The CFO transformation: From Financial Controller to Growth Architect
As Accountex 2026 draws to a close, join us for the definitive grand finale on the future of finance leadership. While the traditional CFO role was defined by the rear-view mirror, today’s leaders are defined by mapping the road ahead.
Drawing on decades of collective leadership, this panel brings together veteran in-house CFOs Catherine Birkett (GoCardless) and Tom Caulton (DNA Payments) alongside Jim Leeves (Co-founder, Shapes) to provide a 360-degree view of the role’s evolution.
We’ll move beyond the buzzwords to tackle the 'Final Day' truth: how to cut through the AI noise to find real ROI, the three non-negotiables for a modern finance toolkit, and how finance leaders can better leverage their accountants to accelerate this transition. Whether you're leading an in-house team or supporting a portfolio of clients, this session is your Monday-morning blueprint for driving growth in 2026 and beyond.
Why today's leaders need to connect and shape a better world
Ever feel like there are too many tabs open in your web browser? Want to think big but struggle to carve out the headspace? Come and join this inter-active discussion based around this year's Sustainability Zone concept, "The Canopy" - a space to connect and shape a better world. What kind of future do you wish to see? We're inviting you to discover, play and dream about this future as Accountants and Bookkeepers. Meet like-minded people, share stories, contribute to the collective storytelling visualisation evolving under the giant tree. Come with questions, insights, ideas. Leave with more energy than you came with.
The numbers you can't see: Why most firms are flying blind on capacity and margin
Most firms know their fee income to the penny but can't answer five basic questions about how that income is actually earned. What's your recovery rate by service line? How much WIP is sitting over 90 days? Where is senior partner time really going? This session exposes the gap between what firms know about their clients' businesses and what they know about their own — and why that gap is where margin quietly disappears. You'll leave with a practical self-diagnostic you can run on Monday morning, and a framework for turning time from an admin task into the commercial input that drives your firm's profitability.