AFP Conversations

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.

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.

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 Treasurer's Guide to Centralization, as underwritten by Standard Chartered. If you want to learn more about the topics covered in this series, visit AFPonline.org/TreasuryCentralization. In this podcast we discuss how the pandemic has accelerated finance and treasury transformation. We explore challenges encountered during transformation projects and processes that had to be re-engineered.

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 multihood of tools available.  We also discuss how companies can see an increased return on cash by using their own balance sheet for payables processing. 

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. Ahuja will share her five-step process to innovation that will help you gain support for new ideas and create greater impact. Want to hear more? Register for AFP 2022, October 23-26, in Philadelphia: https://conference.afponline.org/registration

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 review the decisions leaders must make in a post-COVID world. She will also provide tactical insight on how to strengthen and improve enterprise-wide business continuity practices to address various risks. In this episode of AFP Conversations, Demrovsky shares how she became a resilience professional and why resilience should be a strategic investment for organizations.

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 neuroscience, she will empower attendees to take control of their behaviors and offers daily practices to think more clearly, make better decisions, be more productive, build resilience, and have more energy. In this episode of AFP Conversations, Dr. Bélanger shares practical ways to incorporate mindfulness into our everyday lives. She also shares the most effective ways to manage short-term and long-term stress while providing practical exercises and strategies that require little time but offer significant gains in mental strength.

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 speaker at AFP 2022 coming in October; the title of her keynote presentation will be Numbers and Narratives: Seeking a Story Among the Indicators.

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 disruption. Krippendorff is an entrepreneur, author, consultant and CEO who is is known for his ability to turn difficult concepts into easy-to-understand ideas that drive meaningful outcomes and actions. In his MindShift Keynote at AFP 2022, he'll break down the underlying patterns of disruption and with compelling stories of successes, failures, and yet-unknown innovations, teaches practical tools to help you take action and become a Disruptor. 

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 evolved and how all of us can adopt an all-in attitude like hers to successfully navigate our own careers. Learn more about Ali and register for the conference at AFP2022.org.

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.

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. 

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.

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 with a zest for learning something new. Listen in to hear about what made Philadelphia land a top spot on National Geographic, Condé Nast, and Travel + Leisure must-see lists, what's going on in the arts scene and food scene, what's off the beaten track—and whether Brooke has ever run up the Rocky steps.

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 company since its founding in 2001. Under his leadership, the company has enjoyed significant growth providing invoice-to-cash services to companies throughout North America.  Listen in as Flint and Tom discuss how accounts receivable teams can lead the charge for transitioning B2B buyers into digital payers. 

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 years. His work has focused on payments, advising clients on business strategy, product development, IT and infrastructure planning, operations and the deployment of new payment systems. Listen in as Steven and Tom discuss use cases, volume, and Request for Payment, to get a full picture of the current RTP landscape.

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 Lapidus, FPAC to talk about the key differentiators that set the finance rockstars apart. As technology advances, everyone from the CFO to first-year financial analysts and treasury specialists has had to keep pace with that change. Kevin and Bryan discuss how the role of finance professional is changing the importance of data literacy. Finance teams must not only leverage complex data sets but—more importantly—demonstrate the necessary skills to transform this data into meaningful and strategic guidance for the organization.  

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 with Nathaniel Wuerffel, a Senior Vice President in the Markets Group of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and Deputy Head of MOMA—the open market trading desk—for Domestic Markets. Listen in as Nathaniel recommends actions you can take both before year-end and before mid-2023.

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 Federal Reserve System. Bowman serves as the Board's senior staff liaison to the Alternative Reference Rates Committee. In this episode, Bowman provides an update on the status of the LIBOR transition, what needs to be done before year end, and advice for corporates approaching their banks about rate alternatives. This episode expresses personal opinions that do not necessarily reflect those of the Federal Reserve.

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, Moss gives a preview of her keynote, “Preventing A Burnout Epidemic,” where she will provide prevention tactics and strategies to manage burnout during times of stress. Moss will also offer tangible solutions that leaders can implement to improve their employees' well-being. AFP 2021 takes place November 7 - 10 in Washington, D.C. To learn more about the event and register, visit AFP2021.org.

