In this season finale of Finance in Flow, host Catalina Ibáñez Gutiérrez welcomes Antonia Reither, VP of Customer Excellence, and Bryan Wong, Senior Solution Engineer at Lucanet, to discuss how finance teams can modernize from legacy systems to cloud-native platforms. Together, they explore the key differences between outdated on-premise systems and agile cloud solutions, how built-in “shift-left” security enhances resilience, and why modernization lays the foundation for becoming truly AI-native. Antonia and Bryan share real-world insights on overcoming common challenges—from data silos and mindset shifts to implementing automation and predictive AI tools—while highlighting the human element behind every successful transformation.

About the guests:

Antonia Reither serves as Vice President of Customer Excellence at Lucanet, where she leads efforts to optimize client engagement, drive high-impact outcomes, and ensure exceptional service delivery across global finance teams. With a deep background in consulting, supported by her earlier role leading consolidation and planning projects, Antonia brings a strategic vision for elevating the customer experience in the evolving world of finance software. At Lucanet, she is instrumental in bridging product innovation with customer success, enabling organizations to transform their finance functions into strategic partners.

Bryan Wong is a Senior Solution Engineer at Lucanet, bringing a strong background in financial systems engineering and enterprise software integration. With deep experience helping organizations transition from manual processes to cloud-based, scalable finance platforms, Bryan specializes in delivering solutions that drive automation, auditability, and strategic insight for finance teams. At Lucanet, he collaborates closely with customers to map complex consolidation, planning, and reporting workflows to best-practice configurations, helping them unlock the full value of the Lucanet CFO Solution Platform.

Key Quotes

“Our goal is to make customers confident — to handle their data independently and make the right decisions from it.”– Antonia Reither

“Cloud-native isn’t just storage in the cloud; it’s architecture designed for scale, automation, and agility.” – Bryan Wong

“Finance teams are under pressure to deliver faster insights, ensure compliance, and stay agile — legacy systems are no longer enough.” – Catalina Ibáñez Gutiérrez

Time Stamps

00:46 – Meet Antonia Reither and Bryan Wong

02:28 – Why Modernizing Finance Systems Matters Now

02:59 – Legacy Systems vs. Cloud-Native Platforms

07:36 – The Cost of Outdated Data

11:00 – Built-In Security: Shift-Left and Resilience

13:55 – Cloud-Native as the Foundation for AI-Native Systems

17:35 – How AI Is Transforming Professional Services

19:22 – The Human Element in AI Adoption

26:27 – Common Challenges During Transformation

28:09 – Rapid-Fire Round: The Future of Finance

30:20 – Biggest Misconceptions About Cloud Platforms

34:16 – Go-To Sources for Finance News

36:55 – Preparing the Next Generation of Finance Leaders

37:40 – Key Takeaways & Season Wrap-Up

Links

Connect with Antonia on LinkedIn

Connect with Bryan on LinkedIn

Learn more about Lucanet

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In this episode of Finance in Flow, host Janis Steinmann explores how artificial intelligence is transforming the office of the CFO. Joined by John Turner, CEO of XBRL International, and Phil Wilding, AI entrepreneur at HG Capital, the discussion dives into how structured financial data and AI are converging to create conversational analysis tools. Together, they unpack the challenges of making financial workflows AI-ready, the importance of semantic layers and data governance, and why “trust but verify” is the new mantra for AI in finance. From the digital plumbing of XBRL to the future of continuous reporting, this episode reveals how CFOs can turn data into a true competitive advantage.

About the guests:

John Turner is the CEO of XBRL International. John is responsible for enhancing the standards and supporting the adoption of XII globally. Throughout his career, he has been focused on improving business reporting and analytics. He has been a leading member of the XBRL community since 2001, when it was founded. John holds a degree in IT and government and an LLB in Law from the University of Queensland, Australia.

