AI For Finance

Michaël Van Droogenbroeck is a journalist at VRT, the Flemish Public Broadcasting Company. He follows financial, economic and political news. He is also the author of books on money and finance.

AI Won’t Lead—You Must: The Leadership Challenge of Our Time

Ann Caluwaerts brings over 35 years of leadership experience across Business & Innovation, HR, Strategy, Communications, Corporate Affairs, and Transformation. She has held executive roles at Telenet and BT, serving as a member of their executive teams. Ann currently holds board mandates at Imec, Cofinimmo, ECS, and Bpost, and serves on the advisory board of the Flemish government for Innovation as well as the STEM Platform.

Renowned for her combination of technological expertise and human-centric leadership, Ann is widely recognized as a purpose-driven leader. Her experience enables her to deliver inspiring keynotes on leadership and technology. .Ann holds a Master’s degree in Electronic Engineering from KU Leuven and has completed executive education programs at institutions such as INSEAD, Columbia University, and London Business School.

We are entering an era where machines can automate tasks, generate content, and even make decisions—but they still can’t replace human judgment, ethical leadership, or emotional intelligence. And yet, as the capabilities of AI expand, so too does the pressure on leaders to understand and guide its impact. Today, more than 75% of AI transformations fail—not because the technology isn’t ready, but because leadership isn’t. Leaders often fail to ask the right questions, to align AI with real business challenges, and to bring their people along in the journey.

In short: AI is not just a technological revolution—it is the greatest leadership challenge of our time. In this inspiring keynote, Ann Caluwaerts will explore:

•The strategic questions CFOs must ask in an AI-shaped world

•How AI implementation can be aligned with vision and strategy to deliver value

•How to create a culture where innovation, performance and integrity coexist

•Why trust is the foundation of every successful transformation

Because here’s the truth: employees will never trust AI if they don’t trust their leaders. In an age of machines, it’s human leadership that will matter more than ever to deliver true value out of your AI transformation

AI: From Science Fiction to Everyday Life

Rudy Aernoudt is an experienced Professor Corporate Finance and European policy and has an outstanding International and European experience (MIT, OECD, European commission, European Council and European Social and Economic Committee). He, what is unique, occupied Chief of Staff (Director of Cabinet) positions at different governance levels (Europe, Belgium, Flanders, Wallonia). He was Secretary-General for Economy, Science and Innovation, director-general of OLPC (one laptop per child, spinoff MIT) and curator TEDx Brussels. He is professor Corporate Finance at the universities of Ghent, Nancy and professor geopolitics, macro-economy and monetary policy at the BMI - MBA program (1st ranked MBA in Europe, founded by HEC Paris and Louvain Management School).

He holds Masters (triple cum laude) in Thomistic Philosophy (University of Leuven), in Industrial and Monetary Economy (University of Leuven) and in European economy (college of Europe).

Co-founder of EBAN, the European Business Angels Network, founder of FREE (the Foundation for the Research on Education and Entrepreneurship), founder of Growth Academy for Enterprises, European Chair of the WBAF (World Business Angel Forum) and Vice-President of the WCSA (World Complexity Science Academy), co-founder of SID (www.sidnetwork.eu) and member of the European foresight task-force.

Besides, he is columnist (FD Magazine, Made In, CXO and Trends) and author of several books (45+) and papers (500+) on corporate finance, ethics, geopolitics and economics. He published in Journals such as Small Business economics, Journal of Entrepreneurial Culture, Venture Capital & Ekonomiaz. His handbooks 'Financial Management in Practice' (third edition, 2023, Intersentia Cambridge)) and ‘Entrepreneurship, a mindset (Athenapublishers, 2024), both published by are widely used both in academic and business world. He expressed his vision on the future of Belgium is his book ‘Flandre, Wallonia, je t’aime moi non plus (2006) a bestseller, and in ‘Corona crisis: an electroshock for Belgium?’ (in French & Dutch) and on Europe is his book ‘Europe: Towards a new impetus post-Brexit’ (2023).

He received several awards such as the price for democracy Aron-Condorcet, the price for political mood Belgium, architect of the best regional entrepreneurship plan Europe, the WBAIF world-award for advancing the agenda for Business Angels worldwide and the life achievement award from EBAN. He was elected by the Wall Street Journal as "the hero for European entrepreneurship” and considered as the father of the business angels in Europe.

