Shearwater Asia

These seven questions aren’t about finding fault—they’re about understanding whether FP&A is truly supporting the business the way it should. Strong FP&A processes don’t just produce forecasts; they enable confidence, speed, and strategic clarity.

Introduction Driver-based forecasting models? What’s that? In retail, volatility is the new trend. A flick in the market switch changes half of how retailers do things. You name it: global economic uncertainty, inflation rates hovering above historical norms, and ongoing…

Spreadsheets have earned their place in finance.They’re flexible, familiar, and powerful — until they aren’t. As businesses grow, expand into new markets, add new product lines, and navigate more volatility, the cracks start to show. What once felt manageable becomes…

The business world thrives on a delicate balance between certainty and chaos. One moment, you’re cruising through a predictable quarter; the next, a disruptive innovation, economic downturn, or supply chain crisis shifts the ground beneath your feet. Welcome to the…

Volatility, rapid cost shifts, labour constraints, and unpredictable demand have become standard operating conditions — not exceptions. In this environment, the gap between traditional finance teams and truly high-performing FP&A functions will widen even further in 2026.

Behind every strategy, every investment, and every forecast is a team navigating uncertainty in real time. Volatile markets, rising costs, global disruptions, tightening budgets — the pressure is constant. And for many finance leaders, the toughest part isn’t the workload. It’s the uncertainty.

Updated: 27 March 2025 Once upon a time, spreadsheets were the holy grail of financial planning. Every budget, forecast, and financial analysis lived within meticulously crafted Excel formulas. But here’s the harsh reality: what once worked seamlessly is now a…

In 2026, the most successful companies won’t be the ones with the best spreadsheet templates.
They’ll be the ones where Finance, HR, and Operations work as one. Planning must be a shared process—fast, flexible, and built for alignment.

Modern FP&A teams are expected to, Understand the story behind the numbers, Speak the language of sales, HR, operations, and supply chain, Facilitate planning, not just enforce it. This requires more than technical expertise. It demands communication, collaboration, and business acumen.