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 best trial lawyers in the country. In this interview, Smith gives a preview of his keynote, “Operational Game Strategy: Managing Plans, Politics, and Personalities,” where he will share insider stories from both his current leadership position and his previous life as a homicide prosecutor that exemplify the importance of strategic planning and contextual decision making. AFP 2021 takes place November 7 - 10 in Washington, D.C. To learn more about the event and register, visit AFP2021.org.

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 how the key to success is in your ability to persuade others to take a chance on you. In this interview, Gupta gives a preview of his keynote, “Backable: Why Some Ideas Catch Fire While Others Get Ignored,” where he will present the surprising truth about why some ideas are embraced while others get ignored, and shares techniques for turning a new idea into an inspiring vision. AFP 2021 takes place November 7-10 in Washington, D.C. To learn more about the event and register, visit AFP2021.org.

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 through conflict and repair working relationships. In this interview, Heen gives a preview of her keynote, Navigating Your Most Complex Conversations with Greater Skill and Better Outcomes, where she will provide a framework to understand the structure of having tough conversations. AFP 2021 takes place November 7 - 10 in Washington, D.C. To learn more about the event and register, visit AFP2021.org.

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 than 75 leading Companies in the Fortune 500. In this episode, Carey discusses how companies must build on employees' talent to remain competitive as they adapt to the constantly changing environment.

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 regular commentator on issues driving disruption in the global business environment. In this interview, Mansharamani provides a preview of his presentation, The Generalist Advantage: Zoom Out To Anticipate The Future, where he will show attendees how to look differently at their business, spot risks, take multiple points of view, and capture opportunities others miss. AFP 2021 takes place November 7 - 10 in Washington, D.C. To learn more about the event and to register, visit AFP2021.org.

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 down with Karlo Bustos, vice president of Professional Services at Board International, to address two key questions: What does finance leadership look like across the business enterprise? And what does finance leadership look like in managing the finance function itself?

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 discusses the fundamental skill of learning, how to nurture learning in others, and how companies can create a learning culture. He also discusses his “3x3x3” approach to learning, a practical strategy to continually learn, grow and achieve development.

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 technological disruption impacting finance by exploring how to think and act differently to ensure you remain competitive and relevant. AFP 2021 takes place November 7 - 10 in Washington, D.C. The early registration deadline is through June 25, 2021. To learn more about the event and to register, visit AFP2021.org.

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 presentation, Leading Through Crisis: Leveraging Teaming to Solve Problems and Innovate. She discusses the value of successful teaming in a crisis and provides concrete tools that leaders and their teams can use to innovate in the face of disruption. AFP 2021 takes place November 7 - 10 in Washington, D.C. The early registration deadline is through June 25, 2021. To learn more about the event and to register, visit AFP2021.org.

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, and Nancy Wu, head of sales and customer support for SkyStem, to discuss the month-end close and reconciliation process, potential challenges teams may face, and best practices for adoption. Visit SkyStem’s webiste for more information on month-end close automation platforms.

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.S., and Europe, discusses the important topic of implicit bias and her experience fostering diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. From a diversity and inclusion standpoint, Okonkwo deeps dives into how individuals can mitigate against implicit or unconscious bias to attract a quality workforce, build quality teams and lower retention as an organization. Okonkwo also provides listeners with tools for managers and leaders to get outside of their bubbles and reflect on their own biases, advice for how organizations can create long-lasting equitable solutions, and ways to develop an organization-wide DEI strategy. Read Okonkow’s article, Implicit Bias in the Workplace, and visit the AFP DEI Resources page for more information.

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 critical meetings is key to increasing empathy and rapport. As finance engages with a variety of business partners with different agendas, priorities, and points of view, sustained success in this area requires the ability to build constructive relationships. Listen as Seidman explains how to apply these skills in the business arena – both in-person and online – to improve emotional intelligence. Seidman will be speaking at AFP FinNext 2021 Virtual for the session, “Read (Hidden) Emotions: The Science Behind a New Skill.” Click here to learn more about the event, taking place March 23 – 25.

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 the prime drivers of this work. In this episode of AFP Conversations, Bryan Lapidus, FPAC, AFP’s Director of FP&A Practice, is joined by Frisch to discuss the strategy and tactical implementation – including statistical models and organizational staffing – to create a North Star for the entire enterprise. Frisch will be speaking at AFP FinNext 2021 Virtual for the session, “Data Dashboard for Total Impact.” Click here to learn more about the event, taking place March 23 – 25.