What once belonged to the realm of science fiction has become our daily reality. Therefore, as the world grows increasingly complex, relying on the past to forecast the future becomes less effective. This is why alternative approaches, such as scenario thinking, are essential. In this keynote, Rudy Aernoudt will explain how to identify when scenario thinking is necessary and how to enhance readiness for the future. Furthermore, he will highlight the growing importance of ethical considerations in every business model.

Your Castle in the Cloud: Secure Walls, Open Gates?

Martin Butler is the MBA Director and Professor in Digital Business at Vlerick Business School in Belgium, and a visiting professor at the American University in Cairo, University of Galway in Ireland, and Stellenbosch University in South Africa. His expertise lies at the intersection of digital transformation, AI, Digital Resilience and helping organisations unlock business value through technology. He develops courses in AI and digital technologies, delivers AI keynotes, and advises organisations on building digital resilience.

Martin has published more than 15 articles in accredited journals and conference proceedings, regularly contributes insights to business and technology media, and has presented his work at numerous academic and practitioner conferences around the world. He serves on the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Enterprise Information Systems and continues to play an active role in shaping the discourse on digital business practices and education.

Even the best protected organisations may be exposed through unseen vulnerabilities.In this keynote, we explore how your castle, no matter how secure, may still have wide open gates showing the latest evolutions and cyber positioning framework to provide a diagnostic opportunity and practical path forward.

Thomas is known for making complex topics understandable. He combined his studies in Business Engineering and Law at Ghent University and worked as a consultant at the Boston Consulting Group. As the founder of Finhouse, he advises some of Belgium's wealthiest families, supports hundreds of Flemish individuals with their personal finances each year, and makes private equity and venture capital more accessible through his own fund.
He is the author of Belgium’s best-selling finance book of 2024, 'Personal finance met Thomas Guenter', and is now one of the most in-demand keynote speakers in the country. Thomas regularly shares free financial tips and tricks on social media, where he gained over 100,000 followers in just one year. At the end of last year, he received the Forbes Belgium 30 Under 30 award for the positive impact he’s had on the finances of thousands of Belgians.

Keynote

In this keynote, Thomas Guenter takes you into the world of investing. He explains how to get started on the stock market in a simple and diversified way using low-cost ETFs. He also offers a first introduction to private equity – investing in non-listed companies – a lesser-known but fascinating opportunity. Whether you're just starting out or looking to deepen your knowledge, this session delivers practical insights and tangible tips for any investor. You won’t want to miss it!

Charles Palmieri is a seasoned leader in digital finance operations and intelligent automation, currently leading Deloitte Belgium GBS team as well as Deloitte’s European O2C Center of Excellence.

With more than two decades of experience in finance, consulting, and process transformation, Charles guides CFOs and finance teams on their digitalization journeys — especially in process automation, order-to-cash (O2C), procure-to-pay (P2P), and finance operating model optimization.

AI in finance: From hype to reality - Turning SAP into an Agentic ERP

AI is reshaping how finance teams work — and it’s going far beyond buzzwords. In this session, we’ll show you our views on how AI is impacting Finance and will then focus on one key example; How Deloitte helped transform UiPath’s internal SAP system into an Agentic ERP using UIPath agentic automation capabilities. You’ll learn how agentic automation is evolving towards enterprise automation — from reactive task execution to intelligent, goal-driven workflows. Get a closer look at what’s possible when AI-powered agents don’t just assist — they take ownership.

Freya Cloostermans has spent the past four years building her career at Silverfin. She started out as a Sales Development Representative, moving from cold calling to becoming a trusted voice in demonstrating Silverfin’s value to accountants. Today, she leverages that experience as one of the driving forces behind Silverfin for Business, helping finance teams transform the way they work.

Silverfin in Finance: It’s about time

Meet Silverfin: Quick intro to who we are and how we’ve transformed the accounting world.
Why finance now: Why Silverfin is expanding beyond accountancy and what it means for financial teams.
ION use case: A real-world example of how ION uses Silverfin to streamline and strengthen their finance operations.
What’s next: Key takeaways and how your finance team can benefit from Silverfin today.

Safeguarding the value of AI: the role of finance and risk management

Generative AI brings huge opportunities like automating reports and improving customer service. In addition, they also create real risks like data breaches, biased outputs, or failed implementations.  The challenge is balance: creating value without exposing the company to unnecessary risk. This requires business, technical, and controlling functions to work together.  Finance and risk management play a key role in finding this balance: Finance ensures the business case is clear. Risk management makes sure the big issues are addressed early. But they cannot do this alone and will need help from AI engineers, product owners and business managers.  We’ll focus on practical approaches for capturing AI’s value in a responsible way.

