FPAC Profile: Building FP&A Where Structure Didn’t Yet Exist

FP&A careers don't always follow a straight line — particularly for finance professionals working across industries with very different levels of financial maturity.

For Muhammad Adeel Akram, FPAC, that journey has been defined by creating structure where none previously existed and helping organizations translate complex financial data into insights that leaders can act on.

“Each stage of my career taught me something different — from technical rigor in professional services to operational decision-making in industry,” said Akram. “That combination shaped how I approach FP&A today.”

From professional services to healthcare FP&A

Akram began his career in professional services with EY and later Moore KSA, where he developed a strong foundation in financial analysis, reporting and data modeling. He later transitioned into the manufacturing sector, taking on the role of financial controller, allowing him to apply those skills in a more operational environment. In 2023, Akram joined Al Murjan Medical Center Co. as a financial controller for a greenfield hospital, becoming part of the pioneer finance team responsible for establishing core financial planning and analysis capabilities from the ground up.

Building FP&A capabilities in a complex healthcare environment

Today, Akram oversees a broad range of FP&A and financial operations responsibilities, including budgeting, costing, capital investment appraisal, financial reporting and operational finance. His role also involves implementing activity-based costing in healthcare and collaborating closely with hospital information system (HIS) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) development teams to design and refine budgeting and costing modules tailored to the healthcare environment. Additionally, Akram monitors capital expenditures, conducts billing audits and supports corporate reporting — work that requires both technical rigor and strong cross-functional collaboration.

“Healthcare finance is complex, and small assumptions can have a big impact,” he said. “That’s why attention to detail and clear communication are critical in this environment.”

Storytelling with numbers

For Akram, what makes FP&A compelling is the ability to tell a story with numbers. He does not simply report results; he explains what the data means and how it should inform decisions.

“For me, FP&A is about storytelling with numbers — explaining what the data is really saying and how leaders should use it to make decisions,” he said.

He believes success in FP&A depends on attention to detail, deep analytical capability and the ability to communicate insights clearly and quickly, particularly in settings where financial outcomes are closely tied to patient care and regulatory requirements.

Addressing FP&A's most pressing challenge

Across his experience, Akram sees data quality, integration and timeliness as the most critical challenges facing FP&A today. Fragmented systems, manual consolidation and inconsistent data definitions can undermine forecasting accuracy and erode trust in financial outputs.

“Without trusted data, even the best analysis loses its value,” he said.

In his current role, Akram is addressing these challenges by standardizing reporting across functions, automating data collection and consolidation and strengthening collaboration with operational teams. Scenario modeling also plays a key role in mitigating data risk and supporting more informed decision-making.

Automating FP&A in healthcare

Looking ahead, Akram is focused on continuing to build his leadership and business development skills while advancing the use of automation in healthcare FP&A.

“There's a real opportunity to automate FP&A in healthcare — from reporting and capex planning to data modeling — in a way that supports both financial performance and patient care.”

Given the sector's complexity — spanning revenue cycle management, human resources, capital planning, reporting and data modeling — he sees significant opportunity to develop integrated, technology-enabled tools that improve financial insight, operational efficiency and long-term sustainability in healthcare organizations.

Strengthening his expertise with the FPAC

Akram decided to pursue the FPAC credential to further strengthen his analytical, forecasting and decision-support capabilities within a globally recognized framework.

“The FPAC helped formalize the skills I use every day — particularly around analysis, forecasting and decision support,” he said. “It's given me greater confidence in the value I bring to the organization.”

He now encourages members of his own team to pursue the certification, with several already enrolled in the program.