel Wisdom
“If you have a best-in-class FP&A team, your company performs better” was a recurring theme—underscoring that FP&A is no longer just about the numbers but about influencing outcomes and coaching the business to success.

Want to hear real-life stories and practical solutions from Dino Daddona and top industry experts, including The FP&A Guy Paul Barnhurst, Barry Payne, Regional VP, Americas at AICPA, and Christopher Argent, Founder and MD of GENCFO? Watch the full GENCFO Talks webinar replay to see how FP&A can truly become a strategic MVP.