Hello Reader 👋 I started in Finance like many of us: the audit path. Four years at PwC. Tight deadlines, long nights, team rituals, and that sense of mastering the detail. When I moved into FP&A, I felt confident. I had years of audit behind me, a solid grip on Excel, and experience working under pressure. But it didn’t take long to realise the game had changed. This week, I’m sharing the 6 lessons I learned when I moved from audit into FP&A. If you’ve been in that move yourself (or coaching...
20 days ago • 4 min read
Hello Reader 👋 You know what's funny about having worked as a Finance leader across industries? It's that It forces you to look past the P&L. When I joined a new company or worked with a new business unit, I always started with reports and models. But the breakthrough came when I learned the 1 operational driver that actually moved the business. Not the P&L or the cashflow but rather a business reality that explained everything else. This week, I’m sharing the key drivers I discovered in each...
about 1 month ago • 5 min read
Hello Reader 👋 It’s been a busy week again 😉 I just got back from Bilbao after delivering a full-day training to the finance team at CMA CGM. And during the session, one question kept coming back:How can we keep up with everything without losing our edge? It’s a fair question, especially now that tools are evolving faster than most processes. That’s why this week, I want to share 3 ways I use AI to boost my storytelling. They won't replace you but they will enhance your work and allow you to...
about 1 month ago • 4 min read
Hello Reader 👋 Sorry for the delay in the newsletter, I was giving a wonderful training yesterday and it was a bit far 😓 But I'm still on time to tell you about a feeling shared by many finance professionals. After years of prepping all kinds of presentations, for team leads, ExCo and boards, I’ve learned one thing: Same content. Different audience. Totally different story. This week, I’m showing you how to adapt your message depending on who’s in the room. So take a coffee, sit down and read...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
Hello Reader 👋 I’ve been through over 70 board meetings, more than 200 forecast updates, and countless last-minute requests (I'm barely exaggerating) But if there’s one thing that keeps coming back, and I'm sure you know that, it’s pressure. The kind of pressure that comes with deadlines, requests, updates and other things you can't always control. You can’t eliminate it. But you can learn to work through it, without losing your cool or burning out. That’s what we’re diving into this week. So...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
Hello Reader 👋 Every week, I get messages from people asking how to become a CFO. But the real question is usually different. I'm not even capable of giving you a direct answer because the paths are so different from one another. What I can tell you, though, is how to enjoy and make the most of every step in your career. That's what we're seeing this week. I also want to give you updates on my recent travels to deliver my favourite program: The Financial Storytelling Program ✌️ So take a...
2 months ago • 5 min read
Hello Reader 👋 You know, I rarely promote events in this newsletter. But this time, it’s different. Because if I go back a few years, there’s one change that completely transformed how my FP&A team worked. The one of reclaiming our time. We switched from Excel-heavy, manual reporting to Power BI. And that single move unlocked everything I wanted for the team (and what the business had always expected from us). If your team is stuck in spreadsheet loops, trust me: you’ll want to check the link...
2 months ago • 4 min read
Hello Reader 👋 When people ask me what’s the most stressful part of a Finance presentation, I never say “preparing the slides.” It’s what happens after.When someone interrupts. Doubts your figures. Brings up another report that, of course, has different numbers. Or asks the one question you hoped wouldn’t come. This week, I’m sharing the best ways I’ve learned to stay calm, sound credible, and keep the trust in the room when that happens. And since many of you asked for something more...
3 months ago • 5 min read
Hello Reader 👋 I'm 41* this year which makes that I slowly arrive at 20 years career in Finance: 1 year internship in accounting 4 years as an auditor at PwC 5 years as a consultant at Deloitte 7 years as a Finance Business Partner at Proximus 3 years as a freelancer/trainer And in this career, I've seen it all: great companies, not so great teams, inspiring mentors, bad coaches.... ...but I learned many things about what you're expected to do in this field to finally become useful That’s...
3 months ago • 6 min read