Reckitt needed to implement a new system that could efficiently

draw data from manufacturing and the supply chain for use by the
finance teams. This enabled a range of reporting, analysis, and
gross margin management, allowing the senior leadership team to
make rapid and accurate decisions.
Perspectives
Finance 2025: Digital transformation in
finance
Our eight predictions about digital technology for
CFOs
We’re looking towards the future with eight predictions for the
finance function of 2025. The technologies needed to reimagine
finance are here and they will only get better. It’s crunch time.


 Save for later

Preparing for the future

None of us knows for certain what the future will hold, but we all have a
responsibility to be thinking about what’s likely to happen, and to prepare for it. In
the finance function, that means working now to get the right people and technology
in place to take advantage of the inevitable disruption ahead. That’s not likely to
happen without a clear vision and strategy for finance in a digital world. Now is the
time to step back and make sure your roadmap to that future is clear.

With that in mind, below are eight predictions for finance in 2025, based on what
finance leaders are doing and the technology available today. Once you’ve taken a
glance through the predictions, consider:

 Downloading the full “Finance 2025” report to understand how each of these
trends impacts finance work, finance workforce, and finance workplace and the
steps executives can begin to take today.

 Exploring our other Crunch time reports on topics including enterprise service
delivery, data management strategy, ERP solutions, finance talent, cloud,
forecasting, blockchain, and many more.
Eight predictions for finance in 2025
The methodology for generating our predictions is straightforward. We look carefully
at what finance leaders are doing and at the technology that’s available, and then
we ask these questions: What would be possible if we combined different
technologies to reimagine the future? How would the work of finance get done and
who would do it? How could finance contribute even more to the success of the
company?

1. The finance factory: Transactions will be touchless as

automation and blockchain reach deeper into finance
operations.
In the years ahead, cloud-based ERP, automation, and cognitive innovation will
continue apace, creating opportunities to radically simplify processes and free up
people. Adding blockchain to the mix will only accelerate this trend. As this transition
picks up speed, the capacity of humans to add value will be unleashed.

Some find it interesting to speculate about finance disappearing under the crush of
digital disruption, but we don’t see that happening. Yes, finance will likely be leaner,
but that will mostly be a function of headcount in operational finance (order-to-cash,
procure-to-pay, transactional accounting, etc.). Meanwhile, expectations for support
from business finance (business partnering, reporting, planning,
budgeting, forecasting, etc.) and specialized finance (tax, treasury, IR, etc.) will
continue to grow.

2. The role of finance: With operations automated, finance

will double down on business insights and service. Success
is not assured.
Whether finance continues to direct the resources currently under its control will be
dependent on its ability to add value. That will require quality insights and
exceptional customer service. Some finance organizations will evolve into full-
fledged business service centers.

Companies know that sharing knowledge across disciplines is a good thing, even if it
creates headaches. Learn what it takes to make the most of blurring boundaries.

3. Finance cycles: Finance goes real time. Periodic

reporting will no longer drive operations and decisions—if it
ever did.
When both actuals and forecasts can be produced instantly on demand, traditional
cycles become less relevant. The old distinction between operational and analytical
data begins to disappear. Finance organizations will still need to meet external
demands for cyclical information, but outside investors may also want more frequent
performance information. Leading organizations will be operating with a new
mantra: There is no close. You’re not forecasting once a month or quarterly. It’s all
happening in real-time.
Many finance cycles today are driven by technology and data-processing limitations.
Things happen on a regular schedule because that’s the only way they can happen.
When information becomes instantly available to those who need it, traditional
cycles become unnecessary. That frees people up to focus on discovering new
insights and acting on them.

4. Self-service: Self-service will become the norm. Finance

will be uneasy about this.
There are plenty of business people who don’t need hand-holding when it comes to
basic finance. If they could get their questions answered by a digital voice on their
smart phones, they’d be happy to do so. Activities ranging from budget queries to
report production and more will be automated. Over time, smart agents will learn
what kinds of business information an individual needs, and deliver that information
proactively. As that future unfolds, data in spreadsheets will be replaced by visually
rich information that is intuitively accessible and easy-to-use.

