Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Access the PDF version of the 2025 agenda here.

Pre-Conference Workshops

8:30 am - 9:00 am Breakfast & Registration

Shared Services Fundamentals Workshops

9:00 am - 10:30 am WORKSHOP A: Shared Services 101: The Essentials for a Leading Practice Organization

When shared services operate at their full potential, it transforms organizationsโ€”streamlining operations, delivering exceptional customer experiences, and unlocking new value through data and automation. Achieving this impact requires not just strategy and execution but a forward-looking approach that integrates technology and prioritizes customer-centric design. 

  • This workshop offers an actionable roadmap to help you launch or refine your shared services model with confidence. Youโ€™ll leave equipped with tools to: 
  • ยท Align shared services with organizational objectives, scope, and goals, and build a business case to demonstrate measurable outcomes 
  • ยท Incorporate customer-centric processes and user-focused design for better adoption and satisfaction 
  • ยท Integrate automation to unlock long-term value and leverage data analytics to drive informed decision making 
  • ยท Plan and execute transitions with precision, navigating change and securing stakeholder buy-in


Shared Services Fundamentals Workshops

10:30 am - 11:00 am Morning Break


Shared Services Fundamentals Workshops

11:00 am - 12:30 pm WORKSHOP G: Shared Services 501: Taking Your Shared Services Operations to the Next Level

The biggest threat to shared services isnโ€™t external forcesโ€”itโ€™s settling for โ€œgood enough.โ€ In an era of rapid change, staying ahead means embracing innovation, from leveraging AI and automation to transforming processes with customer-centric design and data-driven insights.  

 

This workshop will explore actionable strategies to elevate the value you offer your organization. Whether youโ€™re optimizing existing operations, incorporating next-generation capabilities, or further leveraging the reach of your Global Business Services (GBS) footprint, weโ€™ll provide a roadmap to take your offerings to the next level. Topics include:  

  • Quantifying the impact of AI and automation to drive efficiency and cost savings  
  • Designing customer-centric processes and user experiences to enhance satisfaction  
  • Improving data management and analytics to support informed decision-making  
  • Addressing skillset gaps and fostering agility to meet changing demands  
  • Optimizing sourcing models to align with evolving organizational goals 


Workforce Management Workshops

9:00 am - 10:30 am WORKSHOP B: Building Shared Services Versatility: Balancing Depth and Breadth in a Fast-Paced Environment
Ankur Dhingra - CEO, ProHance
Khiv Singh - Senior Vice President & Head Americas, ProHance

In today's competitive landscape, Shared Services organizations must excel in talent retention, process standardization, and digital transformation. While productivity remains a cornerstone of success, workforce analytics has emerged as a game-changing tool, providing leaders with unprecedented visibility into operational performance, health, and efficiency. With Zinnov's extensive consulting experience across diverse Enterprise & Shared Services operations and ProHance's partnerships with industry giants, this session delivers battle-tested insights on turning productivity data into strategic advantage. 


What youโ€™ll learn: 


  • Learn how top Shared Services organizations approach productivity to stay on top of their game. 
  • Real-world case studies to showcase how industry leaders correlate efforts and outcome, for sustainable productivity. 
  • Strategic actions organizations can take based on their level of maturity. 


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Ankur Dhingra

CEO
ProHance

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Khiv Singh

Senior Vice President & Head Americas
ProHance

Workforce Management Workshops

10:30 am - 11:00 am Morning Break


Workforce Management Workshops

11:00 am - 12:30 pm WORKSHOP H: Fostering Leadership Skills in Shared Services

Effective leadership within Shared Services is crucial for organizational success. Get equipped with essential soft skills to lead and motivate their teams effectively. Participants will learn practical strategies to enhance collaboration, communication, and problem-solving. 

Action Items: 

  • Identify key leadership competencies required for success in Shared Services and assess your own strengths and development areas. 
  • Develop a personal development plan to enhance leadership skills, focusing on areas such as communication, delegation, and team building. 
  • Implement at least one new leadership strategy or behavior within your team to foster a positive and productive work environment. 

Process Excellence Workshops

9:00 am - 10:30 am WORKSHOP C: Facilitate Enhanced Value with โ€œEnd-to-Endโ€ Process Behaviors
Dan French - CEO, Consider Solutions
Steve Fox - Process Excellence Leader, Consider Solutions

Sharing Best Practices from the โ€œEnd to Endโ€ Process & GPO Playbook with interactive discussions and exercises, this workshop will challenge and inform GBS leadership, current or aspiring Global Process Owners (GPOs) and Service Delivery leaders with practical models and tools to elevate end-to-end process alignment and innovation across the organization. 

