The problem
Lion is a leading beverages company in Australasia, with fast-growing operations in the United States. Lion’s finance team needed to transition from a transactional, order-taking function to a proactive, strategic business partner role. To drive better business outcomes, finance professionals had to develop the skills and mindset required to influence decision-making and add value beyond traditional financial reporting.
Our solution
We designed developed and delivered a Strategic Business Partnering Program to upskill finance professionals and equip them with the capabilities needed to contribute strategically.
The program included:
-
Comprehensive research to identify best practices in finance business partnering.
-
Co-design workshops with the leadership team to define key competencies and tailor the program to business needs.
-
Pilot program delivered to 25 senior finance leaders, followed by iterative refinements based on participant feedback.
-
Scalable delivery model using vitual facilitation, allowing the program to be rolled out to broader audiences across multiple regions.
-
Continuous improvement, with feedback incorporated after each cohort to enhance the learning experience.
The program was designed for maximum accessibility and impact, ensuring participants could engage without the need for travel.
The outcome
The Strategic Business Partnering Program was successfully delivered to over 200 people across four countries, all with zero travel expenditure.
Key outcomes included:
-
High engagement, with team members outside the finance target audience opting in from shared services, IT and Sales.
-
Excellent feedback, with a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 59%.
-
Recognition of excellence, winning a Diamond LearnX Award for Best Learning & Development Project.
​
By transforming the Finance, Shared Services and IT teams into strategic business partners, Lion enhanced its decision-making processes and strengthened its overall business performance.