What does it take to lead with conviction when the CFO role is constantly transforming and the noise is never-ending?
This half-day event, part of The F Suite’s new CFO Forum series, brings together venture- and PE-backed CFOs across the Pacific Northwest for a candid, curated exchange on how your closest peers are interpreting signals, driving value, and embedding AI-first thinking, while continuing to lead their teams.
Our conversations will reflect the unique moment we’re in: closing out a dramatic 2025, planning for 2026, and navigating an increasingly cross-functional, technology-infused mandate. Whether you're influencing product and hiring, inheriting new business units, or reshaping your org’s approach to automation and investment, this forum is designed to sharpen your edge and expand your lens.
Build new relationships, fortify existing connections and leave ready to lead with an edge.
Opening Remarks and Mainstage Session
The Market Outlook: Closing Time, Opening Moves
As a dramatic 2025 comes to a close, we can finally take stock of what actually happened and begin planning with more clarity and conviction for 2026. In this discussion, we’ll unpack the key signals they’re watching as the year wraps, from tariffs, to fundraising trends and evolving board expectations. We’ll also explore how these dynamics have affected companies in our own backyard, and what that means for Seattle's finance leaders moving forward.
Mainstage Session | Evangelizing Value: Leading Beyond the CFO Title
What are best-in-class CFOs doing to really lead with value, and more importantly, get their companies to rally around them? In this panel discussion, we’ll explore how your peers are stepping far beyond the finance function to scale purpose, drive clarity, and build resilient orgs. Hear from CFOs who’ve taken ownership of cross-functional teams, embraced mission continuity in the face of major transitions, and built cultures of frugality without losing sight of long-term investment. Whether you're owning more of the org or redefining what “value” means in a post-efficiency era, this mainstage will challenge you to think bigger and lead louder.
Small Group Discussion | Beyond Finance: The Expanding CFO Portfolio
Today’s CFOs are being asked to learn more about the business than ever before. From tech stack to engineering to talent to growth, the expanding CFO mandate means you're not just partnering with other functions, you’re often stepping in to lead them. This roundtable is your space to share how you’ve taken on new roles, how those opportunities came to be, and what it’s taken to succeed while balancing your core responsibilities.
Mainstage Session | Intelligent Design: Driving an AI-First Culture Across the Org
How do you move beyond editing NDAs and summarizing meeting notes, and actually embed AI where it matters most? It’s no longer enough to experiment with AI at the edges. In this discussion, we’ll go beyond surface-level use cases and explore how peer CFOs are pushing their teams to prioritize high-leverage automation, rethink talent decisions, and treat AI as a core capability rather than a tactical tool. You’ll also hear how some are establishing ground rules for hiring and offshoring. Leave with knowing what it takes to permeate AI-first behaviors across finance, ops, product, and beyond.
