From evolving environmental, social and governance regulations to macroeconomic headwinds and the impact of generative AI, CFOs are juggling a multitude of critical responsibilities as we move into the back half of 2024. Finding and connecting with peers and industry experts can help CFOs develop effective future strategies for their organizations.
With that in mind, CFO Dive has updated its conference list to include new information on key upcoming events in the second half of 2024. CFO Dive is also looking back at some of the top conferences in H1 2024 to examine the top challenges and trends on finance leaders’ minds. For upcoming conferences, please be sure to check each event’s own webpage for the latest information.
NAFCU CFO Summit
Sept. 16-19
Greenville, South Carolina
Held by the National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions, the two-part CFO Summit will focus on giving credit union financial leaders critical insight into key topics such as fraud prevention and M&A. Attendees can also sign up for a CFO Forum to be held just prior to the summit, which will offer attendees a “discussion-based setting” to network and collaborate. The full agenda for the conference is to come.
CFO Leadership Conference
Oct. 7-9
Dallas, Texas
The CFO Leadership Council’s fall event will include sessions on how finance leaders can “become a charismatic connector” in order to help drive profitability at their organizations, as well as on transformative leadership. The event will feature a keynote from Hewlett Packard Enterprise EVP & CFO Marie Myers which will delve into the “intersection of strategy, finance and technology,” according to the conference agenda.
New York CFO Executive Summit
October 17
New York, New York
Hosted by Evanta, a Gartner company, the one-day summit will include interactive discussions surrounding the key topics on the minds of financial leaders. While the full agenda has yet to be posted, the summit’s sessions will revolve around three key themes: evolving standards for AI inside of one’s finance team, bolstering cost efficiency with connected data, and how to bridge future skill gaps by revitalizing one’s approach to finance talent.
MIT Sloan CFO Summit
November 21
Boston, Massachusetts
Begun in 2022, the annual summit held by MIT Sloan aims to connect CFOs and financial leaders with the school’s faculty. The 2024 summit, focused on the theme of The Intentional CFO: Innovative and Pragmatic, will include sessions exploring how finance chiefs can achieve a critical balance between practicality and the need for innovation and risk. Sessions will include a fireside chat with Kenvue Inc. CFO Paul Ruh and a keynote panel on leading with intention with ADP CFO Don McGuire, Broadridge CFO Edmund Reese, and Moody’s CFO Noémie Heuland.
Digital CPA Conference
Dec. 8-11
Denver, Colorado; online
The Digital CPA: Pathway to Possibilities conference is presented by CPA.com and the AICPA. It will focus on the latest trends and innovations in the accounting industry. The conference will include sessions on talent and leadership strategies for a changing hybrid and remote work environment, tax compliance, and the impact of GenAI upon the accounting industry and profession.
A look back
CFO Leadership Spring Conference
In June, the CFO Leadership Council held its spring conference in Boston, Massachusetts, where the council — an organization for financial leadership started in 2006 — provided a forum for finance chiefs to meet, network and strategize. During the two-day conference, keynote speakers discussed top-of-mind issues including cybersecurity and labor challenges and the ever-looming question of how CFOs can best tackle emerging AI technologies. CFO Dive’s top takeaways from the conference can be found here.
Gartner CFO & Finance Executive Conference
AI was also under a spotlight during Gartner’s CFO conference held this May in National Harbor, Maryland. While AI spending is expected to expand, it’s crucial for finance leaders to keep a close eye on where that money is going. Finance chiefs must implement effective approaches to ensure they can track the ‘cost, risk and ROI” around those investments, Frances Karamouzis, a senior analyst in Gartner’s Research and Advisory Group said during the conference.
