EUROPE’S NO.1 SHARED SERVICES & GBS EVENT
Conference Day Two: May 21st, 2025
7:30 am - 8:25 am
Breakfast and Registration
8:25 am - 8:55 am
Monday Highlights from the Chair
Steve Rudderham -
Head of Global Business Services,
Carrier
Jackie Crockford - VP, Global Business Services, AstraZenca
SSOW THE BIG IDEAS STAGE
8:55 am - 9:25 am
THE OUTSOURCING CUSTOMERS PANEL: THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UNEXPECTED OF WORKING WITH BPOS
Jan Nikus -
Head of KONE Business Services,
KONE
Sebastian Frey - Managing Director, Kärcher Global Services
Pietro Binetti - GSS EMEA-Americas Director, Stanley Black & Decker
Caitriona Flynn - Senior Director, Meta Business Services, Global Finance Outsourcing, Meta
BPO and Outsourcing Partners have been a critical part of the Shared Services and GBS ecosystem. There are many factors to consider when it comes to choosing the right partners and models and the experiences are often mixed. This session will look to share experiences and explore new ways of driving transformational outcomes from your BPO partnerships:
· Understanding the business objectives and selecting the right service delivery model accordingly
· Examining the systems, processes and data required to make sure they are fit for purpose
· How to leverage BPO partners to drive end-to-end process efficiency
· How do you expand into cutting-edge services around big data, analytics and other innovative solutions?
· Developing and shaping centres of excellence to build capabilities
9:25 am - 9:50 am
GBS AS VALUE CREATOR TO THE BUSINESS EBITDA: HOW ARE WE DOING IT AT STORA ENSO?
Hannele Palje-Rossi -
Senior Vice President, Head of Global Business Services,
Stora Enso
· Designed for impact from day one: Building a GBS team where the impact is greater than the functions
· How do we lift up GBS as a key player in the company business?
· How do we have the right conversations to have a seat at the table within one year?
· How can GBS contribute to the EBITDA value: How are we bringing value into key parts of sales, production and sustainability?
· The GBS role in leveraging AI as the accelerator services to reinforce business impact
9:50 am - 10:20 am
A GBS EVOLUTION DEBATE: WHAT IS THE ULTIMATE VALUE DELIVERY MODEL?
AJ Wijesinghe -
SVP, GBS,
Ecolab
GBS models have been evolving significantly in recent years. More and more companies are embracing the GBS model as the engine for enterprise transformation. However, in more and more cases, we witness full-fledged GBS organisations changing the way they operate or even dissolving entirely. From the organisational design perspective, what are the key drivers behind these triumphs and perils for global business services? What is the optimal way of working for organisations at different maturity stages? What is the ultimate value delivery model? Join this session to hear the most thought-provoking views from our experienced GBS leaders:
· Full scope GBS vs. functional model. Is there an optimal model to operate?
· A GBS lifecycle perspective. From onboarding to letting go - how can GBS continue to evolve to add value to the organisation?
· Defining and expanding scope - why and how?
· GBS Innovation: How can we run our GBS organisations differently?
· Disrupting ways of working. Being organisationally agile to adopt the right operating model that adds the most value
Sponsored by: HighRadius
Technologies and solutions are driving the speed of change in shared services evolution. We have dedicated this time for solution provider demo drives to provide great opportunities for you to hear from multiple vendors with a snappy overview of their key solutions and capabilities and how they can advance your GBS and shared services transformation journey. Be it RPA, process mining, BPM, consultancy or finance/supply chain/HR automation solution providers, you name it and all of them will be doing their short sharp pitches during this time!
Get ready to join them and take notes on which ones you would like to explore further. On top of that, once you’ve heard all of the pitches and ticked them off your demo drive card, you will stand a chance to win multiple wonderful prizes. Pick up a demo drive card from one of the staff and join in now!
