Will AI Replace Enterprise Performance Management? | David den Boer
Season 1 · Episode 135
Thursday, October 8, 2026 • Duration 49:36
In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst sits down with David Den Boer to debate the future of enterprise performance management, Excel, and AI. They explore whether traditional EPM platforms are being disrupted, how AI could reshape forecasting and finance workflows, and why governance, transparency, and accountability still matter.
David Den Boer is the CEO and Founder of Column5 Consulting and Darwin Analytics. He began his career as an EPM administrator at a Fortune 500 company and later worked with OutlookSoft, which was acquired by SAP and became part of SAP BPC. With more than 20 years of experience in EPM, David works with large enterprises on performance management and develops practical solutions designed to help organizations get more value from their EPM environments.
Expect to Learn:
Why Excel and EPM platforms may be harder to replace than expected.
How AI is changing the build-versus-buy decision for finance technology.
Where AI can support forecasting without removing human accountability.
Why reproducibility, auditability, and governance still matter.
How finance teams should balance AI innovation with existing EPM systems.
Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:
“There’s really no benefit to avoiding Excel.” - David Den Boer
“Everyone has to have an AI strategy as far out as they can see, which might be six months.” - David Den Boer
David explains that AI can significantly reduce the cost of building and extending finance solutions, but large organizations still need deterministic calculations, multi-user workflows, auditability, and clear accountability.
Disclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review.
For CPE credit, please go toearmarkcpe.com, listen to the episode, download the app, answer a few questions, and earn your CPE certification. To earn education credits for the FPAC Certificate, take the quiz on earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.
In Today's Episode:
[00:00] - Trailer
[03:46] - What Great FP&A Looks Like
[04:08] - Is Excel Dead?
[06:50] - Is EPM Dead?
[14:18] - Build vs. Buy
[18:40] - AI-Led Forecasting
[26:22] - Reproducibility & Auditability
[31:33] - The Cost of Change
[39:06] - AI & EPM Together
[45:24] - Skills & Closing Thoughts
When AI Does the Analysis, What Makes an FP&A Professional Valuable with Valerie Martin
Season 1 · Episode 134
Thursday, October 1, 2026 • Duration 52:29
In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst and co-host Glenn Snyder sit down with Valerie Martin to discuss how AI is changing FP&A, leadership, and business partnering. They explore why greater efficiency does not automatically create greater value and how finance teams can use AI without losing judgment, context, or trust with the business.
Valerie Martin is a Finance Executive specializing in FP&A and strategic finance, with experience across GTM, SaaS, AI, and value creation. A former Autodesk finance leader and San Francisco FP&A Board Ambassador, Valerie brings extensive experience in business partnering, finance transformation, and helping organizations make better strategic decisions.
Expect to Learn:
Why AI efficiency does not always create more value.
How AI is changing the skills FP&A teams need.
Why judgment and business context still matter.
How leaders should rethink training and development.
Why communication and trust remain critical in FP&A.
Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:
“AI could help us get the answer faster, but you can't outsource accountability.” - Valerie Martin
“The measurement is about the value, not the production.” - Glenn Snyder
Valerie explains that AI can automate variance analysis, reporting, data cleanup, and other repetitive work, but faster production is only useful if teams turn that saved time into greater business value. As AI takes on more technical work, FP&A professionals need to strengthen their judgment, curiosity, business acumen, and communication skills.
Follow Valerie:
LinkedIn:
Ready to transform financial reporting? See how Lineos Reporting Intelligence helps finance teams connect ERP data directly to Excel, access current data, and spend less time assembling reports.
The Three Foundations of Strategic FP&A with Chithra Rajagopalan
Season 1 · Episode 133
Thursday, September 24, 2026 • Duration 01:00:44
In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst sits down with Chithra Rajagopalan, Head of Finance at Obsidian Security, to discuss what great FP&A looks like in high-growth companies, why strong data foundations matter, and how finance teams can become more strategic business partners. Chithra shares lessons from scaling finance teams, supporting hypergrowth companies, and using data to influence better decisions.
