Networking Events

Get more than a business card—get clarity, insight and partnerships that drive real impact during 10+ FP&A networking events.

Roundtables -  Industry Meet-Ups -  Receptions

Roundtables

Establish a Data Culture
Monday, March 23 2:30 - 3:30pm

Building a data-first culture is about fostering clarity, confidence, and alignment in decision-making. The challenge isn’t just about technology, it requires ensuring leaders and teams trust the same numbers, speak the same language, and act on shared priorities. For organizations with limited resources, this can feel daunting, but small, intentional steps can transform how data informs strategy and performance. This roundtable brings finance leaders together to explore practical ways to strengthen governance, boost data literacy, and establish data as a reliable foundation for informed decision-making. Bring a challenge and leave with peer-tested ideas you can put into action immediately.

Facilitators: 
Geetanjali Tandon, SVP of Financial Planning & Analysis, Dayforce
Jesse Todd, Director, Finance Transformation Consulting, Microsoft

Working with Private Equity
Tuesday, March 24 10:30 - 11:30am

Finance professionals face unique challenges and opportunities when working with private equity–backed companies; this session sets the stage for your success in this ownership structure. Participants contribute their experiences, share lessons learned, and discuss common challenges encountered when engaging with private equity-backed companies. Collectively, develop a list of leading practices prior to PE involvement, during the period of ownership, and in preparation for a successful exit.

Facilitator: Geetanjali Tandon, SVP of Financial Planning & Analysis, Dayforce

FP&A in Growth Stage Companies
Tuesday, March 24 1:00 - 2:00pm

Growth stage companies face unique financial planning and analysis challenges as they scale rapidly. This roundtable will explore how FP&A teams can support sustainable growth while managing cash flow, forecasting uncertainty, and building scalable processes. Participants will share experiences, discuss best practices, and identify strategies for balancing agility with control in a high-growth environment.

Facilitator: Jessica Martin, Sr. Finance Manager, Seurat Technologies

Partnership Tactics That Really Work
Tuesday, March 24 2:30 - 3:30pm

Facilitator: Ilana Esterrich, CFO, Planned Parenthood Federation of America

Develop Your Risk and Response GPS: An Interactive Finance Simulation
Tuesday, March 24 4:00 - 5:00pm

Tariffs, cyber hacks, wars and more, it seems the velocity and quantity of risk events are increasing, leading to a state of heightened instability, unpredictability, and rapid change that disrupts normal operations and challenges strategic planning. In this interactive “tabletop” exercise, attendee groups will be assigned a risk scenario and various executive and staff roles and then work through their responses. Attendees will develop and gain a playbook for thinking through the business response, including financial maneuvers, process changes, and looking through the crisis to potential opportunities.

Facilitators:
Bryan Lapidus, FPAC, Director, FP&A Practice, AFP
Valerie Nielsen, Managing Director, Inside Edge Risk Advisors LLC

Technology & Change Management
Wednesday, March 25 8:30 - 9:30am

Technology transformation extends far beyond the initial “go live” date. It is a process that starts prior to purchasing technology and continues well after deployment. This roundtable examines common challenges encountered throughout transformation initiatives and strategies to address them, including laying a solid foundation and encouraging organizational buy-in. Participants are encouraged to share both the obstacles and successes they have experienced to collaborate on problem solving with peers and implementation experts in the room. Whether you are managing a finance transformation, adapting to cultural changes, or exploring fresh approaches to technology adoption, this roundtable offers an invaluable forum for professional learning, meaningful connections, and collective growth.

Facilitator: Mitch Max, Principal Consultant, BetterVu

Managing Capital Expenditures
Monday, March 23 1:00 - 2:00pm

Capital expenditure (CapEx) represents significant investments that shape an organization’s long-term growth and operational capacity. This roundtable will explore best practices for planning, prioritizing, and monitoring CapEx initiatives in today’s dynamic business environment. In this peer-to-peer discussion, attendees are encouraged to share challenges and strategies for aligning CapEx decisions with corporate objectives, managing risk and uncertainty, and leveraging technology to enhance forecasting, visibility, and governance.