SSON Connect
10:20 am - 11:15 am SSON ConnectSPLIT PLENARY STAGE (RUNNING CONCURRENT WITH IDGS, INVITE-ONLY MASTERCLASSES & PAVILION SESSIONS BEGIN)
11:15 am - 11:40 am
HOW CAN GBS CONTRIBUTE TO BUILDING A HYPER RESILIENT SUPPLY CHAIN? A PHILIPS CASE STUDY
Anil Yadav -
Senior Vice President & Head of Global Business Services,
Philips
As a strategic enabler for the enterprise, Philips GBS supports various functions, including the Supply Chain organisation, across critical touchpoints, in a manner which directly impacts customers. Join Anil Yadav – Head of Philips GBS - to learn how they influenced and enabled a key strategic imperative of the enterprise through a mega transformation programme. Cutting across business and regions in Philips, the programme was designed to simplify the order fulfilment process into a more resilient and efficient activity, with clearer responsibilities and fewer handovers. Ultimately, their approach showcased how a GBS organisation can really lead, adapt and drive transformation in a way that directly influences metrics tracked at an enterprise-level and benefits end customers. Join us to hear how they:
· Enabled integration in an agile manner by bringing together experts to form virtual, business-focused teams to co-create an improved Order to Fulfilment (O2F) process
· Improved cycle times by creating process flows that reduced complexities while adapting to the needs of various businesses
· Increased reliability by establishing a series of pilots in partnership with key stakeholders to stress test their approach before taking it across the organisation
· Empowered employees to do what needs to be done to make the process flow more seamlessly and feel more accountable
11:40 am - 12:05 pm
GBS VALUE SELLING AND VALUE GENERATION: A SIEMENS GBS CASE STUDY
Alexander von Thielmann -
SVP Shared Services, O2C & CRM,
Siemens
· Shifting GBS strategy to become an E2E integrated business partner delivering top line support, transformation capabilities and knowledge driven services
· Sharing use cases and proven results for value generation
· How to have clearly defined metrics on measuring the value created
· How to effectively communicate the value generation approach to customers and stakeholders
12:05 pm - 12:30 pm
THE NOKIA GBS TRANSFORMATION: SPEED OF EXPANSION, DEPTH OF SERVICES AND A LASER FOCUS ON LEADING CHANGE
Jonathan Chamberlain -
Head of Business Operations,
Nokia Business Services
Timothee Raffour - COO Financial Controller, Cloud Network Services, Nokia
The transformation journey at Nokia GBS has been monumental, marked by a significant expansion of scope, the redesign of the entire service portfolio with a completely different charging model, whilst building relationships with 11 main stakeholder groups across 7-8 global entities. This shift required significant efforts to address customer pain points, enhance engagement and rebuild trust. Join this unique conversation to not only discover how GBS tackled these challenges but also to hear directly from their customers about their experiences:
· How GBS focused on building transparency, portfolio management and a consumption-based approach to meet internal customer expectations
· Exploring how consistent listening, acting on feedback and collaborative problem-solving became the cornerstone of change management
· Building trust and expanding scope: two-way dialogue on winning confidence from the stakeholders
12:30 pm - 12:55 pm
AN UNCONVENTIONAL CASE STUDY: DELIVERING VALUE THROUGH INNOVATION AT NATIXIS IN PORTUGAL
Etienne Huret -
CEO,
Natixis in Portugal
The story begins with the name: Natixis in Portugal is not a traditional shared services delivery centre, but a key part of the Natixis Group (as an innovation hub). This distinction is critical for Etienne and his team. Join Etienne in this session to discover why the organisation is designed this way. He will also share valuable insights into the following areas:
· Delivering tangible and measurable value through innovation, actionable AI and advanced technologies
· Building trust with a transparent, visualised set of Finance, HR, and Delivery KPIs
· Identifying where we fall short as an extended team and exploring strategies to overcome these challenges
· Pinpointing areas where we can further advance our maturity
