The full agenda will be revealed soon!
Be inspired and gain valuable insights from leaders across the Shared Services industry, as well as some of our very own Deloitte Experts.
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Day 1
Wednesday, 24 September 2025
08:00 - 09:00 - Doors open and registration
09:00 - 09:45 Opening Plenary - Dorthe Harding Keilberg, Aoife McCarthy and Harry Goddard, Deloitte
Welcome to Dublin, a global centre for Shared Services, and the home of the 28th Shared Services Conference! Join us as Dorthe Keilberg, Aoife McCarthy and Harry Goddard open the conference with insights into how GBS is transforming businesses and driving sustainable success in today's ever-changing world.
Speakers
09:45 - 10:15 Aoife Allen, Pfizer
The Pfizer Hub Formula: Transactional to Transformational
Over the past two decades, Pfizer's Dublin Hub has undergone a remarkable transformation. Starting as a high-volume transactional centre focused on Finance, it has evolved into a dynamic, matrixed Global Capability Centre (GCC). Join Aoife Allen, Dublin Hub Site Lead, as she shares this inspiring journey, highlighting the shift from cost optimisation to value creation and the innovative strategies employed to achieve it. Aoife will explain how Pfizer leveraged core GBS principles within the unique context of the BioPharma industry, extending these principles beyond traditional enabling functions. She will also explore the crucial role of technology in this transformation, emphasising the need for critical mass of centralised activity and standardised data to justify and maximise the impact of digital enablers.
Speaker
10:45 - 11:25 - Break
11:25 - 11:55 Thomas Bloemen, Kühne + Nagel
Beyond the Shipment: How Kühne + Nagel Unlocked Potential of Centralisation
Kühne + Nagel now have a 4,000 person strong global services setup tackling complex, mission-critical operations, becoming a vital engine for the world's largest freight forwarder. However, they started by handling typical transactional tasks. As the nature of their activities evolved, so too did the demand for a highly skilled and adaptable workforce. Join Thomas Bloemen, Head of Global Services, as he explains how they strategically upskilled and empowered their teams to create a culture of continuous learning, career opportunities and development. Thomas will delve into how this strategic talent transformation fostered a new era of collaboration with the business, forging a high-performing service centre team that drives impactful results and real business value.
Speaker
11:25 - 11:55 Bastian Hochleitner, MAN Truck & Bus
MAN Truck & Bus: GBS in the Fast Lane
While many industries are accelerating innovation in shared services, the automotive industry has largely remained stuck in neutral. But MAN Truck & Bus, a Volkswagen Group company, is shifting gears. Join Bastian Hochleitner, Head of GBS Strategy & Performance Management, as he takes you on their transformation journey to redefine what GBS can look like in a traditionally conservative space. Bastian will highlight critical elements that have enabled their transformation: building cross-functional collaboration, securing leadership buy-in, and energising stakeholders to drive impactful results that go far beyond back-office efficiency. He will also discuss real challenges and solutions faced enroute, including overcoming complex work council regulations and the integration of GBS IT requirements in the current IT governance structure.
Speaker
12:05 - 12:35 Mirta Hegedušić, thyssenkrupp AG
The Steel Standard: thyssenkrupp AG Thriving in a High-Cost Environment
In an industry under constant pressure to optimise, thyssenkrupp Group Services is rewriting the rulebook for GBS success. With their shared services based in higher-cost locations in Germany and Poland, and five autonomous business units to support, traditional cost arbitrage levers are less significant. Add rising external competition from third-party providers, and the challenge becomes even more formidable. Join Mirta Hegedusic, CFO of thyssenkrupp Group Services, as she shares how the organisation doubled down on operational excellence to stay ahead. By focusing on key strategic changes, thyssenkrupp Group Services have proved that even in a high-cost environment, GBS can deliver exceptional value when driven by culture, innovation, and talent.
Speaker
12:05 - 12:35 Jan Joost Hoek, Air France-KLM
Taking Off to New Heights: Air France-KLM’s GBS Transformation
In 2019, Air France-KLM accelerated their shared services journey, initiated in 2004, and are now transitioning towards a true Global Business Services (GBS) organisation. Join Jan Joost Hoek, VP of the Shared Service Organization, as he delves into practical insights on how this transition has unlocked exponential value for the business. He will discuss the key elements driving this transformation, including overcoming transition challenges, establishing end-to-end process ownership, and strategically focusing on value-added capabilities. Jan Joost will also share how the integration of Air France and KLM not only presented transformation challenges, but also unveiled opportunities for even greater efficiencies for both airlines.