Phil Wilding is an AI Entrepreneur at Hg. Phil is an AI entrepreneur and technology leader currently advising companies on how to adopt an AI-native posture and successfully bring AI projects into production. He serves as CPTO at Localised.com and the Co-Founder of Future Moto, building a network of electric motorbike parks and leading a race team that took 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in its first National Electric Flat Track Championship season. Phil has spent his career building and scaling online businesses that merge technology, data, and user experience to drive growth and innovation.

Key Quotes

“Stop treating your digital disclosures like homework. Start treating them like your company’s voice in a conversation with every AI on the planet — because that conversation has already started.”– John Turner

“Clean numbers alone don’t tell the story — they lack the context that human analysts hold. For data to be truly AI-ready, you need a well-defined semantic layer.” – Phil Wilding

“AI doesn’t magically fix bad data — it just amplifies it at scale. So who’s ultimately responsible for data quality? The CFO, the auditor, or the regulator?” – Janis Steinmann

Time Stamps

00:00:36 – Guest Introduction: John Turner, CEO of XBRL International

00:02:36 – Guest Introduction: Phil Wilding, AI Entrepreneur at Hg

00:04:11 – What Is XBRL?

00:05:57 – Why Financial Data Is Challenging for AI

00:08:31 – Making Structured Data AI-Ready

00:11:57 – The Limits of Large Language Models

00:14:55 – Building the Semantic Layer

00:18:07 – Conversational Financial Analysis in Practice

00:21:40 – Trust but Verify: Ensuring Accuracy

00:25:58 – Cross-Company Insights and AI Potential

00:27:57 – Governance and Data Quality

00:31:03 – Risks of Poor Data and Black Box AI

00:35:06 – Who Owns Data Quality?

00:39:10 – Quick Fire Questions with Phil Wilding

00:42:24 – Quick Fire Questions with John Turner

00:45:49 – The Future of Financial Reporting

00:48:12 – Key Takeaways & Closing Thoughts

Links

Connect with John on LinkedIn

Connect with Phil on LinkedIn

Learn more about Lucanet

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In this episode of Finance in Flow, host Catalina Gutiérrez sits down with Alistair Gurney, CFO at Lucanet, and Sanja Mitrovic, auditor and business planning expert from Kleeberg, to explore the balance between growth and profitability in modern finance. Together, they discuss how integrated business planning (XP&A) fosters smarter, cross-functional decision-making and how AI is reshaping financial forecasting, auditing, and strategic planning. The conversation dives into the importance of data credibility, single sources of truth, and building trust in AI-driven insights, offering practical advice for finance leaders navigating today’s rapidly changing business landscape.

About the guests:

Alistair Gurney brings over 15 years of experience in finance and strategic management with a deep understanding of the CFO tech stack, particularly in financial planning and analysis. He has held several senior finance positions at public and private equity-backed software firms, including Unit4, IRIS Software Group and Dotdigital, where he served most recently as Group CFO.

Alistair’s expertise in optimising financial processes, navigating complex financial landscapes and enhancing product solutions that drive increased financial performance and foster sustainable growth, will also support Lucanet’s product vision of empowering CFOs to create value beyond the finance function.

Sanja Mitrovic conducts statutory and voluntary audits of annual and consolidated financial statements of partnerships and corporations in accordance with German GAAP (HGB) and IFRS. She supports clients in preparing financial statements as well as in addressing fundamental questions of national and international accounting standards.

She leads various special projects in transaction advisory, in particular IFRS conversion and post-merger integration. In addition, her focus lies on the optimization of financial processes, the implementation of automation solutions, and driving efficiency improvements.

Key Quotes

“Planning isn’t just numbers — it’s about aligning people, processes, and data to make decisions you can trust.”– Sanja Mitrovic

“The balance between growth and profitability depends on where your business is in its lifecycle — but productivity and good choices matter at every stage.” – Alistair Gurney

“AI is changing finance, but the human element — judgment, trust, learning — will always be essential.” – Catalina Gutiérrez

Time Stamps

[00:01:15] – Balancing Growth and Profitability

[00:02:28] – The Auditor’s Perspective: Planning Plausibility

[00:04:48] – What Is Extended Planning and Analysis (XP&A)?

