AFP Conversations

The Impact of Instant Payments and Real-Time Processing on Business Processes

Adam Kruis, Senior Vice President, Manager, Working Capital Consulting, at U.S. Bank, and Anu Somani, Head of Global Payables and Embedded Payments, at U.S. Bank, discuss why real-time payments are becoming important, common use cases for real-time payments, and how to stay current on developments in the real-time payments space. This episode is sponsored by U.S. Bank.

Reimagination in a Time of Change with Erica Orange

Erica Orange, speaker for the AFP 2023 MindShift Keynote, sponsored by Capital One, is the Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer of The Future Hunters, one of the world’s leading futurist consulting firms. She analyzes emerging sociocultural, technological, economic, geopolitical and environmental trends and identifies the strategic implications (the “So what?”) of those trends for several of the most influential Fortune 500 companies, trade associations and public sector client...

Negotiation Techniques with Fotini Iconomopoulos

Fotini Iconomopoulos, the speaker for the AFP 2023 Monday Executive Institute Keynote, sponsored by PNC, is an expert communicator with a passion for helping organizations and individuals get what they want. For over a decade, she has been helping Fortune 500 clients and their teams achieve their business goals, increase profitability, and create a competitive advantage. She is also the author of the best-selling book Say Less, Get More: Unconventional Negotiation Techniques to Get What You ...

The Science of Charisma with Olivia Fox Cabane

Olivia Fox Cabane, the speaker for the AFP 2023 Tuesday Executive Institute Keynote, sponsored by PNC, is an expert in charisma and leadership. In addition to co-founding KindEarth.Tech, Olivia Fox Cabane has taught at Harvard, Yale, MIT and the United Nations and has spoken to countless leaders in Fortune 500 companies. Her best-selling books, The Charisma Myth and The Net and the Butterfly, have been translated into 32 languages. In this episode of AFP Conversations, Olivia talks about w...

Understanding the Geopolitical Risks We Face with Ian Bremmer

AFP 2023 Tuesday Keynote speaker Ian Bremmer is a political scientist who helps business leaders, policymakers and the general public make sense of the world around them. He is president and founder of Eurasia Group, the world’s leading political risk research and consulting firm, and GZERO Media, a company dedicated to providing intelligent and engaging coverage of international affairs. In this episode of AFP Conversations, Ian talks about geopolitical trends to watch for and how treasur...

Smarter Ways of Planning

The speed of business and disruption means that we need to do more than simply run our planning routines faster, we need to change how we deliver planning services. Pietro Castelli, Head of Product Marketing at Board, talks through his research paper on “Creating Value Through Planning” and offers five ways to improve finance processes and add agility to the business. This episode is sponsored by Board.

Preparing Today's Business Students for Tomorrow's Workforce

Business school education is changing to keep up with the rapidly evolving finance profession. Jim Washam, Dean of the Neil Griffin College of Business at Arkansas State University, and DJ Masson, Clinical Professor of Finance at Indiana University's Kelly School of Business, discuss the state of business school education and how business schools are evolving to meet the needs of students, as well as those of employers who can't seem to find enough talent. This episode is sponsored by AARP.

Smarter Data, Smarter Decisions

It’s not just about reporting on the data. CFOs who leverage data-driven insights are serving as strategic advisors by shaping business strategy and driving the organization forward. Bryan Hipsher, CFO of Dun & Bradstreet, explains data strategy, getting data right, and how his department transforms data into analytical insights, yielding smarter decisions that benefit every function at the company.

Optimizing Operational Processes

Welcome to a special three-part series of AFP Conversations, The Road to Treasury Optimization, where we take a deep dive into how the treasury landscape is transforming in the Asia-Pacific region. What should you consider when you’re looking to enhance liquidity management? How has the pandemic accelerated finance and treasury transformation? And what does the future of digital treasury look like? We answer these questions and more. This series is a companion to the Executive Guide: A Treas...

Working Capital in a Tumultuous Environment

In this podcast we address how MUFG's clients are responding to a very complex operating environment. From Covid, to High Inflation, Interest Rate increases and Strained Supply chains, we discuss how companies can best operate their working capital to be resilient, maintain the course and help the company using a multitude of tools available. We also discuss how companies can see an increased return on cash by using their own balance sheet for payables processing. 

