Agenda - UK CFO Network - The Network Group

2026 Agenda

Your time is maximised onsite through a combination of keynote presentations, workshops, interactive discussion groups, pre-arranged one-to-one meetings & quality networking sessions

Day 1
Day 2

Monday 12th October 2026

08:30 - 09:00

Arrival, Registration & Breakfast Networking

09:00 - 09:15

Introduction from The Network Group & Chairperson

A brief introduction to the event software, SNS - this software, unique to the industry, empowers our attendees to make the best use of their time at the event by designing a personalised agenda and enabling attendees to arrange One-to-One meetings with each other. This will be followed by a welcome from the chairperson.

Harshana Amarasuriya, Global Head of FP&A & Corporate Data, Clyde & Co

09:15 - 09:45

Curiosity as a Competitive Advantage: Challenging and Collaborating with Business to Deliver Financial Objectives

Guidance on developing finance functional strategies to deliver business objectives
Collaborating with senior leaders to assign departmental budgets and support company goals
Incorporating organisation-wide financial targets as a measure company performance: best practice

Saaima Ashraf, Commercial Finance Director, InHealth

09:45 - 10:15

Evaluating Financial Management Processes to Ensure Compliance with National Regulations

Engaging with finance teams to highlight how they contribute towards and uphold regulatory compliance
Resources to increase efficiency in collecting and submitting evidence of compliant processes
Establishing procedures for raising and tackling non-compliant financial management processes

Marcello Arona, CFO, M&G

10:15 - 10:45

From Automation to Advantage: Making your Digital Strategy Work

Financial Efficiency — Lowering costs, eliminating manual work, and speeding the close!
Data Driven Decisions — Unifying your data, gaining sharper forecasts and real time visibility
Value & ROI Focus — Prioritising returns, strengthening governance whilst proving impact

Monica Aikman, Group Director—Transformation Value, Management Office, Aegon

10:45 - 11:00

Coffee Break & Networking

11:00 - 11:25

Workshop 1

Planning for Uncertainty: Turning Changing Signals into Confident Decisions

Kevin McCarthy, Sales Support Associate Director, Wolters Kluwer

11:25 - 11:50

Networking

11:50 - 12:15

Workshop 2

The Hidden Margin Killer & Unseen Risk in the US

Nick Cooper, Tax Technology Manager, EMEA, Avalara

12:15 - 12:40

Networking

12:40 - 13:05

Workshop 3

The Architecture of Modern Finance: From Fragmentation to AI-Ready Systems

Matej Trbara, Co-founder, Farseer

11:00 - 13:05

One-to-One meetings

Intelligently matched one-to-one meetings:

Finance Data & Analytics
AI in Finance Technology & Consulting
ESG & Sustainability
Financial & Business Reporting
ERP
Finance & Accounting Process Automation
Risk Management
FP&A
Performance Management
Treasury Management
HR Systems & Payroll Technology
Tax Technology & Consulting
Supply Chain Management & Optimisation
Travel & Expense Management
Rebate Management

13:05 - 14:00

Networking Lunch

Stream 1 - Financial Operations

14:00 - 14:35

Incorporating Enterprise Resource Planning Tools to Increase Efficiency in Financial Operations

Engaging with all departments to submit data through ERP tools and increase accuracy in company data
Automating business data collection processes to reduce human error in financial analytics
Staff training to monitor real-time insights from ERP tools and adjust financial policies accordingly

Amir Shrestha, Finance Director, RMBI

Stream 2 - Technology & Finance

14:00 - 14:35

Integrating Emerging Technology to Deliver Organisation-Wide Finance Strategies

Working with software developers to select digital tools that organisational needs and objectives
Guidance on with senior leaders to secure resources to invest in finance transformation strategies
Transitioning from legacy systems to established unified financial operating models

Chris Blow, Senior Director, Treasury & Insurance, Twilio

14:35 - 15:10

Embedding Data-Informed Approaches to Finance Management

Tailoring data collection processes to ensure finance data is accessible for all staff
Utilising dashboards to visualise and monitor emerging financial data trends
Key advice on incorporating data to support financial decision-making processes

Harshana Amarasuriya, Global Head of FP&A & Corporate Data, Clyde & Co

15:10 - 15:25

Coffee Break & Networking

15:25 - 15:50

Workshop 4

Reimagining Finance: How AI is Changing the Landscape for CFOs

Mohammad Matsemela, Senior Consultant, FloQast

15:50 - 16:15

Networking

16:15 - 16:40

Workshop 5

Invoice to Return: How E-Invoicing Mandates Are Reshaping Indirect Tax

Sandra Bakuni, Tax Technology Specialist, Thomson Reuters

16:40 - 17:05

Networking

15:25 - 17:05

One-to-One meetings

Intelligently matched one-to-one meetings:

Finance Data & Analytics
AI in Finance Technology & Consulting
ESG & Sustainability
Financial & Business Reporting
ERP
Finance & Accounting Process Automation
Risk Management
FP&A
Performance Management
Treasury Management
HR Systems & Payroll Technology
Tax Technology & Consulting
Supply Chain Management & Optimisation
Travel & Expense Management
Rebate Management

17:05 - 17:50

Panel Discussion: Developing Finance-Based Approaches to Operational Resilience

Shift finance from “risk police” to “risk translators,” turning uncertainty into clear choices
Build forecasting and scenario models that don’t just protect downside
Using data storytelling and challenge based partnering to steer leaders toward bold, well calculated actions

Imelda Lee, VP, Finance Operations, Teads (moderator)
Esther Leung, Global Director Commercial Finance, Condé Nast
Rudmila Azad, Head of Finance, Information Commissioner’s Office
Sophie Li, Senior Manager of Finance Transformation, Dentsu

19:00

Networking Dinner & Drinks Reception

Tuesday 13th October 2026

08:30 - 09:00

Morning Registration & Breakfast

Informal networking over breakfast.

