AI For Finance

After a career as a professional ballet dancer and a job as an actress & presenter for Belgian Television and some years in the Fashion Industry, Suyin Aerts decided to continue her a-typical walk of life with her partner by joining him in his company X-Treme.

In 2012 she was awarded with the Talent Award of Women in Marketing and Communication.
In 2016 she won the award of networker of the year in Belgium.

She combines her professional life as a female entrepreneur with a freelance career as multilingual presenter and journalist for television (Kanaal Z/Canal Z) and moderator on events.
This brings her another award in 2019, The Wintrade Award for Women in the Media-London (sponsored by Microsoft)

With a Master’s degree in Industrial Business Policy, different Marketing classes and a degree in International Trade at the International Chamber of Commerce, Suyin stays eager to keep on broadening her vision and knowledge, grow and staying creative and innovative.
In 2020 she obtained a degree in digital transformation from Vlerick Business School ‘Take the Lead’

Her typical management style stands for intrapreneurship within her teams.
She loves helping others to dare to go for their own talents, both personal and professional.
She is convinced that networking is part of the game.

In April 2022 Suyin Published her first book: Time for the creative generalist

Her motto: ...” to get the right answers it is essential to ask the right questions”

Jackie, a native of Flanders, Belgium, is a renowned figure in the data and AI landscape, holding the position of Chief Data Officer (CDO) at CM. His extensive experience in technology leadership is further highlighted by his previous role as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at KBC, where he played a pivotal role in shaping the organization's digital and technological strategy.
As an entrepreneur, Jackie has founded several companies, showcasing his innovative mindset and commitment to advancing the field of data and AI. His entrepreneurial ventures reflect his ability to identify and act on emerging opportunities in the tech sector.
In addition to his professional roles, Jackie is the author of "AI, De Hype Voorbij," a testament to his deep understanding and expertise in artificial intelligence. Through his book, he provides insightful perspectives and practical guidance on AI, demystifying its complexities and illustrating its real-world applications.
As a thought leader, Jackie actively shares his knowledge through writing and blogging, contributing valuable insights on data management, analytics, and responsible data practices. His work not only informs but also inspires a wide audience, ranging from industry professionals to technology enthusiasts.
Jackie's career is marked by a relentless pursuit of knowledge and innovation, making him a highly respected and influential figure in the realms of data and AI.

Dive with Jackie into the masterclass Navigating AI Projects in Finance - The 'Strategic Spider' Approach.

Tobias Riffel is Head of Business Development at the LucaNet Group with a degree in business administration with a focus on controlling, finance and accounting. He has more than 10 years of experience in the CPM software business and has developed deep expertise in this area. Tobias also has experience in controlling and corporate accounting. Tobias is a business development expert with a deep understanding of intrapreneurship and business development. This enables him to drive innovations in the SaaS environment with a content focus on the Office of Finance and ESG. As a “LucaNet native and evangelist,” Tobias’ mission is to bring “ease of mind” to the finance department and drive forward its digital transformation.
Tobias Riffel will take a deep dive with you in the masterclass ‘CPM, ESG and AI - The Key drivers for a modern CFO Office’.

AI-Powered Finance: Empowering Finance Leaders

Frederic Portal is OCFO Solution Marketing Director for Financials at Workday. He has worked in a variety of finance and non-finance roles over the last 25 years in financial department and software vendors, from medium organizations to Forbes 500 multinational. Prior to joining workday, Frederic served as Financial Product Strategy manager for Peoplesoft, Oracle ERP cloud working closely with the development teams and customers to design and to deliver on the product roadmap for financial application. Prior to working in technology, he worked in various finance roles in media and retail industry. Frederic holds a Master in Finance with a concentration in international management form ENOES, Paris.

Join the masterclass with Frederic Portal on AI-Powered Finance.

In today's rapidly evolving financial landscape, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic concept, but a critical tool for success. This session will explore how finance leaders can leverage AI to drive strategic decision-making, optimize operations, and unlock new growth opportunities. We will delve into practical use cases of AI in finance, including: Intelligent Automation, Predictive Analytics Personalized Finance, Fraud Detection & Prevention. Join us to learn how to harness the power of AI to lead your organization through turbulent financial landscapes.

You can also see Frederic speaking in the panel debate on the main stage of AI For Finance.

Frankie Flecijn has a passion to understand and explain the true story behind numbers and processes. He holds an Advanced Master’s degree in Accounting (Vlekho), followed by various leadership and business management programmes at Vlerick (Belgium), INSEAD (France) and Antwerp Management School (Belgium).

Over the last 25 years he has gained a broad experience in various projects in- and outside finance for small manufacturing companies and global organizations. Frankie is always keen on implementing ERP and other tools to optimize processes and bring companies up-to-speed. He is convinced about the disruptiveness of the upcoming technologies and the potential impact of finance to change and drive the organization along their digital journey.

Since 2010 Frankie has been a proud team mate at Etex, where he took roles as Divisional Finance Manager and currently Head of Global Business Services. As a member of the Finance Leadership Team he’s working closely with the current CFO of the year Mel de Vogue, continuing the journey to transform Finance at Etex.

Frankie is currently heading and transforming the Shared Service Centers at Etex into the ‘next level’ harmonized GBS organization, with a mission to be an enabler for other functions to focus on their core activities, and leverage on standardized data and technology platforms.

Ben Wittezaele, has been at the forefront of digital transformation since 2009. His venture into the realms of AI has started carving a pathway towards insightful engagements with businesses, empowering them with the basics of AI through customized training programs. As the driving force behind many individual client projects and e-Learning module development, Ben exhibits a distinctive blend of technical, managerial and educational acumen, ensuring that projects are not only technically sound but also tailored to meet client-specific goals.

