Financial Management (FM) magazine
124 episodes - English - Latest episode: 25 days ago - ★★★★ - 9 ratingsThe Financial Management (FM) magazine podcast series features conversations with executives and thought leaders in management accounting. We discuss topics including governance, risk management, performance management, technology, corporate strategy, and leadership. Interviews are conducted by FM editors and contributors.
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Episodes
April FM: Sustainability, credible leadership, delivering bad news
April 03, 2024 20:31 - 7 minutes - 10.9 MBThis episode features Oliver Rowe, the editor-in-chief of FM, detailing the contents of the April digital edition of the magazine. Rowe explains how members can access the most recent edition of the online magazine. He also highlights several articles, including this edition’s theme of sustainability. One noteworthy column, on businesses increasingly taking a multicapital approach to maximising value, was written by CIMA President Sarah Ghosh, FCMA, CGMA. Ghosh recently was a guest on th...
Davos debrief: A firm CEO shares her unforgettable experience
March 20, 2024 19:25 - 24 minutes - 33.9 MBAvani Desai, CPA, attended the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, in January. It was her first visit to the mountain town’s famed event that brings together world leaders and subject matter experts. In this episode of the FM podcast, Desai reflected on the lessons she learned and on the perspective she gained — as an attendee and a discussion moderator. Desai led a panel discussion on the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), supply chains, and cybersecuri...
Inspire inclusion: Amplifying women’s voices, seizing the future
March 06, 2024 17:58 - 13 minutes - 18.4 MBSarah Ghosh, FCMA, CGMA, is most of the way through her one-year term as CIMA president. In this episode of the FM podcast, intended to recognise International Women’s Day, she reflects on people she’s met, questions she’s asked, and progress made on numerous fronts. Ghosh discussed the launch of an AICPA & CIMA mentoring programme, reflected on her background in technology, and shared highlights of her global travels. FM resources: Article about a finance director on leading with i...
Condensing business ethics: ‘Focus on problems you can solve’
February 27, 2024 22:14 - 14 minutes - 20 MBAuthor Alison Taylor, a clinical associate professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business, explains the reasons business ethics has become a “confused topic” and why treating ethical problems as “tick-the-box PR” can make leaders look directionless. Taylor’s book, Higher Ground: How Business Can Do the Right Thing in a Turbulent World, opens up a discourse on new ways to approach this complex landscape and highlights the importance of prioritising fundamental values, with the ...
February FM: Fraud, working with a new boss, tech adoption
January 31, 2024 19:21 - 10 minutes - 14.1 MBThis episode features an occasional host of previous FM podcasts, Oliver Rowe, who is editor-in-chief of FM. Rowe explains how members can access the most recent edition of the online magazine. He also details some of the articles, including those by AICPA & CIMA leaders. Resources: n The page for members to access FM editions. n The public link for FM magazine, featuring news, podcasts, and more. n A previous, ethics-focused FM podcast episode hosted by Xose Lumor. W...
‘Always keen to learn’: Advice on fuelling finance’s future
December 20, 2023 20:54 - 10 minutes - 14.2 MBAndrew Harding, FCMA, CGMA, chief executive—Management Accounting at AICPA & CIMA, made the trip to Orlando, Florida, last week to continue in the knowledge sharing that occurs at the Future of Finance Summit, a US event in its third year and one with companion events in other parts of the world. In this FM episode recorded at the summit, Harding shared key takeaways, insights into the optimism from businesses in China, and why one session topic took him back to his days as a coach on the...
Staying one step ahead: A cybersecurity tool for all
November 29, 2023 19:03 - 12 minutes - 17.7 MBA single cybersecurity breach can cost millions of dollars, so it’s critical that companies take a proactive approach and commit to shoring up their defences by making informed decisions and investments. An updated CGMA cybersecurity tool provides a place to start. Ken Witt, CPA, CGMA, AICPA & CIMA's associate director–Management Accounting Research and Development, joins the FM podcast to discuss the latest trends in cybersecurity and share details about what the recently released tool ...
