FLP, the Finance Leadership Podcast

Kevin is joined by Nasheen Wuisman from the CIMA Study Support & Progression Team to discuss the challenges of exam resits and the wealth of support resources available for students, especially those preparing for the upcoming February exam window. Nasheen explains the emotional and practical difficulties students face when re‑sitting a Case Study exam, and highlights key support tools such as the Revitalise Resit Guide, the Resit Program, the Proficiency Guide, coaching services, and community learning spaces. She also describes how these resources help candidates understand examiner expectations, improve answer proficiency, and rebuild confidence for the next exam attempt.   TOPICS COVERED Understanding the Emotional Side of Exam Resits. Students often struggle with motivation, confidence, focus, and disappointment after narrowly failing. The support team acknowledges the emotional impact and provides structured and empathetic resources. Overview of CIMA Support Resources 1. Revitalise — The Resit Guide. A self‑study resource designed to help students reassess, re‑focus, and re‑plan for their next exam attempt. 2. The Resit Program. A structured, flexible program run between results release and the next sitting. Hosted on the CIMA community platform to help students learn, network, and feel less isolated. Includes guidance, weekly resources, and informal live sessions for open discussion and emotional support. 3. The Proficiency Guide. Built using real candidate scripts from an actual exam sitting. Shows examiner annotations on how responses were marked and how to turn "red arrows" into "green arrows." Includes scripts from a fail, marginal pass, and pass for comparison. Particularly powerful for resit candidates who need clarity on how to improve performance. 4. One‑to‑One Coaching Support. FLP 1‑to‑1 coaching sessions for tailored advice, confidence‑building, and personalised study strategy. 5. CGMA Case Study Structured Success Program. A free 8‑week program for first‑time Case Study takers, run twice yearly. Supplements the FLP platform with added skills support (time management, motivation, exam skills). 6. Communities — Engage 365. Includes dedicated spaces for Case Study students, Resit students, and (soon) level learners. Allows global peer‑to‑peer learning, networking, and sharing.   TAKEAWAYS Students should fully utilise the variety of free, high‑quality resources available through CIMA and FLP. Understanding examiner expectations is essential, and real scripts in the Proficiency Guide make this far more accessible. Resit success often depends on emotional readiness as much as technical readiness. Community support helps reduce isolation and allows students to learn from peers. Structured programs, coaching, and targeted guides can significantly improve exam performance. USEFUL LINKS FLP & CIMA Study Hub: Accessible via the FLP LMS - https://hub.cimaglobal.com/ Exam Support & Resources: aicpa‑cima.com https://www.aicpa-cima.com/resources/landing/exams FLP Registration - enroll.cgma.org  Community Platform (Engage 365): Accessible through the FLP environment - https://connect.aicpa-cima.com/home Thanks for listening. It takes just a couple of minutes to share your feedback here. ABOUT US. The CGMA Finance Leadership Programme (FLP) is the online pathway to the prestigious Chartered Institute of Management Accountants' Professional Qualification.  Get in touch with show host Kevin Gormley via LinkedIn. Contact the podcast team at podcast@aicpa-cima.com This is a podcast from AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. To enjoy more conversations from our global community of accounting and finance professionals, explore our network of free shows here.  

Host Kevin Gormley talks to special guest Alex Whelan, a CIMA‑qualified tutor with extensive industry experience, who provides deep insights into the Sumtrix pre‑seen case for February OCS resit candidates. Alex breaks down Sumtrix's business model, financial structure, sustainability themes, costing methods, budgeting issues, and potential exam‑relevant risks. The conversation also includes a full walkthrough of all six CIMA Core Activities (A–F) and expert exam‑technique guidance, including planning, subheadings, KPIs, and referencing attachments. Kevin also introduces the updated 2026 direction of the Finance Leadership Podcast, which will now focus heavily on supporting Operational Case Study (OCS) candidates. KEY POINTS Overview of our podcast direction for 2026 Deep case analysis of Sumtrix (ski manufacturer: freestyle, touring, custom) Financial highlights, revenue channels, and operational structure Sustainability misalignment (importing North American materials) Key red flags: seasonality, inventory buildup, rising overheads Detailed breakdown of Core Activities A–F Exam techniques: planning time, subheadings, KPI construction, use of attachments Resources on the CGMA Hub for resit candidates Thanks for listening. It takes just a couple of minutes to share your feedback.  ABOUT US. The CGMA Finance Leadership Programme (FLP) is the online pathway to the prestigious Chartered Institute of Management Accountants' Professional Qualification. Find out more about the FLP at https://enroll.cgma.org/ Get in touch with show host Kevin Gormley via LinkedIn. Your comments welcomed at podcast@aicpa-cima.com This is a podcast from AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. To enjoy more conversations from our global community of accounting and finance professionals, explore our network of free shows here.