Chithra Rajagopalan is a finance leader with experience across high-growth SaaS and AI security companies. She currently serves as Head of Finance at Obsidian Security, where she oversees financial strategy and operations. Her previous roles include finance leadership positions at Glue, ClickUp, and People.ai, following earlier experience at Deloitte and Ernst & Young.
Expect to Learn:
Why great FP&A goes beyond reporting.
How strong data foundations support better decisions.
What finance teams need during hypergrowth.
How AI is changing finance roles and workflows.
Why cybersecurity matters when finance adopts AI.
Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:
“Accounting is always going to give you exposure to what already happened. You still need a strong FP&A partner to know what to do in the future.” - Chithra Rajagopalan
“You can have as much data as you want, but if you don’t utilize it to make decisions, surface risk, or hold people accountable, it’s pointless.” - Chithra Rajagopalan
Chithra explains that strong FP&A starts with reliable data, business understanding, communication, and the ability to prioritize what actually moves the business forward. For finance professionals, the growing use of AI also means shifting from task execution toward an orchestration mindset, where teams understand systems, workflows, automation, and business strategy rather than simply producing reports.
Are You Solving Business Problems or Just Reporting Numbers? with Eric Alexander
Season 1 · Episode 132
Thursday, September 17, 2026 • Duration 50:03
In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, Paul Barnhurst speaks with Eric Alexander about building effective FP&A functions, developing business acumen, and preparing finance professionals for leadership. Eric explains why finance teams need to look beyond the numbers, understand the business, communicate effectively, and develop the leadership skills needed to create greater impact.
Eric Alexander is the President of Six Arrows Consulting and an advisor, speaker, and author with nearly 40 years of financial management experience, including 20 years in CFO roles. He served as CFO of Happy State Bank and now provides leadership development, strategic planning, finance function, and advisory services to community banks and mid-market companies. He is also the author of Stewardship Leadership for Stinking Accountants: Serving as the CFO.
Expect to Learn:
Why business understanding matters beyond technical skills.
How to build a stronger FP&A function.
Why CFOs need leadership and communication skills.
How to make better decisions through constructive disagreement.
Why stewardship is essential to effective finance leadership.
Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:
"Numbers that are done correctly relative to the business issue and then communicated well... that's good FP&A." - Eric Alexander
"If I live in my little silo by myself and ignore the effects upstream and downstream, I'm missing opportunities." - Eric Alexander
Eric emphasizes that strong finance professionals need more than technical expertise. They must understand the business behind the numbers, communicate their insights, collaborate across functions, and help leaders make better decisions. As professionals move toward CFO roles, leadership, strategy, communication, and stewardship become increasingly important
Only 6% of Finance Teams Actually Influence Decisions | Soufyan Hamid
Season 1 · Episode 131
Thursday, September 10, 2026 • Duration 58:02
In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, Paul Barnhurst speaks with Soufyan Hamid about financial storytelling, finance business partnering, and how finance professionals can move from reporting numbers to influencing business decisions. Soufyan explains why numbers need context, how finance teams can systematize storytelling, and why communication, business acumen, and empathy are essential skills for creating strategic impact.
Soufyan Hamid is a finance professional, corporate trainer, EMBA lecturer, and keynote speaker who specializes in systematizing storytelling for finance teams. He helps finance professionals strengthen their communication and financial storytelling skills.
Expect to Learn:
What the “precision trap” means for FP&A.
Why timely analysis can be more valuable than perfect accuracy.
How to choose the right level of accuracy for a decision.
What questions to ask before starting an analysis.
How finance professionals can become better business partners.
How the DERP framework improves variance analysis.
Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:
"The first technical skill...that I would love for teams to develop is the driver tree." - Soufyan Hamid
"The numbers will never share a story by themselves." - Soufyan Hamid
Soufyan explains that effective financial storytelling is about more than presenting numbers. Finance professionals need to understand their audience, prioritize what matters, provide context, and help the business make better decisions.