Distracted by digital communication? How to regain control
November 15, 2023 19:39 - 17 minutes - 24 MBProductivity expert and author Hayley Watts discusses the reasons people struggle with productivity and why digital correspondence is, despite its advantages, creating a challenging environment for communication. Watts spoke at the UK and Ireland ENGAGE several months ago, and she offers tips to help leaders and employees to channel productivity into their working lives. Watts, a co-author of How to Fix Meetings: Meet Less, Focus on Outcomes and Get Stuff Done, explains why tech...
Integrated performance management: A framework to inspire success
October 25, 2023 23:05 - 22 minutes - 31.1 MBNew research from AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) found a disconnect between the way leaders operate in day-to-day business and the long-term strategic initatives that keep businesses relevant and competitive amid constant change and transformation. Peter Spence, associate technical director of management accounting at AICPA & CIMA, and Andy Beanland, a form...
Beyond the Code: Full disclosure is the right ethics move
October 12, 2023 19:59 - 24 minutes - 34.2 MBThis episode of the FM podcast is the start of an occasional series on the show. That series is called Beyond the Code. In this case, that means taking a close look at the CIMA Code of Ethics. Xose Lumor, manager, Advocacy and Professional Ethics – Management Accounting at AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, talks with disputes attorney Alastair Campbell, of the firm Level, about some of the ethical issues that accountants should...
Advice from sibling CEOs: Be yourself, be curious, be accountable
August 23, 2023 06:00 - 34 minutes - 47.8 MBIt makes sense that the themes emerging from the words of Phillipa Spicer, FCMA, CGMA, and Bruce Martin, ACMA, CGMA, are similar — they are sister and brother, both having ascended to CEO roles in the UK. Spicer set forward on a path to becoming a management accountant, and her younger brother followed. In this conversation, hear about their early trips to the office while growing up in South Africa, the questions they got from students, and the advice they give about being your own self...
Future of finance: The power of people and mindset
July 19, 2023 14:39 - 11 minutes - 16.7 MBAICPA & CIMA research on the future state of the finance profession found emerging themes from global discussions with leaders around the world. Some of these themes include automation, hybrid working, sustainability, and moving beyond traditional finance roles. Rebecca McCaffry, FCMA, CGMA, associate technical director at AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, discusses the shift from traditional finance in a digital world, to a ne...
Advice on lifelong learning, difficult conversations, time management
June 21, 2023 17:53 - 18 minutes - 25.7 MBChristina Thomas-Lewin, FCMA, CGMA, is now assistant financial controller for a US company, but she got her start in finance in the UK. In this podcast episode, Thomas-Lewin discusses her career moves, the value of lifelong learning, and the meaning behind the phrase “block it out to knock it out.” She also talks about the importance of delivering potentially negative feedback and how that skill can help both employees and managers. What you’ll learn from this episode: · An ove...
Global Management Accounting Principles: The art of thinking and doing
June 06, 2023 20:14 - 16 minutes - 22.7 MBThis episode of the FM podcast focuses on the newly updated Global Management Accounting Principles (GMAPs). The principles, first released nearly 10 years ago, provide a framework for management accountants. The most recent version updates that framework to reflect new business realities. David Hackett, an AICPA & CIMA technical manager, looks back at the previous version of the GMAPs and explains some of the key updates. The GMAPs, scheduled to be featured in detail at a session Wednesda...
Learning the power of finance — one management accountant’s path
May 17, 2023 06:00 - 7 minutes - 10.1 MBGrace Baxter, ACMA, CGMA, initially thought she would pursue a career in physics. But she’s happy with the switch she made to accounting, where she became CIMA qualified and later landed a role at the UK Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). Baxter is now head of management reporting for DEFRA, and she also serves on a CIMA regional advisory group, service that helps her gain perspective from other finance professionals. Baxter shared advice to aspiring accountan...
A business imperative for promoting employees’ mental health
May 10, 2023 20:41 - 14 minutes - 20.4 MBGenevieve Hawkins, a business leader based in Melbourne, Australia, had a previous career in occupational therapy. That’s one part of her background that contributed to the decision to write a book about workplace mental health. Hawkins said that, in the past, most organisations left mental health to the employee. That’s changing, but it can change more. In this podcast episode, to recognise mental health awareness in the month of May, Hawkins explains simple ways that leaders and compan...