With growing expectations for responsiveness and quality from finance, getting self-
service right is paramount. When your customers are having to take care of
themselves, the last thing finance needs is for them to be frustrated or unhappy.

5. Operating models: New service delivery models will

emerge as robots and algorithms join a more diverse
finance workforce—think about the integration of
freelancers, gig workers, and crowds.
Companies will assess the benefits of automation against onshore and offshore
operations. Automation provides a new lever for managing costs, one that gives
finance organizations the opportunity to revaluate how they’re organized, where
work gets done, and what kinds of processes no longer require human intervention.
Finance-as-a-service will gain traction beyond mid-market companies.

Companies may see significant disruption in the offshoring and outsourcing space,
with individual suppliers and their capabilities looking quite different than they do
today. At the same time, the need to build dynamic, cross-functional teams will
strain finance organizations that aren’t preparing now for what’s ahead. As with all
changes, good leaders will be essential for navigating these transitions.

6. Enterprise resource planning: Finance applications and

microservices will challenge traditional ERP. Big vendors
will be prepared.
ERP vendors are already building digital technologies like automation, blockchain,
and cognitive tools into their products, but that won’t forestall competition. Look for
the landscape to shift as new players enter the ERP space with specialized
applications and microservices that sit on top of—and integrate with—ERP platforms.
Cloud-based ERP will help ensure that you’re constantly updated on the latest
release.
Finance is entering a golden age of technology. As cloud becomes the norm for ERP,
finance applications and microservices will proliferate. You’ll be able to drastically
reduce the complexity and cost of technology, without sacrificing functionality.

7. Data: The proliferation of APIs will drive data

standardization, but it won’t be enough. Many companies
will still be struggling to clean up their data messes.
Few companies are doing the hard work needed to align and integrate data—which
means they won’t capture the full value of digital transformation. Those hoping for a
silver bullet to solve their data problems will be disappointed. Automation and
cognitive will make it easier to get the work done, but it’s still going to be hard and
tedious. What are we talking about? Commas, abbreviations, data-entry fields,
nomenclature, and hundreds of similar factors. It’s not glamorous, and it’s not glitzy.
But it is important.

Data problems hide beneath the surface for many CFOs, some of whom don’t fully
appreciate the heavy lifting required to fulfill their requests. That’s partly because
the problems involve technical issues, and partly because there’s little motivation for
people to elevate the problems to the corner office. No one wants to be the bearer
of bad tidings.

8. Workforce & workplace: Employees will be doing new

things in new ways, some of which will make CFOs
uncomfortable.
Finance talent models are evolving quickly, with a premium placed on data
scientists, business analysts, and storytellers. This represents a dramatic shift for
many finance organizations. To get ready, make sure your new hires represent the
future you’re striving for. Important qualities include a strong customer service
orientation, flexibility, and good collaboration skills—in addition to the technical
capabilities needed for specific jobs. Also, all of your people should be able to
contribute to elevating the value of finance in terms of communication, impact, and
influence. Make every new hire count.

Implementing new technologies is relatively easy compared to changing your talent

model. They’re obviously connected, but cultural and organizational shifts related to
your workforce may take much more time and care to get right. Your finance
organization should be looking at every new hire through the 2025 lens.

Shaping the future of finance: FinVENTA

When Sumerian merchants first recorded livestock sales on clay tablets, finance
technology was born. Five thousand years later, technology has evolved into a new
class of digital tools reshaping every aspect of the business. No matter what future
you see for your finance organization, one thing is clear: That future is now. If
you’re going to compete in the digital world, your organization needs to forecast and
manage more effectively and become more efficient.
The key? FinVENTA, an integrated technology platform that leverages a modern
digital finance architecture and disruptive technologies to showcase the art of the
possible across operational, business and specialized finance for deeper, more
accurate insights that speed time to outcome.