Why Your Brilliant Financial Analysis Gets Ignored: The Precision Trap with Asif Masani
Season 1 · Episode 130
Thursday, September 3, 2026 • Duration 47:10
In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, Paul Barnhurst speaks with Asif Masani about his new book, The Precision Trap, and why finance teams can focus too much on accuracy and miss the decision window. Asif explains how FP&A professionals can deliver timely analysis, influence business decisions, and become stronger business partners.
Asif Masani is a Director at FP&A Professionals Institute and FP&A Jobs, an author, and Udemy instructor focused on helping finance professionals develop their FP&A skills. He is the author of All About FP&A, From Accounting to FP&A, and Data Storytelling Playbook.
Expect to Learn:
What the “precision trap” means for FP&A.
Why timely analysis can be more valuable than perfect accuracy.
How to choose the right level of accuracy for a decision.
What questions to ask before starting an analysis.
How finance professionals can become better business partners.
How the DERP framework improves variance analysis.
Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:
"Finance people are very good at doing analysis, but they're not very good at influencing decisions." - Asif Masani
"The decision that could wait earlier for three weeks, can't wait today for three days." - Asif Masani
The key to avoiding the precision trap is understanding what decision the analysis needs to support, who needs it, and when they need it. Asif explains why finance professionals should focus on delivering useful analysis at the right time and earning a place in important business decisions.
Follow Asif:
LinkedIn:
The Budget Isn't the Goal. Building a Better Business Is with Zach & Chris
Season 1 · Episode 129
Thursday, August 27, 2026 • Duration 01:02:45
In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst is joined by Zach Rial and Chris Ortega, alongside co-host Glenn Snyder, to discuss budgeting and forecasting best practices. The conversation explores how finance teams should think about the purpose of budgeting, balancing control with agility, involving the business in the planning process, and using forecasting as a tool for better decision-making.
Zach Rial is a finance leader at AskElephant, a startup focused on revenue and conversation intelligence. He brings experience as an operator who uses finance, FP&A, and business insights to help companies grow and improve decision-making. Chris Ortega is the CEO of Fresh FP&A, a global fractional CFO and advisory firm supporting small and medium-sized businesses. Chris has over 20 years of experience in accounting, finance, and leadership roles, helping organizations build, scale, and prepare for growth.
Expect to Learn:
The real purpose of budgeting and forecasting
How to create a business-focused planning process
Why trust and partnership are essential for FP&A teams
How to balance budget discipline with flexibility
Best practices for managing AI costs and governance
Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:
“A budget is the direction of where you want to go, but things change so much in a business.” - Chris Ortega
“The budget process should not be a finance exercise. It’s an organizational exercise.” - Glenn Snyder
Effective budgeting is not about predicting the future perfectly, it is about creating alignment, understanding business drivers, and enabling better decisions. The strongest FP&A teams use budgets and forecasts as tools to guide the business, build trust, and help leaders navigate uncertainty.
Follow Zach:
Should Finance Pros Be Using Vibe Coding to Build Their Own Tools? with Brock & Natalia
Season 1 · Episode 128
Thursday, August 20, 2026 • Duration 58:59
In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst is joined by Brock Beyer and Natalia Kudinova to discuss how vibe coding is changing the way finance professionals automate work and build practical tools. They explore real-world use cases, AI token costs, security and maintenance concerns, and why finance teams should start with simple, repetitive processes rather than business-critical systems.
Brock Beyer is the CPA Controller at Jump, where he has used vibe coding to build internal productivity tools. Natalia Kudinova is a Senior Director at ABBYY with experience across finance leadership, treasury, tax, reporting, transformation, and process improvement.
Expect to Learn:
What vibe coding means for finance professionals
Practical finance processes you can automate with AI
How to manage AI token usage and costs
Why security and human oversight remain essential
How to start small and learn through experimentation
Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:
“You don't have to feel this pressure to vibe code every single tool.” - Brock Beyer
“Start with the tasks that you are most tired of doing manually.” - Natalia Kudinova
Vibe coding is giving finance professionals new ways to automate repetitive work and build practical tools without traditional coding expertise. The key is to start small, focus on well-defined processes, and keep humans involved in reviewing results. As AI adoption grows, security, cost, and maintainability will remain critical considerations.
