Most companies have driven out costs and improved accuracy through their investments in enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, shared service centres and outsourcing. Their finance departments now focus on creating value by providing proactive, business-aware support for strategic programmes and by advising operational managers, allowing them to gain insights into the issues facing the business and make evidence-based decisions.

Many organisations have created finance business partner roles. But too often these fail to deliver the anticipated value. Why has a gap developed between the aspiration and reality of business partnering and how can firms ensure that they get a return from their investment in transforming finance?

Time and again, organisations fail to get the business partner role right. The individuals in these jobs struggle to move from accounting to being full strategic partners, leaving the rest of their team unable to meet the high expectations that have been set for them.