CFO Finance Leaders Summit Philippines 2025

Main Conference

Registration and Refreshments

Welcome Address by Fortinus Events

Opening Remarks from The Chairperson

Leading the Change: CFOs and the Path to Successful Transformation

• Discuss the long-term value of transformation efforts beyond immediate financial metrics
• How to foster strong partnerships with other departments to align transformation goals
• Gain a foundational understanding of new technologies and their financial implications to make informed decisions about the adoption and implementation of technological solution

Edison Chu, Chief Financial Officer, Sunnies Studios Inc.

Navigating Tax and Regulatory Changes in the Philippines in 2025

• Understand the recent changes in corporate taxation rates, incentives, and compliance requirements in the Philippines to effectively manage your business’s tax obligations
• Examine the implementation of R.A. No. 11976 or, the Ease of Paying Taxes (EOPT) Act and its impact on tax compliance for businesses in the Philippines
• Gain insights into anticipated regulatory changes in 2024 that will influence financial reporting and governance practices, enabling businesses to proactively adapt and comply with evolving requirements

CFO at the Forefront of Driving Digital Transformation

• Understand why digital transformation is crucial for CFOs to achieve more with less in a competitive environment
• Explore the benefits of integrated ERP platforms, automation, and GenAI in streamlining operations and enhancing decision-making to fortify supply chain resilience
• Learn how customized dashboards and real-time reporting can help companies react quickly to market shifts and maintain a competitive edge

Joselito Diga, Chief Financial Officer, United Laboratories Inc.

Networking and Tea Break

Panel Discussion: A CFO Guide in Navigating Financial Challenges and Ensuring Profitability

What are the primary concerns and priorities of CFOs in today’s economic climate? In this session, CFOs will delve into the primary concerns for CFOs and how to address them, focusing on the importance of achieving sustainable growth despite complex geopolitical challenges and market volatility

Moderator:

Giselle Geronimo, Chief Financial Officer, Shearwater Health CPO

Panelists:

Ray C. Berja, Formerly CFO, Philippines AirAsia, MD Country Head, AirAsia SuperApp PH, Regional CFO, AirAsia SuperApp

Mark D. Fajiculay, Chief Financial Officer, Global Terminals Inc.

Moving Beyond Spreadsheets: Accurate Cloud Cost Forecasting with Advanced Tools

• Learn how expanding cloud usage complicates cost forecasting and why relying on past trends alone is insufficient for accurate budgeting
• Discover how moving beyond error-prone, manual processes with tools like Cloudability Financial Planning enhances forecasting accuracy, fosters better cross-functional collaboration, and enables data-driven budgeting

CFOs as Strategic Investment Drivers: Fuelling Growth Through Collaboration and Innovation

• Align investment strategies with the CEO’s principal vision to drive business growth
• Leverage technology and automation by collaborating closely with the CTO and CDO to optimize and assess investment risks and returns, ensuring optimal capital allocation
• Understand how CFOs can discern promising investment opportunities from financial pitfalls
• Discover the importance of customer feedback in uncovering unmet needs, and how insights from frontline employees can identify valuable investment prospects

Mark D. Fajiculay, Chief Financial Officer, Globalport Terminals Inc.

Networking Lunch Break

Driving Sustainable Growth: Mastering ESG Compliance, Strategic Integration, and Value Creation

• Navigate evolving regulatory landscapes by understanding current ESG reporting requirements and climate-risk frameworks for compliance and transparent sustainability disclosures
• Incorporate biodiversity considerations into ESG planning and disclosures, aligning with the ISSB’s future focus areas.
• Integrate ESG principles into business strategy, governance, and risk management to support the transition to net-zero emissions
• Foster sustainable growth by leveraging ESG and sustainability standards to create business value and long-term resilience

Franc Ramon, Group Financial Controller (VP), Medtecs Group

The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Humanizing AI for Finance

