Recording from Economist Event: AI for CFOs panel discussion

Artificial intelligence is reshaping the role of finance executives, equipping them to manage risk more effectively, detect fraudulent activity, and simulate the outcomes of strategic decisions, operational changes, and investment choices. The question remains: will it elevate chief financial officers to the status of corporate heroes – or will computational inaccuracies undermine their professional standing?

AI tools like chatbots and natural language processing (NLP) are reshaping how finance teams work. From streamlining routine queries to automating data retrieval and financial reporting, these technologies are enabling finance leaders to focus on higher-value tasks. How can finance leaders use AI tools to improve efficiency, enhance decision-making, and improve workflows?

Discussion topics:

• How can AI-powered tools reduce inefficiencies in financial operations while supporting decision-making?
• What opportunities do chatbots and NLP offer for automating routine finance tasks like invoice processing and forecasting?
• How can finance leaders measure the ROI of implementing AI in their workflows?

Speakers:

• Jarek Wojnarowski, Vice-President Global Business Services Management - Pandora
• Rajeev Jain, Leader Finance Operations Transformations - HP
• Jaci Badenhorst, Head of Software Engineering, Performance Insights Centre of Excellence - NatWest
• Michelle Le Merre, Finance Director, Corporate Development Strategy, BAE Systems
• Priyanka Singhal, Vice-President AI Transformation - U.S. Bank
• Shane Afolabi, Head of Pre-Sales, Wolters Kluwer

Moderated by:

• Laveena Iyer, Global Technology and Telecoms Analyst - Economist Intelligence Unit