The Performance CFO

Chair's introduction

Andrew Sawers, Editorial Director, EuroFinance

Welcome address

Les Clifford, Partner and Chair, UK CFO Programme, Ernst & Young

KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Leadership and the CFO
It’s not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, it is the most adaptable to change.” What type of finance leader are companies looking for now, and what are they likely to require in the future?

Geoff Cooper, Chief Executive, Travis Perkins

Global Economic Outlook
Which countries and markets are predicted to emerge strongest from the current economic turmoil? Which industries will lead the others out of the downturn? What is the outlook for future growth, and when will we see it?

Robin Bew, Chief Economist and Editorial Director, Economist Intelligence Unit

CASE-STUDY: Forecasting in adversity
Time and time again, CFOs express a lack of confidence in their companies' forecasting abilities. This session looks at the key challenges CFOs need to address around process, systems and organisational alignment to build a robust capability in planning and forecasting.

Andrew Tivey, Partner, Ernst & Young

EXPERT PANEL: Bullet-proofing balance sheets
With access to finance increasingly difficult, CFOs have become more intent on improving cash management, which puts working capital at the top of the priority list.
• How do you tighten terms for customers and suppliers without conflict? How do you sustain low levels of inventory?
• Which working capital-related incentives work, and which don’t?
• What CFOs can do to gauge the health of their banks

David Sage, Partner, Ernst & Young
Jeremy Townsend, Finance Director, Mitchells & Butlers
Stuart Hall, Chief Financial Officer, Pace

CASE-STUDY: The Future of Risk
Today leading companies are creating a competitive advantage by using the economic downturn as an opportunity to make practical - yet valuable - improvements to the way risk is managed. This session looks at the key questions to consider for balancing risk, cost and value across the enterprise.

Ian Livingston, Chief Executive, BT Group
Gerard Gallagher, Partner, Ernst & Young

What is the skill set required by a CFO to compete in today's environment?
How has the downturn changed a company's requirements of a CFO and what skill sets will be required for the future? What does "best" look like in succession planning and recruiting and retaining talent?

Cagla Bekbolet, Head of UK CFO Practice, Egon Zehnder

CASE-STUDY: The upside of the downturn
• What are the factors likely to drive deal activity during 2010?
• Which industry sectors are ripe for consolidation?
• How are companies likely to finance deals?

John Studzinski, Senior Managing Director, The Blackstone Group

EXPERT PANEL: Boardroom dynamics
It can justifiably be argued that the CFO is currently the most important executive in the boardroom, with the spotlight on them as never before. To do justice to their higher profiles, CFOs must re-craft relationships with chief executives, audit committees and other board members. Panellists will discuss the best ways of going about the task.

Tony Bickerstaff, Group Finance Director, Costain Group
David Lindsell, Audit Committee Chair, Drax, Premier Oil, Gartmore Investments
Ian Durant, Group Finance Director, Liberty International
Ken Lever, Chief Financial Officer, Numonyx

IN CONVERSATION: 

Jim Lawrence, Chief Financial Officer, Unilever
Interviewed by: Andrew Palmer, Finance Editor, The Economist

Andrew Tivey

Cagla Bekbolet

Geoff Cooper

Gerard Gallagher

Robin Bew