Guest Richard Stanfield from Kaplan joins us to outline some key aspects of modern learning. He sits down with show host Kevin Gormley to discuss: learning via FLP using AI during the pursuit of CGMA preparing for Case Study exams common study mistakes.   The CGMA Finance Leadership Programme (FLP) is the online pathway to the prestigious Chartered Institute of Management Accountants' Professional Qualification. Find out more about the FLP at https://enroll.cgma.org/ or https://www.aicpa-cima.com/resources/landing/the-cgma-r-finance-leadership-program. CONNECT  Get in touch with show host Kevin Gormley via LinkedIn. Thanks for listening. It takes just a couple of minutes to share your feedback. You can also contact us directly at podcast@aicpa-cima.com This is a podcast from AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. To enjoy more conversations from our global community of accounting and finance professionals, explore our network of free shows here.

Guests Matthew Payze and Stewardt Cornelissen join us from South Africa. Together we discuss their experiences in studying for CGMA, and share their advice and views on studying for the qualification via the FLP pathway.   The CGMA Finance Leadership Programme (FLP) is the online pathway to the prestigious Chartered Institute of Management Accountants' Professional Qualification. Find out more about the FLP at https://enroll.cgma.org/ or https://www.aicpa-cima.com/resources/landing/the-cgma-r-finance-leadership-program. CONNECT  If you're on LinkedIn, feel free to connect with show host Kevin Gormley Connect with Matthew at  www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-payze-347195198 or find out more about Collivery at https://collivery.net/ Connect with Stewardt at https://www.linkedin.com/in/stewardt-cornelissen-0b664ab3/ Your feedback and comments welcomed at podcast@aicpa-cima.com This is a podcast from AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. To enjoy more conversations from our global community of accounting and finance professionals, explore our network of free shows here.

Our guest is Jason Nye, CIMA's Senior Manager in Operations for the UK. Together we take a look at the UK market for Finance & Accounting and provide useful insights for anyone considering this sector as a career.   Jason talks about his background, the market for jobs in the UK, what careers are open to CIMA students, where people can find roles, and how to start studying CIMA. We also discuss what types of companies have CIMA opportunities and how are they structured. Finally we share some employability tips.  Find out more on the UK market at https://www.tiktok.com/@cimaearlycareersuk and https://www.instagram.com/cimaearlycareersuk/           ABOUT US. The CGMA Finance Leadership Programme (FLP) is the online pathway to the prestigious Chartered Institute of Management Accountants' Professional Qualification. Find out more about the FLP at https://enroll.cgma.org/ CONNECT. Get in touch with show host Kevin Gormley via LinkedIn. Connect with Jason Nye at  https://www.linkedin.com/in/cimajason/ Your feedback and comments welcomed at podcast@aicpa-cima.com This is a podcast from AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. To enjoy more conversations from our global community of accounting and finance professionals, explore our network of free shows here.

Andi Lonnen, founder and CEO of FBP Academy, joins us to discuss Finance business partnering: what it is, why it's important, and how to build the mindset of a Finance Business Partner.  Alongside many insights in this conversation with podcast host Kevin Gormley (AICPA & CIMA, UK), Andi highlights that Finance Business Partners (FBPs) are not just traditional accountants who "add up" numbers, but professionals who "add value". ABOUT US. The CGMA Finance Leadership Programme (FLP) is the online pathway to the prestigious Chartered Institute of Management Accountants' Professional Qualification. Find out more about the FLP at https://enroll.cgma.org/ Get in touch with show host Kevin Gormley via LinkedIn. Connect with Andi Lonnen at  https://www.linkedin.com/in/andilonnen Your feedback and comments welcomed at podcast@aicpa-cima.com This is a podcast from AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. To enjoy more conversations from our global community of accounting and finance professionals, explore our network of free shows here.  

