Beyond Numbers: AI, Analytics, Corporate Finance & Strategic Thinking for the Moderns Finance Professionals

Abstract

Beyond Numbers. Beyond AI. Beyond the Classroom. What makes a finance professional truly valuable in an era where Artificial Intelligence is transforming the way businesses operate? This thought-provoking question set the tone for an engaging session at M P Birla Institute of Management, Bengaluru, organised by the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) in association with Wealth Wizards – Finance Club. We were privileged to host Mr. Shrikanth Manda, ACCA (UK), CMA (USA), ACS, MBA (Finance), a multi-credential finance and governance leader currently serving as the Country Statutory, Compliance & Finance Governance Leader. We also sincerely acknowledge the Bengaluru Chapter of The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) for facilitating this enriching interaction. The session challenged our MBA students to look beyond traditional finance roles and explore the evolving opportunities in the profession. Discussions highlighted the growing significance of Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), emerging career pathways in finance and governance, the value of globally recognised professional qualifications such as ACCA, CFA, and CMA, and the future-ready competencies that organisations seek: strategic thinking, governance, analytical ability, technological awareness, and adaptability. What made the session truly enriching was the enthusiasm and curiosity of our students, whose thoughtful questions reflected a genuine aspiration to build impactful careers in an increasingly technology-driven business environment. At MPBIM, we believe that the future belongs to professionals who can combine strong business fundamentals with emerging technologies, sound judgment, and ethical leadership. Through such industry-academia engagements, we continue to prepare our students to become future-ready business leaders.