Understanding the opportunities presented by ESG
April 19, 2023 21:13 - 18 minutes - 25.8 MBJeremy Osborn, FCMA, CGMA, wants to make sure finance professionals are prepared for all that's coming their way. Osborn, AICPA & CIMA's global head of ESG, joined the FM podcast for a two-part discussion on the rising importance of ESG initiatives. In part one of the interview, Osborn explained why ESG, along with related auditing and assurance opportunities, is becoming mainstream. In this part, he discusses his early interest in ESG topics, describes the current landscape of ESG repor...
ESG reporting: Ready or not, here it comes
April 12, 2023 21:00 - 16 minutes - 22.6 MBIt’s a big year for ESG initiatives, and Jeremy Osborn, FCMA, CGMA, wants to make sure finance professionals are prepared for all that’s coming their way. Osborn, AICPA & CIMA’s global head of ESG, joined the FM podcast for a discussion on the business reasons to pay attention to ESG, how he became interested in the topic about 15 years ago, and why he was excited to be part of a niche practice area that is today becoming mainstream. This is part one of a two-part interview with Osborn. T...
International Women’s Day: Embracing equity, empowering others
March 08, 2023 00:00 - 17 minutes - 23.8 MBThis episode of the FM podcast features two leaders in the accounting profession globally. Alicja Dworowska, ACMA, CGMA, is finance director at Thermo Fisher Scientific and also a coach and mentor. Lindsay Stevenson, CPA, CGMA, is chief transformation officer at the firm BPM LLP and chair of the AICPA Women’s Initiatives Executive Committee (WIEC). Role models for all, Dworowska and Stevenson are passionate about advancing women in the profession. That passion came through in this conversa...
Future of finance: A beyond-the-numbers focus on people, process
December 16, 2022 20:43 - 12 minutes - 10.5 MBThe themes of sessions at the Future of Finance Summit, which concluded earlier this month in Austin, Texas, were global in nature: talent development, transformation of the finance function, and managing amidst uncertainty. There was, however, one comment from a speaker that stood out to Andrew Harding, FCMA, CGMA, chief executive–Management Accounting at AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. The comment was about numbers, yet as Ha...
An intense rowing challenge and its management accounting lessons
August 03, 2022 16:51 - 22 minutes - 31.7 MBDavid Tiplady, ACMA, CGMA, head of commercial, Vodafone Automotive, is in training for an intriguing and difficult competition. He’s part of a four-man team rowing without support across the Atlantic Ocean, from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean, in 2023. He joins host Kyle Hannan to discuss the planning and training that’s underway, along with contingencies already being considered, well before the team hits the open water. He shares advice for reaching a stretch goal, concern about mar...
‘Unlocking hidden value’: Why purpose should be more central to business
May 06, 2022 18:38 - 20 minutes - 28.9 MBHarvard Business School professor and author Ranjay Gulati says that sentiment is growing among business leaders that companies have a larger role to play than simply providing shareholder value. He joined the FM podcast to discuss that topic and others highlighted in his recent book, Deep Purpose: The Heart and Soul of High-Performance Companies. Gulati explains about when he realised the expectation “that businesses have to do more” is growing dramatically and what a leader at Lego sai...
Freezing and unfreezing: Thoughts on the redesign of work
April 01, 2022 19:21 - 19 minutes - 27.2 MBWell before the COVID-19 pandemic led to a remote work revolution, Lynda Gratton was thinking about how work should be redesigned. Gratton, an author, consultant, and professor, is a world-renowned expert on organisational behaviour. She joined the FM podcast to discuss some of the thoughts in her new book, Redesigning Work: How to Transform Your Organisation and Make Hybrid Work for Everyone. Gratton also spoke about what organisations around the world are saying about the future of hybri...
Better risk management: A worthy pursuit at a critical time
February 02, 2022 13:52 - 16 minutes - 22.7 MBRisk management is no longer an annual, tick-the-box exercise. It’s a regular, vital part of an organisation’s business plan. To provide a framework and questions that risk leaders should consider, a new tool has been developed and published. Jeff Parkison, CPA, CGMA, a US finance leader, is a co-author of the updated document, which is called “ERM Insights for the Financial Risk Leader”. He explains why enhanced risk management is needed and how the tool and its checklists can help organi...
