Moving Trends: The Rise of Finance Business Partering

 26th Jan 2026

For the last few years, the Business Partnering elements of finance professionals have been moving closer to the forefront of finance teams. Emphasis seems to be moving from finance as a purely reporting function to finance as a decision-support function – as important as reporting accuracy is, businesses are increasingly finding value in the conversations and projection taking place as a result.

We’ve done some work in trying to identify and acknowledge this change and delve a little into what’s brought it on.

Rising demand for Finance Business Partnering and FP&A roles
According to FP&A Trends, Finance Business Partners have never been more in demand. Businesses are increasingly looking for finance professionals who can explain why performance is changing, not just what has changed. Historical reporting still matters, but it’s no longer enough on its own. Insight, interpretation and forward-looking analysis are now core requirements.

Automation of compliance and reporting
AI/Automation has been the background of so much change recently, and the movements in this space are no exception. Cloud systems, automation and AI-driven tools are streamlining reporting, reconciliations and routine processes. Technical expertise remains essential, but it’s no longer where most finance time needs to be spent. Insight and judgement cannot be automated – and that’s where finance is increasingly adding unique value.

The line between practice and industry is blurring
It’s not just traditional industry finance teams following this change – as reporting and analysis becomes less time-consuming, practices are finding new services to offer to their clients, and this is closer resembling what an in-house finance team may look like. Advisory, FP&A and fractional CFO work within accountancy firms now looks very similar to in-house Finance Business Partnering. Budgeting, forecasting, scenario planning and strategic support are becoming standard offerings in practice, not just industry.

Taken together, these trends are changing the career conversation for accountants.

For a long time, career paths were framed quite narrowly:

• Stay in practice and progress technically
• Move into industry to become more commercial

The middle ground is growing, and more accountants are exploring the option where they can:

• Apply strong technical foundations
• Develop commercial understanding
• Work closely with stakeholders
• Influence decisions, as well as report outcomes

This is true whether the role sits in industry or within a practice advisory environment.

One point is worth being clear on: technical skills are still the foundation. Organisations still need people who can close the books properly, maintain controls and ensure accuracy. While AI is taking some of the pressure off, the detail and accuracy required calls for a specialist professional. That function hasn’t disappeared, and it never will.

Therefore, the role communication and advisory skills have in technical roles is as a point of differentiation. The following skills are some points which may offer you an edge in the job market:

• The ability to challenge assumptions constructively
• Understanding how the business actually makes money
• Translating numbers into clear, relevant insight
• Influencing decisions without authority

Ultimately, finance teams are developing more in the direction of business advisory and foresight. The function is increasingly valued for perspective, challenge and judgement.

Business Partnering is about building on technical excellence and airtight accuracy – for those who can do both, the opportunities in the current market are broader than they’ve been for some time.

If you're looking for a new role in this space, have a look at our vacancies, or reach out to one of our consultants to discuss your situation.