Shared services often struggle with country-specific finance needs, creating a gap between global operations and local business requirements. At Bayer, they have embarked on a journey to bring finance shared services closer to the business - the Joint Country Squads. This programme integrates GBS and in-country finance teams, bridging the gap by enhancing collaboration across all finance processes while maintaining technology and back-office efficiencies. This approach strengthens business alignment, improves compliance, and expands GBS capabilities, enabling broader career development without sacrificing operational effectiveness.

• Strengthen business alignment through integrating GBS with local and regional finance functions

• Improve compliance by embedding local expertise within global processes

• Boost efficiency by maintaining standardised technology while enhancing collaboration

• Balance standardisation with flexibility to support both global and local needs