All 2026 Finance Conference Sessions

Gartner Finance Symposium/Xpo 2026 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 Conference Navigator.

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Wednesday, May 27, 2026

11:00 AM - 11:45 AM EDT

CFO Circle Ask the Analyst: How CFOs Build Cost-Conscious Cultures That Stick

Vaughan Archer, Sr Director Analyst, Gartner
Most cost-cutting efforts fail not because of poor strategy, but because of weak culture. In this session, CFOs will learn how to complement cost optimization strategies with a cost-conscious culture that lasts, by leveraging social incentives like peer recognition, internal competition and teaching-focused finance business partnering. ... Show More Show Less

12:30 PM - 01:15 PM EDT

CFO Circle Ask the Analyst: CFO-CIO Partnership to Cost Savings From Technology Investments

Cesar Lozada, Sr Director Analyst, Gartner
Current CFO agendas revolve around cost optimization, cash flow maximization and improving resource allocation. These priorities naturally guide CFOs to their CIO partners to determine which technology capabilities can either be invested in or implemented immediately. This session will address which technologies enterprises are leveraging to meet operational efficiency goals and which can impact revenue-generating activities. ... Show More Show Less

12:30 PM - 01:00 PM EDT

From Cuts to Strategy: Rethinking Cost Structures for the Long Term

Michelle Carlsen, Director Analyst, Gartner
Long-term value realization has become increasingly challenging, and most CFOs have already executed multiple rounds of cost reductions. A repeat of a successful 2025 session, this will explore how the top finance teams use the unique selling points of their companies to develop a differentiated cost structure strategy, and how to prioritize spending on areas that will produce the best long-term returns. (CPE Credit: 0.6; Field of Study: Finance; Delivery Method: Group Live; Program Knowledge Level: Basic; Prerequisites: None; Advanced Preparation: None) ... Show More Show Less

02:30 PM - 03:15 PM EDT

CFO Circle Roundtable: Tracking and Measuring Technology Investments

Nisha Bhandare, Distinguished VP Analyst, Gartner
As technology becomes key to strategic growth, organizations risk falling behind if their technology investments fail to deliver business results. In this session, learn how CFOs are championing the use of outcome-driven metrics to capture the financial, intangible and innovation impact of technology — enabling smarter technology investment decisions. ... Show More Show Less

02:30 PM - 03:30 PM EDT

Contract Negotiation Clinic: Ten Tips, Tactics and Tricks CFOs Can Use to Negotiate Bigger Cost Savings From Technology Vendors

Jo Ann Rosenberger, Distinguished VP Analyst, Gartner
Faced with budget pressures, many CFOs struggle to control technology costs from software and SaaS licenses, subscriptions and support fees, which often rise unpredictably without any direct ROI. This interactive session will help CFOs understand how to follow a 10-step playbook to achieve cost savings while securing the best outcomes for the organization from technology contract negotiations. ... Show More Show Less

03:15 PM - 04:00 PM EDT

Roundtable: Margin Confidence Under Pressure: Can You Defend Your Profitability Assumptions?, moderated by 3C Software

Matthew Smith, President & Ceo, 3C Software
Dan Crociata, Chief Executive Officer, Endries International Inc
As finance accelerates insight delivery, confidence in the underlying economics often lags, especially as cost structures grow more complex. Join this executive roundtable to discuss where cost transparency breaks down, how allocation assumptions and fragmented data distort profitability visibility across products, customers, and channels, and how finance teams are strengthening confidence in high-stakes commercial and strategic decisions. ... Show More Show Less

04:00 PM - 04:30 PM EDT

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. (CPE Credit: 0.6; Field of Study: Finance; Delivery Method: Group Live; Program Knowledge Level: Basic; Prerequisites: None; Advanced Preparation: None) ... Show More Show Less

04:45 PM - 05:05 PM EDT

CostPerform: From Cost Transparency to Great Decisions: Lessons from Regions Bank

Sander Den Hartog, Ceo, CostPerform
Tim Cooke, Svp, Manager Corporate Costing &amp Ana, Regions Bank
This talk explores how organizations turn cost transparency into decision‑ready insight as complexity grows. Sander den Hartog and Tim Cooke share how a Regions Bank case applies unit costing and cost modeling in ways that also translate across industries to improve profitability insight, support planning, and deliver a clear, defensible performance view, showing what it takes to move from good decisions to great ones. ... Show More Show Less
Thursday, May 28, 2026

10:30 AM - 11:15 AM EDT

Ask the Analyst: Navigating Changing Funding Landscapes in Government

Farrah Watson, Sr Director Analyst, Gartner
In this interactive session, government CFOs will gain practical insights for navigating changing funding landscapes, with a focus on performance-based budgeting. Participants will discover how to connect budget decisions to measurable outcomes, improve resource allocation and strengthen financial accountability. The analyst will share best practices, address common challenges and answer your questions, helping CFOs achieve better results through data-driven budgeting strategies. ... Show More Show Less

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“This conference is a great opportunity to gain insights into the industry trends that will be key to your finance organization’s health and success in the near and long term.”

Matt Mozdziez
Senior Finance Director, Chemours

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