Your future finance organization starts here

In our previous CFO Connect newsletter we launched the concept of connected transformation, explaining why connection is key for transformation success. “A transformation will only succeed when you consider business challenges combined with technology, as well as processes and people,” says Mathieu van de Poel, Finance and Performance Management Lead. “That’s why delaware decided to embrace the connected transformation approach. It’s the best possible approach to help businesses successfully accelerate change and get real value from their efforts.”

When business and technology collide

While traditionally a technology expert, delaware is increasingly building integrated teams of weathered technology and management consultants. Mathieu has decades of experience in management consulting and is delighted to share his expertise with delaware customers today: “business and technology consultancy have collided. Now that every transformation involves a great deal of digitalization, firms need help from consultants who can look through different lenses. 

By combining business and technology from the start, delaware is well positioned to provide valuable advice on processes, people and technology. In a second stage, we can then implement the required tools and provide change management to ensure smooth adoption. In this way, we become a trusted sparring and implementation partner for CFOs who are looking for ways to thrive in the face of disruption.” 

All your responsibilities, processes and tech at a glance

Just recently, Mathieu and his colleagues elaborated a model that visualizes all the business needs of CFOs and links these to available technology: the CFO Connected Transformation model. At the heart of the model are the key business responsibilities of the CFO (steer, operate and comply) and the related operational processes (order to cash, procure to pay, sustainability, …). The model then lists all the technology that is at hand to support these processes, ranked from foundational to advanced and innovative technology. 

Click here to enlarge the CFO Connected Transformation Model

The CFO Connected Transformation model is the basis in every meeting that we have with a CFO. It serves as an inspirational tool, but can also be used as a roadmap for CFOs to gradually move towards becoming a future-proof CFO office,” Mathieu explains.

Get it right the first time: start with diagnostics

When embarking upon a finance transformation journey, our expert team of finance and tech experts uses our trusted, four-step Think, Plan, Act methodology – which always starts with a finance diagnostic exercise. 

“Whether you want to transform one particular finance process or overhaul your entire finance organization, never rush into the project. Taking one step back will help you get your move right first time,” says Mathieu.

So, diagnostics is the very first step in every project. No matter how big or small a customer’s ambition, we always start with an intake plus one or more interviews and workshops with the customer. These sessions allow us to understand the existing finance organization, define the customer’s finance maturity profile, and map the expectations and aspirations. That assessment guides us in the next phases of our project, from the ‘dream’ inspiration sessions through to defining the scope and drafting a realistic and tangible finance of the future roadmap.”