Creating the clarity to transform finance architecture for a global commodities trading business

What does it take to move from a fragmented finance landscape to a clear, controlled roadmap for change?

For a global mining and commodities trading organisation, finance transformation depended on first understanding a highly interconnected landscape that had become difficult to see clearly.

Its trading business was supported by multiple entities, systems and data flows, all serving trading activities and downstream consumers. But limited visibility across that landscape made it harder to make informed decisions, manage risk and prioritise transformation with confidence.

The organisation needed a joined-up view of its finance architecture: one that could support scale, create the conditions for automation and help teams operate more effectively across a complex trading environment.

Fragmented systems were slowing decisions and change

Without a consistent understanding of systems, data flows and ownership, change was harder to coordinate and risk was harder to manage.

Key challenges included:

• Limited visibility of systems, data flows and ownership across the trading business
• No aligned target state vision for finance architecture and technology
• Absence of a consolidated roadmap, limiting the ability to prioritise initiatives
• Cross functional dependencies and risks without formal governance oversight

Together, these challenges made it difficult to understand the impact of decisions across the wider organisation and slowed the move towards a more controlled, future-ready finance function.

Turning complexity into a practical transformation pathway

The organisation took a structured, diagnostics-led approach to understand the current landscape, rationalise its finance architecture and define a realistic path forward.

Baringa worked side by side with finance stakeholders, bringing together trading and finance expertise with architecture and data capabilities. This helped ensure decisions reflected both the commercial realities of the business and the technical detail needed to make change deliverable.

A clear governance structure, supported by Design Authority engagement, created a forum to manage dependencies, surface risks and keep stakeholders aligned across functions.

Creating an end-to-end view of the finance landscape

A detailed discovery phase established a baseline of the systems, data flows and ownership that underpinned finance across the trading business.

This created a comprehensive current-state view, including:

• Finance systems and their functional roles
• Data flows across trading and downstream consumers
• Ownership and accountability across teams

For the first time, the organisation had end-to-end visibility of its finance architecture and a shared understanding of where complexity, risk and control gaps existed.

Defining the future state and the route to get there

With the baseline in place, the organisation could define a target state vision aligned to both trading and Group priorities.

Creating the future architecture vision

The target state set out how systems, data and processes should work together to support the trading business more effectively. It also introduced design principles to guide future decisions and reduce the risk of further fragmentation.

Establishing a transformation roadmap

A 3-year roadmap translated the vision into a practical sequence of change, with:

• Prioritised strategic initiatives
• Clear milestones and sequencing
• Defined dependencies across systems and teams

Ongoing Design Authority input helped ensure risks and dependencies were actively managed as the roadmap moved from definition into delivery planning.

Giving finance the visibility and momentum to transform

The organisation moved from fragmented understanding to a clear, actionable pathway for finance transformation.

Key outcomes included:

• End to end visibility of finance architecture, highlighting risks and control gaps
• Defined design principles to guide decision making
• A clear transition path from current to target state across systems, data and consumers
• Identification of priority initiatives and automation opportunities
• Inclusion of change initiatives in planning and budgeting cycles, improving accountability

Finance was better positioned to support business growth, with greater control, clearer accountability and a more coordinated approach to change.

Building the foundation for sustained transformation

With a shared understanding of its architecture and a clear roadmap for change, the organisation established a stronger foundation for ongoing transformation.

The work reduced uncertainty, enabled more informed decision-making and helped ensure that future change could be delivered in a coordinated and controlled way across a complex, multi-entity trading environment.

Talk to us about building a clearer view of your finance architecture, and a practical route to transformation.