Excel tips: Top 4 functions to improve efficiency in 2022
January 26, 2022 18:10 - 22 minutes - 31.5 MBIn this second part of this series on Excel, Liam Bastick, FCMA, CGMA, an Excel MVP, shares what he thinks are the top functions for accountants and finance professionals, Excel’s limitations, and what he thinks is the future direction of this most popular spreadsheet software in the world.
Excel tips: Power Query, LAMBDA function, and why Excel is still relevant today
January 12, 2022 06:00 - 17 minutes - 24.9 MBIn this first episode of a two-part FM podcast series on Excel with FM contributor and Excel trainer Liam Bastick, FCMA, CGMA, we look at the most common mistake accountants make when using Excel, whether Excel is outdated and should be replaced with other software, and the new LAMBDA function.
Skills development: How to create a learning plan
December 08, 2021 13:00 - 18 minutes - 25.8 MBIn this second episode of a two-part FM podcast series on skills, Gary Cox, ACMA, CGMA, a coach for businesses and individuals, describes how to create a learning plan. He recommends conducting an audit of current skills and those needed over the next three years. Making incremental progress and finding someone to support or champion you from inside or outside the finance team — or outside your company — can also move you toward your goals. In “Skills Development: Which Ones Will You Need?...
Breaking down COP26 announcements and their implications
December 02, 2021 16:35 - 23 minutes - 32.1 MBThere was a dizzying array of announcements during the two-week UN climate change summit last month. Which ones matter for accounting and finance professionals? Martin Farrar, Ph.D., associate technical director at AICPA & CIMA, breaks down key pledges by governments and businesses, and new requirements on the horizon that accounting and finance professionals should know.
Skills development: Which ones will you need?
November 24, 2021 13:00 - 13 minutes - 19.1 MBIn this first episode of a two-part FM podcast series on skills, Gary Cox, ACMA, CGMA, a coach for businesses and individuals, describes the in-demand finance skills of effective use of data, insights, and “really good storytelling”. The second episode will look at how to create a learning plan — analysing the skills you have today and those you will need over the next three years.
Accounting for value
November 10, 2021 13:00 - 16 minutes - 23 MBThe definition of value continues to evolve in the knowledge economy. Finding new ways to measure, manage, and understand organisational value is a critical role for finance professionals and management accountants. In this episode, Paul Ashworth, FCMA, CGMA, previews his upcoming Financial Management articles on effective valuation, the challenges and benefits of different valuation methods, and why good value management can elevate the finance function within a business.
Increase your power during negotiations
November 02, 2021 20:56 - 22 minutes - 31.7 MBNegotiation is a key skill to master, both in the workplace and outside it. In this episode, Fotini Iconomopoulos, founder of negotiation training company Forward Focusing, based in Toronto, and author of Say Less, Get More: Unconventional Negotiation Techniques to Get What You Want, shares advice for succeeding in negotiations. She talks about how to reduce your anxiety when negotiating, tactics that can improve your position during a negotiation, what women should know heading into a negot...
Starting up: 3 metrics entrepreneurial CFOs need to watch
October 12, 2021 16:58 - 19 minutes - 26.6 MBTom Eisenmann, Harvard Business School professor and author of The Fail-Safe Startup, says only 10% of high-tech, high-potential startups are successful. In that success, the CFO has a critical role that includes managing cash and working out when to raise more and monitoring key metrics. He warns the new entrepreneur against rushing in without proper customer research and product evaluation and explains why “trusting your gut” can lead to flawed decisions.
International Podcast Day special: The best of the FM podcast
September 30, 2021 15:46 - 15 minutes - 21.2 MBTo celebrate International Podcast Day, we’ve compiled some of the top insights offered in 2021 episodes from speakers all over the world. Learn more about advice for fighting ransomware, the role of finance in navigating Olympic Games uncertainty for a medal-winning team, how to spot “greenwashing” in ESG reporting, and more from a five-part FM series on ESG. International Podcast Day is 30 September.
