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 2
Wednesday, 7 October 2026
08:15 - 08:40 - Coffee and breakfast
09:00 - 09:30 Opening Plenary - Dorthe Harding Keilberg & Joris van Malderen, Deloitte
Welcome to Brussels, a strategic hub for business excellence, as it proudly hosts the 29th Shared Services Conference!
Dorthe Keilberg, Conference Chair, and Joris Van Malderen, Country Host, will kick off Day 2 of the conference, offering invaluable insights as to how GBS is fuelling significant growth and empowering organisations to progress beyond traditional boundaries.
Speakers
09:30 - 10:00 Juan Carlos Parada, Unilever
Intelligent GBS: Unilever’s AI-powered operations engine for growth
As AI reshapes the future of enterprise operations, GBS has a unique opportunity to move beyond efficient service delivery and become a true catalyst for business impact. At Unilever, Intelligent GBS is being built as an AI-powered operations engine - helping the business run better today while designing simpler, faster and more effective ways of working for tomorrow.
Join Juan Carlos Parada, Chief Global Business Services Officer at Unilever, as he shares how GBS is being reimagined for the AI era. The session will explore how outcome-led value streams, business process intelligence and AI-enabled capabilities are helping Unilever move from shared services to intelligent operations - and what it takes to turn technology potential into lasting enterprise impact.
Speaker
10:00 - 10:30 Air-Commodore Marijke van der Krogt, Royal Netherlands Air Force
Shared Services, Shared Problems, Shared Solutions: The Smart Approach of the HR SSC for the Dutch Armed Forces regarding Existing IT
In a world where digital transformation shapes the future of society and ever-increasing digital demands present new challenges, many organisations struggle with the task of modernising both front line and back-office services on existing IT platforms. Join Air-Commodore Marijke van der Krogt, Commander of the Division of Human Resources at the Netherlands Ministry of Defence, as she shares her division's inspiring and transformative journey - navigating the gap between contemporary expectations and technological capabilities, whilst creating positive societal impact through innovative service delivery and a commitment to excellence. She will reveal how her team is pioneering clever workarounds and personalised experiences, strengthening and upscaling their shared service function and evolving from traditional back-office roles to become trusted advisors with real vision. Discover practical strategies for driving significant and lasting change, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and redefining your organisation’s value to communities, even without large investments in AI or state-of-the-art technology stacks. This session offers a vital perspective for organisations seeking to achieve impactful change despite resource and technological constraints.
Speaker
10:30 - 11:10 - Break
11:10 - 11:40 Lisa Beverloo & Jules Smeets, ASML
One company, one service experience: How ASML embedded Enterprise Service Management into its Global Business Services organisation
As organisations grow, support services often evolve into a complex landscape of functions, processes, channels and technologies. While IT, HR, Finance, Facilities and other support teams continuously optimise their own operations, employees experience only one company and expect a seamless service experience.
In this session, ASML will share how Enterprise Service Management (ESM) became a strategic capability within its Global Business Services organisation (ASML Business Services). Rather than treating ESM as a technology initiative, ASML designed and embedded it as an operating model that standardises processes, governs service delivery, aligns channels and improves the end-to-end employee experience across multiple support domains. This approach included establishing common ESM governance, harmonising service management processes, creating a unified service experience, and building a foundation for automation and AI.
Join this session to learn the key design principles, organisational choices, lessons learned and practical insights from ASML's journey from siloed support functions toward an integrated enterprise service ecosystem.
Speakers
11:10 - 11:40Inger Nordqvist, Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget (SCA)
From SAP Transformation to Business Impact: The Journey to Finance Excellence
What began as an SAP-driven transformation has evolved into a Finance Shared Services organisation defined by disciplined delivery, strong governance and measurable efficiency gains that create everyday business value. SCA Business Services ensures reliable, compliant and cost-effective finance operations while enabling business performance and strategic decision-making.
