Pre-Conference Workshops and Main Day One, Tuesday, 16, September, 2025

Join us at Redwood’s exclusive workshop at SSOW Houston as we reveal new findings from SSON Research & Analytics on what’s still holding R2R automation back. We’ll go beyond the data to show the art of the possible—how leading organizations are achieving a Touchless Close with 90%+ automation, seamless SAP integration, and greater control. Discover what’s working, what’s next, and how to apply it in your own financial close. 

Sponsored by: Redwood

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Dive into the essentials of shared services, unlocking its full potential to strengthen the end-to-end customer journey. From aligning with organizational objectives to mastering change management, learn how to navigate uncertainties with confidence and ensure a seamless transition for an elevated experience.  

• Align shared services with organizational objectives, clearly defining scope, goals, and expected outcomes to drive success  
• Justify shared services with a comprehensive business case, emphasizing benefits and cost savings to secure buy-in and support  
• Strategically plan and execute transitions, defining roles and creating detailed roadmaps for smooth implementation and minimal disruption 

Sponsored by: ScottMadden

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What if your entire Shared Services operation was built like Lego bricks—modular, adaptable, and ready to scale into whatever the business needs next? 

That’s exactly what Jeff DeWolf set out to do when he began the journey toward process excellence at Tetra Pak Group in 2011. Spoiler alert: it worked. By developing a strong, standardized process taxonomy, Jeff unlocked the key to agility, speed, and resilience across the enterprise. 

Too often, Shared Services teams are held back by fragmented processes, inconsistent data, and legacy mindsets. This session will show you how to turn that around—starting with the building blocks. 

Through real-world examples and surprisingly simple analogies, we’ll explore: 

• Why standardizing and harmonizing processes is essential for long-term success—especially as you prepare for ERP upgrades, new technologies, and AI integration 
• How process alignment gives Shared Services the flexibility to support evolving business needs without starting from scratch every time 
• How to create a shared “process language” across business units—reducing duplication, complexity, and rework 
• What it really takes to drive change: winning hearts and minds, aligning incentives, and getting stakeholders to see standardization not as a constraint, but as a strategic enabler 

You’ll leave with a clear roadmap to build a future-ready process foundation—one that supports transformation, scales with your business, and elevates your Shared Services function as a true strategic partner. 

Due to the macroeconomic slowdown and multiple disruptions over the years, including new-age talent requirements, mounting economic pressures, geopolitical tensions and supply chain disruptions, organizations are required to ensure they are ahead of the curve. This interactive workshop would help you navigate unpredictable issues, actionable advice, digital-first strategies and maintain successful client-partner relationships. 

What questions will the workshop address: 

• In what ways are vendor can bring maximum outcomes for organizations, particularly in their shared services journey? 
• Which Best-in-class strategies and transformation capabilities do providers help enterprises to navigate their challenges? 
• How do outsourcing partnerships help enterprises, including setting up shared services, GenAI implementation, scaling with intelligent automation, and AI/ML? 

Robert Lynch

Director Finance Operational Excellence
Ahold Delhaize USA

See Bio

Is your shared services process a tangled web of inefficiencies? In this 90-minute workshop, roll up your sleeves and learn how to transform chaotic processes into streamlined, cost-saving engines. We'll dive into practical methodologies for process mapping, bottleneck identification, and root cause analysis. Discover how to eliminate waste, automate manual tasks, and implement sustainable process improvements. Through hands-on exercises and real-world case studies, you'll gain the skills to diagnose, redesign, and optimize your shared services processes for maximum impact. Leave with actionable strategies and a framework to implement immediately. 

Embark on a journey to streamline HR processes, redefine roles and handoffs, and turn challenges into opportunities for an improved end-to-end experience. 

• Discover how overcoming common HR transformation hurdles leads to a better experience for employees and stakeholders. 
• Hear lessons learned from HR leaders charged with moving mountains with employee experience as the ultimate measure of success. 
• Learn actionable strategies for adapting to changes and driving success in evolving landscapes.