At the helm of 'Top Of Your Game', Ben channels his extensive experience into delivering AI-powered LinkedIn content creation, B2B courses about AI, and consultancy services, all aimed at optimizing business processes and fostering smarter work environments. The initiative showcases a LinkedIn Content Framework that aids businesses in creating engaging content using AI-powered tools, alongside offering a gamut of B2B courses for several business unit types.

His approach intertwines an entrepreneurial mindset with a clear understanding of the digital landscape, making him an insightful conversation partner for C-level managers and end-users alike, looking to navigate the intricacies of integrating AI into their operational and strategic frameworks.
Dive into the heart of Artificial Intelligence with Ben Wittezaele's masterclass about bridging ethics, safety and generative intelligence for finance leaders.

Maura Declercq - Mîndrilà, is a Belgian M&A Lawyer turned serial Entrepreneur with 3 successful exits so far. She is currently the founder and CEO of 2 tech startups. Idlegcy is a Belgian tech startup in AI for large enterprise clients and their third party providers to process data in a more ethical & compliant way and for customers to find out how their data is being used and by whom, so they can take action. The latest startup, in stealth mode, is AEMO Quantum: a US-based quantum deep tech company, which positively impacts human emotions.

Maura believes in the power of collaboration; a positive impact in society can be achieved by empowering people with a mix of technology, community, education and positive disruption! Values she likes to share on podcasts and key notes worldwide.

She studied International & European Law and Economical Law in Dutch and French at the Catholic University of Leuven (KUL) in collaboration with HUBrussel and at the Saint-Louis University in Brussels. She also holds a degree in Fashion from the Akademie for Fashion and Design (AMD) in Hamburg, Germany. But at heart, she is a true polymath, a visionary and a strategist with deep knowledge of topics, like quantum physics, technology, philosophy, mathematics, business, economy, sociology, biology, cinema, gastronomy, music and so much more.

Geertrui Mieke De Ketelaere is Adjunct Professor at Vlerick Business School. She holds a master degree in civil and industrial engineering and specialised in robotics and artificial intelligence during her studies.

Over the last 28 years, she has worked for several multinationals on all aspects of data and analytics (IBM, Microsoft, SAP, SAS, etc). From a business consulting point of view, she is specialised in defining the AI business canvas, from potential value to predefined risks. With her understanding of the hindsight, insight and foresight of AI technologies, she also frequently acts as an expert and coach behind the scenes.

In her public presentations and recent book, Mieke puts the focus on the demystification of the hype around AI. The State Secretary of Digitalisation, Mathieu Michel, appointed Mieke as ‘Digital Mind’ in 2020. In 2022 and 2023, Mieke was runner-up in the selection ‘ICT Personality of the Year’ in Belgium. Today, Mieke continues to share her vision on the future of AI as a speaker on international radio, television and conferences.

Keynote

During the last months, generative AI has revolutionised the field of AI, allowing for the creation of new and innovative applications that were once unimaginable before in finance.

During her keynote, De Ketelaere will explore the history and future value that generative AI brings to companies and society, from creating life-like visual and audio content to helping with scientific discovery and simplifying tasks for financial professionals.

However, this talk will also highlight the potential risks associated with generative AI for people and planet, including issues of misuse and manipulation that are tremendously present within the financial world.

By balancing the opportunities and challenges of this cutting-edge technology in the financial sector, we can ensure a bright and responsible future and avoid another AI winter.

Dion Bongaerts is an Professor of Financial Technology and Data Analytics at RSM Erasmus University and Academic Director Fintech at the Erasmus Center for Data Analytics. He specializes in the behavior of credit rating agencies, the pricing of credit risky instruments, the origins and effects of market illiquidity, and FinTech (with a focus on Blockchain and AI). His work has been presented at major conferences around the world, including the AFA, WFA, EFA, and NBER meetings and published in top tier academic journals including the Journal of Finance, Review of Financial Studies, the Journal of Financial Economics, and Management Science. He has received several grants, including a Veni and a Blockchain Research grant from the Dutch National Science Foundation (NWO) and a Lamfalussy Fellowship from the ECB. Prof. Bongaerts holds a PhD degree in Finance from the University of Amsterdam, an MSc in Econometrics from Maastricht University, and has been a visiting scholar at Yale School of Management, University of Pittsburgh, and the Central University of Finance and Economics in Beijing. Moreover, he has several years of professional experience as a risk management quant at ABN-AMRO bank.

Keynote

In this keynote, Professor Bongaerts analyzes the cash conversion cycle for companies in both the B2B and B2C markets. In each of the components of this cycle, Professor Bongaerts demonstrates the challenges that controllers and CFOs encounter and how AI and other technologies can assist in addressing these issues. The entire presentation is illustrated using practical examples.

Jan Van de Poel is an seasoned entrepreneur and engineer with a diverse range of experiences in the tech industry. He is the founder of SeeMe.ai, a no-code MLOps platform that allows companies to leverage cutting-edge AI while focussing on their business challenges.

In 2010, Jan co-founded Flow Pilots, a full-service agency specialising in mobile applications and digital transformation for enterprises. He served as a partner until the acquisition in 2017.

Jan was also actively involved as a coach for CoderDojo Belgium from 2013 to 2018, setting up the Hasselt Dojo together with support from the PXL and UHasselt. As a coach, he mentors aspiring young coders and helps them develop their programming and problem solving skills.

He holds both a Master of Civil Engineering in Computer Science from KU Leuven, which he completed with distinction in 2007, as well as a Master’s degree in Commercial Engineering with a specialisation in Information Management Systems from KU Leuven, which he earned in 2005.