Your finance problem might be relational. @thefpandaguy

Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago

In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst sits down with Robert Blanding to unpack one of the most overlooked drivers of high-performing finance organizations:

Relationships. Not dashboards. Not systems.

Not reporting packages. Because when pressure hits the business.

The strength of your partnerships gets exposed fast.

If operational teams aren’t supporting finance, the problem usually isn’t technical.

It’s relational.

The best FP&A professionals invest time before the fire starts.

They build trust outside of budget season.

They create alignment before priorities collide.

🎧 Listen to the full episode on @thefpandaguy

#FPandA #FinanceLeadership #BusinessPartnering #Leadership #CorporateFinance #FinanceTeams #CFO #OperationalExcellence #StrategicFinance #FinanceTransformation #CommunicationSkills #FPandAUnlocked

Your finance problem might be relational.

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$AI Finance Club: What Three Members Learned from the Experience with Eve, Jurgen & Bukie IIn this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst is joined by AI Finance Club members Eve Reiter, Jurgen Lang, and Bukie Faforiji for a discussion on how artificial intelligence is reshaping the future of FP&A. The panel shares how AI has changed the way they approach financial modeling, forecasting, automation, business partnering, and software development. From replacing repetitive Excel work with AI-powered workflows to building production-ready finance applications, they explore the practical skills finance professionals need to stay relevant in an AI-first world. Eve Reiter is a global procurement leader and AI advocate with experience at Amazon, American Express, and State Street. Jurgen Lang is a Hamburg-based fractional CFO specializing in SaaS, sports, hospitality, and technology, with more than 15 years of finance experience. Bukie Faforiji is an FP&A professional and creator of CFO Intel, an AI-powered platform that delivers transparent and auditable financial insights. Expect to Learn: How AI is changing the day-to-day work of FP&A professionals. Why critical thinking and domain expertise matter more than ever in an AI-driven world. How finance leaders are using AI to automate workflows and build custom finance tools. What the AI Finance Club offers finance professionals looking to upskill. The opportunities,and risks, that AI creates for the future of finance careers. Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode: “If nobody can act on the information, then the work has failed.” - Jurgen Lang “The best way to learn is to share.” - BukieFaforiji “You are not just consuming in a community. You are also contributing.” - BukieFaforiji AI is reshaping FP&A by reducing manual work, accelerating analysis, and helping finance professionals build more powerful workflows and tools. However, domain expertise, critical thinking, governance, and human judgement remain essential for producing reliable, defensible results. Finance professionals who actively develop these skills will be better prepared for an AI-driven future. Follow Eve Reiter: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evereiter/ Follow Jurgen Lang: LinkedIn: https:www.linkedin.com/in/jurgenlang/ Follow Bukie Faforiji: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bukie-faforiji/ Learn More About the AI Finance Club: Website: https://www.aifinanceclub.com Join the AI Finance Club The top global finance community with over 3,500 members. Advance your AI and FP&A skills through exclusive training, expert-led sessions, and a global network of finance professionals. Visit the AI Finance Club – Nicolas Boucher | Advance Your Finance Skills Today. The FP&A Guy and use code YNVTUWKG to get $100 OFF your membership. Earn Your CPE Credit For CPE credit, please go to earmarkcpe.com, listen to the episode, download the app, answer a few questions, and earn your CPE certification. To earn education credits for the FPAC Certificate, take the quiz on earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details. In Today’s Episode: [00:00] - Trailer [06:43] - What Great FP&A Looks Like [11:01] - Inside the AI Finance Club Community [13:41] - Why the Guests Joined the AI Finance Club [19:08] - Moving from Excel to AI-Powered Workflows [23:24] - The Most Impactful AI Projects They Have Built [32:19] - How to Get More Value from AI Communities [42:27] - The Opportunities and Risks of AI in Finance [52:18] - The Essential Skills Every FP&A Professional Needs [01:01:33] - Quick-Fire Questions and Final Advice$

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