IDGS & INVITATION ONLY MASTERCLASSES
IDG A
11:30 am - 1:00 pm A: INDUSTRY GROUP FOR CPG & RETAIL Akos Magyari - Director Business Services, Heineken International
IDG B
11:30 am - 1:00 pm B: INDUSTRY GROUP FOR BFSIIDG C
11:30 am - 1:00 pm C: INDUSTRY GROUP FOR PHARMA, BIOTECH & HEALTHCARE Lukasz Wielochowski - Head of Enterprise Solution Hub in Poland, Moderna
IDG D
11:30 am - 1:00 pm D: FINANCE MEETS AI: UNLOCKING PERFORMANCE THROUGH AUTOMATION Marko Kling - Vice President, Solution Architecture, Serrala
IDG E
11:30 am - 1:00 pm E: MANAGE YOUR DATA EFFECTIVELY IN YOUR FINANCE SHARED SERVICESSponsored by: Oversight
IDGS & INVITATION ONLY MASTERCLASSES (Continued)
IDG F
11:30 am - 1:00 pm F: HIRE-TO-RETIRE TRANSFORMATION Mariana Cervan - HR Senior Manager, People Services Excellence, Infineon TechnologiesDavis Aguilar - Head of HR Operations, Diageo
IDG G
11:30 am - 1:00 pm G: DEVELOPING AND EXPANDING THE SERVICE SCOPE AND CATALOGUE FOR MAXIMUM BUSINESS ALIGNMENT & IMPACTIDG H
11:30 am - 1:00 pm H: INDIRECT TAX COMPLIANCE: KEEPING UP WITH THE EVER-CHANGING REGULATIONS Kerstin Bauer - EMEA Indirect Tax Compliance Leader, eBay
IDG I
11:30 am - 1:00 pm I: THE EVOLVING GPO ROLEIDG J
11:30 am - 1:00 pm J: GBS STANDARDS SSON R&A Naomi Secor - Global Managing Director, SSON Research & Analytics
1:15 pm - 1:45 pm (Invitation-Only) Masterclass with Thomson Reuters: Solving the Centralised Statutory Reporting Challenge
George Sugden - Account Director, Global Statutory Reporting, Key Strategic Accounts, Thomson ReutersMark Boakes - Client Advisory and Strategy Consultant, Thomson Reuters
Many businesses are looking to drive efficiency and reduce cost in their statutory reporting process through centralisation and standardisation. However, there are major challenges to overcome including a lack of country specific knowledge and local language requirements. Join us to hear first-hand how these challenges were overcome by a large MNC in their global business. In this interactive session, come and discuss your challenges with the experts from Thomson Reuters, network with your peers and get the latest information on what we are hearing from the market about the drivers for transformation.
Sponsored by: Thomson Reuters
George Sugden
Account Director, Global Statutory Reporting, Key Strategic AccountsThomson Reuters
Lunch
1:00 pm - 1:55 pm LunchTHE BIG IDEAS STAGE
2:00 pm - 2:30 pm
TOWARDS DIGITAL R2R: A CASE STUDY
Join us on a transformative journey of the Record to Report (R2R) function. You will have the opportunity to hear about the execution of the transformation towards building a state-of-the-art R2R function with the key learnings on:
· Key elements of building a state-of-the-art R2R process
· Insights and experiences on what is making this journey successful so far
· The lessons learned and how to take this transformation to the next level
Sponsored by: BlackLine
2:25 pm - 3:20 pm
THE G6 BPO DRAGON’S DEN: ROI, USABILITY & COST TO OPERATE
It is now a well-established tradition for SSOW Europe to unite GBS and BPO with a fiery, leader-led panel. This year, we will elevate the intensity still further, by launching SSOW’s very own dragon’s den style pitch session. C-suite leaders from the foremost BPO groups will have the opportunity to pitch their most disruptive innovation ideas. Having done so, key customer group representatives will lead a rigorous Q&A session. It's a high point of the conference and not one to miss.
3:20 pm - 3:45 pm
LIVE BENCHMARKING MASTERCLASS WITH SSON RESEARCH & ANALYTICS
Naomi Secor -
Global Managing Director,
SSON Research & Analytics
Ever wondered how your SSO/GBS performance stacks up against the best? In this interactive session, you’ll select the metrics that matter most to you, and we'll reveal live benchmarking results from three powerful datasets: your peers, the Top 20 Most Admired SSOs, and the World's Best GBS finalists.
Hear from award-winning leaders who will unpack the results, share their own performance metrics, and reveal the tactics that propelled them to the top. This isn’t just a data dive—it's a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to be the best and a sneak peek into the insights you can unlock with SSON R&A.
Walk away with fresh data, winning strategies, and an edge in your SSO/GBS journey. Don’t miss this!