[00:06:35] – How Data Visibility Shapes CFO Decision-Making

[00:08:08] – The Importance of a Single Source of Truth

[00:11:13] – Introducing AI in Financial Planning

[00:12:01] – How AI Supports Predictive Modeling and Insights

[00:13:27] – Practical Use Cases: AI in Management and Analysis

[00:15:22] – Can Finance Leaders Trust AI?

[00:17:16] – Building Trust and Capacity in AI-Driven Auditing

[00:20:12] – Learning to Leverage AI Effectively

[00:21:17] – Rolling Forecasting and Cross-Functional Planning

[00:22:53] – Integrating KPIs into the Planning Process

[00:23:47] – Advice for CFOs Beginning Their Planning Journey

[00:25:50] – The Auditor’s View: Risks of Excel-Based Planning

[00:29:41] – Improving Transparency, Consistency, and Control

[00:32:03] – Rapid-Fire Questions

[00:33:25] – Key Takeaways & Closing Remarks

Links

Connect with Alistair on LinkedIn

Connect with Sanja on LinkedIn

Learn more about Lucanet

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In this episode of Finance in Flow, host Janis Steinmann sits down with Edgar Findling, Partner at FDE Consult, and Julia Sudwischer, Lead for Report Creation at Lucanet, to explore the future of disclosure management. They discuss the biggest challenges finance teams face with manual reporting processes, how regulatory changes like ESEF and CSRD are reshaping disclosure practices, and the transformative role of AI and automation in improving efficiency and accuracy. Packed with practical insights and forward-looking perspectives, this conversation is a must-listen for finance leaders navigating today’s fast-evolving reporting landscape.

About the guests:

Edgar Findling is a seasoned consultant with FDE Consult, specializing in strategic advisory and operational efficiency. He brings extensive expertise in guiding organizations through complex challenges, driving sustainable growth, and delivering tailored

Julia Sudwischer is the Lead for Report Creation within the Professional Services team at Lucanet. She specializes in developing and optimizing financial and business reports, helping organizations gain clear insights and streamline their reporting processes. With her expertise, Julia ensures clients receive high-quality, tailored solutions that drive better decision-making.

Transcript:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vIEHuanZP4V5PQWMD6LbJAo5hOIdflNp/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116570385380258913857&rtpof=true&sd=true

Key Quotes

“Tools don’t sleep, they don’t get sick, and they don’t miss deadlines. They free up your team to focus on what really matters.”– Edgar Findling

“You can’t expect magic from automation if your data is messy — structure your data first, then build trust in the system.” – Julia Sudwischer

“The European Single Access Point should be a wake-up call — soon your digital report may be the first thing everyone sees, not the PDF on your website.” – Janis Steinmann

Time Stamps

00:00 – Introduction

02:25 – Traditional Pain Points in Disclosure Management

09:03 – Impact of Regulation and Stakeholder Demands

13:13 – Automation vs. Growing Teams

15:41 – AI and Automation in Disclosure Management

19:40 – Customer Attitudes Toward AI

23:38 – Starting the AI Journey

28:21 – Digital-First Reporting & the European Single Access Point (ESAP)

31:39 – Challenges of Migrating to True Digital-First Reports

36:34 – Rapid-Fire Round

39:54 – The Next 2–3 Years of AI in Disclosure Management

Links

Connect with Edgar on LinkedIn

Connect with Julia on LinkedIn

Learn more about Lucanet

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In this episode of Finance in Flow, host Catalina Ibáñez Gutiérrez sits down with Patrick Van Gaelen, Head of Product Core, to unpack the evolving world of finance automation and AI-powered consolidation tools. They explore what makes automation truly effective, the risks of black-box systems, and why validation and transparency are essential. Patrick shares practical advice for CFOs navigating today’s crowded tech landscape, the promise of continuous accounting, and the importance of pairing innovation with team empowerment. Tune in for actionable insights on how finance leaders can harness automation without losing the human touch.

