Why Adelaide’s busiest executives keep making time for the CFO Summit
With attendance at a record high, the William Buck CFO Summit is proving its value as a space for candid conversations, practical insight and peer connection.
South Australia’s finance leaders will again converge on Adelaide this May as the William Buck CFO Summit returns, offering what organisers describe as a rare opportunity for connection, perspective and practical insight at the highest levels of business.
Hosted by William Buck, the summit has grown into a cornerstone event on the state’s corporate calendar, drawing senior finance professionals, executives and board-level leaders into a single room for a day that blends strategy, economic outlook and leadership thinking.
“Last year was our most successful event, with around 250 people, and we’re hoping to build on that this year,” says Matthew King, William Buck partner and head of audit and assurance. “It’s the only event of its kind in Adelaide specifically for finance leaders, but the program lends itself to other executives as well – CEOs, CIOs, even directors.
“It’s not a technically finance-focused program: it’s more about the C-suite – strategy, thought leadership and the broader, non-financial aspects of a CFO’s role, including things like AI.
Crucially, the content is designed to reflect the shifting pressures facing modern finance leaders, with a strong focus on both emerging technology and regulatory change.
“Last year and again this year, we’ve included AI presentations in the program,” King says. “The feedback from last year was great, so this year is really the next step in that evolution – how AI can genuinely help finance teams in a practical way.
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“We also have ESG reporting, which is very topical. There are increasing requirements for businesses to mandatorily report on ESG, so we’ve included a session on that as well.”
But beyond the technical and regulatory themes, it is the human element that continues to define the summit’s appeal.
“What attendees find really valuable is hearing from well-known South Australian businesses about their success stories and the journeys they’ve been on,” King says. “How they’ve implemented their strategies, how they’ve achieved growth and what’s worked well – those are the sorts of topics that really resonate.”
That value extends well beyond the formal presentations, with networking playing a critical role in the day.
“The presenters are, in some respects, conversation starters,” King says. “At morning tea, lunch or afternoon tea, attendees are connecting with people they may not have seen since the last summit and talking through the challenges they’re facing.
“The value comes not just from the presentations, but from those conversations – sharing experiences, discussing what’s working and what’s not, and learning from each other.”
It is no small feat to draw CFOs away from their desks, but the combination of insight and peer exchange appears to cut through.
“Getting CFOs to attend events is always a challenge because they’re incredibly busy – there’s never a perfect day or time,” King says. “But this event continues to be well attended, and I think that’s because of the opportunity it provides to connect with peers and exchange ideas.”
This year’s speaker line-up reflects that balance between technical insight and broader leadership thinking.
“We’ve got Bruce Carter AO, a business consultant often referred to as South Australia’s ‘Mr Fix It’, who will share lessons and insights from his career and offer advice for today’s leaders,” King says.
“Besa Deda, our chief economist at William Buck, will speak about the broader economic landscape – interest rates, housing and the current geopolitical environment.
“Adam Barty, managing director of Revium, will cover the next phase of AI and provide practical examples of how it can be applied within finance teams.
“We’ll also have Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis, who will share the Malinauskas Government’s economic vision and what this means for local businesses.”
The program also deliberately steps beyond finance to address leadership and wellbeing.
“Dr Gemma Munro is a transformational speaker whose session, ‘Peaceful Peak Performance’, is more inward looking,” King says. “She’ll provide tools to help CFOs – who are often quite stretched – re-energise, rebuild their energy levels and improve their performance.”
Rounding out the line-up is a local success story. “Ben Miels, group CEO of Stratco, will talk about their strategy and how they’ve successfully scaled the business,” King says.
After the formalities conclude, attendees have the opportunity for informal networking over drinks.
“The networking at the end of the day was very popular last year,” King says. “It’s another opportunity for attendees to connect, continue conversations and share ideas.”
The William Buck CFO Summit will be held on May 13 at Adelaide Oval. Find out more and register here.
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