Finance Transformation Europe 2007 Program

Please click here to download the conference brochure (PDF): Finance Transformation Europe 2007

TUESDAY 23 OCTOBER
(Pre-conference and Networking Sessions)

08:30 - 09:00 Registration and Welcome Coffee

09:00 - 16:30 Transformation Master Class: Transformation Readiness - Are you ready to implement a new delivery model?

Chris Lalley, Partner Designate, Chazey Limited

16:30 - 18:00 Introduction to The SharedXpertise Finance Forum (by invitation only)

18:00 - 19:00 Networking Cocktail

WEDNESDAY 24 OCTOBER

08:30 - 09:00 Registration and Welcome Coffee 

09:00 - 09:10 CHAIRMEN WELCOME ADDRESS

Karsten Soderberg, President & Head of Global Operations, SharedXpertise

Dr. Soeren Dressler, Professor of International Management Accounting, University of Applied Sciences, Berlin; Director, Offshoring Institute

09:10 - 09:50 PRESENTATION: Aligning Finance Transformation with Corporate Strategy 

• Competitive environment leads to Finance Transformation
• Global approach to change
• Driving change through people, processes, and Shared Services
• Key learnings  

Pedro Farah, Vice President Finance EMEA, Dell 

09:50 - 10:30 CASE STUDY: How Technology Can Help Manage Transformed Organizations

• ERP as a driver for best practice process
• Other technology enablers
• Global approach & solutions
• Best of breed or core technology

10:30 - 11:10  PRESENTATION: Automation through Technology in Shared Services

With Shared Services now established and successfully leveraging economies of scale and labour arbitrage effects, Shared Services decision makers increasingly turn to automation to deliver continued efficiency gains. This session will look at:

• Automation levers gained though state-of-the-art Finance Shared Services delivery
• BPO services as an increasingly important option in a holistic Shared Service delivery strategy
• Choosing the right mix of outsourced and internal shared services to maximize contribution to the business

Bernhard Fischer, VP ERP Solution Management, SAP AG

11:10 - 11:30 Coffee Break

11:30 - 12:10 CASE STUDY: Importance of Governance in Finance Transformation - How the governance structure in Shared Services is key to achieving:

• Migration to Shared Services
• Harmonization and improvement of end-to-end business processes
• Scope expansion
• Full support of the company's strategic objectives 

Michel de Zeeuw, Senior Vice President, Global Finance Shared Services, Philips International

12:10 - 13:10 EXECUTIVE FORUM (PANEL): How to Consolidate Finance Functions through Transformation   

• Best strategy for a comprehensive Finance Transformation
• Which functions are best suited for Shared Services and BPO
• Should individual Finance processes be transformed in a SSC environment
• Ideal organization and governance model of state-of-the-art Finance function
• Should Finance functions be consolidated along end-to-end processes

Moderator: Dr. Soeren Dressler, Professor of International Management Accounting, University of Applied Sciences, Berlin; Director, Offshoring Institute

Claudio Altini, Head of Shared Services Consulting, PA Consulting Group

Bernhard Fischer, VP ERP Solution Management, SAP AG

Graham Lyons, Director of European Shared Services, Newell Rubbermaid  

David Peach, Project Director, EquaTerra

Russell J. Taruscio, FC&A Procurement Director, BP America

Reginald Van Peteghem, Director Financial Processes & Services, Borealis Polymers N.V.

13:10 - 14:50 Networking Lunch

14:50 - 15:30 CASE STUDY: Bayer's Finance Transformation Strategy through Shared Services

• Strategic drivers for the decision to build a Shared Services Centre
• Build-up and historical evolution
• Platform for improvement
• Other aspects of the journey to best practices

Edgar Geyer, General Manager, EuroServices Bayer S.L.

15:30 - 15:40 CHAIRMEN SUMMARY AND INTRODUCTION TO THE EXECUTIVE BRIEFINGS AND THE DISCUSSION FORUM

15:40 - 16:20 Coffee Break

16:20 - 18:00

EXECUTIVE BRIEFING 1 (Practitioners Only): Location Selection in Finance Transformation

• Most important criteria to choose a Nearshore/Offshore location for Finance
• Model for location selection in Finance Transformation
• Country selection - advantages and disadvantages
• Challenges and risks in location selection
• Emerging countries for Finance processes

Moderator: Dr. Soeren Dressler, Professor of International Management Accounting, University of Applied Sciences, Berlin; Director, Offshoring Institute

Daniel Bednar, Vice President of Finance and Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Bureau Veritas

Sieb Hoogstra, Vice President Corporate Location Services, OCO Consulting

Russell J. Taruscio, FC&A Procurement Director, BP America

EXECUTIVE BRIEFING 2 (Practitioners Only): Managing the Service Relationship

This executive session will cover the many aspects of managing your service provider and managing your internal stakeholders. Key topics include:

• Governance Operating Models
• Financial Management
• Contract Management
• Transition
• Consumption Management
• Performance Management
• Relationship Management
• Communications and Change Management
• Key Lessons Learned

Moderator: Mark Hodges, Chairman, EquaTerra

Nigel Carrigan, Managing Director, Avis Shared Services 

Bill Cowie, Head, Finance Transformation & Business Services, Tetra Pak International SA

Alex Hamilton, Partner, Latham & Watkins

DISCUSSION FORUM (Service Provider Branding & Communications): Leveraging Brand as a Sales Accelerator

Does this sound like your firm?

