Financial Leadership in the AI Era

NumPy Fundamentals for Numerical Data (with Finance Applications) Welcome to post #11 in our Python learning journey! If you’ve been following along, you’re starting to build a solid foundation in Python. Now it’s time to explore NumPy, the powerhouse library that makes Python a serious contender for numerical computing and data analysis. As a finance professional myself, I’ve found NumPy particularly useful for financial calculations, portfolio analysis, and working with large datasets. Let’s dive in and see how this library can level up your Python skills. ...

Series Conclusion: Your Finance Leadership Roadmap This is the final post in my “Modern Financial Controller” series, documenting my journey from chartered accountant to strategic finance manager. Throughout this series, I’ve been learning in public and sharing insights primarily drawn from David Parmenter’s work and other finance thought leaders as I navigate this career transition. The Journey So Far Over the past eight posts, we’ve explored how the controller role has evolved from technical accounting specialist to strategic business partner. From developing meaningful KPIs to implementing rolling forecasts, from accelerating month-end close to enabling technology transformation, we’ve covered the essential elements of modern finance leadership. ...

The Python Ecosystem & Interactive Data Workflows As a finance professional diving deeper into Python, I’ve found that understanding the broader ecosystem of tools is just as important as learning the language itself. In this post, we’ll explore the different ways to manage Python packages and environments, and dive into interactive data workflows that can transform how you work with financial data. Package vs. Environment Managers: pip, conda, and Anaconda When I first started with Python, I was confused by the different tools available for installing packages and managing environments. Let’s clarify these concepts. ...

Part 8: Technology Enablement for Modern Finance This is part 8 of my “Modern Financial Controller” series, documenting my journey from chartered accountant to strategic finance manager. I’m learning in public and sharing insights primarily drawn from David Parmenter’s work and other finance thought leaders. Introduction Technology has transformed the finance function more dramatically in the last decade than perhaps any other aspect of our work. As David Parmenter emphasises in his book “The Leading-Edge Manager’s Guide to Success,” finance leaders who fail to embrace technological innovation risk becoming irrelevant in the modern business landscape. ...

Command-Line Tools & Automation in Python I’ve discovered that some of the most practical Python applications aren’t fancy data visualisations or machine learning models, but rather simple automation scripts that save time on repetitive tasks. In this post, I’ll walk through how to build command-line tools and automate everyday processes using Python. Building Command-Line Scripts with argparse When you’re working with financial data, you often need flexible tools that can handle different inputs. The argparse module lets you build command-line scripts that accept various arguments and options. ...

Part 7: Finance-Led Business Transformation This post continues my “learning in public” journey as a finance manager. All concepts and frameworks are attributed to their original creators, primarily David Parmenter, Robert Kaplan, and other thought leaders in the field. Finance as a Transformation Catalyst The finance function has traditionally been viewed as a steward of resources and provider of historical information. However, as David Parmenter emphasises in “The Financial Controller and CFO’s Toolkit,” modern finance leaders are uniquely positioned to drive enterprise-wide transformation. ...

Testing & Debugging: Building Reliable Financial Tools When working with financial data and calculations, accuracy is essential. A small bug in your code could mean reporting incorrect figures, making flawed investment decisions, or even compliance issues. This post will guide you through testing and debugging techniques that ensure your financial Python code works correctly and reliably. Why Testing Matters in Finance Imagine you’ve created a Python script that calculates loan amortisation schedules. Your company uses this tool to price thousands of loans. If there’s an error in your interest calculation logic, even a small one, the financial impact could be enormous. ...

Part 6: Building a High-Performance Finance Team This post continues my “learning in public” journey as a finance manager. All concepts and frameworks are attributed to their original creators, primarily David Parmenter and other thought leaders in the field. The Finance Team Evolution As finance functions transition from traditional accounting and reporting roles to strategic business partnership, the capabilities and culture of the finance team must evolve accordingly. David Parmenter, in “The Financial Controller and CFO’s Toolkit,” emphasises that “winning finance teams” are distinguished not just by technical competence but by their ability to influence business outcomes. ...

Code Quality & Collaboration: Building Finance Tools That Last As a finance professional learning Python, you’ll soon want to move beyond writing scripts just for yourself. Whether you’re building financial models, automating reporting, or creating data analysis tools, there comes a point when your code needs to be shared with colleagues or even the wider finance community. This post will guide you through best practices for creating high-quality, shareable code. ...

Part 5: Month-End Close Transformation This post continues my “learning in public” journey as a finance manager. All concepts and frameworks are attributed to their original creators, primarily David Parmenter and other thought leaders in the field. The Month-End Burden The month-end close process is often one of the most stressful and resource-intensive activities for finance teams. As David Parmenter states in “The Financial Controller and CFO’s Toolkit,” many organisations are trapped in a “month-end reporting death spiral” where teams spend weeks preparing reports that arrive too late to influence decision-making. ...