In today’s “new” world, disruption is the norm: New business upstarts are, within a matter of months, creating major upheaval in industries that have remained the same for decades; robotic technology replaces human labor; and, in the midst of all these changes, CEOs are demanding forward-looking insights that help them redirect their focus on what matters most.The CFO is finding him/herself at the head of these activities because all relevant enterprise data runs through Finance.

Finance teams of the future will no longer be confined to back-office silos. Modern Finance teams now have the opportunity to emerge as strategic partners, providing valuable business intelligence and supporting key decision-making.

Looking to drive the Finance function forward National Australia Bank (NAB) announced a strategic partnership with Melbourne Business School (MBS). This partnership helped to prepare 60 of NAB’s finance professionals for the disruptive changes which are coming in banking.

That was three years ago though and so far the 12-month customised course at MBS has helped boost the analytical and problem-solving skills of hundreds of the bank's finance specialists; ensuring the Finance team becomes a central function, not just a support function.

Ahead of the Future of Finance and CFO Summit 2019 we chat to Fiona Dickinson, Head of Consumer Lending Finance at NAB. In this article Fiona shares NAB’s Six Pillars of Finance strategy and delves into how the bank’s innovative partnership with Melbourne Business School is helping NAB achieve goals and transform finance. 

Since 1915 BlueScope Steel has been an essential part of Australia’s economy. Over the years BlueScope has built a strong foundation for growth, with a diverse portfolio of businesses in some of the fastest growing economies; leading to expansion into global markets including India, China and North America.

Today, BlueScope is recognised as a global industry leader and is the third largest manufacturer of premium branded coated and painted steel products. BlueScope maintains 100 manufacturing facilities across 18 countries, with 14,000 employees dedicated to delivering best-in-class services and products to its customers.

Supporting this commitment is a focus on technology, innovation and expertise. As part of this effort, BlueScope understood the opportunity to achieve increased optimisation, enhanced efficiency, and to drive a culture of innovation through the business’s Finance function. This fit with the organisation’s relentless pursuit to serve both its customers and communities.

Ahead of the Future of Finance and CFO Summit 2019 we chat to Stephannie Jonovska, Manager – Finance Transformation at BlueScope. Here Stephannie explains how BlueScope has made Finance transformation real, how they made it happen and how they’re making efficiency gains last. 

Ahead of Future of Finance, we chat to Dhiraj Cherian, Chief Finance Officer at Panasonic about: 

• Re-engineering finance leaders to be strategic leaders within the business
• Which key skills are necessary to succeed in a changing finance industry
• Hiring the right talent to face a transforming finance landscape