#259 He Reveals the First AI Project That Actually Saved Money, Marco Torrente, Interim Group CFO, Bakuun Holdings

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGwhmpyXA-U .entry-img img{ display:none !important; } .single .hentry .entry-img{ display:none !important; } https://open.spotify.com/episode/2Lv2wr2B8h40VtL9K2oWH9 As AI transforms the business landscape, finance leaders are seeking practical examples of true value creation—not just hype. In this episode, Marco Torrente, Interim Group CFO at Bakuun Holdings, joins host Kevin Appleby to share real financial transformation lessons from the front lines. Marco’s candid reflections move beyond generic AI discussions to pinpoint what actually saves money, emphasizing the importance of getting digital transformation right and building team mindsets that embrace technology. The conversation explores the practicalities of starting the AI journey, including improving transactional systems and data quality, as well as how AI enables FP&A teams to shift from data crunching to value-adding activities. Marco further reveals that while AI projects haven’t yet drastically reduced headcount, they empower teams to deliver faster, more adaptive business forecasts and partner more effectively with the business. Listeners gain actionable insights on risk analysis, business partnering, and future-proofing the finance function in an era of rapid technological change. Key topics covered: Mindset change is the hardest aspect of finance digital transformation Accurate, clean data is critical for successful AI adoption and savings AI enables finance teams to spend less time crunching numbers, more time adding value Savings are real when AI is applied to transactional and repetitive processes AI leads to more frequent, adaptive forecasting and better business partnering Boardroom strategy discussions increasingly focus on AI-driven transformation Links Marco Torrente on LinkedIn Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn GrowCFO Mentoring Timestamps 03:57 Overcoming mindset challenges in tech and finance teams 07:45 How clean data and smart choices spark successful AI projects 14:48 Impact of AI on workflows—shifting FP&A from data crunching to insights 18:16 Balancing business strategy with transformation and risk 26:15 Real savings and workforce impact: redeployment not just reduction 30:04 Future plans, ongoing learning, and actionable advice Find out more about GrowCFO If you enjoyed this podcast, you can subscribe to the GrowCFO Show with your favorite podcast app. The GrowCFO show is listed in the Apple podcast directory, Spotify and many others. Why not subscribe there today? That way, you never miss an episode. GrowCFO is a great place to extend your professional network. Join GrowCFO as a free member today and participate in our regular networking events and webinars. Premium members can also access our extensive training center and CFO Digital Toolkit. You can enroll in our flagship Future CFO or Finance Leader programs here. You can find out more and join today at growcfo.net