Topic: 2026, FP&A's Breakout Year

Speakers: Doug Leyendecker, Founder and John Smolen, CFA, Principal, Leyendecker Executive Search

Agenda:
- 4:00-4:45 Informal networking
- 4:45-5:00 Introductions
- 5:00-6:00 Presentation

Presentation: 

From the early 1980s to the early 2020s, EBITDA growth benefited from ever lower labor costs and ever more productive supply chains, spurred on by globalization. During this same period, private company valuations experienced growing EBITDA multiples as the cost of capital continued on a path of decline.

Those previous wind-in-the-sails influences have now turned into wind-in-the-face. Until AI kicks in higher productivity growth, there is no more ever lower labor costs and ever more productive supply chains. And with inflation's influence, interest rates are no longer on an ever lower path. The effort to grow EBITDA and investment returns has turned much harder.

Enter the FP&A function. Sitting at the crossroads of strategy and operations, this function focuses on the machinery of the business itself—revenue drivers, cost behavior, margin dynamics, working capital efficiency, and return on invested capital. FP&A, KPIs, and deep-dive data analytics look to be in-demand skills as the benefits derived from globalization and financial engineering wane.

Speaker's bio:

Doug Leyendecker
Doug is the Founder of Leyendecker Executive Search. Over the last 3+ decades, Doug has completed hundreds of searches for strategic C-level executives, CFOs, corporate, investment and operational finance professionals. Doug has worked with numerous public and private companies, private equity firms and their portfolio companies, in a broad range of industries and across the country. Doug received his BBA in Accounting from UT Austin. Doug is also a very avid reader and writer on socioeconomic topics.

John Smolen
John joined Leyendecker Executive Search at the beginning of this year. He brings two decades of leadership and execution experience across finance, strategy, and consulting. John worked in Macquarie’s investment banking group, co-founded a PE-backed energy company, and served in Huron’s business consulting practice. He holds a BBA in finance from UT Austin and an MBA from INSEAD in France. John is also a very experienced traveler and student of global cultures. 

Sponsor: USI will provide refreshments

All members and prospective members are welcome!