THE UK'S PREMIER INVITATION-ONLY EVENT FOR FINANCE EXECUTIVES
March 12 - 13, 2025 | London
Future of Finance Exchange - Day 1
7:45 am - 8:30 am
Event Registration and Breakfast
8:30 am - 8:40 am
Exchange Welcome & Chairperson's Opening Remarks
8:40 am - 9:15 am
PANEL DISCUSSION: BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP - HOW CAN WE REACH FOR THE STARS?
Armand Angeli -
Vice President Digital Transformation & International Groups,
DFCG
Csilla Torma - Director of Finance, Deutsche Telecom
Maria Luisa Manca - CFO Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Bayer
Harry Whythe - Process, Control and Development Manager, Bunzl
In 2023, successfully partnering with the wider business is the goal of virtually all senior Finance executives – enabling them to get a seat at the table and prove the value of Finance in driving effective enterprise decision-making. Introducing a theme that is fundamental to this year’s Exchange, this panel aims to dig deeper into how we can elevate our communication and leadership skills to build a strategic partnership and address the challenges that come with this increased responsibility. Our panelists will do so by tackling the following questions:
- How can we prove the value Finance is adding when targets and responsibilities are constantly changing?
- How can we as leaders be better at communicating our ideas for business partnering?
- How can we ensure we balance our time well between people management, traditional Finance roles, and translating our ideas into business deliverables?
- What do we need to do to make sure our analysis and suggestions align with wider business objectives?
9:15 am - 9:50 am
PANEL DISCUSSION: AUTOMATION VS OUTSOURCING VS RETAINED VALUE ADD
Kauleen Adiutori -
Chief Operating Officer,
Trevipay
John Hall - Head of Finance Shared Services, Bunzl (UK & Ireland)
Khawer Memon - VP - Head of Finance (CFO) Europe Region, Ecolab
Eduardo Serrano - Head of Global Finance Shared Services, Sulzer
Premal Parekh - Former Finance Director/ CFO – Global Real Estate & Operations Investment, LSEG
When looking at the Finance function and what we see for the future, we first have to look at our current activity and ensure we are as efficient as we can be. Ultimately the word on the tip of everyone’s tongue is AUTOMATION, but understanding how to streamline our current activity into what can be automated, what should be outsourced, and what should be retained will allow for the long-term success of automation initiatives. Whilst technology can enhance our capabilities, people are still at the forefront, so our panellists are going to be looking at the challenges of finding that balance by answering the following questions:
- How do we manage the expectations of our Finance teams so that they feel empowered rather than threatened by automation?
- How can we identify what should and shouldn’t be automated or outsourced and how can process mining help us to make those decisions?
- How can we evaluate the options, whilst taking into consideration the global business impact?
- What can we do to ensure that our automation technology stack is always working in our favour?
Premal Parekh
Former Finance Director/ CFO – Global Real Estate & Operations InvestmentLSEG
9:50 am - 10:15 am
Refreshment Break
10:15 am - 10:45 am One-to-One Business Meetings | Peer-to-Peer Networking
10:15 am - 10:45 am
THINK TANK: A.I - ADAPTING TO THE RISKS OF ADOPTION IN YOUR VENDOR BASE
With the ever-increasing use of AI, how are our organizations preparing themselves to manage the risk exposed to them through their vendors... How are we ensuring we are proactive in mitigating these risks? And who is responsible for any impact this may pose to our business? In this think tank, we will be discussing how to ensure you are prepared for any change in landscape, building a task force to combat this risk, and discussing the new legislation that will have a direct impact on your organization
Hosted by ZIP
10:50 am - 11:20 am
One-to-One Business Meetings | Peer-to-Peer Networking
11:25 am - 11:55 am
KEYNOTE PRESENTATION – REVOLUTIONIZING GLOBAL OPERATIONS: SULZER'S TRIUMPH IN IMPLEMENTING E-INVOICING AND AP AUTOMATION WORLDWIDE
Eduardo Serrano -
Head of Global Finance Shared Services,
Sulzer
Join Sulzer in their commitment to efficiency and innovation as they share the secrets behind their seamless implementation of e-Invoicing and AP automation on a global scale.
- Explore the dynamic journey of Sulzer to strategically embraced global e-Invoicing and Accounts Payable (AP) automation, reshaping their operational landscape.