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 explains that the future of finance requires a roadmap on how to integrate business partnering skills, data science thinking and analytics tools, and an understanding of strategic thinking. This episode will further examine the principles and practice behind the transformation of a global finance department into an analytics business partner, and the resulting return in investment in terms of dollars, job security and career advancement. Sorensen will be speaking at AFP FinNext 2021 Virtual alongside Larry Mizel for the session, “Becoming an Analytics Business Partner.” Click here to learn more about the event, taking place March 23 – 25.

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 leading authority on Connectional Intelligence. While remote collaboration and digital learning can be successful in the COVID-19 era, it can also be challenging to understand tone, body language and other non-verbal cues that provide meaningful context to communication. In this episode, Dhawan deep dives into new rules, tactics and nuances for effective digital body language to create intellectual and emotional connections – no matter the distance. To learn more about digital body language, check out Dhawan’s best practice toolkit at ericadhawan.com/dbl and get a copy of her book at ericadhawan.com/digitalbodylanguage. Dhawan is the Closing Keynote at the AFP FinNext Virtual 2021, taking place March 23 – 25. Click here to learn more about the event.

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 at FinNext Virtual 2021, taking place March 23 - 25. Click here to register for the event.

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 things we can change, and accept the ones we can't. AFP would like to thank Eric Weiner for joining us in this special episode. If you would like to learn more about Eric or his latest book, please visit ericweinerbooks.com.

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 Malouf, Senior Principal Value Engineer for Kyriba, joins the podcast to discuss the themes explored in the handbook.  

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, Surviving in the Overwired World, in which she'll discuss how financial professionals can stay focused and productive amid so many electronic distractions. This podcast is part of the new AFP Career Hub series. The Career Hub features career coaches, resume services, our job board and more to help you take the next step in your career.

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 upcoming session.

To be successful, chief financial officers and treasurers need to be true leaders who invest in the professional development of their teams. That requires seeking out exceptional talent and helping those individuals grow their skillsets so that they can make the organization more resilient. In this episode of AFP Conversations, Jim Kaitz, President and CEO of AFP, discusses professional development with Mark McGivney, Chief Financial Officer of Marsh and McLennan Companies. McGivney has held a number of senior financial management positions since joining the company in 2007. This interview covers the skills that finance professionals will need to continue to be competitive, as well as the short and long-term impact of COVID-19 on finance organizations. Visit the Career Hub to learn more about how you can take the next step in your career.

If you’ve attended a career development session at an AFP Conference over the past few years, you’ve probably heard Nicole Meyer speak before. She is Founder and Managing Partner of The Meyer Partnership, a search and advisory firm for Global Financial Services. A former transaction banker, hiring manager and talent recruiter, Meyer created a search firm founded on the principle of bringing the world’s most successful banks and companies together with the very best and relevant candidates. She’s speaking again this year at AFP 2020. In this episode of AFP Conversations, she discusses how financial professionals can interview in the current environment. This podcast is part of the new AFP Career Hub series. Visit the Career Hub to learn more about how you can take the next step in your career.

Over the past several months, financial professionals have experienced upheaval in their professional and personal lives. Many have been working from home, adapting their daily schedules to that environment. When you’re handling so many things at once, it can be difficult to manage your time properly. In this podcast, AFP President and CEO Jim Kaitz discusses the importance of perfect timing with AFP 2020 keynote Daniel Pink. Pink is a New York Times Bestselling author, whose books have won multiple awards and have sold more than 3 million copies worldwide. His latest book, “When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing,” could be an instruction manual for how financial professionals can operate in today’s hectic, work-from-home environment. It delves into the science of timing, which can help us make better decisions and increase our productivity. Pink will be discussing some his findings at the AFP 2020 Virtual Experience in October.

