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In this powerful episode of the FP&A Unboxed Podcast, host Tejas Parikh is joined by Dhawal Parvatikar, co-founder of the FP&A Professional Institute and an experienced CFO and finance mentor with nearly two decades of leadership across India and the Middle East. Dhawal shares his personal journey from audit to FP&A leadership, offering actionable advice on adapting mindsets, building cross-functional relationships, and harnessing automation in finance.

With stories from Bharat Petroleum to building a 200+ CFO community and launching an FP&A certification, Dhawal unpacks what it truly means to be a strategic finance partner in today’s fast-changing, tech-enabled world.

This episode is a must-listen for any finance professional aiming to elevate their influence, credibility, and strategic value in the organization.

Key Takeaways

Shift from Audit to FP&A: Embrace continuous processes and focus on business decision-making over compliance.

Two Critical FP&A Skills: CFOs are looking for business acumen and relationship-building — not Excel formulas.

Automate to Elevate: Save time from manual reporting and reallocate effort toward analysis and strategic support.

Reverse Engineer Your Insights: Always start with what your stakeholders actually want — and deliver just that.

FP&A’s AI Future: Leaner teams with embedded AI will define the next phase of FP&A transformation.

Noteworthy Quotes

“Finance professionals need to start with solutions, not just say no.” – Dhawal Parvatikar

“You don’t need 10 analysts to scale — you need automation and sharper skills.” – Dhawal Parvatikar

“Reverse engineer your reports with the stakeholder in mind.” – Dhawal Parvatikar

“Relationships and business sense beat tools every time.” – Dhawal Parvatikar

“AI will reduce manual work, but the sense check will always be your responsibility.” – Dhawal Parvatikar

Key Timestamps

00:17 – Coming up next & Call to Action

01:42 – Introduction to guest – Dhawal Parvatikar

02:56 – Career beginnings & FP&A learning curve

05:36 – Audit to FP&A: Key mindset and skill shifts

07:40 – Navigating cross-cultural and multi-entity challenges

11:28 – Real-life automation wins and ROI

16:05 – Influence at the executive level: Less is more

20:07 – Two must-have skills for modern FP&A professionals

22:51 – Founding FP&A Professional Institute

32:17 – The future of FP&A: AI, lean teams & new certifications

33:26 – Advice for FP&A beginners and career movers

36:20 – What finance often gets wrong in cross-functional relationships

40:32 – Final thoughts: Business acumen + tech = future-proof

FOLLOW OUR GUEST DHAWAL PARVATIKAR ON:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhawal-parvatikar-520b771a/

FP&A Professionals Institute https://www.linkedin.com/company/fpa-professionals/

FOLLOW OUR HOST TEJAS PARIKH ON:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tejasparikh/

Website: https://aksharconsulting.co.uk/

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