Digitization of Treasury for Future Proofing

Enhancing Liquidity Management

Jugaad Innovation with Dr. Simone Ahuja

What do you do when you’re tasked with solving a big problem using only the resources you already have? Dr. Simone Ahuja makes the case that with a growth mindset and a simple toolkit of strategies you can generate high-value solutions. Dr. Ahuja is the founder of Blood Orange, a global innovation and strategy firm headquartered in Minneapolis, and the co-author of the international bestseller, Jugaad Innovation. During the AFP 2022 Certification Keynote Breakfast, sponsored by PNC, Dr. Ah...

Re-evaluating Risk and Resilience with Chloe Demrovsky

Effective leaders need to be able to see the big picture. Chloe Demrovsky, president & CEO of Disaster Recovery Institute International, is a globally recognized thought leader. She has been a commentator for national news outlets, presented on global risk at events across five continents and conducted on-site briefings for government officials. During the AFP 2022 Monday Executive Keynote, sponsored by PNC, Demrovsky will leverage key findings from Disaster Recovery Institute research to ...

Brains at their Best with Dr. Lisa Belanger

An organization’s greatest asset is its people. Dr. Lisa Bélanger is an award-winning researcher who helps leaders and teams optimize performance, productivity, and innovation through leading-edge scientific research. With a PhD in behavioral medicine, Bélanger is the CEO of ConsciousWorks, a consulting firm that supports leaders and teams in maximizing their mental capacity and performance.  Dr. Bélanger is the AFP 2022 Wellness Keynote. Drawing on psychology, behavioral science, and neur...

Stacey Vanek Smith

Stacey Vanek Smith is a longtime public radio reporter and host, highly regarded for her insight and journalism on work, business, and economics; I mentioned her Indicators podcast, she is also a correspondent and host for NPR’s Planet Money and Marketplace, and her work has appeared in Time Magazine, The New York Times, and People Magazine. Vanek Smith is also the author of Machiavelli for Women: Defend Your Worth, Grow Your Ambition, and Win the Workplace. Stacey is also the FP&A keynote s...

Thriving Through Change with Kaihan Krippendorff

We are experiencing a historic acceleration in the pace of change in our world. Artificial intelligence, digitization, robotics, 3D printing, and the rise of purpose-driven enterprises are reconfiguring how industries operate. These changes divide us into two camps: the “Disruptors” and the “Disrupted”. AFP CEO & President Jim Kaitz recently sat down with 2022 AFP Annual Conference MindShift Keynote Kaihan Krippendorff to discuss what makes companies and individuals thrive in the face of ...

Finding Inner Strength with Laila Ali

In this episode of AFP Conversations, AFP President and CEO Jim Kaitz sits down with Laila Ali, an undefeated world champion boxer, entrepreneur TV, personality, author, and wellness advocate. Ali is also the Sunday Keynote at AFP 2022, October 23-26 in Philadelphia.  As the youngest daughter of Muhammad Ali, Laila Ali has developed the values of hard work, determination, courage, and self-belief that have guided her throughout her unique career. Listen in to hear how Ali's career has evol...

Larry Maisel: The Human Side of AI Analytics

What makes some companies succeed at creating an analytics hub within finance, while others fall short?  Larry Maisel, President of DecisionVu, joins AFP's Director of FP&A Practice Bryan Lapidus to discuss how to navigate the challenge that digital transformation presents.  They discuss the role of executives in project success and provide lightning-round definitions of often-confused terms.

Changing Your Mind with Adam Grant

In this episode, AFP President and CEO Jim Kaitz and AFP 2022 Keynote Speaker Adam Grant discuss how to change our thinking to evolve the way we work—both on the individual level and at the organizational level. 

AFP Conversations: Shawn Kanungo on Embracing Innovation

In this episode of AFP Conversations, AFP President and CEO Jim Kaitz chats with Shawn Kanungo, innovation strategist, on how financial professionals can be disruptors.  Kanungo was the MindShift keynote speaker at AFP 2021.

Tips from a Philly Native with Brooke Lazizi

In this episode of AFP Conversations, AFP’s Glenn Douglas chats with Brooke Lazizi, senior destination services manager for the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau. Ahead of AFP 2022, October 23-26 in Philadelphia, we wanted to hear about all the fun things to see and do in the city. Philadelphia is full of life—from the murals painting the sides of buildings, to the cutting-edge research happening at Penn—the city of brotherly love is a fantastic gathering place for curious people...