Alphabet, Google's parent company, is a rapidly growing and dynamic business. To support this growth, Alphabet recognized the need to re-engineer its treasury function. Partnering with SAP, Alphabet launched Project Emerald—a state-of-the-art, non-custom solution that migrated treasury’s processes to the company’s SAP treasury workstation. The success of this in-house solution has paved the way for Alphabet to implement SAP as a single global ERP system for not just treasury, but all corporate functions. Project Emerald was such a success that Alphabet was named a finalist for the AFP 2020 Pinnacle Awards. The Awards, sponsored by MUFG, recognize excellence in treasury and finance. In this episode of AFP Conversations, John Clarke, Assistant Treasurer for Google, discusses Project Emerald. This year the treasury and finance community gets to select the winner of the Pinnacle Awards, sponsored by MUFG. Our three finalists will be voted on and one Grand Prize Winner will be selected. That Grand Prize Winner will be announced during the AFP 2020 Virtual Experience. To learn more about our other finalists and to vote for the Pinnacle Awards Grand Prize Winner, visit www.afp2020.org/pinnacle.

Drager is a leading manufacturer for medical and safety technology products, employing more than 15,000 people worldwide. The company generates revenues of around 2.8 billion Euros, 55% of it in foreign currencies. Drager's portfolio of foreign currencies requires reliable data processing in a highly automated, cost-effective and flexible manner. Until the end of 2019, FX exposures were computed in a highly manual and time-consuming, spreadsheet-based process. To improve data availability and reliability, Drager automated data processing and the calculation of exposures. Additionally, Drager automated the exposure planning process and created a cost-efficient hedging portfolio. The project was so successful that Drager is one of the finalists for the AFP 2020 Pinnacle Award. In this episode of AFP Conversations, Frank Freitag, Controller of FX Risk Management for Drager, discusses his company's groundbreaking solution.  This year the treasury and finance community gets to select the winner of the Pinnacle Awards, sponsored by MUFG. Our three finalists will be voted on and one Grand Prize Winner will be selected. That Grand Prize Winner will be announced during the AFP 2020 Virtual Experience. To learn more about our other finalists and to vote for the Pinnacle Awards Grand Prize Winner, visit www.afp2020.org/pinnacle.

By now, we all know about Peloton. It is the largest interactive fitness platform in the world, with a loyal community of more than 2 million members. Maybe you're a member yourself. But what you might not realize is how quickly Peloton exploded onto the fitness scene. And because of its meteoric rise, Peloton initially lacked a formalized treasury operation. In this episode of AFP Conversations, we speak with Dana Laidhold, treasurer for Peloton. She discusses how she joined Peloton in 2018, in the midst of its transformation from a small fitness technology company to a global phenomenon. Laidhold was tasked with quickly building a treasury team that could support the Peloton's rapid growth. It was such a success that Peloton's treasury department is now a finalist for the AFP 2020 Pinnacle Award. The Pinnacle Awards, sponsored by MUFG, recognize excellence in treasury and finance. The grand prize will be announced at AFP 2020 in October. This year the treasury and finance community gets to select the winner of the Pinnacle Awards. Our three finalists will be voted on and one Grand Prize Winner will be selected. That Grand Prize Winner will be announced during the AFP 2020 Virtual Experience. To learn more about our other finalists and to vote for the Pinnacle Awards Grand Prize Winner, visit www.afp2020.org/pinnacle.

Treasury and finance professionals are in a unique position to influence the strategic direction of their organizations. As such, they need certain skills that allow them to influence key decision makers. AFP 2020 host and spotlight speaker Mark Jeffries joins this episode of AFP Conversations to discuss the art of influencing. An author, communications expert and former Merrill Lynch stockbroker, Jeffries has become a trusted advisor and communications consultant to some of the world's largest and most successful corporations. He's published two books, and has just launched two highly innovative e-learning courses. At AFP 2020, he'll provide financial professionals with an instantly usable toolbox of communication and networking tools designed to help them become strategic influencers. Register for AFP 2020 here.

The external market influences and risks that organizations must account for in their planning cycles have never been more chaotic. In this episode of AFP Conversations, AFP 2020 Certification Keynote Mona Sutphen discusses how financial sanctions and investment restrictions are a critical tool in U.S. policy. Sutphen served as the White House Deputy Chief of Staff under President Barack Obama, and has also been a Managing Director for UBS AG. She has more than 20 years of experience advising Fortune 500 companies on the intersection of geopolitics, policy, and markets. In her upcoming conference session, Sutphen will explain how sanctions can directly and indirectly affect corporate treasury and finance.