• Examine the current challenges and opportunities that CFOs face in adopting AI implementation
• Explore how AI’s analytics, combined with emotional intelligence, help CFOs make informed, user-focused decisions that shape financial strategy and client relations
• Discover the combined potential of AI and emotional intelligence in creating inclusive and supportive work cultures that prioritize both technological advancement and human well-being

Interactive Round Table

With 3 interactive roundtable topics on pressing issues, delegates will rotate at each session and be able to participate and deep dive into problems and solutions on every roundtable spread throughout the two days. You will walk away with thought leadership from the subject matter experts at each table

Table 01: Strategic Cost-Cutting in the Digital Era

• Discover how advancements in financial software and data analytics empower CFOs to drive cost optimization and efficiency
• Gain insights into the role of real-time data and predictive analytics in proactive financial management and strategic decision-making
• Explore the impact of enhanced collaboration with business units for effective resource allocation and maintaining healthy liquidity levels

Table 02: Unifying Disparate Data for Enhanced Financial Insights

• Identify the specific pain points caused by fragmented data in financial reporting and forecasting
• Discover best practices for creating a unified, holistic view of finance
• Learn how a cohesive data view enables CFOs to conduct informed decision-making and strategic planning

Table 03: Embracing Hybrid and Remote Work as the New Normal

• Explore why the new generation of employees increasingly favors work-from-home or hybrid setups, and how these preferences are reshaping workplace expectations
• Identify the common challenges HR faces in remote work scenarios, such as maintaining work-life balance, ensuring mental well-being, and effectively monitoring performance
• Learn how to create and implement policies that support a long-term hybrid work strategy, balancing the needs of both employees and the organization to ensure productivity and satisfaction

Giselle Geronimo, Vice President – Head of Finance, Accounting & Procurement, Shearwater Health CPO

Enhancing Financial Operations with Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

• Explore how your organization can utilize RPA to streamline financial operations reducing manual and error-prone tasks and ensuring higher degree of accuracy while reducing the need for manual intervention
• Understand the broader impact of RPA on employee satisfaction and customer experience. by automating mundane tasks
• How to implement RPA in key financial processes, such as invoice processing, reporting, and compliance, leading to significant time and cost savings

Networking Tea Break

Proactive Cybersecurity: Strategies for Preemptive Risk Management and Resilience Building

• Explore the financial impacts of cyber threats on profitability, cash flow, reputation, and regulatory compliance, encompassing direct and indirect costs
• Learn preemptive measures to mitigate cyber risks before they materialize and how to maximize AI and ML for robust threat detection and incident response capabilities
• Discuss the crucial role of cybersecurity awareness such as continuous monitoring, threat intelligence sharing, and employee training programs to enhance the organization’s resilience against evolving cyber threats

Fortune Ernest Jose, Chief Financial Officer, Enduran Colleges

Panel Discussion: Building a Dream Finance Team: Attracting and Retaining Top Talents

• Explore how high turnover rates impact financial stability and operational efficiency within finance teams
• Discuss the application of predictive analytics and integrated technologies in forecasting flight risk among financial professionals
• Strategies to keep your best employees happy and prevent them from becoming a flight risk
• Understand the value of ongoing learning and development programs to enhance skills and career growth for your finance team, fostering loyalty and retention

Panelist:

Ray C. Berja, Formerly CFO, Philippines AirAsia, MD Country Head, AirAsia SuperApp PH, Regional CFO, AirAsia SuperApp

Finance Beyond 2025: Vision for the Future of Finance

• Explore the key lessons CFOs gleaned from 2024, including challenges overcome, strategic pivots made, and technological advancements embraced
• Discuss predictions shaping the future of finance, from the integration of AI and automation to the shift towards real-time data analytics and predictive insights
• Explore how CFOs can empower their organizations to seize opportunities in 2025 and beyond, emphasizing the importance of deeper insights, faster decision-making, enhanced agility, collaboration, and delivering added value across the business

Closing Remarks from the Chairperson

Closing Remarks from Fortinus Events

End of Summit