Andy Barber’s Post

How can my organisation generate greater returns? This is a question we often ask ourselves as business and team leaders. One important, and often overlooked answer to this, is having the right people doing the right role. During my team leading a finance team, this was something I gave a lot of thought and consideration to. Why? Yes, I wanted to ensure that contributed as much return and monetary value as possible, but I also wanted to ensure that people were fulfilled by their roles and measured in a role aligned to their skill set, generating engagement returns. I’m sure we all know the well coined phrase about measuring a fish on its ability to climb a tree…. The roles within finance teams can often be placed at the wrong level for a variety of reasons. A finance person is a finance person, right?! Knowing the outcomes you want the role to achieve and the role these align with is essential to achieving your margin and creating an engaged team. How much value can an organisation, and the individual, get by paying their CFO to process invoices and prepare management accounts? With that in mind, I’ve put my (limited) creative skills to the test and put together a short clip on the different roles within a finance team. What role do you need to help maximise returns? #helpingotherssucceed #CT

Here is the Quagmire- ✔️ With Less than 2 months to go for the Dawn of 2025, Businesses are busy in finalizing the Group Budget and Budget for each individual business vertical and then the Group Budget . This exercise can not be oblivious of the underpinning costs and what costs can businesses actually afford in 2025 -- Strategic Cost control without killing businesses and operations is , an important ingredient in "The Governing Preamble " for Businesses , when they finalize Budget 2025. 💯 ✔️ Here is the Quagmire - Strategic cost control is tough . Strategic cost control without killing business initiatives and operations is indeed tough as well as challenging. ✅ Most people say it will not work. They will tell you - It will block progress, demoralize employees, operations will get hurt, a temporary solution, a concept only - Better focus ONLY on revenue generation. ❌ They are wrong - ➡ Focus on Trimming fat and do not get into bones and muscles . Needs mindset change, Needs Paradigm shift , Needs strong will power and persistence . ➡ Yes, Change can be scary- We need this though. ☑️ It fails : When the support from the top leadership is missing, Expectations too high, When there is no cost control committee, no champion , and most important the desire to please everyone. Lucky enough for me, I have championed the strategic cost control exercise - Done locally and internationally few times , without getting business and operations hurt , from Cost of Goods sold ( COGS) to the overheads for varied Business Verticals. ➡ Find the limiting factor , take the team along . ➡ Manage properly, Manage effectively, Manage Efficiently !! Cost control is a necessary fact of Business life , and a healthy one !! Nor is it a caprice of bean counting CFO's.

Strategic Financial Leadership Powered by Teamwork, Technology, and Strategic Vision By Allah and Parents mercy, With over 15 years in hospitality finance, I have consistently driven financial success through strategic planning, operational efficiency, and leveraging advanced software solutions, all while fostering a collaborative team environment. My focus on aligning financial strategies with long-term business goals has delivered impactful results: - Increased revenue by 25% and improved GOP margin by 8% through strategic cost management. - Completed capital projects 10% under budget and three months ahead of schedule, demonstrating a keen focus on both operational and financial efficiency. - Enhanced cash flow by 30%, reduced operating costs by 20%, and improved ROI by 20%. - Led high-performing finance teams, boosting productivity by 25% and reducing errors by 12% using modern financial tools and technologies. - Managed risk and compliance effectively, ensuring adherence to regulatory standards while maintaining financial transparency. - Supported business expansion through comprehensive budgeting, forecasting, and strategic financial planning to meet both short-term and long-term goals. I’m now exploring new opportunities where I can combine my financial expertise, leadership, and tech-driven solutions to lead teams toward sustainable growth and enhanced profitability. Let’s connect to discuss potential leadership roles. #CFO #DirectorOfFinance #FinancialLeadership #Technology #CostManagement #BusinessGrowth #Teamwork #RiskManagement #StrategicPlanning

Month 2 reflections as Ad Interim UK Finance Director ✅ Two months into the six-month journey and August has been a great mix of learning curves and finding balance 1️⃣ Diving Deep into Internal Audit: It's not just about compliance; it’s about unlocking insights that drive value and protect the organisation. The learnings here are sharpening my approach to risk management and governance. 2️⃣ Doubling Down on the Balance Sheet: The balance sheet has always been a finance professional’s compass, and this role has demanded a new level of focus. I'm deepening my understanding of the levers that sustain our financial health. 3️⃣ Cross-Functional Complexity: My appreciation for other departments, such as Procurement and Operational Pricing has skyrocketed. The intricacies of their workflows and the impact on the bottom line is a reminder that finance does not operate in a vacuum—we are all interconnected. 4️⃣ Confidential Work Across Teams: One of the most surprising aspects? The confidential initiatives happening within various functions, often without others knowing. It’s a delicate dance of managing headspace and capacity, being mindful of the bigger picture while staying focused on immediate priorities. 5️⃣ Challenging My Leadership Bias: Taking an enhanced enterprise leader perspective, I’m challenging biases about what leadership in a high-performing organisation truly looks like. It’s even more nuanced than I imagined, demanding both resilience and empathy. 6️⃣ Building Trust Through Feedback: I’ve been fortunate to receive unprompted constructive feedback from my team, which I see as a sign that trust and vulnerability are taking root. This kind of openness is essential for fostering a culture where everyone feels empowered to contribute their best. 7️⃣ Unwavering Support: I cannot overstate the amount of support I’m receiving—from peers, mentors, and the wider organisation. It’s a testament to the power of collaboration and the importance of surrounding yourself with people who lift you higher. 8️⃣ Focus on Business Planning & Long-Term Financials: With a strong focus now on business planning and long-term financials, I'm working with a motivated team to bring our financial and business strategies together to enable our global goals. This alignment is critical to steering the organisation towards sustained success on the global stage. The next four months will be a continuation of this learning curve and energised for what is ahead! 💪 #Leadership #Finance #Teamwork

