October 21st, 2026 | 18:00 – 22:30 | Landing 42 The Future CFO Talks London
An exclusive event where finance leaders turn AI into structure, control, and scale.
What to expect
We will share insights into the future of finance, AI-powered automation, and spend management. There will also be ample opportunity to exchange experiences, discuss industry trends, and build valuable new connections.
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New research from 1,500+ finance leaders on AI readiness
Panel discussion: AI adoption in finance
Premium networking over drinks and a cocktail dinner
Meet the speakers
Lucy Demery
Senior Vice President, Head of Visa Commercial Solutions, Europe
Lucy Demery leads Visa Commercial Solutions across Europe, driving the strategy and growth of Visa's commercial payments business. Working closely with banks, acquirers, fintechs and technology partners to deliver innovative B2B payment solutions. Prior to joining Visa, Lucy was Managing Director at Barclays responsible for Fintech Investment Banking in Europe, having previously served as Global Head of Fintech Banking at Standard Chartered and held roles at J.P. Morgan.
Joel Nordström
CEO & co-founder, Atlar
CEO/co-founder of Index Ventures-backed Atlar. Previously, employee #12 at Tink (acquired by VISA for $2.2bn). Atlar is the next-generation treasury system giving scaling finance teams real-time visibility and control through a single platform connected to their banks and ERPs.
Felicity Aston
British polar explorer, author and climate scientist
Felicity Aston MBE became the first woman to ski alone across Antarctica in 2012, covering 1,744km in 59 days and earning a Guinness World Record. A former British Antarctic Survey meteorologist and Polar Medal recipient, she has led many record-setting expeditions to the Polar Regions and is now researching airborne microplastics on Arctic sea ice.
Hristo Borisov
CEO, Payhawk
Hristo is the compass guiding Payhawk's journey. With a rich background in engineering and product management, he is a stalwart advocate for our products and customers, bringing a mix of innovation and user-centricity to everything we do. As co-founder and CEO, he has led Payhawk from its early days into Bulgaria's first unicorn, shaping it into the spend management platform trusted by finance teams across Europe today.
Guy Sear
Country Director UK, Payhawk
Guy Sear is the UK&I Country Director at Payhawk, where he leads the company's go-to-market strategy across the region. Since joining, he has built the UK team from the ground up into a team of over 25, driving Payhawk's growth in one of its key markets. Based in London, Guy brings extensive sales leadership experience from previous roles at Emburse and SAP.
Agenda
18:00 – 18:30
Welcome Drinks:
Kick off the event with a welcome drink and get to know other attendees
18:30 – 18:45
Welcome and opening keynote
Presented by Hristo Borisov
18:45 – 19:15
From AI ambition to daily finance operations: AI readiness report insights - A panel discussion on AI adoption in finance
Moderated by Guy Sear along Lucy Demery and Joel Wägmark
UK and Irish finance leaders are more ambitious about AI than most of Europe, and more willing to invest in it, yet many still struggle to make it part of daily operations. Drawing on Payhawk’s latest research, Guy Sear (Payhawk) talks with Lucy Demery (Visa) and Joel Wägmark (Atlar) about why AI stalls, why data is where readiness breaks down, and what finance leaders can do in the next 90 days.
19:15 – 19:25
Networking
An opportunity to exchange ideas and continue the conversation in a relaxed atmosphere
19:25 – 20:00
Keynote: Alone in Antarctica
Presented by Felicity Aston
In 2012 Felicity became the first woman in the world to ski across Antarctica alone. The 1084-mile journey took her 59 days skiing unaccompanied through a monotonous and hostile landscape. Describing her record-making expedition she reveals - with astonishing honesty - the fear, the doubt and the loneliness of the experience, reflecting issues many of us face on a daily basis. Felicity examines the sources of motivation that drove her forward day after day and talks about the importance of perseverance, sharing with her audience ways to cultivate this most vital of qualities when vulnerable and under pressure. Through her thought-provoking, highly relevant and often poignant talk, Felicity provides an insight into recognizing and developing the innate resilience within us all.
20:00 - 20:10
Live Demo: Payhawk's Travel Agent
See Payhawk's Travel Agent in action, live — and win a dream trip!
20:10 – 22:30
Cocktail-Dinner
End the afternoon with good food, drinks, and conversations with Europe's leading finance experts
Join the event shaping the future of finance
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