Faced with a board directive to prove that people data grows profit, S&P Global's fledgling workforce‑planning 'team' – just Alan Susi and one analyst – had to deliver without budget or mandate. Alan revisits the hallway chat that sparked the gamble, the prototype Finance killed, and the coffee‑chat roadshow that won executive hearts. Hear how he translated capacity models into CFO‑speak, fought privacy battles with Legal, and grilled vendors before walking away. He reveals the surprise metric that unlocked $42 million, the capacity cliff still looming, and a 90‑day experiment listeners can run to earn credibility.

As recession fears and digital disruption squeeze margins, boards demand proof that talent investments drive revenue faster than costs. S&P Global faced rising contractor spend and skills gaps in growth markets. The CEO and CFO needed quantifiable workforce capacity metrics to guide strategy, forcing HR to evolve from descriptive dashboards to predictive, financially literate planning.

• Genesis: pivot from org design to workforce planning under executive mandate.
• First prototype failure and lessons in Finance alignment.
• Coffee‑chat roadshow that won executive support.
• Translating capacity models into Finance language and visuals.
• Navigating privacy constraints and vendor evaluations.
• Surprise wins, ongoing capacity cliffs, and 90‑day starter experiment.

• Replicate a 90‑day capacity experiment with minimal tools.
• Use Finance‑friendly metrics and phrasing to secure budget.
• Anticipate privacy and legal pushback without derailing analysis.
• Select and challenge vendors to match evolving scope.
• Identify executive deputies to scale planning beyond HR.