“Global leaders deploying flexible, scalable, integrated best practice client-centric solutions with continuous process improvement, delivering outsourcing services efficiently and effectively to reduce costs and meet business objectives.”

If so, you’re just one in a crowd using similar language and indistinct jargon. Consider:

•     Outsourcing is hyper-competitive, more crowded than ever.
•     Buyers can’t tell providers apart, once key distinctions like technology, quality, location, and price have become “me-too” fodder

You will learn how to use your company’s brand as a sales accelerator to get:

•     To market faster
•     More leads and win more deals at lower cost
•     Provider-of-choice status

Brenna Garratt, President and Co-Founder, The Delve Group, Inc.
Ellen Sluder, Senior Director, the Delve Group, Inc.

19:00 - 22:00 Networking Buffet Dinner at the Palais d'Egmont

Palais d'Egmont is one of the most prestigious palaces in Belgium constructed in the 16th century and totally renovated in the 18th century by the wealthy Arenberg family. The palace is used by the Belgian government to welcome international heads of state.

THURSDAY 25 OCTOBER

08:30 - 09:00 Registration and Welcome Coffee 

09:00 - 09:10 CHAIRMAN OPENING

Karsten Soderberg, President & Head of Global Operations, SharedXpertise

09:10 - 09:50 PRESENTATION: The Importance of People Management during Finance Transformation

• Importance of the right communication strategy
• People transition - Managing retention and lay-off of people
• The role of union and workers council relationships
• Knowledge transfer - Work shadowing, on-site training and other approaches to ensure process stability
• Attracting the right people offshore - the importance of scale

Dr. Soeren Dressler, Professor of International Management Accounting, University of Applied Sciences, Berlin; Director, Offshoring Institute

09:50 - 10:30 PRESENTATION: Finding Talented Leaders for Finance Transformation

• Why  great finance leaders may not be the best choice
• What it takes to lead a transformation project - what works and what does not
• How to recognize the ideal candidate

Andrew Kris, Partner, Borderless Outsourcing; Chairman of Advisory Board, SharedXpertise

10:30 - 11:00 Coffee Break 

11:00 - 11:40 CASE STUDY: Managing Cross-Cultural Issues in Finance Transformation

• Introduction to the speaker's background with specific focus on work in Cross-Cultural environments
• What is culture and what do we understand by Cultural differences
• Why do they often get in the way of managing change and how do Cross-Cultural issues manifest themselves
• How do you identify Cultural barriers
• Understanding and using the stereotypes to help manage Cross-Cultural issues
• What we all have in common and how we can use this to break down barriers
• Developing solutions to Cross-Cultural issues and using these to develop an effective hybrid culture for your organization
• The value of investing in cultural education  

John Holland, Global Head of Finance Shared Services, Zurich Financial Services

11:40 - 12:20 CASE STUDY: Shared Services Centre Evaluation - Get Back on Track

• Re-kick of Shared Services Centre by completion of an evaluation
• Re-implementation of the Shared Services Centre
• The role of the local finance organization - What is to be retained?
• Recognized benefits of the Shared Services Centre

Gert Andersen, Director Shared Services Centre, Berlingske Officin

12:20 - 13:30 Networking Lunch

13:30 - 14:10 PRESENTATION: Best Practice Benchmarking

• How to benchmark correctly and what errors to avoid
• What is a good peer group
• Which reference points in performance management are possible
• Statistical guidelines to benchmarking
• Overall results and trends from recent benchmarking projects (Finance example)
• Highlights of World-Class Performance in Finance

Tom Olavi Bangemann, Vice President Business Transformation, The Hackett Group

14:10 - 14:50 PRESENTATION: Finance Transformation - Is Strategic Outsourcing the Answer

• The Finance function under unprecedented pressure
• A breakout strategy is required
• Decision support and control
• The captive to strategic outsourcing continuum
• Key criteria for assessing captive versus outsourcing
• Best owner analysis - are you really the best owner?
• Creating an enduring partnership
• Risks with captive versus outsourcing

Andrew Tinney, Chief Financial Officer Asia Pacific, Deutsche Bank

14:50 - 15:40 INTERACTIVE DISCUSSION (PANEL): The Future of Finance Transformation

• The vision of the fully automated Finance function
• The vision of the virtual Finance function
• Potential changes in organizational roles
• Benchmarking - are further improvements possible
• Should Finance be transformed alone or in conjunction with other corporate service processes

Moderator: Dr. Soeren Dressler, Professor of International Management Accounting, University of Applied Sciences, Berlin; Director, Offshoring Institute

Michel de Zeeuw, Senior Vice President, Global Finance Shared Services, Philips International

15:40 - 15:50 CHAIRMEN SUMMARY AND CLOSE OF CONFERENCE