09:00 - 10:10

Roundtable discussions

Join group discussions with your peers on some of the most challenging & significant topics. Each host will facilitate the discussion & give a short summary of key findings in the wrap-up session.

Roundtable 1: Supply Chains & Finance

Jonathan Stevenson, Finance Transformation Director, Incora

Roundtable 2: Tax & Auditing

Sanjay Banthia, CFO, 2Excel Group

Roundtable 3: AI & ML

Rudmila Azad, Head of Finance, Information Commissioner’s Office

Roundtable 4: Talent Development

Imelda Lee, VP, Finance Operations, Teads

Roundtable 5: Margin Leakage

Raakhi Shah, Director of Finance, Visual Data Media

Roundtable 6: Scaling Up Financial Operations

David Rowe-Bewick, CFO, National Care Group

Roundtable 7: Business Partnering

Kevin Lo, Head of Finance Projects, Siemens Healthineers

10:10 - 10:45

Roundtable Wrap-Up

Each host gives a short overview of key findings from their discussion & creates an ideas board to be distributed post event with the presentations.

10:45 - 11:00

Coffee Break & Networking

11:00 - 11:25

Open Forum Think Tank

Financial Risk Management

Ashok Mishra, Finance Leader, Cisco

11:25 - 11:50

Networking

11:50 - 12:15

Open Forum Think Tank

FP&A

Harshana Amarasuriya, Global Head of FP&A & Corporate Data, Clyde & Co

12:15 - 12:40

Networking

12:40 - 13:05

Open Forum Think Tank

Data-Informed Approaches to Finance

Rachel Shaw, Group Financial Controller, Saga

11:00 - 13:05

One-to-One meetings

Intelligently matched one-to-one meetings:

Finance Data & Analytics
AI in Finance Technology & Consulting
ESG & Sustainability
Financial & Business Reporting
ERP
Finance & Accounting Process Automation
Risk Management
FP&A
Performance Management
Treasury Management
HR Systems & Payroll Technology
Tax Technology & Consulting
Supply Chain Management & Optimisation
Travel & Expense Management
Rebate Management

13:05 - 14:00

Networking Lunch

Stream 1 - Financial Operations

14:00 - 14:35

Evaluating Financial Supply Chains to Increase Company Profit Margins

Establishing regular reviews of supplier services and
competitor vendors to ensure value for money
Key advice on reducing cash-to-cash cycles to improve company liquidity
Incorporating predictive insight tools to anticipate and prepare for disruption to company supply chains

Sanjay Banthia, CFO, 2Excel Group

Stream 2 - Technology & Finance

14:00 - 14:35

Implementing AI Tools into Financial Processes to Improve Operational Efficiency

Evaluating current financial systems to identify areas
where AI can increase efficiency
Developing transition plans to phase in AI systems
without disrupting company processes
Engaging with staff to increase uptake of AI tools to expand workload capacities

Matthew Upton, Group Finance Projects & Business Development Director, Newship Group

14:35 - 15:10

Scaling Up Financial Operations to Strengthen Business Performance

Guidance on allocating resources to expand financial operations
Utilising enterprise resource planning tools to highlight opportunities for cost reductions
Evaluating skills gaps in finance teams to inform priorities for workforce development

Paul Ghosal, UK Finance Director, Vitabiotics

15:10 - 15:55

Panel Discussion: Balancing Risk & Opportunity in Finance Business Partnering

Embedding financial insight into strategic choices so leaders understand downside exposure before committing
Using data, trends, and scenario modelling to highlight growth paths that might otherwise be missed
Balancing short term stability with long‑term value creation through structured evaluation and prioritisation

Harshana Amarasuriya, Global Head of FP&A & Corporate Data, Clyde & Co (moderator)
Raakhi Shah, Director of Finance, Visual Data Media Services
Ken Walker, Director, Strategic Finance, Just Eat Takeaway.com

15:55 - 16:00

Closing remarks from the Chairperson

2026 Agenda

Arrival, Registration & Breakfast Networking

Introduction from The Network Group & Chairperson

Curiosity as a Competitive Advantage: Challenging and Collaborating with Business to Deliver Financial Objectives

Evaluating Financial Management Processes to Ensure Compliance with National Regulations

From Automation to Advantage: Making your Digital Strategy Work

Workshop 1

Workshop 2

Workshop 3

One-to-One meetings

Incorporating Enterprise Resource Planning Tools to Increase Efficiency in Financial Operations

Integrating Emerging Technology to Deliver Organisation-Wide Finance Strategies

Embedding Data-Informed Approaches to Finance Management

Workshop 4

Workshop 5

One-to-One meetings

Panel Discussion: Developing Finance-Based Approaches to Operational Resilience

Request an invitation or book your place now