More than the outcome of transformation, Business Services is a key accelerator of it. Through harmonisation, digitalisation and data-driven ways of working - supported by the successful implementation of a common ERP platform - SCA Business Services has standardised processes, strengthened internal control and reduced complexity across the organisation.
By combining operational excellence with continuous improvement, SCA improves efficiency, enhances reporting quality and safeguards regulatory compliance. Discover how SCA with a Customer First mindset, Business Services Excellence and a strong Winning Team, delivers scalable, future-ready finance operations that support sustainable and profitable long-term success.
Speaker
11:10 - 11:40 Dr. Lars Najda, Schaeffler
Challenge Accepted: How Schaeffler Turns AI Ambition into Action
As Artificial Intelligence transitions from isolated experiments to enterprise-wide adoption, organisations face the critical challenge of scaling its impact across all functions. Join Dr. Lars Najda, Head of GBS at Schaeffler, as he unveils their groundbreaking “Admin AI Factory”, a cross-functional engine designed to industrialise AI at scale, not as a standalone initiative, but as an integrated value driver spanning Finance, HR, Logistics, Sales and IT.
Discover how Schaeffler is forging a single operating model, bringing business and IT together through unified governance, robust portfolio management and a standardised technology platform. With over 80 use cases already in delivery or pipeline, the focus extends beyond innovation to proving tangible value and significant cost efficiency.
This session will also delve into the less visible, yet crucial, aspect of this transformation: preparing and reshaping the workforce. Explore how Schaeffler is redefining job profiles, managing change, addressing talent concerns and seamlessly integrating AI into daily operations, with early impact assessments already guiding workforce evolution and SG&A efficiency. Discover how these efforts, combined with sophisticated governance mechanisms such as an AI control tower ensuring human oversight and responsible adoption, are building a future-proof organisation through integration and synergy, positioning Schaeffler's GBS transformation as a catalyst for enterprise growth and innovation.
Speaker
11:50 - 12:20 Gábor Illés & Katerina Santoro, Syngenta Services
Transforming at Scale: How Syngenta Delivered S/4HANA Across 80 Entities
In an era where large-scale ERP transformations are notorious for delays and budget overruns, many organisations struggle with the complexity of implementing change across dozens of entities while maintaining business continuity. Join Gábor Illés, Head of Finance Operations Europe, and Katerina Santoro, Finance Process & Technology Lead Europe, as they share Syngenta's remarkable journey - successfully delivering S/4HANA transformation on original deadline, across 80 entities throughout Europe. Discover how Syngenta defied conventional wisdom by rejecting the “big-bang” approach in favour of a phased, smaller-portion methodology. Learn how they cascaded from global strategy to regional execution, established robust programme governance, and navigated the challenges of coordinating across diverse geographies and business units. This session reveals the practical enablers, critical success factors, and lessons learned that allowed Syngenta to achieve what many thought impossible – demonstrating that scale can become your advantage, not your obstacle.
Speakers
11:50 - 12:20 HR Panel Discussion
Embark on a journey with John Baddeley, Human Capital Partner at Deloitte, and an insightful panel comprised of industry leaders. Our esteemed HR panellists will share valuable insights into the pivotal moments that have shaped their careers and the impactful initiatives delivered by their organisations. We will then discuss the top priorities within their organisations today and how they as leaders are driving positive change and innovation. Lastly, we will explore upcoming market trends including; disruptive technology, talent management and skills for the future.
Speakers
11:50 - 12:20 Mervi Hämäläinen & Taru Karppi, UPM
From Siloed Services to an Integrated Value Hub
Transforming a GBS organisation from fragmented service functions into an integrated value hub requires more than new technology, it demands a fundamental shift in how shared services create enterprise value. Join Taru and Mervi from UPM as they share how UPM evolved from managing isolated services into a unified, synergy-driven hub designed to future-proof the enterprise. Over the past three years, UPM consolidated Finance, HR, IT and expanding services into a single operating model. What started as a platform implementation became a catalyst for unlocking enterprise-wide synergies. By bringing multiple functions into the same environment, UPM discovered compounding value that wouldn't exist in isolation: shared infrastructure, integrated workflows and the foundation for real business impact. The real transformation happened when UPM shifted focus from operational efficiency to business value creation.