As member of the global oCFO leadership team, Michel Haesendonckx is responsible for the end-to-end functional strategy and messaging of the combined office of the CFO solution portfolio, addressing the pain points of the CFO persona. Together with the rest of the team, he drives the overall go-to-market. Michel is highly involved in key innovation topics, interconnecting market trends with SAP’s end-to-end finance portfolio strategy. Also acting as sponsor for finance transformation programs at key customers. Exchanging experiences makes him tick. He also published a book co-written with the head of controlling development of SAP in 2019, focusing on the value of SAP S/4HANA and the broader oCFO portfolio for finance professionals (sap-press.com/4838). He has 25+ years of experience in the area of financial processes as well as analytics, of which the vast majority focusing on SAP solutions, combined with a broad expertise in the area of Finance & Performance Management, primarily focusing on Management Accounting & business steering. Michel built his functional experience as an external auditor, controller in the oil & gas sector, and CFO in the port logistics industry, and extended his view in this field through his leadership position in FP&A in a globally operating consulting organization. He holds a master degree in applied economics and successfully finished a master in controllership at Vlerick Business School.

Key learnings to kick-start your AI journey in finance

Beyond the hype, finance leaders see AI revolutionizing strategic decision-making. But success isn't just about technology.  With clean data, mature processes, and confident teams, CFOs can unlock AI's true potential, driving operational gains and strategic insights. Join us for this masterclass as we’ll share key learnings on kick-starting your AI journey.

 

Niels von Hase is a chartered accountant and board-level CFO at coeo Group, with global experience across industries ranging from renewable energy and fintech to logistics, FMCG, and financial services. He has led businesses at all stages, from VC-funded start-ups to listed corporations, driving strategic growth, M&A, joint ventures, and complex corporate restructurings. Skilled in business analytics and performance enhancement, Niels combines strategic vision with hands-on operational leadership. His expertise spans finance, corporate governance, ESG reporting, HR, IT, and procurement. Known for his level-headed, culturally adept leadership, he builds strong stakeholder relationships and delivers sustainable results through data-driven decision-making and forward-looking people practices.

Customer Centricity meets AI

The integration of AI in receivables management not only revolutionizes customer interactions but also directly impacts key financial metrics. Through real-time communication with GenAI, payment inflows are increased, processes are automated, and costs are reduced—boosting productivity and improving the cost-income ratio. At the same time, the technology enables tailored solutions that enhance customer retention and satisfaction. The presentation demonstrates how AI-driven innovations combine financial efficiency with excellent service, redefining success in receivables management.

Alex Haijen is the AI Solution Director at Oracle, focused on helping customers discover, adopt, and excel with artificial intelligence across all business domains. With over 25 years in the industry, Alex brings a wealth of experience, having evolved from an implementation consultant and enterprise architect to a leader in AI strategy.

AI in Finance: From 95% Failure to High-Performance. A CFO's Playbook for Real ROI.

• Explore why 95% of AI projects fail to deliver measurable ROI, based on MIT research.
• Understand the common pitfall of treating AI as a standalone IT initiative instead of integrating it into core finance processes.
• Learn Oracle’s playbook for embedding AI directly into finance applications to ensure real ROI.
• Discover practical steps to transform your AI investment into a high-performance engine for financial results.

Founder & Managing Partner Nymus NV, Expert in e-Invoicing and Financial Process Optimization

Sven Dauwe is founder and managing partner of Nymus NV, an e-Invoicing Platform-as-a-Service that helps companies streamline order-to-cash and purchase-to-pay processes in a fully digital and compliant way. With over 30 years of experience in sales, change management and digital transformation, he has guided numerous B2B organizations in improving working capital, automating invoice flows and integrating with payment and collection systems.

Before launching Nymus, Sven held senior leadership roles at Frama Belgium, where he doubled turnover and restructured operations, and Francotyp-Postalia, where he reshaped sales and marketing strategy. His career also includes commercial positions at Canon Benelux, Brady Corporation and Winsome Benelux, giving him a broad expertise at the intersection of technology and business.

