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The Modern CFO Playbook: Leading Growth, Change, and AI Strategy
October 21, 2026 · 01:00 PM CDT
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Finance is no longer on the sidelines of AI

AI has moved past the technology team. It now sits on the CFO's desk. Finance leaders are moving AI from experiments to governed, measurable execution. This session shows you where to start, what to govern, and how to scale.

Finance leaders are asked to weigh four questions at once, and AI touches each one directly:

  • Investment: Is this worth funding, and against what return?
  • Risk: What exposure does it create in reporting and controls?
  • Operating change: How does the work itself need to change?
  • Speed: How fast can we move without breaking trust?

Most organizations have already tested AI somewhere in the business. The harder work is turning a promising pilot into a process the business can rely on. That's where finance has an advantage: it already runs on evidence, weighs tradeoffs every day, and signs off when the number has to be right.

In this CPE-eligible webinar, Jose Ortega Carrero of Highspring and Steve Sutter, CFO of Celigo, will walk through a practical playbook for finance-led AI adoption. You'll see where to begin, what governance has to cover, why data readiness decides the outcome, and what leaders should do next.

Who should attend? 

This session is for finance and business leaders responsible for AI decisions, including:

  • Chief Financial Officers
  • Chief Accounting Officers
  • Controllers
  • Vice presidents of finance
  • FP&A and corporate finance leaders
  • Finance transformation leaders
  • Finance executives responsible for AI, technology, risk, or operations
  • Senior leaders evaluating enterprise AI investments

Learning objectives

Upon completion of this program, participants will be able to:

  • Identify the factors that position finance to lead enterprise AI strategy, including investment, risk, operating change, and speed.
  • Assess finance processes to determine which AI use cases offer clear boundaries and measurable value as starting points.
  • Apply governance criteria to evaluate whether an AI-supported finance process is reliable, traceable, and controllable.
  • Outline the data, systems, process, and talent requirements needed to move AI from pilot to governed execution.

Presenters

Steve Sutter
Steve Sutter
CFO @ Celigo
Steve Sutter brings to Celigo over 20 years senior financial and operational leadership experience within high growth, business to business, software and SaaS companies. He is responsible for accounting, finance, legal, HR and business operations teams at Celigo. Most recently Steve spent seven years serving as CFO of Egnyte, a SaaS content services platform, where he helped lead the company from early stage through 100 million in recurring revenue.

Prior to that he held CFO roles at Eye-Fi, Elance, and Netfish Technologies; he started his career with KPMG in San Jose.

Steve holds a Bachelor’s of Science from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in Accounting and is Certified Public Accountant, inactive.
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Steve Sutter
Steve Sutter
CFO @ Celigo
Steve Sutter brings to Celigo over 20 years senior financial and operational leadership experience within high growth, business to business, software and SaaS companies. He is responsible for accounting, finance, legal, HR and business operations teams at Celigo. Most recently Steve spent seven years serving as CFO of Egnyte, a SaaS content services platform, where he helped lead the company from early stage through 100 million in recurring revenue.

Prior to that he held CFO roles at Eye-Fi, Elance, and Netfish Technologies; he started his career with KPMG in San Jose.

Steve holds a Bachelor’s of Science from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in Accounting and is Certified Public Accountant, inactive.
Jose Ortega Carrero
Jose Ortega Carrero
Partner @ Highspring
Jose Ortega Carrero, is a partner in Highspring’s Strategy, Technology, and Transformation team, leading the organization’s national Technology Advisory practice focused on serving the private equity market. Jose brings deep expertise in commercial, operational, and IT due diligence, post-deal integration, carve-outs, and enterprise technology strategy—including ERP and AI/ML enablement. Throughout his career, he has led and delivered transformation programs representing more than $3 billion in enterprise value. His client-centric approach and strategic execution have helped PE clients enhance performance, accelerate returns, and modernize their operating models.

Prior to joining Highspring, Jose spent 20 years across the Big Four, providing strategic direction across large-scale transformation and M&A initiatives. He is based in the Washington, D.C. area and speaks regularly on the intersection of technology, private equity, and digital transformation.
View More
Jose Ortega Carrero
Jose Ortega Carrero
Partner @ Highspring
Jose Ortega Carrero, is a partner in Highspring’s Strategy, Technology, and Transformation team, leading the organization’s national Technology Advisory practice focused on serving the private equity market. Jose brings deep expertise in commercial, operational, and IT due diligence, post-deal integration, carve-outs, and enterprise technology strategy—including ERP and AI/ML enablement. Throughout his career, he has led and delivered transformation programs representing more than $3 billion in enterprise value. His client-centric approach and strategic execution have helped PE clients enhance performance, accelerate returns, and modernize their operating models.

Prior to joining Highspring, Jose spent 20 years across the Big Four, providing strategic direction across large-scale transformation and M&A initiatives. He is based in the Washington, D.C. area and speaks regularly on the intersection of technology, private equity, and digital transformation.

CPE Credits

This session is available for 1 CPE credit.

Prerequisites: N/A | Advanced Preparation: No | Knowledge Level: Basic | Field of Study: Information Technology | Event Location: Virtual | Delivery Method: Group Programs | Refund Policy: N/A

 

For more information regarding administrative policies such as complaint and refund, please contact our Global Headquarters at 615-324-8226. Highspring is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: nasbaregistry.org

Webinar: The Modern CFO Playbook: Leading Growth, Change, and AI Strategy by Highspring x Celigo