In companies in the space I work in, a good controller is a must - and a great controller is, well, great! As a fractional CFO, from time to time, the controller at a company I'm working with loses their controller. This could be catastrophic if the controller is a do-it-all controller. But if the next level down - accounting manager, accountants, A/P, A/R - if they are strong, we can continue along while we find the right person to replace. But in some cases, there is not a strong bench. It is those situations when I wish I could call on a fractional controller to fill in the gap - either temporarily, or permanently if they prove that it can be done. On LI you see a ton of posts about being a fractional CFO. Very few about being a fractional controller. Are there any fractional controllers out there that read my posts?

Are you a new manager in Business Finance? It is both exciting and challenging. Maybe I can help you…   At Business Partnering Institute, we help business finance teams worldwide create more value.   We know the manager's role as a role model and coach for the team is significant.   There’s a difference between managing business partners and financial controllers.   Financial controlling has built-in controls, robust processes, and validations in the system that tell us if we have done things right.   Business partnering, on the other hand, is primarily an activity that takes place between people.   Therefore, in addition to being a role model, the manager needs to observe the team in action with their stakeholders.   To succeed in this, I would like to offer to become your mentor!   Why might that make sense to you?   You can get sparring from an experienced manager of business partners.   You can access our large toolbox for managing business partners.   You can become part of our network of many other experienced managers in Business Finance.   Why do I do it?   I am curious about how business partnering works in your company.   I want to invest myself in creating more good managers of business partners.   I enjoy helping new leaders in Business Finance get off to a flying start.   If you think it might make sense, please message or say so 👇.   I look forward to us taking the next steps together in your career as a leader in Business Finance.   #thehumaningredient #realizingpeoplepotential #financebusinesspartner

The Rise of the Super Controller The Controller's role requires juggling everything from quote-to-cash to audits. (Think: invoicing, collections, vendor management, payroll, taxes, treasury, month-end close, financial reporting, audits and more!) See my earlier post for the full list 😉  https://lnkd.in/gGSdaEb9 The role is evolving – fast. I'm seeing a new cohort emerge: The Super Controller. In my conversations with Controllers, a clear pattern is emerging. Super Controllers recognize the breadth of their responsibilities and understand that simply adding more team members isn't the solution. Instead, they're focused on: 🤝 Strategic Alignment: They prioritize company objectives above all else, ensuring financial processes directly support business growth.  💪 Lean and Empowered Teams: They build small, highly skilled teams, investing in top talent and building a culture of ownership and accountability.  💻 Technology Adoption: They embrace technology to automate tedious tasks freeing up their teams for strategic analysis and decision-making. 👍 Ruthless Prioritization: They constantly evaluate and re-prioritize their team's workload, eliminating busywork and focusing on high-impact activities that move the needle. The result? Super Controllers deliver exceptional value to their organizations. They are the future of finance leadership. Tagging some of the leaders who are delivering exceptional value to their teams/companies 👉 Tim Hallner, Caitlin W., Felicia Su, Alexander Dadashev, CPA, Lindsey Kushner, CPA, Priti Ramani, Thomas Neel, Anne P., Katherine Pfohl, CPA, Jeanne Du, Yifei Luo, CPA Viviana Markus, Yuliya Sas, CPA, Anna M. #SuperController #LeanTeams #Technology #ROI #StrategicFinance

You are the Head of Budgets and Planning at Peace Limited, a company renowned for nurturing young accountants. Recently, there was a mild argument between two junior colleagues regarding the distinction between a budget and a forecast. Fortunately, the Finance Director, Madam Evelyn, overheard the discussion and laughed. She asked you to briefly differentiate between a budget and a forecast in terms of: • Purpose • Scope • Timing How would you go about it? Now here is a response: 1. Purpose: · A budget is a financial plan guiding resource allocation, goal setting, and performance monitoring over a specific period. · Conversely, a forecast predicts future financial performance, facilitating decision-making by analyzing current data and market trends. 2. Scope: · A budget covers a fixed period, providing detailed projections of income, expenses, and cash flow, along with performance targets. · A forecast may span short or long time frames, providing less detailed projections focusing on specific areas like sales or cash flow. 3. Timing: · A budget is prepared before the fiscal year, guiding financial resource management and revised periodically to accommodate changes. · Forecasts are regularly updated during the budget period to reflect actual performance, market changes, or new data, often adjusted more frequently than budgets for timely insights. Do you think there is more to this? Please add. #mentoring #budget #finance #managers #leaders #strategy #accounting #forecast #AOB_FinAccFables