  

The workshop will cover: 

  

  • โ€œEnd to Endโ€ Process Context  
  • โ€œShift Leftโ€ Thinking & Behaviors 
  • Process Ownership vs Process Enablement 
  • Expectations, Barriers to Success 
  • โ€œWhat Does GOOD Look Likeโ€ 
  • End to End Processes, WIIFM, Defects and Customer Experience (CX) 
  • The Stakeholder โ€œCoalitionโ€ 
  • Stakeholder Segmentation, Communication, Cadence 
  • The โ€œEnd to Endโ€ Process and GPO Playbook 


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Dan French

CEO
Consider Solutions

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Steve Fox

Process Excellence Leader
Consider Solutions

Process Excellence Workshops

10:30 am - 11:00 am Morning Break


Process Excellence Workshops

11:00 am - 12:30 pm WORKSHOP I: From Chaos to Control: Data Integrity as the Backbone of Operational Efficiency

Explore the intersection of data management and process excellence within shared services. Dive into the critical relationship between IT and analytics teams and how to address challenges when strategy is lacking. Discussions will cover effective models for integrating Master Data Management (MDM) and data governance as foundational elements for success. Examine power dynamics in data creation, inherent biases, and their impact on analytical accuracy. While AI tools draw attention, this conversation emphasizes that robust data practices remain the backbone of successful automation and operational efficiency, ensuring reliable, bias-free analysis. 


Key Takeaways: 


  • Strategies for balancing IT and business roles in shared services to drive aligned data practices. 
  • Practical frameworks for establishing data governance that integrates smoothly across departments. 
  • Methods to identify and mitigate biases in your data sources before they influence key decisions. 
  • How to design operational processes that leverage strong MDM for faster, more consistent outcomes. 
  • Best practices for assigning data ownership to prevent the "garbage in, garbage out" problem. 

Finance Transformation Workshops

9:00 am - 10:30 am WORKSHOP D: Elevating Service Quality Through Intercompany Excellence
Jim Tilk - Director of Solutions Strategy & Marketing (Intercompany),, Blackline
Quintin Dykes - Director, Intercompany Value Architecture, Blackline

Effective intercompany processes are critical to delivering exceptional service quality within shared services centers. By standardizing processes, improving communication, and implementing advanced solutions, organizations can resolve common intercompany challenges and elevate the overall quality of service provided to stakeholders. 


Join us as we explore strategies to optimize intercompany operations, focusing on reducing inefficiencies, enhancing collaboration, and leveraging technology to ensure seamless transactions between entities. Weโ€™ll highlight the impact of streamlined intercompany workflows on reducing errors, improving compliance, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. 


Learning Objectives 


  • Learn how intercompany operations contribute to overall service quality and efficiency of shared services centers.  
  • Explore best practices for optimizing intercompany workflows, enhancing communication, and leveraging technology to boost service quality. 
  • Discover how to use automation, data integration, and technology solutions to streamline intercompany processes and enhance service quality 


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Jim Tilk

Director of Solutions Strategy & Marketing (Intercompany),
Blackline

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Quintin Dykes

Director, Intercompany Value Architecture
Blackline

Finance Transformation Workshops

10:30 am - 11:00 am Morning Break


Finance Transformation Workshops

11:00 am - 12:30 pm WORKSHOP J: GBS Evolution: Navigating Digital Transformation in Invoice-to-Cash
Eric Joyner - Senior Solutions Marketing Manager, BlackLine
Tom Bangemann - Head of Data Development & Research, SSON Research & Analytics

Explore the role of Global Business Services (GBS) in Invoice-to-Cash (I2C) digital transformation. Uncover trends, strategies, and practical insights to navigate the complexities of this evolution. Industry experts will share best practices, case studies, and actionable techniques, providing participants with the tools to optimize finance processes for sustained success. 



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Eric Joyner

Senior Solutions Marketing Manager
BlackLine

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Tom Bangemann

Head of Data Development & Research
SSON Research & Analytics

Digital Transformation Workshops

9:00 am - 10:30 am WORKSHOP E: Ensuring AI Readiness in your Next Transformation
Lee Coulter - Chief Transformation Officer, CHAZEY PARTNERS

This workshop provides strategy and tactics needed to ensure your company is building the core capabilities necessary to be successful with AI into the future.  


Transformation that includes AI readiness requirements is broader than even the โ€œtypicalโ€ transformations. It creates new departments, new jobs, new roles, new functions, and new processes. Functional leaders, GBS leaders, Global Process Owners, IT and Risk all have a part to play in this brave new AI enabled world. 


Workshop Objectives 


  • Review the โ€œfieldโ€ of AI โ€“ it is far more than ChatGPT 
  • Understand where AI is most likely going to start in large enterprise 
  • Detail a whole new set of requirements that must be built 
  • Bring clarity on the role of GBS in this brave new world 
  • Look for existing enterprise transformations that can be adapted to significantly advance your AI readiness 
  • Go into detail on the big five must haves: 
  • GPO vision 
  • Cross functional coalitions 
  • Partnership with audit and control 
  • New IT for AI 
  • Job, roles, and processes 
  • And much more 

This workshop will arm you with real world advice that you can bring back to either start the conversation about AI readiness, begin to map your own journey or accelerate your existing plans! 



