CFO STRATEGY MEETING
Innovate, Inspire, Protect, Perform
August 21, 2024 | Chicago, IL
A Knowledge Exchange Program for Corporate Finance Leaders
Discussion based gathering of CFOs, Treasurers, and SVPs/VPs of Finance from the largest enterprises in North America
Participate in 4-5 hour long discussion groups, selected from over 20 topic-specific options that fit your priorities and challenges
Each group will have 12-16 financial executives in attendance and will be led by a Fortune 1000 CFO
Opportunity to identify leading vendors that match your current and future planned initiatives through networking engagements
WHAT IS THE STRATEGY MEETING?
The CFO Strategy Meeting is s discussion based gathering on Finance leaders from the largest 2000 public and private companies in North America. The event is invite only and attended strictly by CFOs, Treasurers and SVPs/VPs of various Finance responsibilities.
WHY IS IT UNIQUE?
Why is it unique? As opposed to a traditional conference setting with a speaker-audience format, the discussion group environment demands group participation which leads to a sharing of ideas and solutions at multiple levels of implementation.
NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES
Each CFO is engages with 2-3 vendors on average through networking introductions. Engagements are based solely on mutual interest and a pre-event evaluation process.
DISCUSSION TOPICS INCLUDE:
The Evolving Role of the CFO
- More strategically-focused, more value-focused, more future-focused
- Shift from historical capabilities reporting, performance management and investor relationships to turning data into insight and turning insight into foresight
- Key role for business transformation – has to be both fiduciary and visionary
- Collaboration across all areas of the business
ESG: Environmental, Social and Governance
- How will CFOs calculate an organization’s footprint?
- How to align sustainability efforts with financial priorities and tell a cohesive story to stakeholders
- Determine the timing of implementation
- Compliance with emerging reporting requirements
Getting and Retaining Talent in Our New World
- What kind of talent is now required – different skills, more business acumen, more insight, more forward-looking capabilities
- Most people are not looking for transaction type of work – has to be interesting/challenging/rewarding; knowledge workers – move from doers to thinkers
- People want to move quickly in their careers – need to set out plans, milestones
- Competitive salary, along with competitive benefits are not enough – people want to work for a business that has purpose and is socially responsible
Getting Corporate Cost Growth Under Control
- Improving visibility into the breakdown of corporate costs
- Need to set benchmarks and extend accountability to departmental and divisional levels
- Understanding how to position the organization vis-à-vis issue such as ESG (e.g., how will wthat affect the T&E Policy)?
- Budgets and forecasts as a key control for spending
Cash Management: Do I Have Enough in the Current Environment?
- What is the right level of cash to maintain given current market dynamics and interest rate volalitilty?
- Balancing day-to-day working capital needs with longer-term capital investment to fund business growth
- Forecasting inflows and outflows in an uncertain and volatile environment – continuing impact of Covid, inflation
- Debt vs. Equity Financing
Finance and the Future of IT
- How the Relationship between Finance and IT has evolved
- Outsource vs Build your own
- How Transformational Technology can help drive your business
- Cybersecurity Considerations
Planning and Analysis
- Shift focus to forward-looking information instead of historical – so much change in recent years that historical trends may no longer be relevant for decision-making
- Give transparent, clear and consise messaging and hold business unit leaders accountable for their forecasts
- Difference between budgets and forecasts; forecasts are constantly evolving based on updated information
- Who is responsible for preparing budgets and forecasts; need link to strategic objectives and buy-in from business leaders
Managing with Metrics
- What are the key drivers of your business
- What metrics do you need to measure performance of the key drivers (consider fewer metrics, with more impact, that everyone understands)
- What are the targets for the key metrics – what impact will reaching or missing targets have, what else needs to happen as a result of these outcomes