Speaker
12:45 - 13:15 Thormod Fjell, DNV
Unlocking M&A Value with DNV’s Global Shared Services
Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) hold the promise of unlocking new value and driving top-line growth. The path to realising this potential often hinges on full integration – a process where shared services can either be a roadblock or a strategic launchpad. Join Thormod Fjell, Global Shared Services Officer, as he explains how they have worked with the business to clarify, streamline, and accelerate integration support through a newly developed “7-step-integration-journey”. To improve business value, adding new, relevant services such as M&A support is key. Equally important is upskilling around how services are delivered to achieve exceptional customer experience. Thormod will also share experiences from implementing an in-house concept called PEARLS, a behavioural training programme targeted to improve service excellence.
Speaker
13:15 - 14:35 - Lunch
14:40 - 15:10 Ian Stewart and Kate English, Deloitte
Beyond the Headlines from Deloitte’s Economists
The world is changing faster than ever before. Geopolitical upheaval, supply chain disruptions, evolving trade policies, and technological advancements are just a few factors reshaping the global economic landscape at an unprecedented pace. Join Ian Stewart and Kate English, Deloitte’s UK and Ireland Chief Economists respectively, as they explore the forces shaping the future of the global economy. They will dissect the key economic developments of the past year, including their ripple effects to contextualise the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for your organisation. Ian and Kate will also provide an in-depth analysis of why Ireland’s economy makes it such an attractive location for shared services. This isn’t just another economic outlook; it’s a call to action.
Speakers
15:10 - 15:55 Panel Discussion, Chaired by Deborah Kops, Sourcing Change
Talent Still Matters: Closing the GBS Capability Gap
In an era where AI, automation, and economic volatility dominate the headlines, the true performance engine behind shared services remains talent. But not just any talent—future-ready talent.
This candid, high-energy panel brings together seasoned GBS leaders to tackle the capability gap head-on. How do we future-proof our workforce? What capabilities matter most? How do shared services organisational structures get in the way? And how can GBS organisations become magnets for top talent while staying ahead of disruption?
Expect bold insights, practical takeaways, and real stories of how leading firms are changing the capability equation. They're mastering the art of partnering and building teams that don’t just keep up—but drive enterprise value.
Chair
Speakers
15:55 - 16:35 - Break
17:10 - 17:40 Max Handforth and David Hodson, Liberty Blume
From Cost Centre to Growth Engine: The Evolution of Liberty Blume
Liberty Global's Shared Services has undergone a significant and exciting transformation, evolving from a cost-driven model to a technology-driven, solution-focused business. Branded as Liberty Blume, join Max Handforth, Head of GBS, and David Hodson, VP Transformation, to hear how they leveraged an in-depth understanding of the needs of their internal customers and embraced automation, robotics, and machine learning to become a cutting-edge solutions provider. Building on their success to date, Max and David will also share Liberty Blume's ambitious future, including their strategy to consider sourcing options, expand into emerging markets and extend their solutions to third-party clients.
Speakers
17:40 - 17:50 Day 1 Close & Wrap-up
As Day 1 of the Shared Services conference draws to a close, join us for a final session to recap the key themes and insights discussed.
Speakers
17:50 - 18:50 Sponsor drinks
19:00 - Coaches to Guinness Storehouse
19:30 - 23:00 - The Guinness Storehouse Evening Event
Day 2
Thursday, 25 September 2025
08:15 - 08:45 - Coffee and breakfast
08:45 - 09:15 Welcome to Day 2!
Welcome to Day 2 of our Shared Services conference! Building on the momentum of Day 1, we'll delve into a fresh set of topics with new expert speakers, continuing our exploration of how GBS organisations can challenge the status quo and drive transformative change.