Discover how UPM is building a future-proof organisation through integration and synergy, and how the next chapter of GBS transformation positions shared services as a catalyst for enterprise growth and innovation.
Speakers
12:30 - 13:40 - Lunch
13:40 - 14:10 Robert Hankey & Andreas Hey, Deloitte
Reimagining the GBS Operating Model with AI: A Value Engineering Perspective
As AI and digital technologies reshape the business landscape, GBS leaders face not only new opportunities, but also the challenge of closing the gap between transformation ambition and tangible results. This interactive session explores how GBS can move beyond vision to execution - becoming a true catalyst for enterprise-wide value.
We will examine how traditional GBS principles - right-sizing, right-shoring and operational efficiency - remain essential, but are being redefined by digital-first approaches. The discussion will focus on practical strategies for bridging the transformation gap, highlighting the importance of aligning capacity, capability and capital, and considering a spectrum of transformation models.
Participants will gain actionable insights into how structured assessment and intentional action can help overcome barriers, accelerate outcomes and ensure GBS remains central to the organisation’s future success. The session will feature real-world examples, peer benchmarks and interactive polling to stimulate debate and share perspectives.
Speakers
13:40 - 14:10 Eamon Boland & Bilal Samad, Novartis
From Shared Services to a Value-Engine Network
Novartis’ shared services journey has been a decade-long shift from footprint optimisation to building an enterprise capability network - and we’re still evolving. We’ll explore what has changed in governance, capabilities and workforce strategy, as expectations have shifted from ‘efficient delivery’ to ‘outcomes, innovation and talent at scale’. We’ll also be candid about what didn’t work - missteps, change fatigue and the realities of transformation pace - and how we course-corrected.
Finally, we look ahead to the next chapter: how AI is reshaping operating models, roles and skills, and what it takes to bridge the transformation gap between ambition and execution.
Speakers
13:40 - 14:10 Vicky Gaulter, NHS
One Platform, One Vision: Transforming Finance Across NHS England
Navigating large-scale transformations in the public sector brings its own unique complexities and demands. NHS England set an ambition of modernising its finance functions through an Oracle Cloud implementation servicing 13,000 users across different organisational entities and locations. Join Vicky Gaulter, Director of Financial Control at NHS England, as she delves into the practical strategies and profound shifts required to achieve this generational technology transformation programme. She will highlight the critical importance of meticulous planning and the absolute necessity of data integrity and reconciliation in a high-stakes environment. Acting as both a prerequisite and by-product, Vicky will explain how this initiative fostered a true partnership approach to navigating significant operational hurdles and extensive system downtime.
Speaker
14:30 - 15:15 Panel Discussion: Can GBS Lead Enterprise Transformation?
For years, GBS organisations have focused on scale, control, and operational excellence. Today, many organisations are exploring a broader role for GBS in enabling enterprise transformation, digital innovation, and AI adoption. Yet the reality across organisations is far from consistent. In many cases, the mandate to drive transformation remains unclear.
During this panel we will discuss whether GBS has truly earned the right to lead enterprise change or whether that mandate still sits elsewhere. We will examine whether GBS organisations are built for optimisation more than transformation, and what adaptations to operating models, processes and governance are needed to shift that balance. We will assess talent and capability: do GBS teams have the skills, leadership and change capabilities required for the next era of digitalisation and AI adoption? We will also consider whether transformation requires a fundamental mindset shift, and if such cultural change can be realised within existing GBS structures.
This panel will examine whether GBS is truly positioned to lead transformation and what mindset, talent and leadership shifts are required to make that possible.