ESG, clean energy, and the need for reliable data
September 08, 2021 13:26 - 15 minutes - 20.9 MBThere is no “opt-out clause” for management accountants on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) information, says Association Chair and CIMA President Paul Ash, FCMA, CGMA, in this final podcast in an FM series on ESG. Ash describes how his formative years led to developing businesses focusing on environmentally clean energy and real-time measurement of emissions. Ash says management and public accountants both need to deliver on ESG compliance, and collaboration with engineers and ar...
What boards should know about climate change and value creation
August 25, 2021 10:18 - 25 minutes - 34.8 MBExtreme weather risks have been on the rise for businesses worldwide, and regulators and standard setters are taking steps to keep investors updated. The recent merger of the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) and the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC), which formed the Value Reporting Foundation, was a step towards consistency in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and sustainability reporting. In this episode, Jeremy Osborn, FCMA, CGMA, director of bu...
Getting to the heart of ESG: An investor’s perspective
August 11, 2021 11:56 - 29 minutes - 40.2 MBThe belief that companies should not solely focus on shareholder value, but should benefit all stakeholders — including employees, customers, and communities — is what many investors, large and small, have been rallying around. As a result, investors have been demanding environmental, social, and governance (ESG) information from companies to help guide their long-term investment decisions. Matthew Hurn, OBE, FCMA, CGMA, is the CFO for Disruptive Investments at Mubadala Investment, an inve...
The hidden risks and costs of ransomware
August 04, 2021 09:15 - 15 minutes - 21.4 MBRansomware is on the rise. Organisations of all sizes are at risk, and finance departments are at the forefront of identifying and mitigating ransomware risks. However, that diligence comes with its own challenges. To help organisations identify the growing risks and cost of ransomware, we talk with Gerry Glombicki, CPA, director with Fitch Ratings insurance group, about how finance professionals should be approaching ransomware. What you’ll learn from this episode: How organisations shou...
Finance leaders’ take on top skills for the future
July 28, 2021 10:18 - 14 minutes - 19.6 MBFinance’s role is evolving rapidly, which means the skills needed by finance professionals are changing. A recent FM Q&A series with finance leaders from around the world provided insight on skills that matter most. Hear this conversation with Alexis See Tho, an FM associate editor, and Barry Payne, the Association’s director of external relations for management accounting, for more on the series and what’s on the minds of finance leaders. What you’ll learn from this episode: A look back ...
Finance leaders’ opinions on top skills for the future
July 28, 2021 10:18 - 14 minutes - 19.6 MBFinance’s role is evolving rapidly, which means the skills needed by finance professionals are changing. A recent FM Q&A series with finance leaders from around the world provided insight on skills that matter most. Hear this conversation with Alexis See Tho, an FM associate editor, and Barry Payne, the Association’s director of external relations for management accounting, for more on the series and what’s on the minds of finance leaders. What you’ll learn from this episode: A look back ...
How finance led hockey through Olympic Games uncertainty
July 21, 2021 09:21 - 11 minutes - 16.7 MBKuldeep Kaur, ACMA, CGMA, England Hockey’s finance and administration director, explains how scenario planning, data-led decision-making, and effective communication combined to lead the sport during the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting Olympic Games scheduling uncertainty. What you’ll learn from this episode: An explanation of England Hockey’s business model. The role of timely communication in dealing with the pandemic. How visuals can help communicate with nonfinance colleagues....
Beyond sustainability reporting: Embedding ESG in strategy
July 14, 2021 10:31 - 29 minutes - 41.1 MBWhen finance and accounting professionals think about ESG, it shouldn’t be limited to churning out sustainability reports. To enable real change in a company’s impact on environmental, social, and governance issues, they need to be part and parcel of long-term strategy. But how can that be done? In this episode, we hear from Michael Bueker, senior vice-president of finance for Middle East markets at Siemens Energy. The company’s businesses are in both traditional fossil fuel and renewable ...
What evolving sustainability regulation means to finance
June 30, 2021 10:47 - 25 minutes - 35.8 MBSustainability has become a prominent topic of discussion in business, but it can mean different things to different people. Jeffrey Hales, Ph.D., professor of accounting at the University of Texas at Austin and chairman of the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), explains what it means to management accountants. As SASB chair, Hales heads efforts to set standards for how companies should account for sustainability issues that represent likely financially material risks and oppo...