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Lee Coulter

Chief Transformation Officer
CHAZEY PARTNERS

Digital Transformation Workshops

10:30 am - 11:00 am Morning Break


Digital Transformation Workshops

11:00 am - 12:30 pm WORKSHOP K :GenAI and Agentic AI: From Buzzword to Business Advantage in Shared Service

As the boundaries between human and machine intelligence overlap, the potential of Agentic AI and Generative AI (GenAI) to revolutionize Business Operations is becoming increasingly evident. From automating routine tasks to enhancing decision-making and fostering innovation, GenAI is reshaping the landscape of Shared Services organizations in addition to other functions across the value chain. However, the successful integration of Agentic AI and GenAI, respectively requires a strategic approach that addresses both its opportunities and challenges. This workshop will explore practical applications of GenAI within targeted functions, providing attendees with insights and strategies to harness its power to effect impactful transformation.

Actionable Takeaways:

  • Identify GenAI Use Cases: Discover specific applications of GenAI that can deliver tangible benefits within Shared Services organizations, such as automating document generation, improving customer service, and optimizing processes.
  • Promote Security Awareness: Review privacy pitfalls to avoid with respect to purpose limitations and incorporating robust data governance with systematic reviews.
  • Overcome Challenges: Learn to address common challenges associated with Agentic AI and GenAI implementation, including data quality, ethical considerations, and workforce integration.
  • Develop a GenAI Strategy: Create a roadmap for integrating GenAI into your shared services operations, outlining key steps, resource allocation, and expected outcomes.
  • Measure and Optimize: Understand how to measure the impact of GenAI initiatives and continuously optimize your approach to maximize value.
  • Foster a Culture of Innovation: Explore strategies for cultivating experimentation within the Shared Services team, encouraging the adoption of new technologies.


Problem Solving Clinic Workshops

9:00 am - 10:30 am WORKSHOP F: R2R Revolution: Unlocking the Touchless Close
Shak Akhtar - Executive Director, Finance Transformation, Redwood

Join us at Redwoodโ€™s premier workshop to discover how the Touchless Close can transform your Record-to-Report (R2R) process. 

This event will help you reimagine your approach to financial reporting by showcasing solutions optimized for SAP environments, leading to significant cost savings, enhanced accuracy, and faster financial reporting. 

  

Why Attend: 

  • Tackle Key Challenges: Address common R2R pain points such as manual errors, time to close, efficiency and compliance risks and learn how to overcome them effectively. 
  • Expert-Led Insights: Gain knowledge from industry veterans with proven track records in implementing successful R2R automation strategies in large enterprises. 
  • Maximize SAP Potential: Explore how to better leverage SAP to enhance automation, streamline processes, and ensure compliance in your financial reporting. 
  • Actionable Takeaways: Walk away with practical steps and methodologies to transform your financial close into a competitive advantage. 


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Shak Akhtar

Executive Director, Finance Transformation
Redwood

Problem Solving Clinic Workshops

10:30 am - 11:00 am Morning Break


Problem Solving Clinic Workshops

11:00 am - 12:30 pm WORKSHOP L: Working With Your Outsourcing Provider: How to Get the Most Value from Vendor Relationships
Bhavdeep Singh Sethi - Vice President, Intelligent Automation, HCLTech
Bob Carroll - Senior Vice President, Digital Process Operations, HCLTech
Louie Pastor - EVP, Chief Administrative Officer & Global Head of Operations, Xerox

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 can vendors 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?


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Bhavdeep Singh Sethi

Vice President, Intelligent Automation
HCLTech

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Bob Carroll

Senior Vice President, Digital Process Operations
HCLTech

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Louie Pastor

EVP, Chief Administrative Officer & Global Head of Operations
Xerox

SSOW Grand Opening

12:30 pm - 1:30 pm Grand Opening of the Innovation Hub


12:30 pm - 1:30 pm Networking Luncheon and Grand Opening of Innovation Hub

1:30 pm - 2:00 pm SSOW Opening Remarks

2:00 pm - 2:20 pm Shared Services & GBS State of the Industry Presented by SSON Research & Analytics

Tom Bangemann - Head of Data Development & Research, SSON Research & Analytics

In this session, SSON Research & Analytics will present the key trends from our 2025 Global State of the Industry report. We'll delve into critical topics such as the role of Global Business Services (GBS) as a talent hub, balancing the cost-value equation, and the impact of automation and analytics. Additionally, we'll explore strategic location choices and the overall state of business services. Join us as we provide insights into these pivotal areas and discuss how we can elevate the industry to the next level.