About the guest:

Patrick van Gaelen is a seasoned finance professional and the co-founder of Seefo—a Belgian financial consulting agency established in 2016 specializing in LucaNet’s corporate performance management solutions. Following the successful acquisition of Seefo by Lucanet in 2022, he took on a key leadership role as Regional Head of Services in the Benelux region, bringing extensive experience in business controlling, consolidation, management of shared services, and M&A to Lucanet’s expanding international presence. As Head of Product Core, Patrick now plays a vital role in shaping Lucanet’s integrated CPM solutions, leveraging his deep understanding of finance and user-centric software innovation.

Key Quotes

“Good automation is transparent. Bad automation is a black box.” – Patrick van Gaelen

“Automation shouldn’t create more work than it saves” – Catalina Ibáñez Gutiérrez

“Validation, transparency, and flexibility—those are the ingredients of good automation.” – Patrick van Gaelen

Time Stamps

00:00 – Introduction

02:00 – Good vs. Bad Automation

06:00 – Shifting Work, Not Replacing Jobs

09:00 – Choosing the Right Tools

12:00 – SaaS vs. On-Premise

15:00 – Continuous Accounting Explained

20:00 – Practical Use Cases of Automation

25:00 – The Limits of Automation

30:00 – Change Management and Team Empowerment

34:00 – The Role of AI in Finance

40:00 – Ingredients of Good Automation

45:00 – Rapid-Fire Questions

50:00 – Future Trends in Finance

55:00 – Key Takeaways & Closing

Links

Connect with Catalina on LinkedIn

Connect with Patrick on LinkedIn

Learn more about Lucanet

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In this episode of Finance in Flow, host Taimur Abdaal, Lucanet’s Managing Director of xP&A, sits down with Peter Croeze, VP of Product at Lucanet, to explore the future of finance and the growing role of AI. They discuss how CFOs and finance teams are navigating digital transformation, the skepticism and opportunities around AI adoption, and the cultural shift toward tech-driven finance solutions. From regular use cases like reporting and automation to the challenges of data integration and trust, this conversation highlights the strategies shaping finance in 2025 and beyond.

About the guest:

Peter Croeze, VP of Product at Lucanet, is an experienced Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the internet industry. Peter is skilled in Business Process, Operations Management, Requirements Analysis, Coaching, and Agile development.

Key Quotes

“It’s not a trend—AI is here. It’s moving very fast, and finance teams need to adopt and adjust.” – Peter Croeze

“Even really basic AI features—like meeting transcriptions in Teams—can be hugely valuable for day-to-day work.” – Taimur Abdaal

“All new features should be AI-first. We need to ask: can an agent do this job instead of building another button in the UI?” – Peter Croeze

Time Stamps

[00:00:00] – Introduction

[00:00:50] – Digital Transformation in Finance

[00:01:50] – CFOs’ Perspectives on AI

[00:03:08] – Big vs. Small Companies

[00:04:34] – Low-Hanging Fruit for AI in Finance

[00:05:48] – AI in Products & Tools

[00:07:57] – Prototyping & Product Development with AI

[00:08:43] – Challenges in Adoption

[00:10:20] – AI-First Product Strategy

[00:12:42] – Evolving Role of the CFO

[00:14:06] – Tech-Savvy Finance Teams

[00:15:33] – The Data Integration Challenge

[00:16:53] – Looking Ahead

[00:17:30] – Closing Thoughts

Links

Connect with Taimur on LinkedIn

Connect with Peter on LinkedIn

Learn more about Lucanet

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In this episode of Finance in Flow, recorded live from Lucanet World 2025 in Berlin, host Janis Steinmann, Head of XBRL at Lucanet, speaks with Sören Labrenz, the company’s new Head of Product AI, about how artificial intelligence is reshaping finance. They discuss the rapid leap from GPT-4o to reasoning models like GPT-4.1, the rise of AI agents, and how these tools automate repetitive tasks to free up finance teams for higher-value work. The conversation covers emerging technologies, such as the Model Context Protocol (MCP), key challenges including infrastructure limitations and the need for human oversight, and why trust, transparency, and data security are essential under regulations like the GDPR. Looking ahead, Sören envisions a future where AI agents are integral members of finance teams, making AI adoption not just an opportunity but a necessity for staying competitive.

