Private SectorChief Growth Officer
The 2023 CFO Forward Summit at Harvard University
Mindset for a New Era
When & Where
May 10-12, 2023
Harvard University | Cambridge, MA

About the Summit

Overview

CFOs have never been more empowered to make faster, bigger, broader decisions. As a result, there is tremendous potential for them to take a prime role in leading the business through volatility. But there is also pressure to do it well. And for the CFO, this is the moment to demonstrate strong leadership and decision-making capabilities.

This is the reality for CFOs in the era of total enterprise reinvention. External forces are changing fast—from the economic and geopolitical climate to regulatory requirements for risk, compliance and ESG. Decisions are interconnected and should be grounded in real-time data analysis. To thrive, every part of the business needs to transform at compressed speed, not over multiple years. The imperative is to simultaneously optimize operations and drive growth through technology, data, ways of working, and customer engagement. But the usual playbooks no longer apply.

Success demands becoming a transformative CFO. To explore what this means, Accenture is collaborating with Leadership for a Networked World at the Technology and Entrepreneurship Center at Harvard to convene the 2023 CFO Forward Summit on the campus of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. 

This year’s theme—Mindsets for a New Era—hones in on effective strategies to lead the complex, parallel transformations that culminate in new and better growth and value creation. Summit sessions will illuminate how CFOs:

  • Create the new transformation playbook. Discover how to bring transformation initiatives together to execute at pace and scale, managing multiple transformations at the same time.
  • Unlock the data conundrum. Get control of data by unleashing the power of scenarios and establishing effective roles and governance across finance and the enterprise.
  • Become the chief storyteller. Learn to communicate effectively with the CEO, Board, shareholders, Wall Street and others across the enterprise to support investments in delivering today, while building for tomorrow.
  • Build a strong finance team. Explore fresh approaches to develop a diverse, high performing team with the skills and enabling culture necessary to engage in multiple, complex, high-speed transformation efforts.
  • Prepare now for what’s next. Stay ahead of the ongoing technology revolution with practical advice for monitoring emerging technologies and measuring return on investment.

Who Should Attend?

The CFO Forward Summit is one of the foremost academic research programs and events for CFOs, focused on reinvention of the Finance function and the broader enterprise. The Summit combines case studies from current executives, insights from academic research from across Harvard University, and expertise from industry experts. Summit attendees learn through case studies, peer-based problem-solving, and topical workshops designed to create transformational solutions.

Admission & Participation

Summit participation is limited to Chief Financial Officers. All other applicants will be reviewed and accepted on a case-by-case basis. This event is supported by the hosting and collaborating organizations, so there is no tuition or fee to attend. Individual participants are responsible for travel and hotel arrangements, and related expenses.

Previous Reports

The Next Frontier of Value Creation: A Report from 2018 CFO of the Future Summit

Go to Report

For chief financial officers, balancing the spectrum of traditional and ecosystem-based business models will not only be game-changing, but also bring unprecedented challenges and opportunities. As industries and organizations begin to shift to more ecosystem-driven environments, the CFO growth agenda will need to pivot from firm-specific operations to ecosystem-wide operations, as well as from balancing customer value to maximizing ecosystem value. Throughout this evolution, CFOs will continue to reinvent firm-wide capabilities, build new collaborations and revenue models, deploy cutting-edge machine learning and analytics, and cultivate human capital that can thrive in a rapidly evolving digital world.

Fueling the Growth Agenda: A Report from 2017 CFO of the Future Summit

Go to Report

Amidst a backdrop of deepening digital disruption, growing political uncertainty, increasing regulatory complexity, and shifting consumer preferences, one thing is certain – chief financial officers are creating a new agenda for growth.

To effectively lead in this new environment, chief financial officers and finance executives must become “chief growth officers”—the point persons who not only control stability, accountability and risk, but also grow profitability, enterprise-wide agility, sustainability, and customer trust.

This growth-oriented pivot will be valuable, yet difficult. The chief growth officer must redefine the playbook of finance by embracing disruption, spearheading the development of new business models, and building agility into operations. Growth oriented and finance-led organizations often manage two or more different business models under one roof, free up resources to invest in growth initiatives, define and measure new key performance indicators, and create new ecosystems and platforms for rapid value creation. Perhaps most critically, the chief growth officer will spend time recruiting and building new talent to lead these initiatives, creating a team that thrives at the intersection of technology and finance.

At The 2017 CFO of the Future Summit: Fueling the Growth Agenda, convened by the Technology and Entrepreneurship Center at Harvard and Leadership for a Networked World, in collaboration with Accenture Strategy, current and next-generation CFOs from leading global companies workshopped their successes and learned about the future of business from top researchers in the field.

The Summit focused on critical skills and questions CFOs grapple with today, including: What is transformational change and what does it take to drive transformation in a large organization? How can organizations disrupt themselves and find new business models? What is the future of value creation? What is the new face of the CFO and finance team? Beyond spreadsheets and financial models, what does a finance-led transformation look like?

Creating Value in a Digital Age: A Report from 2016 CFO of the Future Summit

Go to Report

Chief financial officers (CFOs) are facing an era of disruption: a time when forces and factors such as macro-economic shifts, global regulatory flux, digital tools and e-currencies, data and analytics, behavioral economics, and an information-savvy customer base will drive a surge of new service demands and upend outdated corporate financial models. While disruption will bring formidable challenges for finance leaders, it will also create an unprecedented opportunity to not only ensure new levels of compliance but also drive growth and enterprise value.

To help current and next generation CFOs meet the demands of this new era, the Technology and Entrepreneurship Center at Harvard, Accenture Strategy, and Leadership for a Networked World convened The 2016 CFO of the Future Summit: Creating Value in a Digital Age, held from May 18 – 20, 2016, at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

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