Kevin Gormley welcomes Hugh Martin from Procountancy back to the podcast to hear his views on preparing for this month's Strategic Case Study exam.  Returning podcast guest Hugh is a CGMA and has lots of experience with the SCS. Connect with him on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/hughmartincgma/ ABOUT US. The CGMA Finance Leadership Programme (FLP) is the online pathway to the prestigious Chartered Institute of Management Accountants' Professional Qualification. Find out more about the FLP at https://enroll.cgma.org/ Get in touch with show host Kevin Gormley via LinkedIn. Your feedback and comments welcomed at podcast@aicpa-cima.com This is a podcast from AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. To enjoy more conversations from our global community of accounting and finance professionals, explore our network of free shows here.  

Kevin Gormley is joined by John Bannon, Director at First Intuition who are a Training Partner of AICPA & CIMA.  John outlines the First Intuition FLP offer and also gives his thoughts on the upcoming Strategic Case Study (SCS) exam.  As a tutor himself, he has lots of experience in teaching for the SCS and students who are preparing for this exam may find his insights useful. CONNECT If you're on LinkedIn, feel free to connect with show host Kevin Gormley. Connect with John Bannon at First Intuition https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-bannon-a5b2543b/ Find out more about First Intuition's FLP offer at https://www.firstintuition.co.uk/study-cimas-cgma-flp/  The CGMA Finance Leadership Programme (FLP) is the online pathway to the prestigious Chartered Institute of Management Accountants' Professional Qualification. Find out more about the FLP at https://enroll.cgma.org/.            Your feedback and comments are welcomed at podcast@aicpa-cima.com This is a podcast from AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. To enjoy more conversations from our global community of accounting and finance professionals, explore our network of free shows here.

We're joined by CIMA member and former FLP student Shirley Henrick, who switched to the Finance Leadership Programme and attained CGMA after the opportunity arose during the Pandemic to complete her studies.  She talks about her career, her route to CGMA, and gives some invaluable advice based on her experiences. The CGMA Finance Leadership Programme (FLP) , is the online pathway to the prestigious Chartered Institute of Management Accountants' Professional Qualification. Find out more about the FLP at https://enroll.cgma.org/ Connect with show host Kevin Gormley via LinkedIn. Your feedback and comments welcomed at podcast@aicpa-cima.com This is a podcast from AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. To enjoy more conversations from our global community of accounting and finance professionals, explore our network of free shows here.    

We're joined by Chris Roberts and Kim Hanson from our FLP Product team to talk about the new class onboarding feature that has been released as part of the Skills Plus subscription.   Chris and Kim discuss how it works, the benefits to students, and how this will help guide them through the process of preparing to take a Case Study exam. The CGMA Finance Leadership Programme (FLP) , is the online pathway to the prestigious Chartered Institute of Management Accountants' Professional Qualification. Find out more about the FLP at https://enroll.cgma.org/ Contact show host Kevin Gormley via LinkedIn. Your feedback and comments welcomed at podcast@aicpa-cima.com This is a podcast from AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. To enjoy more conversations from our global community of accounting and finance professionals, explore our network of free shows here.  

Our guest this month is Thomas Broadley, Division Manager with professional training provider Astranti. He joins AICPA & CIMA podcast host Kevin Gormley to discuss Astranti's partnership with CIMA, how they utilise The Finance Leadership Programme as a platform to their students, the experience of using FLP, and his thoughts around the successes it has brought. RESOURCES Find out more about Astranti FLP at https://www.astranti.com/cima/cgma-finance-leadership-program/ The CGMA Finance Leadership Programme (FLP) is the online pathway to the prestigious Chartered Institute of Management Accountants' Professional Qualification. Find out more about the FLP at https://enroll.cgma.org/ CONNECT  If you're on LinkedIn, feel free to connect with show host Kevin Gormley or episode guest Thomas Broadley  Your feedback and comments welcomed at podcast@aicpa-cima.com This is a podcast from AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. To enjoy more conversations from our global community of accounting and finance professionals, explore our network of free shows here.

