Core Insights - The City of Atlanta is modernizing its constituent services by expanding its partnership with Oracle and Deloitte, selecting Oracle Permitting and Licensing (OPAL) to enhance city planning, zoning, permitting, code enforcement, and inspections [1] - This initiative aims to streamline citizen services, reduce processing times, and support economic growth in Atlanta, which is projected to see a 30% population increase by 2050 [1] - The implementation of Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications has already led to increased productivity, cost reductions, and improved financial controls, with expected savings of $17.5 million over a 10-year period [1] Group 1: Project Overview - The City of Atlanta is adopting a unified IT approach by consolidating permitting within existing cloud infrastructure, which will minimize disparate systems and reduce maintenance overhead [1] - The project aims to enhance transparency and tracking for staff, businesses, and residents, automate reviews and workflows, and minimize approval bottlenecks [1] - Mayor Andre Dickens emphasized the project's importance in delivering affordable housing and creating inclusive neighborhoods [1] Group 2: Technology and Partnerships - Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications, including ERP, EPM, and HCM, are being utilized to improve financial reporting, planning, and HR processes, providing a comprehensive suite of AI-powered applications [1] - Deloitte has been a trusted advisor to the City of Atlanta for nearly nine years, leading the implementation of the current ATLcloud ERP solution, which positions them well for the new permitting system [1] - The collaboration between Deloitte and Oracle aims to leverage government and AI expertise to create a community-centric, data-driven approach for operational excellence [1]

Group 1 - The company expects revenue of approximately $5.1 billion in 2026, representing a year-over-year growth of about 6%, with a strong performance anticipated in Q4 2025, particularly in the Pearson VUE segment showing mid-single-digit growth [1] Group 2 - The company is accelerating the integration of AI and digital technologies, planning to expand its digital product line and penetrate emerging markets, while establishing strategic partnerships with tech companies like Salesforce and Deloitte to drive transformation [2] Group 3 - The international higher education market remains challenging, with immigration policies potentially impacting the demand for English language testing, and federal hiring and spending headwinds posing pressure on the PDRI business, which may lead to fluctuations in future performance [3]

Core Insights - The focus of sustainability efforts by European enterprises is shifting from regulatory compliance to achieving measurable financial and operational outcomes [1] - European firms are aligning their strategies with the renewable energy transition to manage energy exposure, support decarbonization, and capture new growth opportunities [1] Group 1: Sustainability Practices - Enterprises are investing in integrated environmental, social, and governance (ESG) data architectures that connect sustainability information across various functions such as finance, procurement, HR, and operations [1] - Organizations are seeking solutions for supply chain and product-level transparency to gain deeper insights into carbon emissions and workforce practices [1] - Digital sustainability solutions are being adopted as the region's energy mix shifts toward renewables and emissions decline [1] Group 2: Market Trends and Provider Insights - The digital sustainability market in Europe is maturing, with providers focusing on clear, outcome-driven use cases [1] - Enterprises are looking for providers that can deliver concrete environmental, social, and economic outcomes through transparent, data-driven models [1] - The report evaluates 70 unique providers across three quadrants, naming leaders such as Accenture, Capgemini, and IBM in multiple categories [1] Group 3: Technology and Data Integration - By integrating sustainability data with real-time decision-support tools, organizations are gaining visibility into industrial processes, which supports cost control and reduces environmental impact [1] - Providers are facilitating this shift with data-driven blueprints and operating models that clarify roles and responsibilities across various functions [1] - The deployment of GenAI is noted for producing qualitative narratives for corporate sustainability reporting [1]

Core Insights - Accenture plc is a global professional services company providing strategy, consulting, digital, technology, and operations services, operating in over 120 countries and competing with firms like IBM, Deloitte, and Capgemini [1] Stock Performance - Accenture's stock recently closed at $236.76, reflecting a 1.6% decline from the previous close, underperforming compared to the broader market where the S&P 500 rose by 0.47% [3] - The company's shares have decreased by 14.27% prior to the recent session, indicating underperformance against the Computer and Technology sector and the S&P 500 [3] Insider Transactions - Sweet Julie Spellman, Accenture's CEO, sold 217 shares of Class A ordinary shares at $236.11 each, leaving her with 21,095 shares [2][6] Upcoming Earnings Report - The upcoming earnings report is expected to show earnings per share (EPS) of $2.87, a 1.77% increase from the same quarter last year, with projected revenue of $17.74 billion, a 6.51% rise compared to the previous year [4] - For the full year, earnings are anticipated to be $13.87 per share with total revenue expected to reach $73 billion [4] Financial Metrics - Accenture has a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of approximately 19.60 and a price-to-sales ratio of about 2.11, indicating its valuation metrics [5] - The enterprise value to sales ratio is around 2.09, and the enterprise value to operating cash flow ratio is approximately 12.21, with an earnings yield of about 5.10% [5] - The debt-to-equity ratio is approximately 0.27, suggesting moderate debt levels, while the current ratio of about 1.41 indicates the company can cover its short-term liabilities with short-term assets [5]

This story was originally published on CFO Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily CFO Dive newsletter. The idea of internal audit as the “gotcha” or “no” function is a dated one: in today’s era, where finance broadly is beginning to take on more of a strategic role, “there should be open dialogue,” between internal audit, the CFO and other key functions, Mike Schor, US internal audit market offering leader at Deloitte said. “There should be coordination as well.” “Of cour ...

