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?