Flint Lane: Turning B2B Buyers into Digital Payers

The notion of creating digital payers out of B2B buyers can be intimidating to corporations. But as many companies learned the hard way during the pandemic, steering their B2B buyers away from paper checks and other outmoded payment methods, although challenging, is necessary for survival.  In this episode of AFP Conversations, Tom Hunt, AFP’s director of Treasury and Payments Services, speaks with Flint Lane, the CEO and founder of Billtrust. Flint has set the strategic direction of the ...

Steve Ledford: Checking in on RTP

Treasury departments grapple with RTP, or Real-time Payments, every day. How are your fellow treasury professionals dealing with RTP now, and what will the landscape look like in the future? In this episode of AFP Conversations, Tom Hunt, AFP’s director of Treasury and Payments Services, speaks with payments industry expert Steve Ledford from The Clearing House. Steve has advised leading banks, financial services firms, and payment organizations in the US and globally for more than 30 ye...

Kevin Belli: Developing the Next Generation Finance Rockstar

Kevin Belli thinks that great data is only great when it adds value, improves decision-making and resource prioritization, and enhances an organization’s financial health. The ability to promote the FP&A discipline and partner with internal customers are among a host of skills that are key to the development of that next finance rockstar. In this edition of the AFP Conversations Podcast, Kevin Belli SVP, Financial Planning + Analysis at AARP joins AFP’s Director of FP&A Practice, Bryan Lap...

Nathaniel Wuerffel: The Libor Deadline is Here. What’s Your Transition Plan?

LIBOR is set to be discontinued by the end of this year, and it’s important that corporates are ready for the transition. Libor is written into over 220 trillion dollars in contracts around the world. Most of those are set to mature before mid-2023. That being said, the Alternative Reference Rates Committee has estimated that about a third won't mature by that timeframe. In this edition of the AFP Conversations Podcast, Tom Hunt director of Treasury and Payments Services at AFP, speaks wit...

Making Your Conference Session Proposal Stand Out

226. David Bowman: The LIBOR Transition

LIBOR has been at the forefront of our attention since 2012, when it was revealed that financial institutions were manipulating the rate for their own gain. The UK Financial Conduct Authority is set to discontinue LIBOR by the end of 2021, and it’s important we are ready for the transition. In this edition of the AFP Conversations Podcast, Tom Hunt, director of Treasury and Payments Services at AFP, speaks with David Bowman, senior associate director at the Board of Governors of the Federa...

225. Jennifer Moss: Preventing A Burnout Epidemic

Since March 2020, many of us have been operating in crisis mode, leading to quick pivots to embracing new policies and processes on the fly. In this special edition of the AFP Conversations Podcast, John Gibson, director of Education and Content Strategy at AFP, sat down with Jennifer Moss, who is speaking at the AFP 2021 Wellness Keynote, sponsored by RBC. Moss is globally recognized as an expert in burnout, and just published her newest book, The Burnout Epidemic. In this interview, M...

224. DeMaurice Smith: Operational Game Strategy: Managing Plans, Politics and Personalities

In order to be successful, every leader must develop a game plan that accounts for the politics and personalities of everyone involved. In this special edition of the AFP Conversations Podcast, Jim Kaitz, president and CEO of AFP, speaks with DeMaurice Smith, who will kick-off the AFP 2021 Executive Institute, sponsored by PNC. Smith has served as executive director of the National Football League Players' Association since 2009, and prior to his role now, was recognized as one of the bes...

233. Suneel Gupta: Backable: Why Some Ideas Catch Fire While Others Get Ignored

Being a “backable” person means you are able to rally others around a new idea in a way that inspires action, and great leaders invest in backability because it makes their people more adaptable to addressing complex problems. In this special edition of the AFP Conversations Podcast, Jim Kaitz, president and CEO of AFP, sits down with Suneel Gupta, who is speaking at the AFP 2021 Certification Keynote, sponsored by PNC. Gupta is the author of the bestselling book, Backable, which uncovers...

232. Sheila Heen: Navigating Your Most Complex Conversations with Greater Skill and Better Outcomes

A leader’s ability to manage difficult conversations can determine their success, whether its dealing with resource allocations, negotiating with a bank or disagreeing with a colleague. In this special edition of the AFP Conversations Podcast, Tom Hunt, CTP, director of Treasury Services at AFP, speaks with best-selling author Sheila Heen, who is one of the keynote speakers at the AFP 2021 Executive Institute, sponsored by PNC. Heen often partners with executive teams to help them work thr...