Learn more about FinVENTA.

Its crunch time for finance

Explore other reports and guides in our Finance in a Digital World TM “Crunch time”
series, and read case studies about digital transformation in the finance function.
Whatever your interest, one thing is clear: From cloud computing and robotics to
analytics, cognitive technologies, and blockchain, a new class of digital disruptors is
transforming how the work of finance gets done.

Need help developing a digital finance strategy and taking the

next step on your journey towards a better, faster, and less
expensive finance organization?

If a possible phishing email triggers an alert, SOAR technology can

automatically pull suspected phishing emails from the inbox to prevent
users from opening them. The IPs and URLs are then extracted and
researched using threat intelligence tools.

If the threat is a known malicious phishing attack, then an IT ticket is

automatically opened, the endpoints quarantined, and all emails in the
system containing the malicious file are deleted. If the threat is
unknown, then the attachment is first submitted for sandbox inspection.
If it is then found to be malicious then it follows the same protocol and
will be quarantined and deleted.
Low-Code Security Automation with Swimlane

Swimlane Turbine helps integrate your existing security solutions and

tools into a centralized platform that streamlines incident
response. Powerful data integration and user-friendly playbook building
enable domain experts to become automation builders. It can automate
the investigation and quarantine of suspected phishing emails, as well
as help organizations:

Centralize all security data into dashboards for more accessible reporting
Standardize incident response processes
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Prioritize threats to ensure that all alerts are investigated thoroughly
Automate various processes and workflows
Improve security performance
Automated phishing investigation and response is only the beginning with low-code security
automation.

Gartner: Create a SOC Target

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Insights

Insights

The importance of data analytics in

business decision-making
Marketing
Data & AI

Leverage data analytics for enhanced decision making for your business.

Data analytics has become an essential tool for businesses to make s. In today's
world, where data is generated at an unprecedented rate, data analytics provides
companies with insights that enable them to stay ahead of the competition.
Data analytics involves a process of collecting, analysing, and interpreting data to
uncover patterns, trends, and insights that can inform business decisions. This
process helps businesses to identify opportunities and risks, as well as to optimise
their operations and strategies.

What is data driven decision making?

Data-driven decision making is a process in which organisations use data and
analytical techniques to inform and guide their strategic, tactical, and operational
choices. It's about basing decisions on empirical evidence and insights extracted
from data, rather than relying solely on intuition or experience. Data based decision
making empowers organisations to make more informed, objective, and effective
decisions, ultimately leading to improved outcomes.
The relationship between data-driven decision making and data analytics is
essential. Data analytics plays a pivotal role in enabling data-driven decision making
by providing the necessary tools and insights to extract meaningful information from
the vast amounts of data that organisations generate and collect.

The importance of Data Analytics for Business

Decisions Making Process
Data analytics can provide valuable data insights for business decisions making
such as identifying customer needs, optimising operational efficiency, improving
marketing strategies, and helping business in data driven decision making.
To understand more, here is the full explanation:

1. Identifying customer needs and preferences

Data analytics can help businesses understand their customers' needs and
preferences by analysing their behaviours and interactions with the brand. For
example, an eCommerce company can use data analytics to analyse their customer
data including purchase history, search queries, and website interactions to gain
valuable insights into what products their customers are interested in, their preferred
payment methods, and the platforms they use to access the brand.
These actionable insights can help the company tailor their marketing and
advertising efforts, product offerings, and user experience to better align with their
customers' preferences, ultimately leading to higher customer satisfaction and
loyalty.
The beauty industry was badly affected during COVID-19, and our client, a Thailand
cosmetic brand was no exception. With lockdowns, malls closure, and the difficulty
to reconnect with the right audience, sales plunged. We utilised data visualisation
and enrichment to get a clearer picture of what our client’s potential consumers
were like. From the insights gathered, we identified three personas. Based on the
personas, we created multiple hook messages, background images, and end
scenes. The messages had been tailored to address the pain points of WFH and
some common makeup mistakes that matched each persona. As a result, brand
engagement increased by 156% and cost-per-click (CPC) decreased by 27%.