Fintech: Past, present, and sci-fi future
June 10, 2021 10:01 - 14 minutes - 20.8 MBJame DiBiasio, financial journalist and author of Cowries to Crypto: The History of Money, Currency, and Wealth, describes the long history of money, what the shift from Internet 1.0 to 2.0 means for trading large illiquid assets, and considerations for companies when dealing with bitcoin. He looks to a fintech future of wearable and implanted technology. DiBiasio is also the author of an FM quiz on the history of fintech.
How leaders can build trust and a cohesive team
May 07, 2021 15:17 - 20 minutes - 28.3 MBBuilding trust has always been important in business, and COVID-19 has served to highlight it, according to leadership and workplace culture expert Liz Lugt. In this interview, Lugt sets out the elements of “vulnerability-based trust” and how finance leaders can focus on being effective rather than only efficient. Lugt is speaking at the upcoming AICPA & CIMA ENGAGE EUROPE conference on 19 May on the topic of “Expanding Your Sphere of Influence”.
Management accountants versus money laundering
May 05, 2021 10:43 - 20 minutes - 27.9 MBGovernments around the world are tightening anti-money laundering regulations and increasing noncompliance penalties. Management accountants are at the frontlines of money laundering risk. In this FM podcast episode, Matthew Russell, a London-based financial crime partner at PwC, discusses how finance professionals can address the changing anti-money laundering landscape and how they can use what they learn in the process to their strategic business advantage. Russell is a featured speaker...
How are finance teams keeping up with digitalisation?
April 28, 2021 12:57 - 28 minutes - 39.8 MBAlnoor Bhimani, Ph.D., professor of management accounting at the London School of Economics, thinks the finance and accounting profession has yet to fully understand the sweeping implications of today’s digitalised business models and operations. In this episode of the FM magazine podcast, he shares key findings from his new book, Accounting Disrupted, and how finance professionals can equip themselves to deliver the right financial and nonfinancial intelligence that organisations need.
SMEs boosted by fast decisions, customer feedback
April 16, 2021 14:57 - 16 minutes - 22.2 MBCIMA Member in Practice Fiona Bevan, ACMA, CGMA, describes recent trends in the UK SME sector and how her company, Bevan Financial Management Ltd, adapted to the COVID-19 crisis. She offers advice for SMEs — and larger businesses — on effective customer feedback and how businesses can improve and speed up their decision-making without losing control. Bevan is speaking at AICPA’s & CIMA’s ENGAGE EUROPE conference on 19 May on the topic of “How to Rethink Your Organisations’ Business Models ...
Ready to innovate? Ask these questions to set metrics
March 09, 2021 14:55 - 29 minutes - 41 MBAmy Radin, who serves on the board of directors of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, wrote an article in the December 2020 issue of FM with the headline “How CFOs Can Enable Innovation Now”. Radin is an author, adviser, and former corporate innovation executive, so she has keen insight into the topic, including how the finance function can play a critical role. A section of her article touched on the questions organisation leaders should ask in establishi...
The road to recovery in the UK and Europe
February 19, 2021 14:44 - 12 minutes - 17.6 MBJeremy Hawkins, senior European economist at Econoday, provides an overview of the UK and Europe’s economic landscape two months on from the signing of the UK-EU post-Brexit trade deal and a year from the start of the coronavirus pandemic. He highlights the sectors likely to bounce back more rapidly and those that could struggle to regain lost ground. What you’ll learn from this episode: The UK and Europe’s 2020 and early 2021 economic performance. Why there is UK optimism for the secon...
Career management 2021: What’s changed in the past year
February 11, 2021 21:52 - 17 minutes - 24 MBRhymer Rigby shared advice for how to deal with co-workers’ annoying habits and how to succeed in remote meetings in previous FM podcasts. This episode is the conclusion of a three-part conversation with Rigby, a regular career contributor to FM. He responds to questions about how career management has changed since the onset of COVID-19, how recruiting without boundaries can be good (with one potentially big exception: pay), and how we can build perseverance.