At AI for Finance, Sven will show why starting with e-invoicing is often the smartest first step before scaling into AI-driven finance. He will share best practices from real-life projects that delivered measurable ROI for CFOs, and provide clear insights into how finance leaders can cut through the hype and focus on tangible results for the Office of the CFO.

Vincent Nys is Head of Artificial Intelligence & Innovation at Keyrus, where he leads the AI strategy for the Keyrus group and drives AI implementations across multiple industries including banking, retail, energy, and manufacturing. With extensive expertise in custom software development and data-driven solutions, Vincent specializes in translating AI potential into measurable business outcomes.

How Finance can drive the AI (r)evolution within your company

Finance is uniquely positioned to champion AI adoption, not just within their own department, but across the entire organization. This session reveals how the Finance department can lead by example: starting with high-impact AI use cases in Finance, then leveraging business case expertise to drive AI transformation company-wide. Drawing from real implementation examples, Vincent will share practical examples of AI use cases within the Finance department and the rest of the entire organization. Additionally, he will explain how to avoid common pitfalls (only 15-20% of AI PoCs reach production) and quantify both efficiency gains and strategic value. Attendees will leave this session with inspiration on concrete AI use cases, and on how to become their company's AI catalyst.

AI is Transforming Financial Planning: From EPM Foundations to IBP Success

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing the landscape of financial planning. New AI-powered platforms, such as JedoxAI, are offering the tools to bring finance and business closer together, and accelerate the journey towards Integrated Business Planning (IBP). But technology alone isn’t enough: true transformation demands robust data, harmonized processes, and committed change management. Only then can AI deliver reliable insights and break down barriers between teams.

Filip Devisch, Partner at NX Partners, draws on years of hands-on experience in finance transformation and system integration. He has led organizations through EPM and IBP implementations, enabling both CFO offices and business units to collaborate more effectively. In his presentation, Filip will demystify AI’s real-world impact on financial planning, share pitfalls to avoid, and outline actionable steps to get started on your own IBP journey.

Expect practical strategies, honest insights, and a clear roadmap—so you’ll leave inspired and equipped to transform your finance function with lasting results.

Sean Nauta is Marketing Manager Benelux at CCH Tagetik, where he leverages over a decade of B2B marketing experience to help finance leaders stay ahead of the curve in Corporate Performance Management. With a strong focus on market research, Sean and his team have explored key developments impacting the Office of Finance. Their latest research paper dives into how AI is transforming finance in the Benelux region—offering practical insights and forward-looking perspectives for finance professionals navigating this evolving landscape.

AI in Finance, the current state of affairs

Join this interactive session based on a comprehensive study conducted in spring 2025. Combining in-depth interviews with finance leaders and survey data from professionals across sectors like healthcare, government, financial services, and retail, we will offer a nuanced view of how AI is being used - and what lies ahead.

Bio coming soon ...

Next-Generation CFO: Driving Cash Performance with Agentic Intelligence

Redefine finance with agentic AI: Discover how Sidetrade’s Aimie elevates finance from automation to autonomous intelligence.

CCO @ 4CEE

Artificial Intelligence is one of the most discussed topics in finance today. But as a CFO, you don’t just want to follow the hype – you want to see measurable business outcomes. This session is designed to help you cut through the noise and focus on what truly matters: creating value for the Office of the CFO. We explore the key conditions that determine whether AI will actually generate ROI, and why starting with e-invoicing can be the smartest first step before broadening your scope. Together, we will look at real-life projects that have delivered tangible results and discuss a fundamental question every CFO faces: should you automate or should you eliminate processes to unlock the biggest gains? Expect clear insights, practical best practices, and inspiration to translate AI into concrete impact for your own organization.

Alexander Rogiers, Account Executive at Perk, is a FinTech expert passionate about helping businesses optimize their spend management through AI-driven innovation. With 7+ years of experience in the industry, Alexander works across global organisations to help finance leaders solve their day-to-day challenges in transactional finance operations.

Survival of the smartest: How the right approach to tech can radically transform the finance function beyond 2025

Finance teams are being asked to navigate a host of challenges - to become more agile, more strategic, and more tech-driven – no easy task given the complexity they deal with. The global trade war is changing how companies do business, new regulations are driving companies to constantly adapt and there is less standardization as governments look to increasingly protectionist policies. In this session, Perk will explore the biggest challenges finance teams are facing. As well as fresh insights into finance teams’ priorities in 2025, you’ll get practical takeaways on cutting through complexity to drive your own transformation across travel and spend management.