Panellists coming soon.
Host
Panellists
15:15 - 15:45 Ahmed Ismail, Sanofi
From Support Function to Business Catalyst: Sanofi's GBS Transformation
Transforming a GBS organisation into a strategic business catalyst involves more than just process redesign; it requires a core shift in identity, culture and purpose. Join Ahmed Ismail, Head of Europe Hubs at Sanofi, as he shares how one of pharma's fastest-growing GBS operations evolved from a traditional support role (back-office) into a high-impact global partner, driving enterprise transformation and supporting the company's mission to deliver cures to patients worldwide.
Over the past three years, Sanofi has significantly invested in helping every GBS team member understand the purpose of their work and its direct impact on patient outcomes. The focus has shifted from transactional tasks, KPIs and ticket closure to becoming a strategic business enabler and growth driver. This large-scale cultural shift has positioned GBS as a leader rather than a follower. Ahmed will highlight tangible successes: onboarding 1,010 colleagues in a single year at Budapest Hub, including highly complex and specialised roles; expanding one of the organisation’s fastest-growing talent platforms through employee referrals (29%, far above market average); and attracting over 22,000 applications through employer branding efforts. These achievements result from employees becoming ambassadors when they grasp the business’s importance, the organisation's scope and their role within it.
Learn how Sanofi aligned its global GBS strategy with local implementation: by transforming organisational culture on a large scale, competing for top-tier talent in challenging markets and evolving shared services into a key driver of business growth. Gain practical frameworks and valuable lessons for organisations undergoing similar transformations.
Speaker
15:55 - 16:35 - Break
16:35 - 17:05 Michele Gellatly, Scania Group
HR at the Forefront: How Scania P&C (HR) is Spearheading its Global GBS Transformation
In today’s evolving GBS landscape, leadership agility and innovative approaches are critical to driving successful transformation. Join Michele Gellatly, who is leading Scania’s global HR GBS transformation from Australia. Despite being thousands of miles from the Swedish headquarters, Michele demonstrates that effective leadership transcends geography. Scania, a traditionally decentralised automotive manufacturer, chose HR to pioneer its GBS transformation journey. Michele’s team rapidly established and scaled Scania’s first inhouse GBS delivery hubs, servicing over 60,000 employees worldwide.
This session will explore how Scania achieved their targets through a transition strategy based on frequent incremental releases of HR services, an approach that enabled quick wins and sustainable growth. Michele will share insights on the unique challenges and opportunities of leading a large-scale SSC transformation remotely. Discover how distance from HQ has posed challenges, but also helped Michele create speed and momentum. If you are involved in GBS transformation or leadership, this session offers valuable lessons on driving change, scaling delivery models and redefining leadership in a global, distributed environment.
Speaker
17:05 - 17:35 Anindya Sunder Das, Uber
From Tool Selection to Organisational Redesign: How AI Becomes the Centre of Gravity
Transforming an organisation around AI requires more than vendor evaluation and tool adoption; it demands a fundamental reimagining of how work, processes and people interact. Join Anindya Sundar Das, Head of Global Service Design at Uber, as he shares how the company is navigating one of the most consequential shifts in modern business: placing AI at the centre of organisational design, rather than at the periphery.
For decades, business processes have been architected around human capability and organisational structure. Uber's AI-led transformation inverts this logic: processes are now being redesigned with AI as the central operating principle, with people and workflows organised around it. This isn't incremental optimisation - it's a wholesale reimagining of the future workforce. The intersection is clear: next-generation workforce strategy and AI strategy are inseparable. To be AI-led is to undergo massive transformation.
Discover how Uber is redefining the relationship between AI, process design and human capability and gain practical insights into managing organisational culture and workforce strategy during fundamental technological transformation.
Speaker
17:35 - 17:45 Close
As Day 2 of the Shared Services conference draws to a close, join us for a final session to recap the key themes and insights discussed.