A "Systems Thinking" Mindset for FP&A Success - Daniel Gardner

In this episode of FP&A Today, host Glenn Hopper interviews Daniel Gardner, an operational finance business partner at FirstBus, about his unconventional journey into finance, which included roles in retail and environmental engineering. Daniel shares insights on the importance of understanding the operational side of business, the value of a philosophy background in FP&A, and his experience building cloud-based forecasting systems for major consumer brands. The conversation explores the balance between agility and control in forecasting, the significance of leading indicators, and common pitfalls in budgeting. Daniel also discusses the impact of AI on FP&A, emphasizing the need for clean data, data guardians, and decision analysts, and touches on the importance of change management and continuous learning.