3:45 pm - 4:30 pm
Afternoon Break & SSON Connect
SPLIT PLENARY AND THEMED STAGES
SPLIT PLENARY
4:30 pm - 5:00 pm BUILDING A SKILL-BASED ORGANISATION: AN AXA GBS CASE STUDY Isabelle Isnard - Head of HR and Communications, AXA Global Business ServicesAn organisation is agile only to the extent that its workforce is ready to handle any near-term or future scenario. With the pace of change accelerating, the traditional experience-based talent model is no longer sufficient. Future-ready organisations need to base people decisions on skills more than jobs – and having a scalable, manageable, and more equitable way of operating. A skills-based organisation turns talent management on its head, redefining and reimagining every talent practice to be based more on skills than on jobs and setting a new direction for the future of work: agile, tech-enabled and democratised. This is no longer a vision, but a mission and reality set in motion within AXA GBS. Join this case study to hear how they are achieving this vision with practical steps:
· Building a skills-based organisation to be able to anticipate and effectively respond to new capability building initiatives
· Sharing the key steps AXA GBS are taking to shift the focus from jobs to skills
· Redeploying resources impacted by the automation of transactional activities and processes
SPLIT PLENARY
5:00 pm - 5:30 pm FUTURE-PROOFING GLOBAL BUSINESS SERVICES (GBS) THROUGH TALENT DEVELOPMENT, CAREER PROGRESSION & EFFECTIVE SUCCESSION PLANNING Jarek Wojnarowski - VP, Global Business Services, PandoraCarlos Guimaraes - VP GBS Operations, adidas
· How GBS leaders are approaching right-skilling to address evolving industry demands
· Strategies for linking training and development with business goals
· The Learning and Development (L&D) Agenda: Strategic Secret Sauce
· Overcoming the reverse talent flow problem: What can we do to attract talent from global functions into GBS?
· Pathways for career growth in GBS: Developing a clear game plan for progression
· Future-Proofing GBS with an effective succession planning strategy
Foundational Capabilities (Launching) Stage
4:30 pm - 5:00 pm LIFT & SHIFT, TRANSITION, SCOPE & PROCESS STANDARDISATION: WHERE WOULD YOU LIKELY FAIL WHEN LAUNCHING SSCS? Bjorn Dumortier - Director Finance Operations, ZalandoJan Mottl - Asahi Business Services Director – Finance, Asahi Europe & International
Nicoleta Apetrei - Chief of Staff of the CEO, Societe Generale Global Solution Centre, in Romania
There are so many things to consider when setting up an SSC/GBS organisation from scratch and many could go wrong, resulting in delays and increased cost. In this session, learn from experienced SSO leaders about their top tips and tricks to get SSO launch right:
· How to decide which operating model is right for you
· Understanding key drivers – what is the catalyst for business services?
· Linking location strategy to your long-term goals
· Process consolidation before vs after transit: Pros and cons
Nicoleta Apetrei
Chief of Staff of the CEOSociete Generale Global Solution Centre, in Romania
Foundational Capabilities (Launching) Stage
5:00 pm - 5:30 pm ALL ABOUT PROCESS - FROM STANDARDISATION TO AUTOMATION: CHALLENGES, BEST PRACTICES AND PROVEN METHODS Sanjeev Ravindranathan - Vice President of Global Finance Shared Services, Harman InternationalDanuta Swieton - VP, GBS Finance Services, Krakow Center Head, Herbalife
Driving efficient and scalable processes is often the first step and a top priority for shared services leaders, but the path towards standardisation and automation is fraught with challenges. This session focuses on practical strategies to overcome these hurdles, ensuring that your process infrastructure, systems, and tools are fit to support an evolving service delivery model.
· Balancing complexity and standardisation: Discover how to harmonise processes that conform to global standards while accommodating unique needs
· Defining and communicating “Gold Standards” across your organisation
· Choosing the right method and tools for process standardisation and automation
· Addressing automation challenges: Explore why automation may not yield the expected results even with standardised processes
Sanjeev Ravindranathan
Vice President of Global Finance Shared ServicesHarman International
Finance Transformation Stage
4:30 pm - 5:00 pm ACHIEVING TOUCHLESS FINANCE PROCESSES IN P2P AND R2R WITH GLOBAL PROCESS, ADVANCED AUTOMATION AND AI: AN EBAY CASE STUDY Jana Skottova - Senior Director Global Shared Services, eBayIn this session, we will hear practical experiences from Jana on how the eBay finance shared services achieves 95% e-invoicing rate, 70% touchless rate in AP invoicing and 97% automated journals in R2R. We will also explore the practical questions such as how to ensure compliance and control when you have touchless processes.
· What does it take to achieve end-to-end touchless finance workflow while maintaining compliance and control?
· Implementing automation and AI tools to handle mismatched invoices, managing e-invoicing portals and automating exception handling
· Developing effective performance metrics for processes involving diverse procurement categories and global invoicing nuance
Finance Transformation Stage
5:00 pm - 5:30 pm PANEL DISCUSSION: BEST PRACTICES ON MASTER DATA MANAGEMENT AND TRANSFORMATION Tanuja Singi - Vice President and Head of Global Business Services, McCormick & CompanyLars Hölzer - Head of Business Services & Digital, Fresenius Kabi
Mauro Portela - Managing Director Global Master Data Operations, Danone
Master data management is moving to the top of the agenda for many GBS organisations. In this session, our panel of experts will identify key challenges and offer best practices for organisations that are tackling the complex transformation of master data:
· What is the role of master data management in digital transformation?
