Shared Services & Outsourcing Week Conference
Main Day Three, Thursday, 18 September, 2025
8:00 am - 9:00 am
Breakfast and Networking
9:00 am - 9:10 am
Chairperson's Opening Remarks
9:10 am - 9:40 am
The New Metrics: Measure Strategic Value in Shared Services
Tonia McMillan -
Vice President of Human Resources, Strategy and Shared Services,
Amtrak
Carlos Santos - Head - North America Shared Services, Amrize
Ian Thompson - Owner, Clear Cycle Advisors
Majella Lavin - Director, Global Process Owner C2C, Ball Corporation
Amit Yadav - Head, Global Business Services, Tenneco
The modern Shared Services Organization isn't just a cost-cutting machine; it's a strategic powerhouse. So, how do you prove it? Evolving KPIs and metrics are the keys to unlocking the SSO's true value. Forget outdated, transactional benchmarks. We'll dive into crafting holistic measurement frameworks that capture the real story—customer satisfaction, service excellence, and the SSO's direct impact on the bottom line. Discover how to gather stakeholder feedback that actually matters and solidify your SSO's position as an indispensable engine of organizational success. By mastering the art of modern measurement, you'll not only showcase your value, but drive continuous improvement that resonates across the entire enterprise.
9:40 am - 10:10 am
Panel: The Modern Shared Services Leader: Influence, Innovation, Impact
Valquir Correa -
Vice President, Corporate Finance,
Baha Mar
EJ Santos - Head of Farmers Business Services, Farmers Insurance
Julie Schwendimann - Vice President, Global Shared Services Operations, Stanley Black & Decker
Sheneq Aranda - Vice President, Cadence Bank
The modern shared services leader? They're no longer just administrators; they're catalysts for change. Discover the essential traits for thriving in today's dynamic environment. Explore strategies that foster adaptability, drive innovation, and empower teams to excel. Learn how to cultivate a leadership style that inspires, motivates, and delivers exceptional results.
10:10 am - 10:50 am
Keynote: The Art of the Data Story: Moving Minds with Metrics
Simon Rogers -
Award-Winning Data Journalist, Data Editor & Author,
Google
Numbers alone don’t drive transformation—stories do.
In this insightful and energizing session, Simon Rogers—award-winning data journalist and Data Editor at Google—shares how the principles of data storytelling can unlock deeper value from your analytics. Drawing on real-world examples from journalism, global search trends, and enterprise contexts, Simon demonstrates how turning raw data into compelling narratives enhances decision-making, stakeholder engagement, and cross-functional alignment.
Discover how to translate complex metrics into human-centered insights that resonate with business leaders, partners, and teams around the world. Whether you're reporting operational performance, leading change, or enabling digital transformation, this session will equip you to use data not just to inform—but to influence.
10:50 am - 11:30 am
Networking Break and Demo Drive Results
Data
11:30 am - 12:00 pm Beyond Spreadsheets: Unlocking R2R Insights Through Integrated Data and Dashboards Claudia Baqueiro - LATAM SSC R2R Director, PepsiCoMichelle Aguilar - Sr. Coordinator, PepsiCo
The R2R process often encounters a significant gap in readily available, purpose-built technology solutions for metrics and dashboard creation. This session addresses this challenge by providing a comprehensive exploration of diverse and effective technologies that can be strategically adapted and integrated to enhance R2R visibility and control. Furthermore, we will explore the potential of custom dashboard development techniques and API integrations, enabling organizations to tailor solutions to their specific needs and bridge the gap between their environment and modern analytics capabilities.
Michelle Aguilar
Sr. CoordinatorPepsiCo
Process Excellence
11:30 am - 12:00 pm Process by Design: Creating Scalable Shared Services Through Standardization Jeffrey DeWolf - Director, Global Process Office, Tetra Pak GroupWhat 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.
Workforce Management
11:30 am - 12:00 pm Beyond the Contract: Upskill, Align, and Win With Your BPO Partner Robert Lynch - Director Finance Operational Excellence, Ahold Delhaize USADebbie DeSalvo - Director, Americas R2R Controller, Astellas Pharma
Derek Aranda - Supply Chain Leader, Belexim LLC
Your outsourcing provider isn’t just a vendor — they’re an extension of your team. This session explores how shared services leaders can elevate their outsourcing relationships by focusing on skills alignment, transparent communication, and collaborative success metrics. Learn how to build trust, navigate disruption, and co-develop talent strategies that support automation, GenAI, and operational excellence.
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Lunch
Data
1:00 pm - 1:30 pm Turn AP into an Intelligence Hub: Automation as an Engine for Real-Time Data and Strategic Action Jairo Sancho - Director, Finance Shared Services, Align TechnologyRichard Cardone - Director, P2P, Veritiv
Guru Mohan - Vice President, Global Procurement, P2P, Toast
Once automation is in place, where do AP and P2P leaders go next?
