The Future of Business Finance Podcast

SAP Concur Southeast Asia has just launched a brand new thought leadership podcast on business finance. 

The Future of Business Finance is a podcast series that aims to unpack the real truths confronting finance decision makers who are at the forefront of managing cash flow and overseeing one of the business’s largest overheads. In this series of conversations co-hosted by Jonah Kim, Product Marketing Manager and Carl Jones, Head of Strategy at SAP Concur Asia Pacific, we speak to business/finance leaders, travel gurus, thought leaders and decision makers on topics ranging from AI and automation to achieving sustainable expense management programs and aligning organization spend outcomes to business-critical objectives. 

Catch the conversations on Spotify now.

Here are the 5 episodes:

Episode 1: It's a good time to start thinking differently
Host: Jonah Kim, Product Marketing Manager
Guest speaker: Farrukh Khan, Assurance and Advisory Partner at Deloitte Malaysia

As the Finance leader of an organisation, CFOs are charged with driving cost efficiency within their organisation to optimise cash flow and they often find themselves torn between adopting a wait and see approach with incremental changes or pursuing transformational changes to drive greater value for their organisation. Both options can prove costly if not properly considered.
Armed with the right solutions, some CFOs have had an easier time navigating the uncertainties presented by the covid-19 pandemic and their organisations have fared better in comparison. In an ever changing environment, it is critical for all Finance leaders to start working closely with other departments and functions outside the Finance team to ensure that their end-to-end processes are resilient and properly supported by the right tools that are scalable and accessible from anywhere.

Episode 2: Why Finance leaders need to embrace creativity to remain agile
Host: Carl Jones, Head of Strategy at SAP Concur Asia Pacific
Guest speaker: Timothy Williams, CFO at FCM Solutions 

Managing finance in today’s economy requires finance decision makers to juggle the need to future proof their function by leveraging data and technology, grow in a cost-efficient manner and navigate uncertainty when it arises. Organisations must remain agile and be open to embrace new ideas to overcome internal or external barriers to success. 

Finance leaders must innovate and think outside what we consider the traditional parameters of finance, challenge the status quo, go against the grain and disrupt norms. Embracing creativity requires an active intention to access, communicate and identify areas of opportunities for change within the organisation that is budget friendly and proves to be a solid investment over time.

Episode 3: Crafting a holistic approach to measure success in creating a more sustainable travel program
Host: Carl Jones, Head of Strategy at SAP Concur Asia Pacific
Guest speaker: Fang Eu-Lin, Sustainability & Climate Change Practice Leader at PWC Singapore

As sustainable objectives move up the corporate agenda, finance leaders are uniquely positioned to devise a business strategy that is good for the planet and profitable for the organisation. Over the past year or so, an increasing number of finance leaders and their boards are reviewing their organisation's strategy to account for both social and climate issues.

At the beginning of 2020, the climate emergency looked set to dominate the news, with businesses in every industry under public and political pressure to account for their environmental impact. However, the coronavirus (COVID-19) has overtaken all other concerns – at least temporarily – and the sustainability question remains unanswered. How well are corporate travel providers and organisations placed to respond when business travel resumes?

Travel sustainability is nothing new. Travel managers, travellers, and future-focused people across your organisation have been talking about it for years. Given that employees and shareholders see its business value – and, more importantly, its environmental merit – it is time for organisations to act now.


Episode 4: How intelligent automation can help to scale your organisation's internal control strategy
Host: Jonah Kim, Product Marketing Manager
Guest Speaker: Iwanaga Munenori, VP of Internal Audit, SAP

Today's finance decision makers face a growing challenge. As businesses grow and expand, more spend is allocated to support business growth, and finance leaders must safeguard the business's financial health down to the last dollar. For finance leaders to do their jobs and manage their organisation’s cash flow effectively, they must evaluate how they can empower their finance teams and adjust their strategies to gain more control over employee spend across the entire organisation.

Intelligent automation is rapidly shifting from a strategy option to an imperative. Artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), robotic process automation (RPA) and other similar technologies have proven to be must-haves for addressing critical business demands with cost effective solution approach. These technologies can help reduce inefficiencies and streamline routine mundane processes, enabling CFOs and finance teams to focus on more strategic priorities that demand their attention such as increased frequency in forecasting and analysis that allow for heightened communications with investors about shifting market risks.

Episode 5: The Finance dilemma: Why you Accounts Payable process is in need of a makeover
Host: Jonah Kim, Product Marketing Manager
Guest Speaker: Jeremy Gray, Principal at The CFO Center

As we face an unparalleled time of change, we examine the organizations' lessons to prepare for more, not fewer, technologies. CFOs are pressured by a tighter budget and economy that now threatens to tighten further increasing the need to reduce costs and streamline operations. 77% of finance executives surveyed by CFO Research said they were halting all discretionary spending to help manage cash flow, signalling an area primed for new efficiency gains – the Accounts Payable team.
Today, Accounts Payable (AP) represents the greatest opportunity for improved efficiency in organizations. In order to achieve this, organisations must have a clear view of discretionary spending in real-time with robust technology. CFOs need accurate, timely financial data and an automated AP function is the best way of getting there. By streamlining AP, CFOs can improve command over short-term cash flow, mitigate fraud risk, and create time for more value-add tasks.

Join us and listen in on our podcast series today! Spotify | Apple | Google