Core Insights - FTI Consulting has appointed Mustapha Labassi as a Senior Managing Director in the Transaction Services practice within the Corporate Finance & Restructuring segment [1] Group 1: Appointment and Experience - Mr. Labassi has over 15 years of experience in the M&A life cycle, focusing on financial due diligence for both buy-side and sell-side transactions [2] - He has advised French private equity firms and large European corporations on domestic and cross-border deals across Europe and French-speaking African countries [2] - His sector expertise includes healthcare, technology, media, telecommunications, software, and business services [2] Group 2: Role and Strategic Importance - In his new role, Mr. Labassi will enhance FTI Consulting's financial due diligence and deal capabilities in France, advising clients on M&A transactions across various industries [3] - The appointment is part of FTI Consulting's strategy to strengthen its transactional expertise in key European markets, responding to client demand for meticulous due diligence and M&A advisory support [4][5] Group 3: Company Overview - FTI Consulting is a leading global expert firm with over 8,100 employees in 32 countries, generating $3.70 billion in revenues during fiscal year 2024 [6]

Core Viewpoint - UiPath is gaining attention from institutional investors on Wall Street due to its innovative AI toolkit that allows customers to create custom AI machines, despite being less publicized compared to other AI companies like OpenAI [1][3]. Company Overview - UiPath's current market capitalization is approximately $6.9 billion, with a share price of $12.91, reflecting a daily change of +6.91% [4]. - The company has a gross margin of 83.16% and a significant cash position relative to its low debt of $82 million [7][10]. Financial Performance - In Q3 of fiscal 2026, UiPath reported revenue of $411 million, representing a 16% year-over-year increase [9]. - The annual recurring revenue (ARR) reached $1.78 billion, up 11% year-over-year, with a 12% increase in customers paying over $100,000 in ARR to 2,506 and a 10% increase in customers paying over $1 million to 333 [9]. - Free cash flow grew by 8.2% to $25.11 million, and the net cash position was $744.1 million [10]. Product Offering - UiPath provides software that enables clients to build AI bots for automating workflows, allowing employees to focus on more critical tasks rather than repetitive ones [5][6]. - The company has established partnerships with major firms such as IBM, SAP, Infosys, Deloitte, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Amazon, enhancing its market presence and technological capabilities [6].

Core Insights - Adaptability is identified as a key competitive advantage in the payments industry, emphasizing the need for companies to be flexible in response to rapid changes [1][5] Industry Trends - The pandemic accelerated the shift towards digital and contactless payment methods, making speed and convenience essential expectations for consumers [3] - Global digital wallet transaction value reached $10 trillion in 2024, a significant increase from $3.9 trillion in 2020, driven by the dominance of mobile payments and Gen Z adoption [7] - AI-driven tools for fraud prevention, such as tokenization and multi-factor authentication (MFA), have reduced eCommerce fraud by up to 30%, with real-time detection processing over a billion transactions daily [7] - Embedded payments are projected to hit $6.5 trillion in volume by 2025, while open banking adoption is growing, albeit slowly in the U.S. due to regulatory challenges [7] - Cash usage has declined sharply in mature markets, yet it remains resilient globally, indicating diverse consumer preferences for payment methods [7] Merchant Needs - Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are increasingly seeking seamless financial management solutions, expecting immediate access to funds and a consolidated view of their performance [7] Payment Innovations - The anticipated rise of real-time payments has been validated, with UPI in India and Pix in Brazil leading the way, although the U.S. has not scaled as expected [7] - The rapid adoption of AI, particularly following the introduction of ChatGPT in November 2022, has shifted consumer behavior towards seeking advice from AI rather than traditional search engines [7]

Core Insights - Starling Bank is expanding its presence in the US by offering its Engine software platform to American banks, targeting mid-sized banks and credit unions [1][2] - The bank has engaged Deloitte and PwC to assist in identifying potential clients for its cloud-based banking solutions [1][2] - Starling is exploring options to enter the US market, either through acquisition or by applying for a de novo license [3] Group 1 - Engine, Starling's Software-as-a-Service division, has been licensed externally since 2022 and is currently used by clients in Romania and Australia, with a ten-year contract signed with a Canadian client [3] - The US market presents an opportunity for Engine, particularly among small and mid-tier banks facing technology obsolescence [2][4] - Starling aims to secure a deal with an American institution within the asset range of $5 billion to $50 billion by early next year [4] Group 2 - Starling has established a Delaware branch and appointed Jody Bhagat as president of its US operations, with plans to invest $50 million to expand its New York office [5] - The bank's strategy includes creating a live case study for Engine in the US, either by re-platforming an acquired bank or establishing its own operations [4] - The focus for 2023 is on North America, particularly the US, where there is a growing need for transformation in banking systems [4]

Core Insights - Omnicom has appointed Jantzen Bridges as Global President of Credera, aiming to enhance its enterprise transformation consultancy capabilities, particularly in AI-enabled transformation programs [1][3] - The company is expanding its services to help clients modernize organizations, optimize marketing and sales execution, and drive revenue growth [1][2] Company Overview - Omnicom is recognized as the world's leading marketing and sales company, focusing on intelligent growth through its Connected Capabilities that integrate various agency brands and expertise [6] - Credera, as Omnicom's enterprise transformation consultancy, specializes in designing data, cloud, technology, and operating solutions to enhance marketing and customer experiences [2][5] Leadership and Experience - Jantzen Bridges brings over 20 years of experience in leading high-growth businesses at global consulting firms, having worked with Fortune 500 clients on technology-enabled transformations [3][4] - Her approach emphasizes aligning business strategy, technology, and people to achieve sustained performance and integrated operating models [4][5] Strategic Positioning - Omnicom is positioned to meet the evolving needs of clients who require assistance in redesigning data platforms and technology strategies in an AI-driven environment [3][5] - The appointment of Bridges is seen as a reinforcement of Credera's role as a strategic partner for executives rethinking growth and operations [5]