Connecting with other financial leaders, C-suite executives, and industry professionals to gain fresh perspectives is a must — especially as finance chiefs take more and more responsibility for driving digital transformation of their organization’s financial operations as well as their businesses’ long-term strategies.
With that in mind, CFO Dive has compiled a list of key 2025 financial conferences. These events focus on how the role of the CFO is changing and what steps finance chiefs can take to ensure they can effectively drive strategy at their companies.
March 5-6
New York City, New York
Hosted by The Wall Street Journal, the CFO Network Summit will enable attendees to share ideas on the latest business and financial trends in breakout sessions, as well as to hear keynotes from experts on top-of-mind issues. “The Wall Street Journal CFO Network meets at a moment of significant change and unpredictability for businesses,” coming as a new presidential administration offers “bold policy proposals on taxes, tariffs, immigration and more,” according to a statement on its website. Attend to “to discuss and debate these issues, provide recommendations to the new administration and determine how CFOs can filter out the noise to act decisively.” The full 2025 agenda was not available.
AICPA & CIMA CFO Conference
April 23-25
La Quinta Resort & Club, La Quinta, California
The accounting-focused conference will offer CFOs, controllers, and other members of the C-suite a look at upcoming challenges in the financial and accounting spaces, as well as insight into how they can make more strategic decisions to prepare for the future. Speakers will include Ilana Esterrich, CFO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, who will be part of a panel titled “The Art of Leadership,” Lauren Pringle, a Deloitte partner, accounting and reporting advisory at Deloitte, who headlines a session on “Keeping up with The FASB,” and Chris Ortega, CEO of Fresh FP&A, who will take part in a workshop titled “GenAI Learning Lab for Finance Executives.” The conference will also offer 19 CPE credits for in-person attendees, and up to 10.5 CPE credits for online attendees.
Gartner CFO & Finance Executive Conference
May 20-21
Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, National Harbor, Maryland
This year, Gartner’s financial conference aims to hone in on topics including AI in finance and finance talent strategy management. Keynote speakers include Admiral William H. McRaven, a retired U.S. Navy admiral, who will discuss life lessons he’s learned during his 37-year military career and futurologist and trend spotter Magnus Lindkvist, who will deliver a keynote on “Transformative Moments in the Digital Age.” While the full agenda is not available, the conference’s sessions planned to date are led by Gartner executives and include: “The Secrets CFOs Should Know About High Performing Executive Leaders, “The Finance Leader’s Role in AI Initiatives,” and “CEO and Board Priorities for 2025 and What They Mean for You.”
June 2-4
Westin Boston Seaport District, Boston, Massachusetts
Held by the CFO Leadership Council, the spring 2025 conference will feature speakers including David Marberger, EVP and CFO of packaged goods and food company Conagra Brands, who will speak on driving growth and innovation at a global food company. NerdWallet CFO Lauren StClair will keynote a talk on the CFO’s role in scaling a company from startup into a public company and Robert K. Wittman, a former special agent with the FBI, will also give a talk entitled, “Pursuing the Priceless: Tales from the FBI’s Real Life Indiana Jones.”
September 2025
Newark Liberty International Airport Marriott, Newark, New Jersey
The 2025 conference will focus on the changing role of the CFO, including such topics as how finance leaders can utilize emerging technologies and “drive transformation and growth as well as deliver value,” according to the event website.
Oct. 6-8
Hyatt Regency, Austin, Texas
The fall CFO Leadership Council’s conference will hone in on tactics finance leaders need to become more strategic leaders. Speakers include Cameron Kinloch, CFO of Weights & Biases, who will speak about the financial workforce of the future. Retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Oakland McCulloch will give a talk titled “Ignite Your Leadership Potential.” The full agenda for the event is not yet available.
