Chicago CFO Community
Executive Summit
October 20, 2026 | Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile
October 20, 2026
Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile
Collaborate with your peers
Get together with Chicago's top CFOs to tackle shared business challenges and critical priorities facing your role today. Participate in this one-day, local program with peer-driven topics and interactive discussions with your true C-level peers.
Join your peers to discuss the most critical issues impacting CFOs today:
Prioritizing Cost Optimization and Resource Allocation
Driving AI Impact Despite Challenges and Risks
Closing the Digital Talent Gap to Promote Finance Transformation
Chicago CFO Governing Body
The Governing Body Co-Chairs shape the summit agenda, ensuring that all content is driven By CFOs, For CFOs®.
Governing Body Co-Chairs

Travis George
Molex
CFO

Dee Merriwether
Grainger
SVP & CFO
What to Expect
Agenda
8:00am - 8:30am Registration & Breakfast
8:30am - 9:15am Gartner Keynote
Finance 2030 — Key Actions for CFOs
Mallory Barg Bulman
Sr. Director Analyst
Gartner
The future presents many opportunities for CFOs to reach new levels of efficiency and effectiveness. Between now and 2030, CFOs and their teams will find a number of forces acting to reshape finance, ranging from increased matrix decision making to fast-paced advancements in technology to heightened divergence across regulatory regimes.
Join this Gartner-led keynote to explore insight on:
- Adopting the use of sophisticated enterprise simulations
- Key governance principles for AI-enabled enterprises
- Evolving the finance workforce to be more capable of doing technology work
- Redesigning finance to act like a product team
9:15am - 9:40am Networking Break
9:40am - 10:25am Breakout Session
How Do You Transition from C-Suite to Boardroom?
Amanjeev Singh
CFO
Ardagh Group
The need for CFOs as board members has never been greater. With increasing demands for financial expertise, risk management, and strategic insight, companies are actively seeking CFOs for board service. Join fellow CFOs and board members for an interactive session as they share their experiences and offer practical advice on navigating the transition from the C-suite to the boardroom.
Join this panel to explore:
- Knowing when you’re ready to serve on a board
- Pursuing board opportunities — how to get started
- What to expect as a board member
9:40am - 10:25am Executive Boardroom
Defending AI Decisions in Finance
Hosted by Basware
AI promises efficiency, but for finance leaders the real challenge is building trust, accountability, and ensuring audit readiness. Discover how Governed Autonomy empowers organizations to adopt AI at their own pace while maintaining oversight and compliance. Learn how Auditable AI accelerates automation, strengthens financial integrity, and enables you to confidently defend every AI-driven decision.
Join this session to:
- Understand how Governed Autonomy lets teams scale AI with oversight and control
- Build trust by using auditable, traceable, and explainable AI for compliance
- Balance efficiency and risk to automate more while protecting financial integrity
9:40am - 10:25am Executive Boardroom
Governing Agentic AI Without Slowing Innovation
Alex Miller
SVP & CFO
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
Andrea Marin
CFO
Logicalis
As agentic AI becomes more embedded in finance operations, CFOs must balance innovation with oversight. Forward-thinking finance leaders will explore how to establish effective governance, mitigate risk, and build trust in AI-driven decision-making while maintaining the speed and agility needed to drive business value.
Join this boardroom to discuss:
- Establishing governance frameworks that support responsible AI adoption
- Balancing innovation, risk management, and regulatory expectations
- Defining accountability for AI-driven decisions and outcomes
10:25am - 11:10am Networking Break
10:35am - 11:00am Peer-to-Peer Meetings
Peer-to-Peer Meetings
Connect with like-minded peers in a one-on-one setting through Peer-to-Peer Meetings. You will be matched with peers in your community based on your shared interests and priorities.
11:10am - 11:55am Breakout Session
AI Won't Fix Broken Processes — Transformation Starts with Standardization
Hosted by SAP
Daniel Nagle
Head of GFA Transformation, Americas
SAP
CFOs must address fragmented, inconsistent processes that limit AI’s potential and hinder transformation. Adding AI to a broken system only creates a more complex and costly problem. The journey to autonomous finance relies on process standardization, automation, evolving operating models, and workforce development.
Join this session to explore how to:
- Scale productivity through standardization, automation, and workforce transformation
- Embed AI into trusted finance workflows
- Build the operating model, governance, and culture needed to accelerate AI adoption
11:10am - 11:55am Gartner Boardroom
Influencing Board Decisions With the Right Data
Dilanthi De Alwis-Mummert
CFO
Traffix
Finance leaders are increasingly expected to provide strategic insights that shape boardroom decisions. The forward-thinking CFO will learn how to communicate the most impactful data, understand what boards value, and leverage analytics to elevate their strategic influence.
Join this boardroom to discuss:
- Selecting and presenting the data that matters most to boards
- Communicating financial insights for maximum board impact
- Enhancing the CFO’s role as a strategic advisor through data-driven storytelling
11:10am - 11:55am Executive Boardroom
Building an AI-Ready Finance Organization
Allison Lausas
VP & Chief Accounting Officer
IDEX Corporation
Benjamin Oertel
CFO
Miller Milling
As AI reshapes the finance function, CFOs must balance innovation with the realities of organizational change. Forward-looking leaders are building adaptable teams, developing new capabilities, and creating cultures that can thrive amid continuous transformation. Join peers to explore strategies for preparing finance organizations for the future.
Join this boardroom to discuss:
- Guiding teams through AI-driven organizational change
- Training and upskilling teams for an AI-driven future
- Attracting and developing talent for long-term success
11:55am - 12:30pm Lunch Service
Apply to Participate
Each application is carefully vetted to ensure members meet established criteria, preserving the quality of the network and enabling meaningful, peer‑level discussions among leaders from the world’s leading organizations.
Once you submit your application, a Community Program Manager will schedule a conversation to understand your priorities and interests and complete onboarding, including access to year‑round community events.
Location
Venue & Accommodation
Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent MileA block of rooms has been reserved at the Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile at a reduced conference rate. Reservations should be made online or by calling 877-303-0104. Please mention Gartner CFO Executive Summit to ensure the appropriate room rate.
Deadline to book using the discounted room rate of $409 USD (plus tax) is September 28, 2026.
Community Program Manager
For inquiries related to this community, please reach out to your dedicated contact.
