FP&A Tomorrow

Why FP&A Should Be Your Strategic Powerhouse, Not a Reporting Tool – Olivia MacDonald


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In this episode, host Paul Barnhurst (aka The FP&A Guy) dives deep into the evolving world of Financial Planning & Analysis with Olivia MacDonald, a highly skilled financial professional with a diverse background in FP&A process optimization and system implementation. The conversation explores what makes FP&A great, focusing on business partnerships and the strategic role FP&A can play beyond just reporting numbers.

Olivia is a qualified CPA and ACA with a proven track record of delivering strategic solutions that drive efficiency, accuracy, and transparency across organizations. With a mastery of data extraction and transformation tools like MQL, SQL, and SOQL, Olivia has helped companies streamline operations, enhance financial transparency, and drive decision-making through data. Her non-traditional path into FP&A—from audit to FP&A consultancy—gives her a unique perspective on how finance can be a business driver, not just a reporting function.

Expect to Learn

  • What distinguishes great FP&A teams, with a focus on strategic business partnering.
  • How audit and FP&A share common skills, and how auditors can leverage financial modeling experience.
  • The importance of building strong relationships as an FP&A professional and working with different business units.
  • Olivia’s unique career journey from auditing in Ireland to working in FP&A and the key lessons learned.
  • Strategies to streamline the budgeting process and engage business partners in decision-making.


Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:

  • “FP&A shouldn’t just be a reporting function. It needs to be a strategic business partner that helps drive decision-making.” - Olivia MacDonald
  • “Having mentors who can tell you, ‘That’s a bad idea,’ is invaluable. It’s how I ended up taking risks in my career that paid off.” - Olivia MacDonald
  • “When I got into FP&A, I realized how important it is to be a business partner, not just a numbers person.”  - Olivia MacDonald


This episode with Olivia MacDonald takes us through the evolving role of FP&A where she emphasizes the importance of involving business partners in the budgeting process, learning from mentors, and embracing technology, including generative AI.


Follow FP&A Tomorrow:

Newsletter - Subscribe on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=6957679529595162624


Follow Olivia:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliviarosemacdonald/


Follow Paul: 

Website - https://www.thefpandaguy.com

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thefpandaguy


World-class Digital FP&A Course Bundle: 

Signup for over ten hours of video content with 4 different courses and 8 modules on FP&A topics including: Business Partnering, Data Analysis, Financial Modeling Design Principles, and Modern Excel. Use code Podcast to save 25%. What are you waiting for signup now: https://bit.ly/4decOf3


Enroll for Financial Planning & Analysis Certificate Program:

Sign up for the 8 week online financial planning & analysis certificate program by Wharton Online and learn the art of forecasting, analysis, business partnering and financial storytelling: https://bit.ly/4debs46 Use Code: THEFPAGUY300 to save $300.


Earn Your CPE Credit

For CPE credit please go to earmarkcpe.com, listen to the episode, download the app, and answer a few questions and earn your CPE certification. To earn education credits for FPAC Certificate, take the quiz on earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.


In Today’s Episode

[02:13] Introduction to the episode and guest

[04:22] What Does Great FP&A Look Like?

[06:21] Olivia’s Journey from Auditing to FP&A

[09:31] Learning from Audit to Excel in FP&A

[12:31] Transition to Canada and FP&A Consulting

[22:09] Data Skills and the Future of FP&A

[29:03] Tips for Selecting FP&A Tools 

[38:54] A Blitz Approach to Budgeting

[46:55] Using Generative AI in FP&A

[55:49] Closing Thoughts & Advice

...more
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FP&A TomorrowBy Paul Barnhurst

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