Speakers
10:35 - 11:15 - Break
11:15 - 11:45 Iris Yates and Peggy Torsing, Deloitte
Your First Moves to Launch Your GBS Journey
Are you considering a GBS model but unsure where to start? You’re not alone. For many organisations, the early stages of a GBS journey can feel overwhelming. They face strategic decisions, structural complexities, and uncertainty about what “good” looks like. They also struggle to see beyond the immediate impact of change, finding it difficult to undertsand the long-term benefits for the organisation and its people. Join Iris Yates and Peggy Torsing from Deloitte as they help guide those in the early stages of GBS exploration. Drawing on proven tools and methodologies used in real-life “Greenhouse Labs” – immersive, high-pressure environments that stress-test early thinking - they will walk you through a clear, structured framework to move from concept to initial strategy. So, whether you’re still exploring the model or ready to build your first business case, this session will help you visualise what GBS could look like in your organisation, give you the confidence to start shaping it and inform decision-making moving forward.
Speakers
11:15 - 11:45 Karan Saggi and Stein Petter Aannerud, Equinor
Search to Service: Customer Experience at Equinor
While internal surveys proclaimed Equinor’s shared services for delivering best-in-class support, a crucial challenge remained. Despite the high quality of service, employees struggled to find and access the services they needed, sparking a strategic initiative focused on three key areas: findability, usability, and supportability. Join Karan Saggi and Stein Pepper Aannerud to gain valuable insights into how a customer-centric approach to user experience can revolutionise shared services. They will give you a flavour of the innovative tools and solutions they are building, including a unified AI-powered search portal and a cutting-edge ‘leadership assistant’, empowering their people through true self-service capabilities.
Speakers
11:55 - 12:25 Maureen Jackson, Scotia Gas Networks (SGN)
SGN's 18-Week Shared Services Stand Up: A Story of Speed, Impact, and Collaboration
In just 18 weeks, Scotia Gas Networks (SGN) achieved a remarkable feat: building a shared services function from scratch, revolutionising outdated processes. Join Maureen Jackson, Business Services Director, as she shares the journey behind this transformation. Discover how a "just get started" mentality propelled SGN forward, overcoming initial resistance while avoiding the pitfalls of perfectionism. This initiative not only unlocked new efficiencies, freeing up valuable time and resources for frontline operations, but also forged exciting new career paths. Maureen will also reveal how strong executive sponsorship, coupled with a balanced approach of support and scrutiny, enabled this success.
Speaker
12:40 - 13:10 Emma Lawson, Bakkavor and Dr Tom Bates, Team GB
Technology Meets ‘Performance’ Psychology to Drive Mindset and Cultural Change
At the end of 2023, Bakkavor was facing a critical crossroads: legacy platforms were undermining agility, stability, and the ability to scale. But instead of treating technology as just a fix, they used it as a footing for transformation. Join Emma Lawson, Transformation Director, and Dr Tom Bates, Performance Sports Psychologist, as they share how the implementation of S/4 HANA was more than a system upgrade – it became a catalyst for operational excellence and cultural reinvention. This led to greater operational stability, improved performance, and more simplified, efficient workflows. They will also reveal insights from their unique approach of incorporating elite sports performance psychology to foster new mindsets, behaviours, and a winning culture throughout the organisation.
Speakers
13:10 - 13:25 Day 2 Close & Wrap-up
Join us for the closing session of our Shared Services conference as we reflect on the key takeaways and look towards the future. We'll recap the innovative strategies and technologies explored throughout the event, highlighting how leading organisations are challenging today's limitations to define tomorrow's Shared Services landscape.
Speakers
Location Strategy and Commercials Table Talk
Join us for a 60-minute, one on one discussion with GBS Location Strategy and Commercial experts, in which you will have an opportunity to discuss your specific situation, challenges and questions regarding GBS strategy, including scope, location, associated costs and the benefits case regarding setting up and running a new GBS Centre. By the end of the session, you will have Deloitte’s outside-in perspective on your challenge to help shape the thinking of your next steps. The sessions will be hosted over 2.5 days of the conference.
Please send an email to srinivasvadali@deloitte.co.uk AND jibaksahu@deloitte.co.uk to register for Table Talk.
- In the email, please share your Name, Role in your organisation and a short description of what you want to discuss.
- The organising team will reach out to you with a list of available slots. Upon agreeing, the date and time of your slot will be confirmed.