Leadership Interviews
Few finance leaders have successfully spanned the worlds of media, consultancy, and global finance with the same adaptability as Chris Waters. From early career foundations at Ernst & Young to leadership roles at Sony Music, Omnicom, and Ogilvy, Chris has built a career defined by bold transitions, strategic decision-making, and resilience in the face of change.
Ananya Sengupta deeply understands the nuances of global M&A, private equity, and financial leadership. Having built a distinguished career spanning Africa, India, and beyond, Ananya has a wealth of knowledge in corporate finance, M&A, and strategic leadership.
I’ve had the privilege of knowing Iveta Cabajova for over 20 years, and in that time, she’s consistently impressed me with her brilliance, determination, and ability to lead from the front.
We recently had the pleasure of interviewing Julian Johnson, the Chief Financial Officer at Nala Renewables. In an industry as essential as renewable energy, Julian's role extends beyond managing a company; it involves envisioning and implementing solutions that will have a lasting impact on the planet.
AI in Finance
There's a conversation happening in every finance team right now. You've probably had it yourself. It starts with someone mentioning AI. It moves through a few knowing nods. And then, more often than not, it stalls. Everyone agrees something is changing.
Artificial intelligence has shifted from an interesting experiment to a central pillar of modern financial strategy. What started as a set of productivity tools has become a structural force reshaping how finance teams operate, make decisions, and create value. Yet for all its promise, AI remains unevenly understood and unevenly implemented.
The Consultancy Group were excited to host our second AI in Finance Roundtable for CFO’s and Finance Director from across industry last week in the city. CFOs are under increasing pressure to make AI deliver results, but with expectations often sky-high and guidance often thin, many finance teams haven’t moved past pilots or hype.
Peter Beard is a qualified accountant who became an AI evangelist after gaining access to ChatGPT just six days after its public launch. With over five years at EY, where he joined the exclusive global AI research group (120 of 400,000 staff), Peter now runs GenFinance.AI, helping CFOs and Finance Directors navigate AI adoption.
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Our 2026 Finance and Accounting Market Insight and Salary Guide is out now, built on insight from more than 2,500 finance leaders and qualified professionals across Media, Retail, Consumer, Technology, Hospitality, Financial Services and Professional Services. The finance profession has spent years talking about transformation.
As a recruiter immersed in the finance and accounting landscape, I hear a consistent refrain from hiring managers, particularly in dynamic sectors like Technology, Fintech, and Retail: the bar for commercial finance professionals is rising at an unprecedented rate. The days of the "Excel-only" number cruncher, siloed in the back office and focused purely on historical reporting, are definitively over.
As AI transforms the role of Finance, a growing skills divide is threatening progress. A recent study of over 2,500 respondents in the US and UK reveals a stark truth: AI confidence drops dramatically from students to seasoned finance professionals.And the industry may not be ready for what comes next.
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For most newly qualified ACAs, the career path has been clearly defined up to this point - three years of rigorous training in a specific discipline such as audit. Once their training contract ends, it’s often the first real opportunity they have had to step back and consider their next move.
September and October mark an exciting time for many newly qualified ACAs entering the job market. After years of rigorous training, exams, and balancing demanding audit schedules, many are eager to take their first step into the world of Commerce.