- Uncover the pivotal triggers that propelled this transformative project into motion and delve into the intricate details of Sulzer's e-Invoicing project, spanning continents.
- Gain insights into the success factors that kicked off this initiative and discover the invaluable lessons learned along the way.
11:55 am - 12:30 pm
PANEL DISCUSSION - THE FIGHT AGAINST ESG SCEPTICISM: HOW CAN WE BE READY?
Premal Parekh -
Former Finance Director/ CFO – Global Real Estate & Operations Investment,
LSEG
Hanan Hallal - Corporate Director, Head of Commercial Strategic Finance in Adhesive Technology, Henkel
Kai Zinn - Head of Sustainability Management, Merck
Salvatore Cavaleri - Head of Tax Accounting, Reporting, FP&A, Iveco Group
Finance functions have taken on the role of ESG reporting, but there is still much debate as to whether this is an inconvenience or an opportunity. As it is certainly a responsibility we nonetheless must take on, this panel aims to challenge this scepticism by viewing this responsibility as a tool for proving the further value Finance brings to the business. With ESG regulation changing in the EU in 2024, large businesses are going to have to put more time into ensuring they are compliant – and so the time is now to start preparations to ensure this. This session will aim to answer the following questions:
- How can we view ESG reporting and sustainability goals as an opportunity for Finance to add value?
- How do we start to think about social KPIs that don’t fall under our usual finance competencies?
- What steps need to be taken to ensure we are prepared for upcoming changes in regulation and the increasing importance of ESG reporting?
- How can we go beyond the regulation requirements and ensure sustainable practice for the future of Finance as a function?
Premal Parekh
Former Finance Director/ CFO – Global Real Estate & Operations InvestmentLSEG
Hanan Hallal
Corporate Director, Head of Commercial Strategic Finance in Adhesive TechnologyHenkel
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Networking Lunch
1:30 pm - 2:00 pm
One-to-One Business Meetings | Peer-to-Peer Networking
2:05 pm - 2:35 pm
One-to-One Business Meetings I Peer-to-Peer Networking
2:05 pm - 2:35 pm
THINK TANK: SPEND MANAGEMENT AUTOMATION – IMPROVING THE BOTTOM LINE INSTANTLY
Hosted by Globality
Interactive Roundtable Discussion Groups
How does it work? This is a 45-minute discussion on the topic of your choosing, and a chance to hear and interact with peers while sharing your own expertise.
Group A
2:40 pm - 3:25 pm Finance Transformation During Periods of Merger and AcquisitionGroup B
2:40 pm - 3:25 pm Back to Basics – Standardising, Optimizing and Automating for Maximum Efficiency John Hall - Head of Finance Shared Services, Bunzl (UK & Ireland)Group C
2:40 pm - 3:25 pm Widening our Operating Model, Working with Other Functions, And Delivering Better Insights For Business Partnership Marco Singh - UK CFO, Capital OneHow does it work? This is a 45-minute discussion on the topic of your choosing, and a chance to hear and interact with peers while sharing your own expertise.
3:30 pm - 4:00 pm
One-to-One Business Meetings I Peer-to-Peer Networking
4:05 pm - 4:35 pm
One-to-One Business Meetings I Peer-to-Peer Networking
4:05 pm - 4:35 pm
Think Tank: How Can We Prepare Our Future Teams and Capabilities Given the Speed of Change Within Finance?
Jessica Wong -
Head of Reporting & Corporate Finance,
Beazley
4:40 pm - 5:10 pm
One-to-One Business Meetings I Peer-to-Peer Networking
5:15 pm - 6:15 pm
GUEST PRESENTATION WITH CASPAR BERRY
Caspar's presentation offers a compelling exploration of decision-making, drawing from his rich experience as a former professional poker player, UK’s premier poker TV commentator and poker advisor for Casino Royale. Using poker as a metaphorical vehicle, he will dive into the intricate landscape of risk, intuition, and how to read people, shedding light on the essential components of effective decision-making. While he is an expert in the world of poker, Caspar skillfully extends his insights to broader topics such as leadership, innovation, and resilience and has shared these across the globe. Expect a fresh perspective, breaking free from old risk-averse habits, and leave with practical strategies to make better decisions in the future.