Facilitator: Marcus Gadson, CTP, FPAC, AVP of Capital Management, Ascension

What We are Working on Now in Automation and AI
Wednesday, March 25 10:30 - 11:30am

Finance teams are experimenting rapidly—from RPA and workflow automation to machine learning forecasts, LLM-powered narrative reporting, and autonomous “agent” routines. This interactive roundtable gives everyone a structured way to share what they’re doing right now: use cases that delivered value, the guardrails that kept things safe, and the lessons learned from pilots that didn’t land. We’ll use short “lightning shares” at each table (use case → tool → outcome), to compare approaches across planning, forecasting, reporting, and close. The discussion concludes with a crowdsourced list of use cases so participants leave with concrete ideas they can adopt in their own FP&A environments.

Facilitator: Bryan Lapidus, FPAC, Director, FP&A Practice, AFP

Adapting to Workforce Trends: What Finance Leaders Need to Know
Tuesday, March 24 8:30 - 9:30am

New research from Robert Half highlights how quickly workforce dynamics, talent pipelines, and hiring strategies are changing. As hiring trends shift, finance leaders must proactively build strong, adaptable teams.  In this interactive roundtable discussion, attendees are invited to share their perspectives and experiences on emerging hiring trends, workforce challenges influencing business strategy and the techniques they are using to maximize talent resources. Explore what these trends mean for your organization and how they can support your planning for the year ahead.

Facilitator: Steve Saah, Executive Director of Permanent Placement, Robert Half

Industry Meet-Ups

Talk shop with peers who truly understand your pain points – and are looking to solve them. Join an Industry Meet-Up during morning Refreshment Breaks in the Exhibit Hall each day.

Non-Profits, Education & Government  
“Non-profit is a tax status, not an operating model,” suggests that non-profits, educational institutions, and government organizations have their own specific needs and guiding principles. Join this group to discuss the issues unique to these fields, share real-life examples and strategies that have been effective in practical situations. Bring your questions, challenges, and ideas. 
Monday, March 23 2:00 - 2:30 PM

Business & Professional Services 
Consultants, advisors, agencies, and service professionals! Join this open gathering to discuss FP&A for companies that deliver expertise, not products. Connect with peers for tips, stories, and strategies about pricing, margins, utilization and allocation, and project management. Share questions, client experiences, and time-saving tricks as the discussion evolves. 
Tuesday, March 24 9:45 - 10:15 AM

Manufacturing 
Join FP&A professionals from manufacturing for an industry-focused discussion on the topics that fill your schedules, such as demand forecasting, S&OP, material costs, inventory management, and operational limits. This peer-led forum enables open dialogue among finance leaders, with opportunities to share practical frameworks and solutions across different operations.   
Tuesday, March 24 12:15 - 12:45 PM

Retail & Distribution 
In this “industry room” attendees in the retail and distribution space can openly exchange practical examples and highlight approaches that work with fellow operators who face seasonality and promotional aftermaths, margin analysis and inventory rotation, and anything else that helps you stay connected to both the numbers and the customer. Swap playbooks, sanity check ideas and leave with three things to try next week (and a few you’ll never try again). 
Wednesday, March 25 9:45 - 10:15 AM

Receptions

Make connections that last beyond the event at these informal gatherings throughout the event.

• Monday Kick-Off Reception: 
  
  • Tip off the AFP FP&A Forum with FP&A Madness, a March Madness–inspired opening reception designed to spark conversation and connection. Vote in playful FP&A bracket matchups, sip signature drinks and snack your way through fan favorites. You’ve got the perfect way to warm up, loosen up and jump into the Forum with momentum.
• Tuesday Networking Reception
• Closing Keynote Luncheon

Schedule as of 1/30/26

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