In this instalment of the Future of Finance 2.0 interview series, we meet Marcin Maderak, FCMA, CGMA, financial director for Capgemini, Kraków, Poland. Maderak is responsible for financial planning and analysis for group support functions. He’s also responsible for transformation projects and process improvement projects. He explains why finance is a core function. ‘Finance obviously plays a crucial role in creating value for organisations, both financial and non-financial’, says Maderak.
Financial value creation — Examples include capital allocation, investment decisions and financial reporting, in which finance colleagues maximise the revenue, which in turn, increases organisational value.
Non-financial value creation — This is about recognising equally valuable intangibles, such as stakeholder engagement, sustainability and employee well-being. Although not hard financial numbers, these non-financials must be included in the budget so that their contribution and value to the business are factored into the overall strategy.
Leading finance into the future
The finance skills needed to stay effective and relevant are a package of advanced technology skills and people skills. Technology skills include advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel, big data analysis and business intelligence tools. People skills are now vital for finance professionals for inspiring leadership, effective people management and partnering with the business and vendors.
Finance supports decision-making at Capgemini in a variety of ways. For example, they deliver accurate reports on time, which helps generate value, and they’re responsible for budgeting and forecasting, which assist operations to make the right decisions and guide the company in the right direction. Finance colleagues partner with different stakeholders, both internal and external. They identify risks and make sure that the company gets the best out of partner relationships.
The right mindset, together with the finance skills needed to create value for the business, will be essential for financial professionals to acquire over the next five years. Listen to learn more.