· How to develop a robust data governance framework?
· Leveraging master data management platforms and tools to support data integration and governance
· Sharing best practices in managing and improving data quality
· What is the role of AI in master data transformation?
HR Shared Services Stage
4:30 pm - 5:00 pm CASE STUDY: DRIVING INNOVATION AND GROWTH AT H2R SERVICES AT BOSCHIn the 25 years since Bosch introduced HR shared services they have had to adapt to continuous change and transformation, to meet the evolving needs of employees. This case study session will introduce the Bosch GBS strategy, along with a case study example of their latest innovation H2R service, Smart Work Abroad, showcasing the benefits of placing innovation at the heart of your HR strategy.
· Discover how Bosch are embracing innovation and growth to deliver more with less
· Drive your employment brand and become a more attractive employer in a competitive market through more flexible ways of working
· Learn about Bosch's Smart Work Abroad initiative which utilises technology to provide employees with essential legal and compliance information for remote work
HR Shared Services Stage
5:00 pm - 5:30 pm CASE STUDY: PROVEN APPROACHES TO STANDARDISATION- THE KEY TO COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP Eva-Maria Nagel - Vice President HR Operations and Systems, Festo SE & Co. KGGiedre Belazariene - Head of Operations Business Services Kaunas, Festo UAB, Lithuania
When considering whether shared services are right for you, it is crucial to weigh both the positives and negatives of this large-scale transformation. This case study session will delve into the recent centralisation and standardisation of HR processes at Festo, featuring insights from both the customer and solutions perspectives. This holistic view will cover everything from HR strategy to change management.
· Learn how to navigate and simplify complex processes to achieve the best possible employee experience
· Discover the importance of true collaboration and communication between solution providers and the customer base, and the role of strong leadership in driving change
· Explore Festo’s tried and tested approaches, including their “fail fast” methodology for continuous learning and improvement
· Understand the critical role of culture and change management in successful HR transformation
THE BIG IDEAS STAGE
5:30 pm - 5:35 pm
Move back to Auditorium
5:35 pm - 6:05 pm
UNLOCK THE VALUE CREATION CODE: THE CHALLENGE
Nikolay Goldovich -
Head of Data Process Automation CoE,
Sanofi
This quick-fire session will feature sharp case studies to demonstrate how GBS goes beyond efficiency to deliver proven and recognised value to the business, in different ways and to suit business needs:
· The case where GBS has delivered top-line business growth
· The case where GBS has delivered critical business insights
· The case where GBS has been the accelerator to digital transformation
· The case where GBS touches business critical functions such as supply chain, commercial operations & R&D
AWARDS CEREMONY & GALA NIGHT
6:30 pm - 10:00 pm
SSOW Europe 2025 Impact Awards Ceremony & Gala Dinner (By Invitation and Pre-Registration Only)
Joanne Griffin -
Founder & CEO,
AdaptIQ
Sameer Jalundhwala - SVP, GBS Operations & Outsourcing, NTT
Chris Gunning - Global Finance Transformation – Global Shared Services, Nielsen IQ
Lafras Moolman - Director Finance Transformation, CRH – Tarmac
Tony Saldanha - President, Inixia
Fraser Kirk - VP HR Transformation & Systems, GKN Automotive
Phil Priest - Head of GBS, Rolls-Royce
Kamila Grembowicz - Head of Global Business Solutions, Astellas Pharma
Dr. Frank Schüler - Managing Director Global Service Center, DHL Global Forwarding and Freight
Deborah Kops - Industry Influencer and Shared Services Expert, Sourcing Change
Vanessa Rechter - GBS Transformation Global Head, Kerry
Recognising excellent work and celebrating achievements is hugely important for the community, especially at a time like this. SSON’s Shared Services & Outsourcing Impact Awards is a globally recognised, annual industry awards ceremony, which honours and celebrates SSC and service delivery teams who have exceeded industry standards in their SS&O initiatives. Tonight is the night we reveal who the winners are for this year and celebrate with them! This year’s awards will be a night to remember! The Awards Ceremony will be presented at the exuberant off-site Gala Dinner, attended by hundreds of SSOW VIPs and attendees, designed to help us network, unwind and celebrate with the best of the best from the industry. Attendance by invitation or for Gold and Silver pass holders only.
