Putting Finance Transformation Into Practice: Highlights From the FISCAL EMPOWER Partner Panel

On Friday 25th September, the FISCAL EMPOWER partner panel brought together leading voices from across the finance technology landscape to discuss one question that matters to every finance team: how do you actually make new finance solutions work in practice?

Facilitated by FISCAL CFO Frances Lawrence, the panel featured James Smith, Head of Commercial at Kefron; Rakesh Sangani, CEO of Proservartner; Becky Dyer of Oxygen Finance; Ellen Leith, CEO of PPN; and Paul Taylor of IFOL.

The discussion ranged from ERP transformation to payment solutions, covering the full finance cycle. Drawing on real digital transformation projects across both the private and public sectors, the panellists offered a grounded and illuminating view of what successful change looks like.

Key Takeaways

• AI is not plug and play. Getting real value from AI depends on process design, training and clear communication, not just the technology itself.
  
  
• People and security come first. Training and communication should be central to any AI strategy to ensure safe, accountable use.
  
  
• E-invoicing is changing AP. E-invoicing is materially reshaping what's required of accounts payable teams.
  
  
• 60-day payment terms could be a positive shift. Legislation limiting payment terms may push teams towards automation, lowering processing costs and reducing supplier insolvencies caused by late payment.
  
  
• Start with the problem, not the tool. Thinking through the outcomes you want leads to better technology decisions.
  
  
• AI agents are on the rise. Individuals will increasingly use agents for finance tasks, though adoption may be slower in the public sector where sensitive data and strict policy apply.
  
  

AI Is Not Plug and Play

Unsurprisingly, AI was a recurring theme. James Smith set out how AI and automation are set to become even more widely adopted across finance functions in the years ahead.

Rakesh Sangani added an important note of realism. AI, he stressed, is not plug and play. Every integration comes with process, training and communication requirements, and organisations that skip these steps won't see the full value of their investment.

Paul Taylor agreed that success depends on people as much as technology. For him, the key to using AI well lies in the people involved and the security measures around them. Communication and proper training, he argued, should sit at the heart of any AI strategy to ensure it is used correctly, safely and with clear accountability.

E-Invoicing and Legislation Are Reshaping AP

Looking Back, and Looking Ahead

To close, each panellist reflected on the biggest change of the past year and what they expect in the year to come.

Rakesh returned to the idea that AI is not the answer to everything. Taking the time to think through the problem and the outcomes you want, he said, leads to better decisions about which tools to use.

James anticipated wider adoption of AI agents by individuals to carry out finance tasks, with one caveat: public sector organisations handling sensitive data or operating under strict policies are likely to find this harder.

Paul looked further ahead, discussing the potential of quantum computing in finance, while acknowledging that it is unlikely to arrive any time soon.

The Takeaway

Across every topic, one message came through clearly: technology alone doesn't transform finance. The right processes, well-trained people, clear communication and a sharp focus on outcomes are what turn new tools into lasting results.

Thank you to Frances Lawrence and all of our fellow panellists for a thoughtful and practical discussion.