231. Dennis Carey: Talent Development

In order to position employees for career advancement and build a better workforce, organizations must invest in talent development strategies that capitalize on the strengths and abilities of employees. In this edition of the AFP Conversations Podcast, Jim Kaitz, president and CEO of AFP, speaks with Dennis Carey, vice chairman of Korn Ferry. Carey recruits board directors, CEOs and their direct reports, and has placed and assessed some of the most successful CEOs and directors for more t...

230. Vikram Mansharamani: The Generalist Advantage

In a fast-paced world driven by complex and diverse factors, the ability for finance professionals to connect the dots is often more important than developing the dots. In this special edition of the AFP Conversations Podcast, Bryan Lapidus, FPAC, director of FP&A Practice at AFP, speaks with Vikram Mansharamani, who will appear at AFP 2021 as the FP&A Keynote, sponsored by OneStream Software and Workday. Mansharamani is a global trend-watcher, Harvard Lecturer, author, investor, and regu...

229. What is Finance Leadership?

The importance of this question should be clear—the normal operating environment is full of volatility and uncertainty. CFOs and FP&A seem to have been on every corporate leader’s speed dial and phone favorites list as the need to know where we are now matters, and the need to know where we are going matters more. This is an opportunity for CFOs and their teams to lean into the challenge, and in this episode of AFP Conversations, AFP’s Bryan Lapidus, FPAC, director of FP&A Practice, sits d...

228. Intentional Learning and the Career Advantage

In today’s competitive job market, it is now more important than ever to recognize that learning itself is a skill. In this special edition of the AFP Conversations Podcast, Jim Kaitz, president and CEO of AFP, speaks with Matt Smith, McKinsey and Company’s chief learning officer. Matt is responsible for developing the firm’s learning-and-development strategy and for the execution of learning-and-development programs for more than 29,000 colleagues globally. In this interview, Matt discu...

227. Shawn Kanungo: Disruption DNA

In this special edition of the AFP Conversations Podcast, Jim Kaitz, President and CEO of AFP, speaks with Shawn Kanungo, who will appear at AFP 2021 as the MindShift Keynote speaker. Kanungo is a globally recognized innovation strategist who works closely with leaders to better plan for the opportunities and threats associated with disruptive innovation. In this interview, Kanungo provides a preview of his presentation, Disruption DNA. He presents a roadmap for facing the onslaught of te...

227. Shawn Kanugo: Disruption DNA

In this special edition of the AFP Conversations Podcast, Jim Kaitz, President and CEO of AFP, speaks with Shawn Kanugo, who will appear at AFP 2021 as the MindShift Keynote speaker. Kanugo is a globally recognized innovation strategist who works closely with leaders to better plan for the opportunities and threats associated with disruptive innovation. In this interview, Kanugo provides a preview of his presentation, Disruption DNA. He presents a roadmap for facing the onslaught of techn...

226. Amy Edmonson: Leading Through Crisis

In this special edition of the AFP Conversations Podcast, Jim Kaitz, President and CEO of AFP, speaks with Amy Edmonson, who will appear at AFP 2021 as the Tuesday Keynote speaker. Edmonson is the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School and author of the book The Fearless Organization, which offers practical guidance for teams and organizations who are serious about success in the modern economy. In this interview, Edmonson provides a preview of her ...

225. SkyStem: Month-end Close Automation

SkyStem is a leading provider of month-end close automation platforms. Its solution, ART, helps CFOs and controllers shorten the month-end close cycle and time to issue financials by automating balance sheet reconciliations, managing month-end tasks, performing flux and variance analysis, and providing insightful reporting. In this episode of AFP Conversations, Tom Hunt, CTP, AFP’s Director of Treasury Services, sat down with Linda Harris, assistant corporate controller at Ichor Systems, a...

225. Addressing Implicit Bias in the Workplace

The common term “implicit bias” refers to attitudes or stereotypes that adversely impact or influence one’s understanding, actions and decisions in an unconscious way. But how are these implicit biases manifested and what are their impact on an organization’s culture? In this episode of AFP Conversations, Jenny Okonkwo, president of Transform Consulting and founder of Black Female Accountants Network, a volunteer-led professional women's network with membership across Canada, the UK, the U...