Our guest Iryna McDonald explores elements of the upcoming MCS (Management Case Study) exam in August 2024. These insights make this episode a 'must-listen' for any students at this level. Not only is our guest a Tutor at Kaplan Financial, the Association's Premium partner for the CGMA Finance Leadership Programme (FLP), Iryna herself also holds a CGMA Professional Qualification. She talks to podcast host Kevin Gormley (AICPA & CIMA, Ireland) about the Management level, and details the preparation needed for the upcoming MCS exam. RESOURCES See the CIMA Study Hub for past papers and information on exam preparation. https://hub.cimaglobal.com/ The CGMA Finance Leadership Programme (FLP) is the online pathway to the prestigious Chartered Institute of Management Accountants' Professional Qualification. Find out more about the FLP at https://enroll.cgma.org/ GET IN TOUCH Connect with show host Kevin Gormley via LinkedIn. You'll find podcast guest Iryna McDonald there too. Your feedback and comments welcomed at podcast@aicpa-cima.com This is a podcast from AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. To enjoy more conversations from our global community of accounting and finance professionals, explore our network of free shows here.  

We're joined today by Hugh Martin, Director Of Content for VIVA Financial Tuition, to talk about the upcoming Strategic Case Study exam in May 2024. Hugh shares his vast experience on the Strategic Case Study exam and specifically the upcoming May 2024 session featuring a security company called Saefwell. This is a must-listen for anyone about to, or planning to, sit the exam in May or August 2024, and also for future students who want to understand the dynamics of sitting the SCS.     ABOUT  The CGMA Finance Leadership Programme (FLP) , is the online pathway to the prestigious Chartered Institute of Management Accountants' Professional Qualification. Find out more about the FLP at https://enroll.cgma.org/ CONNECT Guest, Hugh Martin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/hughmartincgma/   Contact show host Kevin Gormley via https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevingormley/ Your feedback and comments welcomed at podcast@aicpa-cima.com This is a podcast from AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. To enjoy more conversations from our global community of accounting and finance professionals, explore our network of free shows here.  

We're joined by John Bennett from our learning partner Kaplan to talk about the upcoming Operational Case Study (OCS) exam scheduled for May 2024.  As a long-established accounting tutor and test-author, John shares his vast experience of the OCS. He offers practical insights on this May's upcoming exam featuring a company called Kanann that designs and sells saddles for horse riding.   This is a must for anyone about to - or planning to - sit the exam in May or August 2024, and also for future students who want to understand the main dynamics of the OCS.   MORE The CGMA Finance Leadership Programme (FLP) is the online pathway to the prestigious Chartered Institute of Management Accountants' Professional Qualification. Find out more about the FLP at https://enroll.cgma.org/. Access the CGMA Study Hub at https://hub.cimaglobal.com. Contact show host Kevin Gormley via LinkedIn. Your feedback and comments are always welcome at podcast@aicpa-cima.com This is a podcast from AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. To enjoy more conversations from our global community of accounting and finance professionals, explore our network of free shows here.

Kevin Gormley is joined by colleague Paul Parks (CPA, CGMA), a Director at AICPA & CIMA, to talk about AI - in particular Generative AI - and its potential impact on the world of accounting and finance businesses.  Generative AI is a recent and rapidly advancing branch of AI which focuses on creating new, original content across mediums without simply replicating existing data. This episode of the podcast aims to demystify AI's role and explore its potential, especially in the accounting and finance business while also considering ethical sourcing and referencing. RESOURCES. Get this free, specially-compiled list of AI resources from across our podcasts, publications and websites. https://assets.libsyn.com/show/122884/FLP_PODCAST_195_AI_resources.pdf CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST. Paul Parks is at https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-parks-cpa-cgma-965b506/  ABOUT. The CGMA Finance Leadership Programme (FLP) , is the online pathway to the prestigious Chartered Institute of Management Accountants' Professional Qualification. Find out more about the FLP at https://enroll.cgma.org/ Connect with show host Kevin Gormley via LinkedIn. Your feedback and comments welcomed at podcast@aicpa-cima.com This is a podcast from AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. To enjoy more conversations from our global community of accounting and finance professionals, explore our network of free shows here.  