An Evaluation of the FPI AI Program and How 3 Finance Pros Are Using AI Today
Season 1 · Episode 127
Thursday, August 13, 2026 • Duration 58:59
In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst is joined by Nitesh Mukhi, Rohit Menon, and Sweta Jhalani to discuss how AI is transforming the FP&A profession and changing the way finance teams work. The guests share their experiences with the AI FP&A Programme, exploring practical AI applications, automation, financial analysis, and the skills finance professionals need to stay ahead. They also discuss why domain expertise, human judgment, and business understanding remain essential in an AI-driven finance world.
Nitesh Mukhi is the Finance Director at Presight AI, an AI analytics and big data analytics company in Abu Dhabi, with over two decades of experience across auditing, financial analysis, treasury, and FP&A roles at companies including Schlumberger, FedEx, and KPMG. Rohit Menon is a Regional Finance professional at Bioltec with more than 19 years of experience across multinational companies, focusing on finance transformation and developing FP&A capabilities. Sweta Jhalani is a Chartered Accountant and FP&A Manager based in India who transitioned from audit into FP&A, building experience in financial planning, analysis, and business partnering
Expect to Learn:
How AI is transforming FP&A workflows
Practical finance use cases for AI tools
The importance of financial modelling and business partnering
Why human judgment remains critical in AI adoption
Building the skills needed for the future of finance
Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:
“AI is an enabler. It's going to enhance your work, and I think it's going to help you in your day-to-day work.” - Nitesh Mukhi
“AI is not the solution to each and every problem.” - Sweta Jhalani
AI is changing the way finance professionals approach their work, but the fundamentals of finance remain important. The ability to understand business needs, interpret data, communicate insights, and apply human judgment will continue to separate great FP&A professionals from the rest.
AI Finance Club: What Three Members Learned from the Experience with Eve, Jurgen & Bukie
Season 1 · Episode 126
Thursday, August 6, 2026 • Duration 01:11:21
In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst is joined by AI Finance Club members Eve Reiter, Jurgen Lang, and Bukie Faforiji for a discussion on how artificial intelligence is reshaping the future of FP&A. The panel shares how AI has changed the way they approach financial modeling, forecasting, automation, business partnering, and software development. From replacing repetitive Excel work with AI-powered workflows to building production-ready finance applications, they explore the practical skills finance professionals need to stay relevant in an AI-first world.
Eve Reiter is a global procurement leader and AI advocate with experience at Amazon, American Express, and State Street. Jurgen Lang is a Hamburg-based fractional CFO specializing in SaaS, sports, hospitality, and technology, with more than 15 years of finance experience. Bukie Faforiji is an FP&A professional and creator of CFO Intel, an AI-powered platform that delivers transparent and auditable financial insights.
Expect to Learn:
How AI is changing the day-to-day work of FP&A professionals.
Why critical thinking and domain expertise matter more than ever in an AI-driven world.
How finance leaders are using AI to automate workflows and build custom finance tools.
What the AI Finance Club offers finance professionals looking to upskill.
The opportunities,and risks, that AI creates for the future of finance careers.
Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:
“If nobody can act on the information, then the work has failed.” - Jurgen Lang
“The best way to learn is to share.” - BukieFaforiji
“You are not just consuming in a community. You are also contributing.” - BukieFaforiji
AI is reshaping FP&A by reducing manual work, accelerating analysis, and helping finance professionals build more powerful workflows and tools. However, domain expertise, critical thinking, governance, and human judgement remain essential for producing reliable, defensible results. Finance professionals who actively develop these skills will be better prepared for an AI-driven future.
Disclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review.
For CPE credit, please go toearmarkcpe.com, listen to the episode, download the app, answer a few questions, and earn your CPE certification. To earn education credits for the FPAC Certificate, take the quiz on earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.
In Today’s Episode:
[00:00] -Trailer
[01:17] - Hard-Coded Opinion
[04:54] - How AI Is Changing FP&A Skills
[06:16] - Where AI Adds the Most Value
[13:51] - When AI Efficiency Doesn't Create Value
[15:03] - Judgment, Context & Accountability
[19:46] - Redesigning FP&A Work for AI
[20:51] - Why Communication Still Matters
[27:35] - Turning Saved Time Into Greater Value
[34:20] - What Differentiates Finance in the AI Era
Disclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review.
