All 2026 Conference Sessions

Gartner Finance Symposium/Xpo dives deep into key topics for finance leaders around cost optimization, growth, AI and more to help you address your organization’s mission-critical challenges.

2026 Conference Theme

Autonomous Finance: Building Resilient, AI-Driven and Value-Centric Enterprises

CFOs are under pressure to deliver a more autonomous finance function, but that future won’t arrive on its own. This year’s agenda focuses on what it really takes to build that kind of finance organization where insights lead to faster decisions, automation supports more of the close and forecast, and finance teams engage with the business without becoming a bottleneck.

Autonomous finance is not a destination. It is a discipline. And CFOs must lead the way. Explore our sessions below, all developed with this theme in mind.

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There are hundreds of sessions happening each day. Filter to see sessions that align with your role and interests. After registering for the conference, craft your agenda and book priority sessions — all through Gartner Conference Navigator.

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Monday, 08 June, 2026

11:00 AM - 11:30 AM BST

How CFOs Can Drive Strategic Transformation With AI and Digital Innovation

Sean Kumar, Sr Director Analyst, Gartner
Despite rapid advances in technology and AI, many enterprises lag behind in integrating these tools into core strategic processes, leaving significant value untapped. This session explores how CFOs can champion collaboration between CIOs and strategy leaders to close the technology gap, accelerate innovation and enhance enterprise agility. Attendees will gain actionable insights on leveraging new technologies for adaptive strategic planning, risk management and growth. ... Show More Show Less

11:45 AM - 12:15 PM BST

Navigate Economic Uncertainty With Adaptive Scenario Planning

Regina Crowder, Sr Director Analyst, Gartner
CFOs should deploy adaptive scenario planning, focusing on key business drivers. Unlike traditional scenario planning that often creates fixed plans for a set of possible future outcomes, this method cuts through data noise, providing early warnings and enabling rapid adjustments to forecasts in volatile markets. ... Show More Show Less

02:30 PM - 03:00 PM BST

Funding the Future: A CFO’s Guide to Valuing and Governing Strategic AI Bets

Nate Suda, Sr Director Analyst, Gartner
Not all AI investments fit a traditional, short-term ROI model. This session introduces the "return on the future" (ROF) framework, a disciplined financial approach for evaluating and governing high risk, high-reward AI initiatives that are critical for long-term survival and growth. Learn how to manage a portfolio of strategic bets that will reshape your business model and secure future revenue streams. ... Show More Show Less
Tuesday, 09 June, 2026

10:30 AM - 11:00 AM BST

Signature Series: CEO Agenda 2026

Dennis Gannon, VP Analyst, Gartner
CEOs are enacting new postcrisis strategies to deal with geopolitical risks and talent challenges; leveraging AI and sustainability. Our annual global CEO survey will shine a light on the agenda shifts that CFOs should anticipate next. ... Show More Show Less

10:30 AM - 11:00 AM BST

Unlocking Efficient Growth: CFO Secrets From the Frontlines of Financial Leadership

Nauman Abbasi, Sr Director Analyst, Gartner
Although CEOs, boards, and investors expect simultaneous top-line growth, bottom-line expansion, and capital efficiency (i.e., efficient growth), no more than 5% of companies are able to achieve it. This session teaches replicable lessons from efficient growth company CFOs on how to manage costs, capital, cash, and AI investments for delivering long-term value. ... Show More Show Less

12:00 PM - 12:30 PM BST

Smarter Models for AI Investment and Strategic Growth

Nisha Bhandare, Distinguished VP Analyst, Gartner
CFOs face growing pressure to strategically plan and fund AI investments across organizations for growth and innovation. Traditional project-based funding models can starve technology investments and limit their impact, leaving organizations at a disadvantage. This session explores AI-suitable funding models — product, block, and value-stream-based — for smarter investments and stronger enterprise planning. Learn how AI-specific funding provides the speed, flexibility and governance needed to maximize the value of AI investments, ensuring they are directly aligned with your organization’s strategic priorities and business outcomes. ... Show More Show Less

02:45 PM - 03:30 PM BST

CFO Circle Ask the Expert: Smarter Strategies for Funding AI Investments

Michelle Carlsen, Director Analyst, Gartner
AI is reshaping enterprise strategy but funding it effectively remains a challenge. From experimental pilots to enterprise-scale deployments, CFOs must navigate high uncertainty, unclear ROI timelines and rapidly evolving technologies. This interactive Q&A session explores how finance leaders can build smarter funding models for AI initiatives that balance risk, agility and strategic value. ... Show More Show Less

02:45 PM - 03:30 PM BST

CFO Roundtable: The CFO as Enterprise D&A Champion

Valeria Di Maso, Sr Director Analyst, Gartner
As organizations ramp up data and analytics investments, CFOs are poised to become enterprise data leaders. In this interactive session, discover how CFOs can drive data-driven decision making, foster cross-functional collaboration, and translate D&A investments into measurable business results. Join your peers to share strategies for unlocking the full value of data across the enterprise. ... Show More Show Less

02:45 PM - 03:15 PM BST

From Ideation to Cash Flow: A Financial Framework for Prioritizing High-Yield AI Projects

Nate Suda, Sr Director Analyst, Gartner
In 2026, the mandate is clear: AI initiatives must deliver tangible financial returns. This session presents a rigorous seven-step financial filtering framework to rationalize your organization's pipeline of AI projects. Learn how to systematically evaluate and prioritize initiatives, focusing capital and resources on the vital few that will generate measurable revenue growth or cost reduction within the next four to six quarters. ... Show More Show Less

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“I highly recommend Gartner Finance Symposium/Xpo to any finance professional looking to stay ahead in the industry and connect with like-minded peers.”

Malcom Pape
CFO

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