Making shared services work for you
Jens Fey, CFO ASEAN, ANZ, Japan & Korea, Bayer

It’s a common complaint of CFOs that shared services, while cost-effective, tends to operate as a discrete silo, detached from the needs and concerns of the business. But Bayer has taken a different approach in this region, and sought to integrated its shared service centre into the core of the organisation. Jen Fey, Bayer’s regional CFO, will lead us through the work he and his team have undertaken to get shared services working for them. Jens has integrated his 300 person share service centre with country Finance teams by creating in-country ‘squads’ to connect with the SSCs and get them thinking as part of the whole business. In addition to extensive Finance experience, Jens has also held general management roles in Bayer, and has worked both in Asia Pacific and Europe.

What should we expect in 2027?
Suan Teck Kin, Chief Economist, UOB

In this session, we will explore how monetary policy shifts, and structural changes in trade and supply chains are influencing economic resilience and business confidence in the Asia Pacific region. UOB Chief Economist Suan Teck Kin will provide an assessment of the key risks and opportunities facing multinationals, helping Finance leaders distinguish between short-term volatility and longer-term structural trends that will matter most for strategic planning and investment decisions. This discussion will focus on the practical implications of the economic outlook for corporate decision-making. Teck Kin is responsible for macroeconomic and foreign exchange research with a primary focus on China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, and secondary coverage for the ASEAN region. Prior to UOB, he held senior positions in equity and credit analysis in other financial institutions in Singapore, Canada and Taiwan.

Additional session to be advised.

Members may attend with a member of their Finance team. Luncheon and light refreshments will be served.