Earn Your CPE Credit
For CPE credit, please go toearmarkcpe.com, listen to the episode, download the app, answer a few questions, and earn your CPE certification. To earn education credits for the FPAC Certificate, take the quiz on earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.
Disclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review.
Earn Your CPE Credit
For CPE credit, please go toearmarkcpe.com, listen to the episode, download the app, answer a few questions, and earn your CPE certification. To earn education credits for the FPAC Certificate, take the quiz on earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.
In Today's Episode:
[00:00] - Trailer
[03:55] - What Great FP&A Looks Like
[04:47] - Building a Strong FP&A Function
[07:43] - Understanding the Business Behind the Numbers
Disclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review.
Earn Your CPE Credit
For CPE credit, please go toearmarkcpe.com, listen to the episode, download the app, answer a few questions, and earn your CPE certification. To earn education credits for the FPAC Certificate, take the quiz on earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.
In Today's Episode:
[00:00] - Trailer
[03:13] - What Great FP&A Looks Like
[05:46] - Why Finance Needs Storytelling
[12:28] - Making Financial Storytelling Useful
[16:02] - Why Numbers Need Context
[19:57] - Systematizing Storytelling & the FP&A Maturity Model
[29:38] - Storytelling, Business Partnering & Influence
[34:21] - Common Finance Presentation Mistakes
[40:13] - Complexity Is a Failure of Empathy
[46:05] - Technical & Human Skills for FP&A
[49:53] - The Mindset Shift: Learning to Prioritize
[56:15] - Building Better Finance Teams & Closing Thoughts
Disclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review.
Earn Your CPE Credit
For CPE credit, please go toearmarkcpe.com, listen to the episode, download the app, answer a few questions, and earn your CPE certification. To earn education credits for the FPAC Certificate, take the quiz on earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.
In Today's Episode:
[00:00] - Trailer
[04:58] - What Great FP&A Looks Like
[10:30] - Building the FP&A Professionals Institute
[18:33] - Understanding the Precision Trap
[20:35] - Why Timely Analysis Matters
[29:44] - Spotting the Precision Trap in Organizations
Disclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review.
Earn Your CPE Credit
For CPE credit, please go toearmarkcpe.com, listen to the episode, download the app, answer a few questions, and earn your CPE certification. To earn education credits for the FPAC Certificate, take the quiz on earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.
In Today's Episode:
[00:00] - Introduction
[06:20] - The Purpose of Budgeting
[12:26] - Making Budgeting a Business Process
[17:24] - Building a Better Planning Approach
[26:51] - Practical Budgeting and Forecasting Tips
Disclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review.
Earn Your CPE Credit
For CPE credit, please go toearmarkcpe.com, listen to the episode, download the app, answer a few questions, and earn your CPE certification. To earn education credits for the FPAC Certificate, take the quiz on earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.
Disclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) uses AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review.
Earn Your CPE Credit
For CPE credit, please go toearmarkcpe.com, listen to the episode, download the app, answer a few questions, and earn your CPE certification. To earn education credits for the FPAC Certificate, take the quiz on earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.
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Earn Your CPE Credit
For CPE credit, please go toearmarkcpe.com, listen to the episode, download the app, answer a few questions, and earn your CPE certification. To earn education credits for the FPAC Certificate, take the quiz on earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.
In Today’s Episode:
[00:00] - Trailer
[06:43] - What Great FP&A Looks Like
[11:01] - Inside the AI Finance Club Community
[13:41] - Why the Guests Joined the AI Finance Club
[19:08] - Moving from Excel to AI-Powered Workflows
[23:24] - The Most Impactful AI Projects They Have Built
[32:19] - How to Get More Value from AI Communities
[42:27] - The Opportunities and Risks of AI in Finance
[52:18] - The Essential Skills Every FP&A Professional Needs
[01:01:33] - Quick-Fire Questions and Final Advice
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