About the guest:

Sören Labrenz is the new Head of Product AI at Lucanet. Sören brings both technical and strategic leadership, guiding their planning solution and Copilot development. His progression through consulting roles at Lucanet and his strong academic background in business and HRM underpin his understanding of both product innovation and customer-facing implementation.

Key Quotes

“AI is there to replace workload, not workforce. A month-end close without stress — that would be truly revolutionary.” – Soren Labrenz

“Even if AI stopped developing today, we still have five to ten years of catching up to do with what we already have — and they don’t stop.” – Janis Steinmann

“It’s not a question of if you’ll use AI in finance — it’s how quickly you can integrate it.” – Soren Labrenz

Time Stamps

[00:00] Live from Lucanet World 2025 in Berlin

[00:31] Sören Labrenz’s new role as Head of Product AI

[01:19] Rapid evolution of AI models: GPT-4.0 to GPT-4.1

[02:28] AI’s impact on Lucanet products and setting priorities

[03:42] Automating finance tasks with the Expert Integra Agent

[06:52] AI’s exponential development: hype or necessity?

[09:02] Infrastructure limits and Model Context Protocol (MCP)

[12:52] From copilots to AI agents in finance workflows

[15:45] Keeping humans in the loop for accountability

[18:58] User feedback and strict data privacy measures

[20:31] AI limitations and workarounds for large reports

[24:47] Vision for the Lucanet CFO platform in 10 years

[26:42] Educating and building trust with customers

[28:26] Advice to finance teams: start small and integrate AI

Links

Connect with Janis on LinkedIn

Connect with Sören on LinkedIn

Learn more about Lucanet

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In the premiere episode of Finance in Flow, recorded live at Lucanet World 2025, host and CEO Elias Apel sits down with Kevin Smith, Lucanet’s Chief Technology Officer, for a wide-ranging conversation on the SaaS model, the future of finance, technology, and the CFO’s evolving role. Reflecting on the energy and momentum from the event in Berlin, Elias and Kevin discuss the accelerating pace of change in the finance world and the critical importance of real-time insights. A major theme of the episode is artificial intelligence—how it’s transforming both Lucanet’s platform and internal development processes, and what it means for customers beginning their AI journeys. Kevin shares Lucanet’s newly launched CFO Solution Platform and the vision for embedding AI directly into finance workflows and explains why the move to the cloud is foundational for enabling powerful, scalable, and trustworthy AI capabilities.

About the guest

Kevin Smith is the Chief Technology Officer of Lucanet, a leading global provider of software solutions for the Office of the CFO. Kevin is experienced at building world-class SaaS platforms from the ground up as well as transforming on-prem software to SaaS. He has extensive experience building and scaling high-performing engineering teams deployed both on and near shore. As Lucanet’s CTO, Kevin is responsible for technology, engineering, product, and IT.

Key Quotes

*“AI is the biggest transformation in my career. The opportunity to automate meaningful, cognitive work is just profound.” — Kevin Smith, CTO, Lucanet

*“What excites long-time customers is that our core values haven’t changed—ease of use, built-in intelligence, and fast time to value.” -– Elias Apel, CEO, Lucanet

*“We’re not just transforming our product—we’re transforming how we build, test, and think as a team.” — Kevin Smith, CTO, Lucanet

Time Stamps

[00:00] Introduction to Finance in Flow

[00:21] Live from Lucanet World 2025

[00:27] Challenges in Finance: Pace and Insight

[00:39] Insights from Kevin Smith, CTO

[01:55] The Impact of AI on Finance

[03:34] AI in Practice: Tools and Recommendations

[04:57] The Future of AI in Finance

[08:30] Speed and Agility in Software Development

[14:26] AI's Role in M&A Strategy

[20:53] Customer Data Security in the Cloud

[22:49] Reflections on Lucanet World

[25:07] Conclusion and Future Episodes

Links

Connect with Kevin on LinkedIn

Connect with Elias on LinkedIn

Learn more about Lucanet

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