The role shift of the finance function was accelerated by the pandemic, and CFOs and controllers continue to adapt to provide value for their organizations. Few people have more insight on that topic than Tom Hood, CPA/CITP, CGMA, executive vice president–Business Engagement & Growth for the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, representing AICPA & CIMA.

Hood is a featured speaker on a skills-focused webinar on Thursday about the Finance Leadership Program. He also leads a group of finance executives from large organizations, and he shared insights from that group — and what it will emphasize in the future — in this podcast conversation.

In her role at the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), Kristy Illuzzi, CPA, CGMA, works with small and midsize entities, including CPA firms. Her conversations with those organizations around the world have brought to the surface some of the ways in which the Great Resignation is affecting the accounting profession.

In this episode, Illuzzi offers advice for organizations on flexibility, technology, and more.

Also, catch up on news related to these topics:

• A PCAOB release on amended standards that apply to audits involving multiple firms.
• The Supreme Court agreeing to hear a case related to an FBAR penalty dispute.
• An IRS announcement about the use of voice bots for setting up tax payment plans.

Harvard 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 said about finding purpose.

Well 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 hybrid work and what she's learned from keeping a journal for more than two years.

Risk 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 organisations.

In 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.

In 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.

In 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?", the first of the two FM podcasts, Cox discusses the in-demand finance skills of effective use of data, insights, and "really good storytelling".

There 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.

In 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.