224. Dan Seidman: Read (Hidden) Emotions – The Science Behind a New Skill

What if financial professionals could have access to information that has previously been unknown, like what others are thinking and feeling? Dan Seidman, Managing Director of Read Emotions, believes that reading hidden emotions is a behavioral science that can be applied to managing, coaching and business partnering. In this episode of AFP Conversations, Bryan Lapidus, FPAC, AFP’s Director of FP&A Practice, is joined by Seidman to discuss how recognizing the emotions others feel during cr...

223. Scott Frisch: Data Dashboard For Total Impact

In 2020, AARP was awarded the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation’s highest recognition for performance excellence that a U.S. organization can receive. Specifically, the Baldrige committee praised AARP’s Enterprise Dashboard, which enables leaders to sustain a focus on achieving the organization’s key objectives: grow impact, grow relevance, grow revenue and engage workforce, driving down to individual performance objectives. Scott Frisch, AARP’s EVP and COO, was one of th...

222. Jesper Sorensen: Transforming Global Finance into an Analytics Business Partner

Traditionally, finance has been about creating numbers and capturing data for a business. But how can we share that insight to stay relevant to business stakeholders? In this episode of AFP Conversations, Bryan Lapidus, FPAC, AFP’s Director of FP&A Practice, is joined by Jesper Sorensen, co-author of Implementing an Analytics Culture for Data Driven Decisions, to discuss the changes required within finance to reach its aspirations of providing actionable insight to the business. Sorensen...

221. Erica Dhawan: Fostering Human Engagement in a Digital World

In this episode of AFP Conversations, Jim Kaitz, President and CEO of AFP, is joined by Erica Dhawan, globally recognized leadership expert and AFP FinNext 2021 Virtual Closing Keynote, to preview her keynote: “Leading Digitally: Foster Human Engagement at Work.” As the founder and CEO of Cotential and co-author of the bestselling book Get Big Things Done: The Power of Connectional Intelligence, Dhawan teaches leaders 21st century collaboration skills and behaviors and is the world’s lead...

220. Hal Gregersen: Navigating Uncertainty Though the Power of Inquiry

In this episode of AFP Conversations, Jim Kaitz, CEO of AFP, is joined by author, lecturer, and AFP FinNext Virtual Conference Opening Keynote, Hal Gregersen to preview his keynote: "Navigating Uncertainty Through the Power of Inquiry." Ranked as one of the world’s 25 most influential management thinkers by Thinkers50, Gregersen has dedicated his career to finding out what kind of skills, corporate culture and practices produce innovative powerhouses.  Gregersen is the Opening Keynote a...

219. Lessons From History on Navigating Uncertainty

In this special episode of AFP Conversations, best-selling author and journalist Eric Weiner joins AFP President and CEO Jim Kaitz speaks with to discuss his latest book, "The Socrates Express: In Search of Life Lessons from Dead Philosophers." Kaitz and Weiner attempt to gauge how some of the greatest philosophers throughout history would approach the challenges of today. Although we currently face a monumental crisis, some of history's greatest minds would likely advise us to focus on the ...

218. Treasury Management in APAC

This episode of AFP Conversations explores the insights covered in the 2020 AFP Asia-Pacific (APAC) Treasury Management Handbook, sponsored by Kyriba. Released by AFP in collaboration with China National Association of Finance Companies, the Association of Corporate Treasurers Singapore, and the Japan Association for Chief Financial Officers, the handbook provides an overview of the elements of treasury management and includes guidance on the core tasks of a regional treasury center. Dory...

217. Figuring Out Your Personal Brand

In this episode of AFP Conversations, financial influencer, speaker, author and podcast host, Sheri Fitts of ShoeFitts Marketing will be discussing personal branding. With more than 25 years in the financial services industry, she is an expert in leveraging marketing, branding and a fine-tuned digital strategy to help financial professionals attract the right clients, increase revenue, retain relationships, and navigate the online world. At AFP 2020, Fitts will be leading the session, Sur...

216. Managing Change in a World of Uncertainty

This episode of AFP Conversations focuses on how financial professionals manage change, which is something they’ve had to do a lot of lately. With entire workforces operating remotely, there’s never been a better time to adopt a new mindset. And there’s no one better to help you develop that new mindset than AFP 2020 FP&A Keynote Amy Vetter, CEO of the B3 Method Institute and DRISHTIQ Yoga. This is Amy’s second time joining the podcast. In this episode, she provides a preview of her upcomin...