CFO FORUM EUROPE

[BIZ: New York, November 7]
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu announced that it would host senior finance executives from corporations headquartered in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa at the annual Deloitte CFO Forum held November 8-10 2006 at The Ritz-Carlton, Berlin. Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Fiat, delivered the keynote speech on “The Road to Innovation at Fiat.” Dr. Otmar Thoemmes, Deloitte global managing partner, Clients & Markets, DTT spoke during sessions presented to more than 50 invited business leaders at the event.

The role of the chief financial officer is more complex than ever. CFOs are managing people, systems and more sophisticated technology infrastructures, and they are doing so in a time of unprecedented regulatory scrutiny. The focus of this year’s Deloitte CFO Forum was effectively navigating this dynamic and challenging environment.

“Increased regulation, ever-growing demands for growth and value, and calls for greater transparency have put the spotlight on the CFO as never before,” says Otmar Thoemmes, Global Managing Partner Clients & Markets, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu. “Today’s CFO wears four hats: steward, operator, strategist and catalyst.”

The focus of the Deloitte CFO Forum in Berlin was on the growth and innovation challenge facing companies today. Participants exchanged views and practical insights on business combinations and seizing the growth opportunities these combinations create.

“The nature of the role has changed, and expectations of the CFOs have never been greater,” explains Sergio Marchionne. “Growth and innovation are most certainly part of the job description, perhaps more than ever.”

Before joining Fiat, Mr. Marchionne was the CEO of Société Générale de Surveillance (SGS) as well as CFO and CEO of Alusuisse Lonza Group and chief executive and then chairman of its Lonza Group spin-off.

Discussions centered on European business case studies chosen to provoke thoughtful analysis of the evaluation; execution and absorption brought on by mergers and acquisitions; best practices in dealing with private equity firms; and how the EU regulatory environment impacts innovation and progress. The sessions inspired an exchange of views on the growing demands of the CFO, the finance function and opportunities to protect and enhance value on behalf of all shareholders.
http://www.deloitte.com/