FP&A Coaches, Events, and Resources

I’ve built my career at the intersection of healthcare, finance, and strategy—shaped by experiences at some of the world’s most respected Fortune 500 companies: Amazon (#2), UnitedHealth Group (#3), American Airlines (#81), JPMorgan Chase (#11), and now Cigna (#13). I have spent the majority of my career in FP&A roles spanning accounting, M&A, financial modeling, and reporting. I am passionate about talent having spent four years recruiting for Amazon. Furthermore, I am actively involved with recruiting at the MBA level for my current employer and can help with all things required to land the role from resume and LinkedIn to interview prep and offer review.

I’m a VP of Global Business Control at a global SaaS company with 2,400 employees, leading a 20-person global finance team and reporting directly to the CFO. I’m also a hiring manager for finance and business control roles, which means I know what actually gets candidates noticed, shortlisted, and hired. I specialize in helping candidates break into FP&A, business control, and strategic finance — especially those coming from consulting, strategy, commercial, operations, or other nontraditional backgrounds. My own career path is proof that you don’t need a linear FP&A background to land a senior finance role: I broke into the function without prior traditional FP&A experience and stepped directly into a VP-level leadership position. My background spans corporate finance, SaaS business control, consulting, telecom, pricing analytics, private equity, and M&A. I’ve worked on executive-level decision-making, financial planning, performance management, commercial strategy, operating model transformation, and global stakeholder management. Through my coaching, I help clients craft a credible finance story, sharpen their resume and LinkedIn, prepare for FP&A and business control interviews, and understand what hiring managers, CFOs, and finance leaders actually look for in high-potential candidates.

With 20+ years in corporate finance across top technology companies including Amazon, RingCentral, VMware and Salesforce, I help finance professionals land senior FP&A and finance leadership roles at top tech companies and perform once they get there. As a Head of Finance at a leading FAANG company, I have personally conducted hundreds of finance interviews across all levels. I know exactly what the interview loop looks like, what the hiring bar is for L6+ finance roles, and what separates candidates who get offers from those who don’t. I specialize in senior finance candidates targeting Amazon, FAANG, and high-growth tech, whether you’re breaking in or leveling up. Having coached 50+ individuals, I bring tailored advice on profitability, strategy, and operational excellence that goes beyond interview prep and into the real skills that make you indispensable once you’re in the room. I’m also a US Air Force veteran with tours to Iraq and Afghanistan. That experience taught me that discipline, clarity under pressure, and mission-focused execution aren’t just military values. They are the foundation of every high-performing finance team I have built since. I take on a limited number of clients at a time. If you’re serious about landing your next role in finance, let’s talk

Hello and welcome to my profile! With over two decades of experience in financial planning and analysis, finance and accounting. I bring a wealth of knowledge from my roles at 20th Century Fox, where I served as Vice President of Finance, and PwC, where I honed my skills in audit management. As the Founder & Principal of Lumina Financial Advisory, I specialize in providing executive-level financial insights to small and mid-sized businesses, particularly those led by women. My approach focuses on translating complex financial data into clear, actionable insights that drive strategic decision-making and profitability. Whether you're looking to enhance your financial reporting or need guidance on budgeting and forecasting, I'm here to help you achieve your goals. Let's connect and explore how I can support your financial journey!

I have worked in corporate finance/FP&A in F500, growth stage companies, and finance roles vary across company size and industry. I am interested in coaching with people who are looking to growth their corporate finance/FP&A career and someday want to be a CFO.

I spent nearly 10 years at J.P. Morgan, progressing from Analyst to Vice President in Equity Capital Markets and advising companies across Europe, the Middle East and Africa on fundraising, capital structure and strategic financing decisions. During that time, I worked on more than $30 billion of transactions and partnered closely with management teams, CFOs and boards across a wide range of industries. Today, I lead Strategic Finance and Capital Markets initiatives at Octopus Energy, where I work directly with senior leadership on forecasting, fundraising, capital structure strategy, investor engagement and long-term business planning. Having worked both in investment banking and in-house finance, I have a practical understanding of what different finance careers actually look like day-to-day and what skills transfer between them. I primarily coach professionals who are exploring opportunities in FP&A, strategic finance, corporate finance, corporate development, investor relations and capital markets, as well as those considering a move from investment banking into industry. Whether you're trying to understand your options, position your experience more effectively, prepare for interviews or navigate a career transition, I can help you approach the process with greater clarity and confidence.

Welcome to my profile! Ive worked on the systems side of financial planning and analysis, I have honed my skills across leading tech companies such as Cash App, DoorDash, and PayPal. As a Lead Product Manager at Cash App, I spearhead the Money Infrastructure Platform, leveraging my extensive background in finance systems and analytics. My journey began at Zynga, where I developed financial models and dashboards, and continued through roles at OpenTable and PayPal, focusing on financial transactions and product management. I am passionate about helping clients navigate the complexities of transitioning out of an FP&A role.

I'm an FCPA (HKICPA) with over a decade in finance — from Big 4 assurance at PwC, to leading an 8-person analytics team in large-cap commercial real estate, to FP&A roles at global MNCs including Merlin Entertainment, and FP&A management at The Cookware Company. I've owned budgeting, rolling forecasts, scenario and operating models, and CFO-/executive-ready reporting. I'm completing my MBA at Chicago Booth, and hold the Wharton FP&A Certificate and the FMVA (financial modelling & valuation). I currently coach senior finance professionals on applying AI to real FP&A workflows — 200+ coached to date — and run my own FP&A advisory practice. I help analysts and managers master the FP&A skills that actually move careers: driver-based forecasting, variance/bridge analysis, operating-model building, and decks that get a "yes" from leadership. Whether you're breaking into FP&A, preparing for interviews and case studies, or stepping up to run your first planning cycle, you'll get proven frameworks, real templates, and direct feedback to get there faster — plus a practical view on using AI to make your forecasting and reporting audit-ready, not just faster.

My name is Derek and I'm excited to meet you! I specialize in coaching FP&A professionals, but I'll work to support you in whatever your goals are! Rather than simply sharing what worked for me, I'd love to be a guide as you explore what will work for YOU! Whether your focus is kicking your career journey off, growing into leadership roles, or just looking for a new professional challenge, I would love to help you navigate your career and educational journey! I have been fortunate to learn in world-class environments, both academically and professionally. I earned a BS in Finance from Brigham Young University's Marriott School of Business and an MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. Additionally, I have developed finance expertise learning from mentors at two of the top companies for developing CFOs: Honeywell and PepsiCo. I've since progressed in FP&A and financial leadership roles at growth stage companies. More importantly, I have experience as a teacher, mentor, and friend. Reach out if there is any way I can be a helper to you!

I bring a wealth of experience and a proven track record in guiding students towards successful careers in the tech finance industry. With a background in FP&A and corporate strategy, I've honed my expertise to help over 100 individuals fine-tune their resumes and interview skills, leading to placements at some of the world's foremost companies. My particular strength lies in facilitating individuals’ entry into tech companies, where I've achieved outstanding results. I'm proud to have played a pivotal role in securing offers for my clients at prestigious tech giants, such as Microsoft and Amazon, among many others. Having received and worked for these tech companies myself, I am able to provide insider insights for what they are looking for. My deep understanding of the tech finance landscape and my commitment to empowering individuals make me an ideal coach for those aspiring to excel in this competitive field.