We're joined by Jeremy Osborn (AICPA global head of ESG) & Simon Bittlestone (CIMA Deputy President and Director at Metapraxis) to talk about the impact of ESG on the world of accounting and finance. Both contributors come with a wealth of knowledge and experience in this area and share their thoughts on the matter.         ABOUT The CGMA Finance Leadership Programme (FLP) , is the online pathway to the prestigious Chartered Institute of Management Accountants' Professional Qualification. Find out more about the FLP at https://enroll.cgma.org/ CONNECT Dr. Jeremy Osborn is on LinkedIn here. Simon Bittlestone is at linkedin.com/in/simon-bittlestone Show host Kevin Gormley is there too at  https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevingormley/ Your feedback and comments welcomed at podcast@aicpa-cima.com   This is a podcast from AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. To enjoy more conversations from our global community of accounting and finance professionals, explore our network of free shows at https://aicpa-cima.com/podcast.  

We're joined by Lyndsay Falconer, one of the first to move across when AICPA launched the programme in the UK. Lyndsay transferred to the FLP pathway in Sept '22 to complete her studies and get the CGMA designation. She talks about her motivation to study on this pathway and about her experiences using the new learning platform .         ABOUT The CGMA Finance Leadership Programme (FLP) , is the online pathway to the prestigious Chartered Institute of Management Accountants' Professional Qualification. Find out more about the FLP at https://enroll.cgma.org/ CONNECT Our guest Lyndsay Falconer is on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyndsay-falconer-acma-cgma-72a91448/.  Show host Kevin Gormley is there too at  https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevingormley/ Your feedback and comments welcomed at podcast@aicpa-cima.com This is a podcast from AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. To enjoy more conversations from our global community of accounting and finance professionals, explore our network of free shows here.    

We're joined by Richmond Adu Addo, a Tax Associate at Deloitte based in Ghana, West Africa. Richmond has recently completed his CGMA studies via the CGMA Finance Leadership Programme and shares his thoughts on the value of CGMA and his experience of using the FLP platform.          The CGMA Finance Leadership Programme (FLP) is the online pathway to the prestigious Chartered Institute of Management Accountants' Professional Qualification. Find out more about the FLP at https://enroll.cgma.org and explore the CIMA Study Hub at hub.cimaglobal.com              CONNECT Our guest is Richmond Adu Addo Connect with show host Kevin Gormley via LinkedIn. Send feedback and comments to podcast@aicpa-cima.com This is a podcast from AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. To enjoy more conversations from our global community of accounting and finance professionals, explore our network of free shows here.

Nasheen Wuisman, Senior Manager- Academic Progression at AICPA & CIMA,  discusses the 'little book of secrets'. This is a new resource available to our students that are preparing for the Case Study exams. The key benefit of this resource is to assist in targeting students attention to key preparation tools and techniques if they are short on time. LINKS View 'The Little Book of Secrets' here. Connect with episode guest Nasheen Wuisman. The CGMA Finance Leadership Programme (FLP) , is the online pathway to the prestigious Chartered Institute of Management Accountants' Professional Qualification. Find out more about the FLP at https://enroll.cgma.org/ You'll find show host Kevin Gormley on LinkedIn. Your feedback and comments welcomed at podcast@aicpa-cima.com This is a podcast from AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. To enjoy more conversations from our global community of accounting and finance professionals, explore our network of free shows here.  

Stuart Pedley-Smith is head of Learning at Kaplan, the Association's Premium partner for the CGMA Finance Leadership programme. As a teacher of the Strategic Case Study, his conversation with show host Kevin makes this episode an essential listen for any student about to sit this exam. TALKING POINTS the Strategic level and the preparation needed for the Strategic Case Study exam key areas to fully prepare a student for the end of level exam the most common exam pitfalls to watch out for, and how to overcome them. LINKS The CGMA Finance Leadership Programme (FLP) is the online pathway to the prestigious Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) Professional Qualification. Find out more about FLP at https://enroll.cgma.org. View the Skills Premium class schedule.                          Hear Stuart's 'Learn Better' podcast or check out his blog at https://pedley-smith.uk/ Connect with show host Kevin Gormley via LinkedIn. Your feedback and comments welcomed at podcast@aicpa-cima.com This is a podcast from AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. To enjoy more conversations from our global community of accounting and finance professionals, explore our network of free shows here.