At our recent CFO Leadership LIVE event, Personiv brought together a panel of powerhouse finance leaders to explore one central theme: Turning Numbers to Narrative. The panelists—Vanessa Blumer (VP of Finance, Hoya Vision Care), Elizabeth Reich (SVP of Business Administration, Broadway Dallas), and Nimish Gandhi (CFO, Rowley Company)—shared real-world insights on what it takes to lead the finance function into 2025 and beyond.
From Gatekeepers to Strategic Storytellers
Gone are the days when finance leaders sat quietly behind spreadsheets. Today, CFOs and their teams are expected to interpret complex data and translate it into a story that drives strategy—and results.
“We’re not just the office of ‘no’ anymore,” said Vanessa Blumer. “We’re now strategic business partners. Data is everywhere, and the expectation is that finance leads the charge in making sense of it all.”
Nimish Gandhi echoed this shift:
“I spend most of my day simplifying financial data for different stakeholders. It’s about boiling it down to what matters—for your board, your operations team, or your R&D lead.”
The New Skills That Matter
Storytelling isn’t just a communication tool—it’s becoming a core competency for finance teams. Soft skills like empathy, communication, and strategic thinking are now just as critical as technical acumen.
“The data must be right—but how we frame it is where we influence,” said Elizabeth Reich. “Whether you're talking to the public, your board, or your internal team, how you communicate financial data matters just as much as the numbers themselves.”
Scenario Planning Is Having a Moment
The ability to model “what-if” scenarios is giving finance teams the edge in today’s volatile environment.
“At my previous role in a large utilities company, we leaned into scenario planning. We’d build out detailed models with key assumptions and risks,” Vanessa shared. “It helped decision-makers feel grounded—even when emotions ran high.”
Visuals Speak Louder Than Spreadsheets
Across the board, panelists emphasized the power of data visualization in driving alignment and clarity.
“Charts over time are more impactful than a static figure,” Nimish noted. “If you can show trends—whether it’s revenue, backlog, or pipeline—it tells a much clearer story.”
Reich added: “Even small improvements in formatting and visuals help non-finance stakeholders stay focused on the message instead of getting lost in the spreadsheet.”
Training Teams to Think Like Storytellers
Building storytelling into the finance culture starts with mentorship and visibility.
Elizabeth offered a simple but effective strategy: “I started weekly meetings with my team just to talk about what’s happening across the organization. It gives context. If they can start connecting the dots between their numbers and the bigger picture, they’ll be better equipped to tell the story.”
AI: Friend, Not Foe
Unsurprisingly, AI took center stage. But instead of fear, the sentiment was excitement—paired with caution.
“AI is not replacing us—it’s making us more effective,” Vanessa said. “It’s a tool, not a threat. The value of human context, empathy, and intuition? That’s not going anywhere.”
Nimish added a word of caution based on his experience:
“I’ve looked at some of the AI tools being pitched for FP&A, and honestly, they’re not all ready yet. We still need humans to ask the right questions and validate the output. The key is layering tech on top of process—not replacing it.”
The panel discussed early-stage tools in FP&A and AP automation but noted that many are still maturing. The consensus? The best CFOs will know when and how to use AI to enhance—not replace—financial leadership.
Final Thoughts: Leading with Vision
As the Turning Numbers to Narrative event wrapped, each panelist was asked for one piece of advice for rising finance leaders. Their answers?
Nimish: “Get into the details. Take on challenging assignments. Become the go-to person who delivers when it counts.”
Elizabeth: “Master public speaking. Build trust. Be the honest broker in the room.”
Vanessa: “Stay curious. Learn continuously. And see yourself as a business leader, not just a finance leader.”
The Takeaway: Finance is no longer a support function—it’s at the core of business decision-making. Today’s finance leaders are storytellers, strategists, and change agents. And those who embrace this evolution will not just survive—they’ll lead.
Subscribe to our CFO Weekly podcast for more insights like those shared at our numbers to narrative event, and stay tuned for the date of our next event. In the meantime, make sure to connect with us at personiv.com
