Priorities, Predictions, & Concerns

Financial controllers play a clear role within the finance function and are experts in all core processes including financial close, planning, reporting, and accounting. However, these finance gurus must also possess a strong intellect in technology, especially as traditional finance and accounting operations are being automated or shifted to cloud based. Advanced technologies help financial controllers analyze data in real time which in turn increases performance and reduces human error, so it is imperative for organizations to have the right tools and technologies in place.

In this keynote presentation, you will learn:

• How to find the right tools, technologies, and solutions for your organization that will help streamline operations
• The benefits of automating traditional, manual finance processes including cost savings, reducing human error, and improved data analyzation
• How the role of the financial controller continues to evolve to embrace new technologies and responsibilities

Ashok Manthena

A.I. Strategist & Author

A.I. for Finance

In today’s highly complex business environment, financial controllers are expected to do more with less, to run leaner while becoming more effective than ever. Technology, specifically accounting automation technologies, are no longer nice to have but imperative to stay competitive and effectively utilize resources amidst new challenges in 2023 and beyond.

So, how can financial controllers apply these technologies within their own organization to be well positioned to thrive in a time of unprecedented change?

In this thought leadership presentation, you will learn:

• Strategies to reduce manual effort so your teams can focus on what matters most
• How AI can be used to detect and help resolve errors and omissions upstream before financial close
• How one organization achieved state-of-the-art accounting

Jason Brisbane

Senior Manager, Product Marketing

HighRadius

Organizations have proven to be resilient, and employees continue to work successfully from home, but how are finance teams managing a distributed workforce? Although remote teams have maintained, if not increased, productivity while embracing new technologies, a distributed accounting workforce can potentially hinder the role of financial controllers. This is mostly due to lack of team building, communication, collaboration, and a sense of togetherness by working remote, making it critical for finance teams to address these concerns.

Join this panel discussion, which will address:

• How to better manage a distributed workforce and ensure accuracy of work
• Ways to implement a centralized business system, such as ERP solutions, that all employees can use to manage workflows
• How eliminating data silos can lead to increased productivity and strengthen communication, collaboration, and culture

Moderator:

Ilana Esterrich

Chief Financial Officer

American Coatings Association

Panelists:

Paradise Le

Controller

Wing

Deon Norris

Finance Comptroller / Founder & Managing Partner

US Army / Norris Accounting & Tax Services

Jeanette Wade

Chief Financial Officer

Planned Parenthood of Northern New England

As CFOs navigate rising inflation, supply chain constraints, a tight labor market, ESG demands, and regulatory uncertainty, they are increasingly exploring how digital and enterprise automation strategies can create more bandwidth. This in turn, will enable a more agile, forward-looking finance organization that embraces advanced analytics to improve decision-making quality and speed.

At the heart of this organizational development, strategies focus on combining human work with AI to form “super teams”. These incorporate technologies such as cloud automation, AI, ML, and purpose-built tools, creating an ecosystem that takes automation to the next level.

Join this panel discussion to hear UiPath customers share their experiences in navigating this digital transformational journey. You will also learn:

• How super jobs combine the elements of work and responsibilities of multiple traditional jobs
• Using advance technology to augment and broaden the scope of value being delivered and engage a more complex set of domains and technical and human skills
• How combining a hybrid digital workforce with a traditional finance model offers new flexibility to enable finance teams to focus on core strategic agenda items, while promoting new employee, customer, and supplier experiences

Simon Brock

Director Finance Transformation

Cisco

Moderator:

Stephen Faulkner

Vice President, Global CFO Industry Lead

UiPath

The AP automation process has five inherent inefficiencies that every AP team is forced to address. Solving these challenges requires constant human intervention, which can slow you down and prevent you from successfully achieving your tech stack’s intended ROI. So, how can your team mitigate bottlenecks to avoid incomplete and inaccurate data extraction or the inability to validate invoice data?

In this thought leadership session, you will learn how AI can help you overcome common AP process challenges, including:

• Failure to code non-PO invoices
• Difficulties with PO matching and reconciliation
• Lack of thorough auditing for duplicates, correct POs, and compliance issues

Imran Gohar

Principal Solutions Consultant

AppZen

Challenges surrounding talent retention, acquisition, and development continue to make headlines, and organizations are struggling to find qualified, diverse candidates to join their finance teams. However, all is not lost, and financial controllers can work closely with their HR departments to strengthen employee retention strategies to ensure their teams are satisfied in their roles. Successful strategies include offering upskilling and reskilling programs for employees to further their careers, encouraging feedback through surveys, and providing mentorship programs that strengthen core competencies.

Join this insightful panel discussion, which will uncover:

• How to address employee burnout and boost morale to retain top finance talent
• Providing employees with learning opportunities for finance and accounting that will solidify retention and encourage employees to invest in their careers
• Ways to overcome the great resignation and competition on talent

Moderator:

Stacy Snider

Senior Vice President - Finance & Accounting Direct Hire

Addison Group

Panelists:

Valquir Correa

Vice President of Corporate Finance

Baha Mar

John Hugo

Vice President, Financials Products and Go to Market

Workday

Derrick Walker

Finance Manager-Technology Process and Reporting

Nike