Context
Standard Life UK established a Business Decision Support organisation (finance business partnering) a couple of years ago. It’s been successful at delivering a higher business performance, with an initial focus on managing costs.
Client Question
What’s the opportunity to make a step-change in the value we add to our business, with a focus on delivering our ambitious growth plans? And how should we go about it?
How we helped our client
- Worked with the business leadership teams to identify the value-adding opportunities for Finance, through structured interviews and workshops
- Prioritised the most valuable business decisions and strategic business opportunities with the business leadership teams
- Identified gaps in skills and capabilities in Finance; and re-defined roles, skills and organisation to close the gaps
- Identified improvement opportunities ranging from a new approach to driving business decision-making to re-prioritising how Finance spend their time
- Developed a clear roadmap for transforming finance business partnering
- Coached and trained the Finance teams to mobilise and implement the changes, and deliver the business value benefits.
In very quick order Arcus has taken us much further than I expected. They started with one business area and how to up-skill the team.
Arcus bring a lot of practical tools in their kitbag to help with managing change as well as helping us to focus on the most valuable priorities for business partnering.
Mark Hesketh
Finance Director UK & Europe at Standard Life
Arcus opened our eyes to what needed to change in our organisation to deliver a step-up in the value we deliver to our business.
You read a lot about business partnering, but most of it is theory. From Day One Arcus cleared away the smoke and mirrors, and showed us the practical things.
Their style has worked really well for us. Arcus turned my thinking on its head by first engaging with our executive business leadership team to prioritise the highest value business decisions.
Sonya Hotson
Director of Finance Business Partnering