2. Optimising operations
With many mega players such as Apple and Starbucks offering omnichannel
experiences to their target customers, it is wise for a company to not solely focus
their budget on digital-driven initiatives but also invest in offline channels such as
physical shops as well. Establishing a store at the right location requires one to
consider multiple factors, such as footfall, the density of the target market, as well as
the competitors in the same area. This is where data analytics can be exploited to
determine the ideal locations for physical store setup.
Due to the fierce competition in Indonesia’s banking industry, our client, a local
commercial bank ,wanted to identify the presence and distribution of Syariah
banking competitors in a few key locations before opening a new branch.
With ADA’s Location Planner, the bank was able to verify the customer behaviour
of a certain location. Aside from identifying the non-performing branches for
relocation, the insights gathered from the solution were integrated into their 5-year
branch transformation blueprint.

3. Improving marketing strategies

Data analytics can help businesses improve their marketing strategies by providing
insights into the effectiveness of their campaigns. For example, with data analytics,
brands can view the performance of a social media campaign at a glance. By
knowing the engagement rates, click-through rates, and conversions, you can tell
the type of content your audiences enjoy, thereby using similar and effective tactics
to drive sales. Based on this information, the marketing team can make data-driven
decisions to optimise their campaigns and achieve better results.
Our client, an American footwear company, wanted the highest-ever single-day
sales on Shopee Singapore and Malaysia during Super Brand Day (SBD) campaign.
With consumer insights, we gathered insights about our potential target audience
and “deal-seeking” online consumers. The creative strategy is a combination of
“Branding” and “Promotion” led content with best-in-class assets to entice
purchases. The results? We generated more than 20 times the traffic in both
markets. Sales increased by 47 times in Singapore and 30 times in Malaysia.

4. Predicting trends and market changes

Data analytics can help businesses predict trends and market changes by analysing
data on customer behaviours, industry trends, and economic indicators. For
example, a retailer can use data analytics to track seasonal buying patterns, monitor
social media trends, and analyse economic indicators to anticipate changes in
consumer behaviours and adjust their product offerings and marketing efforts
accordingly. This can help the retailer stay ahead and take advantage of new
opportunities as they arise.
Though with a loyal fanbase, the business growth of a quick service restaurant
(QSR) chain in Thailand plateaued without any major campaigns for the past two
years. They conducted a survey and discovered that Thai consumers felt that the
brand was not approachable. We extracted multiple data sets with a combination of
tools: Audience Explorer to track real-time data; Location Analytics to gather
footfall data; Consumer Profiling to understand consumers’ attributes and
behaviours. These allowed us to predict the likelihood of a consumer purchasing
from the said chain. We chose audiences with an affinity for food & dining, used
geolocation data to pinpoint areas with a high footfall of competitor outlets, and
served ads to audiences seen in those areas. To win new customers, we excluded
those who have visited the QSR chain’s website with the new menu. The campaign
turned out to be a success as daily sales increased by 12%.

