Impact, big data, AI… the “strategic” role of financial leaders in companies
Three questions to Marie-Hélène Pebayle, President of the Association of Financial Directors and Management Control (DFCG Provence), one day after the 11th ceremonye Provence Finance and Management Trophies held on November 15 at the Intercontinental Hôtel Dieu in Marseille.
Are you satisfied with these 11?e Edition of the Finance and Management Trophies organized by DFCG Provence?
Marie-Helene Pebayle: Yes absolutely. First, according to the quality of the presented projects and the participation of partners, and then according to the quality of the exchanges. We were about 150 against 110 last year. It’s an event that ticks all the boxes: great companies with great projects, an iconic location and partners who come to contribute. E&Y, Qwote, La Banque Postale and Cegid joined us this year. With 142 members in our delegation (Bouches-du-Rhône, Toulon and Vaucluse), the association is doing well. We surpassed the numbers of 2019, pre-Covid. There are currently over 3,000 members nationwide.
List of 11e Finance and Management trophies DFCG Provence :
Jean Sebastian LeoniNGE Deputy CEO won the Jury Prize in the Large Company category
Joris GaleaThe CFO of Marseille-based robobroker +Simple won the Jury Prize in the Small and Medium Enterprise category
Caroline of Notre DameAdministrative and financial director of Fondasol Group, expert in engineering, construction consulting, won the Jury’s Choice award and the public award.
What are the trends changing the management and finance professions?
MH. p. : Over the past three years, we have been tested, but we have shown our resilience. Two recent developments have a particular impact on the financial management profession: the development of big data, artificial intelligence and access to data. Financial leaders have more and more information at their disposal. Sometimes conflicting data: how to predict in this context? How to reconcile short time with long time? These are the topics we think about together at DFCG. Another phenomenon at work is the search for meaning: how to reconcile economic indicators with the positive impact they bring to society? How to make a business model sustainable in the era of climate change? As a financial manager, we accompany the strategy of changing the model so that companies’ projects become community projects. DFCG is part of all their developments and wants to give managers the opportunity to discuss these issues and become more efficient. Thus, the DFCG created two new trophies at the national level: the “eco-responsible” DAF trophy and the diversity trophy.
How does the DFCG Provence association help members adapt to these new challenges?
MH. p. : Yes, we organize regular meetings within our regional delegations, but also at the national level through sectoral or business discussion groups, which allow us to focus on the different topics discussed. It’s about making it possible to network and learn from each other. We work a lot with distance tools. This enabled, for example, the publication of a white paper on taxonomy in CSR. The goal is really to create content with contributors so that it can be used by all members.
Useful links:
Previous editions of the DFCG Provence Trophy in the Gomet archive
[Vidéo] Public – private: exchange between financial departments to improve performance