This fireside chat brings together two experienced shared services leaders — Richard Cardone and Jairo Sancho — for a candid conversation about evolving accounts payable beyond process efficiency. They’ll explore how AP can serve as a data intelligence hub for the broader business, and what it takes to shift mindsets, systems, and structures to make that happen.
While Jairo brings firsthand perspective from Align Tech’s automation journey, Richard adds strategic insight on how mature P2P functions are now fueling decision-making across procurement, finance, and risk.
Process Excellence
1:00 pm - 1:30 pm Empower Suppliers, Streamline Invoices: The Self-Service Solution Jeff Hoffman - S2P, Operations Director & Transformation Lead, AECOMImagine no more manual data entry, lightning-fast processing, and fewer supplier inquiries. That’s the reality AECOM achieved when they implemented a self-service supplier invoice portal—transforming their P2P function and empowering suppliers to become true partners in the process. With 90% of invoices now submitted through the portal and over 25,000 handled monthly, the result was faster processing, fewer errors, and a 20% drop in help desk calls.
This session will show how empowering suppliers with real-time visibility and self-service tools can reduce friction, boost compliance, and free up your team for more strategic work—while strengthening supplier relationships and eliminating the endless “where’s my payment?” calls.
Workforce Management
1:00 pm - 1:30 pm People-Centered Change: Enabling Successful Technology Transitions Rhea Bauer - Senior HR IT Digital Consultant, BoschJohn Wilke - Senior Vice President, Enterprise Technology and Digital Enablement, Zachry Group
Prathap Varkey - Vice President of Shared Services, JB Poindexter & Co
Too often, change management is treated as an afterthought—kicking in after the technology implementation is underway. This session flips that script. Drawing from real-world experience at Bosch, we'll explore how inclusive, people-centered change practices can dramatically improve technology adoption and long-term success.
You’ll learn how to build a diverse coalition of impacted employees—from plant sites to the corporate office—before requirements are finalized. Discover how bringing together voices from across roles and levels, early involvement in requirement gathering, and flexible, user-informed communication strategies help reduce resistance and increase buy-in.
From engaging stakeholders early to tailoring messaging by role and work environment, this session provides a roadmap for embedding change leadership into every phase of your transformation journey.
Prathap Varkey
Vice President of Shared ServicesJB Poindexter & Co
1:30 pm - 1:35 pm
Transition Break
Data
1:35 pm - 2:05 pm From Transactions to Insights: How Data Analysis Adds Value Across Shared Services Mina Gindi - Global Director, Finance Shared Services, National Oilwell VarcoIn today’s Shared Services environment, data isn’t just about reporting—it’s about revealing opportunity. In this session, Mina Gindi will explore how targeted data analysis within invoice distribution and order-to-cash (O2C) processes can uncover inefficiencies, enhance service delivery, and generate measurable business value. From building dashboards that drive decision-making to crafting data stories that resonate with leadership, this session will show how to turn transactional data into strategic insight. Attendees will walk away with practical methods for visualizing performance, aligning metrics to executive priorities, and using data to prove—and elevate—the value of Shared Services across the enterprise.
Process Excellence
1:35 pm - 2:05 pm Global R2R Standardization: Achieve Consistency and Efficiency Matt Lorey - Director, Record-to-Report Shared Services, CRHYvonne Swiatek-Marcinkiewicz - Global R2R Director, ADM
Standardizing Record to Report processes across global organizations is a critical endeavor to ensure consistency, improve performance, and mitigate risks in today's interconnected business environment. This session will delve into the multifaceted challenges and strategic approaches involved in establishing a unified R2R framework. We will explore the development of globally applicable process maps, standardized templates, and consistent data definitions, enabling organizations to achieve a harmonized approach to financial reporting across diverse geographic regions.
Workforce Management
1:35 pm - 2:05 pm Level Up Your Team: Skills for the FutureThe robots are coming...and that's a good thing! Automation is reshaping all shared services, creating a demand for more analytical and strategic skills. We'll explore targeted training programs, mentorship opportunities, and development initiatives that focus on critical thinking, problem-solving, and data-driven decision-making. Learn how to identify talent, assess skill gaps, and create a roadmap for developing a high-performing, strategically focused team.
2:05 pm - 2:10 pm
Transition
2:10 pm - 2:40 pm
Build the Ecosystem of Collaboration: Breakdown Internal and External Silos for Competitive Advantage
Kelly Litster -
SVP,
DCD Automotive Holdings
The era of isolated departments and fragmented supply chains is over. Competitive advantage is now forged through dynamic, interconnected ecosystems. Strategies for dismantling internal and external silos, fostering a culture of seamless collaboration across the value chain, will be explored. Cultivate cross-functional partnerships, leverage technology for real-time data sharing and transparent communication, and build strong, trust-based relationships with suppliers, customers, and strategic partners.