5. Making data-driven decisions

Data analytics enables businesses to make data-driven decisions based on
quantitative insights rather than intuition. For example, a financial services company
can use data analytics to monitor customer spending patterns and identify potential
fraud or unauthorised transactions. Based on this information, the company can
make data-driven decisions to improve their fraud prevention efforts and protect their
customers' accounts. By making decisions based on data rather than intuition,
businesses can reduce the risk of errors and make more informed decisions that
lead to better outcomes.
As concern over the COVID-19 pandemic escalated, a transportation service
leader in Indonesia, engaged with ADA to learn more about the mobility pattern and
profiles of the commuters in various points of interest (POI), plus to validate several
assumptions on their passenger segments. With the combination of Recency,
Frequency, and Monetary (RFM) analysis, Point of Interest (POI) analysis,
commuter density analysis, and data visualisation and enrichment, we discovered
our client’s passengers were skewed towards business users and high affluence
groups, and 13 out of the 60 POIs listed had the client’s taxi stand within reasonable
reach. Data like this allowed our client to explore loyalty programmes and expansion
opportunities to provide their services across the other 47 POIs, as well as
optimising route planning to locate or relocate current transportation services.
How your business can become data-driven
Becoming a truly data-driven business involves a fundamental shift in how the
organisation operates and makes decisions. It requires the integration of data and
analytics into various aspects of the business, from strategy development to day-to-
day operations. Here's a detailed roadmap for how a business can become data-
driven:

1. Define Clear Objectives

Start by identifying the business goals you want to achieve through data-driven
decision making. Make sure that the objectives you set match your business overall
strategy.
Whether it's improving customer satisfaction, optimising supply chain operations, or
increasing sales, having well-defined objectives will guide your data initiatives.

2. Cultivate Data Culture

Instil a culture where data is valued and utilised throughout the organisation.
Encourage employees to seek data-driven solutions, and provide training to enhance
data literacy. Ensure that decision-makers at all levels understand the benefits of
data-driven approaches.

3. Data Collection and Integration

Establish robust data collection mechanisms. This includes identifying the relevant
data sources, ensuring data quality, and integrating data from various systems
across the organisation. At this stage, it's a good idea to start investing in data tools
and technology.

4. Data Warehousing and Storage

Create a central repository (data warehouse) for storing and organising your data.
This enables easy access to the data by different teams while ensuring data
consistency and security.

5. Data Analytics Capability

Develop or hire a skilled data analytics team. This team should be proficient in data
analysis, statistical methods, machine learning, and data visualisation. They will be
responsible for extracting insights from the data to support decision-making.

6. Identify Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Determine the KPIs that align with your business objectives. These metrics will be
used to measure progress and success. Make sure the chosen KPIs are relevant,
measurable, and tied to specific business outcomes.

7. Implement Data-driven Decision Making Process

Encourage decision-makers to base their choices on data insights. This might
involve regular data review meetings, where data is presented and discussed before
making critical decisions.

8. Data Visualization
Use data visualisation tools to make complex data more accessible and
understandable. Dashboards and reports can help stakeholders track KPIs and
understand trends at a glance.

9. Continuous Improvement
Data-driven processes should be dynamic. Continuously monitor and analyse
results, and use this feedback loop to refine strategies and adapt to changing
conditions.

10. Leadership Support

Leadership buy-in is crucial. Ensure that top executives champion the data-driven
approach and allocate resources for data initiatives.

11. Data Privacy and Security

As you collect and use data, prioritise data privacy and security. Comply with
relevant regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA) and implement robust security measures to
protect sensitive data.

12. Collaboration
Foster collaboration between different teams within the organisation. Data-driven
decision making should be a cross-functional effort, involving departments like
marketing, operations, finance, and IT.

13. Stay Updated

The field of data analytics is continuously evolving. Stay updated on the latest tools,
techniques, and trends to ensure your data initiatives remain effective.
By following this roadmap, businesses can transition from traditional decision-making
processes to a more data-driven approach, leading to improved efficiency, better
customer experiences, and a competitive edge in the market.

Staying one step ahead of the competition

Data analytics is essential for businesses to make informed decisions. By analysing
data on various aspects of their operations, businesses can identify opportunities
and risks, optimise their operations and strategies, and stay ahead of the
competition. It's important to understand the value of data analytics and to
communicate its importance to your audience.
Contents
What is data driven decision making?The importance of Data Analytics for Business
Decisions Making ProcessHow your business can become data-drivenStaying one step
ahead of the competition

ADA Asia
ADA provides services that enable enterprises and brands to drive topline growth through
digital marketing and sales transformation across Asia

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