Volatility is the new constant, and transformation is no longer a one-off initiative; it's how finance leads.

This session examines how CFOs and senior finance leaders leverage data-driven visibility, cultural resilience, and decisive leadership to capitalise on uncertainty and drive lasting performance.

Key Takeaways:

• Strengthening decision confidence through visibility and data clarity

• Building resilient, adaptive teams that thrive through change

• Embedding transformation as a continuous capability, not a one-time project

• Balancing human leadership with technology-enabled insight

• Creating the culture and mindset for sustainable growth

Many finance functions are experimenting with AI, but few have unlocked meaningful ROI. The reason isn’t a lack of technology; it’s the absence of a clear operating model that connects data, people, and platforms to business outcomes. This discussion explores the following themes:

· Defining “real ROI”: What measurable value from AI looks like in finance operations

· The accuracy paradox: Setting realistic expectations for AI versus human performance

· Organisational readiness: New roles, skills, and operating rhythms for AI-augmented finance

· Data as fuel: Embedding quality, governance, and accessibility for AI acceleration

· Platform integration: ERP, IBP, and analytics modernisation as foundations for success

· Human-in-the-loop: Designing oversight frameworks that balance risk and speed

· Implementation lessons: How to move from experimentation to scalable adoption

· Model governance & assurance: Establishing finance-grade validation, testing, and auditability for AI models, agents, and automated decision flows

· Enterprise risk & control alignment: Embedding AI into existing risk frameworks, ensuring controls, escalation paths, and accountability structures are updated for new operational, cyber, and compliance risks.