“The CFO of the future is already with us”, said Arian Musa, a senior consultant for business strategy at Eraneos, and the moderator for one of the panels at Forge Connect, a joint effort by Rydoo and iBanFirst. The event on October 1st in Amsterdam focused on what finance teams and professionals can expect, looking at the future. And if the CFO of the future is already among us, what does that look like?
That’s what we wanted to find out during this event. The goal was simple: gather the right people in one room and get them to openly discuss topics that will impact the finance teams’ work in the upcoming months and years. But we wanted to take it a step further by creating a community where conversations would continue after people left Pakhuis De Zwijger in Amsterdam.
For that to happen, the day had to be more than simply sitting through presentations — it had to be about connecting and engaging with the right people. And despite the rain and cold, over 60 people got together to discuss what the future of finance would look like. Here are the four major takeaways from Forge Connect.
4 key takeaways from Forge Connect
Company culture drives profitability
Wouter Glaser, a serial entrepreneur, kicked off the day with a thought-provoking session on how company culture impacts profitability.
His key message? Most companies focus too much on C-players — the ones generating results — and forget about core values. This can lead to a lack of empathy, an unhappy team, and ultimately, lower long-term profitability.
By the end of the conversation, one thing was clear: building a valued-driven, high-performing culture can boost productivity and increase profit margins, a main focus for finance leaders looking to grow their organisations.
The CFO role is changing
After two decades working in corporate finance, Rita Piçarra, the CFO at Microsoft Portugal until 2023, has witnessed first-hand how the position has changed.
Rita took the stage as our MC and also for a presentation on the changing role of finance. She highlighted how the position is shifting from financial management to strategic leadership. “CFOs today are expected to drive business strategy and make data-driven decisions that go beyond numbers,” she said.
This session was just the first to broach this topic. Later in the day, Arian Musa moderated a conversation between business analyst Niels De Kind and global innovation lead Manuela Godeck, in which they discussed how this new scope requires finance leaders and their teams to adjust their processes and embrace digital transformation. Both speakers agree that using the right tech to interpret data can bring great outcomes, but leaders must rely on ambassadors to act as a bridge between the old and new ways of work.
ESG goes beyond compliance. It adds value
It’s one of the hottest topics in finance, and many are still trying to fully grasp it. In the coming years, ESG regulations will tighten, especially in Europe, so it’s time for companies to integrate these principles into their operations.
Aidana Zhakupbekova, Rydoo’s CFO, moderated the conversation between Florent Mélis from Eurazeo and Ana Clara Sabbag from Marlin Equity Partners, who work on ESG initiatives with companies within their portfolios. Both Ana and Florent shared their experiences, emphasising how ESG isn’t just about compliance and checking an item out of a to-do list. It’s about creating real value for the organisation.
Companies that integrate ESG into their strategy build stronger brands, attracting investors’ attention and increasing profitability. But to achieve this, you first need to take a step back and measure what matters. As Aidana mentioned: “we can’t fix something we don’t know is wrong”, and those who want to stay ahead must start doing that today.
AI will be finance’s greatest ally
As we kept glimpsing into the future of finance, one thing was certain: AI will take centre stage , becoming the greatest ally for teams (and leaders) who want to be more strategically involved.
Nicolas Boucher, an expert in AI for finance who has trained over 5,000 professionals, explained how technologies like blockchain and smart contracts have transformed financial processes. These advancements have brought higher transparency, security, and speed to operations, reducing risks and enabling more informed decision-making.
The result? CFOs and finance leaders no longer need to rely on spreadsheets to do their work. Instead, they can focus on making strategic decisions that allow their businesses to grow. It’s now time to understand how this technology works, its benefits, and how it can be tailored to each specific organisation.
Forging genuine connections
One of Forge Connect’s main goals was to create a true community of finance leaders. For that, people had to talk to get to know each other, break the fourth wall, and start conversations. And as Niels De Kind, one of our panellists, mentioned during our networking cocktail, “That doesn’t always happen at finance events.”
That’s why, before our lunch break, we invited the team at Up Events to organise an icebreaker session for attendees to get to know each other. The goal was simple: you have 20 minutes to gather as many points as possible by connecting with the people around you and completing challenges, from answering quirky questions to posing for boxing-selfies. And what do you know? Connections sparked.
Many attendees were truly committed to getting a spot on the podium, leading them to start conversations with almost everyone in the room. Many attendees continued to chat during lunch, and by the time the cocktail hour rolled around, we even spotted some swapping ideas and sharing insights with speakers.
It’s moments like these that make events like Forge Connect matter: when you see the true magic of what bringing the right people together can do.
Forge Connect was more than just an event; it was a day of learning, connection, and inspiration. From expert panels to interactive sessions and casual networking, it became clear that finance professionals are hungry for real conversations — not just corporate presentations.
Whether it was last-minute signups, the popularity of our branded umbrellas (a must to face the Amsterdam rain!), or the number of attendees who stayed late for cocktails, Parkhuis De Zwijger was buzzing with energy.
We can’t wait to see what the future holds for Forge Connect and look forward to continuing the conversations we started with this group. Our next stop? Let’s not reveal everything just yet. Stay tuned for more updates!
