Conference Day One: Tuesday, July 21, 2009

8:00 Chairperson’s Welcome And Opening Remarks

8:15 Keynote: The Future Of Financial Reporting - Implications Of The Global Credit Crisis For Financial Shared Services Organizations

The credit crisis and the volatility of the global economy have shined the light on shared services centers and their ability to leverage a centralized operating platform for efficient liquidity management. However, the downturn in the economy is also an opportunity to take advantage of access to financial data and information to provide analytic and forecasting functions to business units. How will this opportunity be impacted by changes in financial regulation?

Learn how to:

• Deliver strategic insights into cash inflows and outflows
• Prepare your shared services organization for evolution in financial regulatory changes (i.e. increased transparency, general purpose financial reporting requirements for capital markets and the regulatory reporting)
• Implement checks and balances to support performance of business units

Craig Chapman, Ph.D.
Kellogg School of Management

9:00 Panel Discussion: Leveraging Different Structures In Shared Services Delivery Models To Optimize Scarce Resource Utilization And Mitigate Risk

There is no single silver bullet for a state of the art shared services organization. Different models of finance service delivery make use of centralized, decentralized, off-shore, on-shore, captive and outsourcing structures. During this session panelists will present analytic frameworks that helped them decide upon their own adopted models of financial shared services delivery.

Learn how to:

• Assess the advantages and disadvantages of each financial services delivery model and implications of your decision in the current economic climate
• Determine the scope of your financial services transformation – given each model, what are the practical guidelines for consolidation, centralization and outsourcing?
• Match performance metrics to each solution and to a hybrid solution

David Lambert Director The Charmer-Sunbelt Group

Mark Weaver Finance and Accounting Shared Services and Systems UPS

Graham Allen Director, Digital Solutions Textron Inc.

Key Shared Services Elements

Key Processes and Functions

10:45 Designing Effective And Efficient Delivery Of Finance & Accounting Services From The Ground-Up – How To Invest Right To Save More For an organization seeking to create a shared services center from the ground up, speedy implementation, effective service delivery and tight alignment with corporate strategy are paramount. However, the diversity of financial services delivery models, automation solutions and internal challenges in securing senior management buy-in frustrate many nascent initiatives to set up shared services centers. Make sure that you are making the right investments in technology and talent by learning how to use the following tools: An analytic framework to distinguish between categories of services and specific processes to include in a Financial Shared Services Center and those to keep local in business units Cost-benefit analysis to determine cost and implementation time (costs) vs. payback schedule A checklist of information, data, analysis and benefits to present to senior management in order to achieve buy-in and support for your shared services center Panelists include: David Lambert Director The Charmer-Sunbelt Group

Roundtable Discussion: Successfully Integrating Outsourcing Into Your Service Delivery Strategy Working with an outsourcing provider is an attractive option to refocus your organization on internal strengths. However, what is the process for making a decision to outsource and what are the implications for business strategy, corporate structures, acquisitions and divestitures? Learn how to use the following tools: An analytic framew ork for the “make vs. buy” decision Criteria to determine in house capabilities and strengths valuation framework for outsourcing solutions Models to set-up RFPs Moderators: Don Rohacek Vice President Liberty Mutual Jake Farkas Director of Financial and Accounting Business Process Outsourcing Trinity Industries

11:45 Working Groups: Linking Shared Services With Enterprise Business Strategy To Move From Transaction Based Efficiencies To Sustained Organizational Capability

In this interactive session you will discuss the solutions your peers have put in place around the following challenges:

• Communication strategies with senior management and business units to keep track of changing priorities
• How to determine if your shared services strategy truly links to your business strategies: warning signs
• How do you know if your metrics and benchmarks are up to date and your advisory board is relevant?

1:30 Panel Discussion: A Structural Approach To Managing Growing Pains Of An Expanding Shared Services Center

The unprecedented growth of shared service organizations which are incorporating additional services from the business units, present a number of challenges such as how to consolidate service delivery from regional offices, how to define and implement performance metrics for newly absorbed services and how to combine often disparate technological platforms. In this session panelists will share:

• Examples of governance structures to avoid disturbance to business and absorb new services rapidly
• Performance metrics and criteria for success to ensure comparable and enhanced service delivery
• Communication tools to harness knowledge from business units and manage loss of talent (close consultation with clients programs, internal formal/informal training programs)

Panelists include:

Mark Weaver Finance and Accounting Shared Services and Systems UPS

David Hebert C3 Insight

2:15 Roundtable Discussion: Best Practices For Setting Up A Captive Off-Shore Center

Globalization has increased the number of options for setting up an off-shore shared services center. However, expanding off-shore activity carries with it increased risk, logistical and legal considerations. Learn to navigate these minefields by leveraging your speaker’s and fellow participants’ expertise in the following:

• Scope: an analytic framework to determine which functions are no longer needed on-shore
• Location: a research template to analyze the area including important compliance issues such as government laws and customs, tax regulations and availability of talent pool
• Configuration: a checklist to create a corporate culture which aligns with home office: setting up hours, establishing protocols and interpreting cultural differences
• Common pitfalls: licensing, documentation

Moderator:

Graham Allen
Director, Digital Solutions
Textron Inc.

4:00 Achieving Operating Efficiencies In Accounts Payables Through Automation To Reduce Costs And Improve Effectiveness

Utilizing technology to improve workflow optimization, minimize errors and achieve efficiency gains is an attractive proposition for shared services organizations faced with dwindling budgets and pressure from business units. However, in this economic climate, there is no room for error and investments in automation must balance expected outcomes with prudent spending. In this session, learn to utilize the following tools to make your AP automation decision:

• Data capture techniques and technologies
• Evaluation method for determining the right e-invoicing/e-pay solutions
• Strategy to establish key metrics for AP automation
• Strategy to establish internal AP controls

John Craig
Director of Sales
Readsoft

4:45 Chairperson’s Closing Remarks

[ Register Now] · [ Next: Conference Day Two: Wednesday, July 22, 2009 ]