FIN calendar

How Tugger’s CFO closes the books with AI
What does month-end look like when AI is doing the work—not just answering questions? In this FIN webinar, we explore how Tugger’s CFO, Mark, is using AI to run a fully end-to-end close process across a multi-entity group.
Mark has moved well beyond prompt-based experimentation. Using Claude and Tugger, he consolidates entities, generates P&L reports, and produces monthly management accounts automatically. Data flows from Xero through Tugger into Claude, creating a seamless pipeline that’s redefining how finance teams operate.
This is a real-world, peer-driven story for CFOs and Financial Controllers who want practical insight, not theory. We’ll unpack what’s working, what surprised him, what was clunky at first and how he maintains control and trust in the numbers.
Format: Fireside chat (peer conversation)
Designed as an interview rather than a presentation, this session brings out the detail and nuance that matters most to finance leaders.
You’ll be joined by Tugger’s co-founder Craig, who has worked closely with Mark and will share the story.
While Mark won’t be joining live, his experience and workflows underpin the entire session—brought to life through Craig’s perspective and a grounded, practical walkthrough of Tugger.
If you’re curious what a genuinely AI-enabled month-end looks like, this is the conversation.

🌿 Walk with Wisdom: A Unique In-Person Meetup for Strategic Finance and Business Leaders
Step away from spreadsheets and strategy decks and join a curated group of CFOs, Finance Directors, and senior finance leaders, alongside Founders, CEOs, Non-Execs, and Strategic Advisors, for an energising walk where ideas flow as freely as the conversation.
This is a space to:

• Connect with peers across the leadership spectrum
• Share insights on innovation, transformation, and continuous improvement
• Gain fresh perspectives away from the usual office or screen
• Enjoy nature, intentional dialogue, and a moment to recharge
• (Dogs are welcome too! 🐾)

🗓 Next Walk: June 18th, 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM📍 Location: Calton Hill (meeting Pep & Fodder, 11 Waterloo Place)
Whether you're leading finance strategy, driving change, or simply seeking space to reflect and connect — Walk with Wisdom offers a unique opportunity to do just that, with purpose and presence.

Hi everyone,
This free drop‑in clinic is a chance for our community to ask questions, learn from one another, and explore how AI can be applied in real finance contexts.
You can bring challenges you’re facing, ideas you’re curious about, or simply come along to hear from others on the same journey.
Please let me know if you’re planning to attend. If the session time isn’t convenient, you’re welcome to email your questions to marie@financeinnovation.ai or share them in advance here.
I look forward to connecting with you.
Best regards,
Marie Speakman
AI Consultant

How prepared is your board for the AI decade?

In this FIN virtual session, hear from seasoned Directors who will unpack the real conversations happening in SME boardrooms, and the crucial ones that aren’t happening yet. Expect practical insight, candid debate, and board‑level perspectives you won’t get anywhere else.

In this session we will welcome: 
Atholl Duncan - Non-Exec and Founder 
Kenny Fraser - Non-Exec and Board Advisor 
Victoria Ferrier - CEO
Richard Cooper - Non-Exec and Board Advisor 

Join our live Power Hour with AI Trainer & Advisor Gerlyn Tiigemae as we demystify Large Language Models (LLMs) and explore what makes them different and why it matters for finance professionals.

This 1-hour Power Hour is a practical, non-technical session designed for finance professionals who want clarity on large language models (LLMs) and how to use them responsibly at work.
The session focuses on what LLMs actually are, how they differ, and how to make informed choices between tools such as ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Claude, Gemini and others. We will also cover the key risks finance teams need to understand, including data privacy, hallucinations, and regulatory considerations.
Rather than live demos or technical deep dives, the session helps participants understand how the AI landscape fits together, so they can make informed decisions about tools, risks, and usage in their role.
In this session, participants will:

• Understand what LLMs are and how they work at a practical level
• Get a clear comparison of the most common LLM tools, including where Copilot fits in finance teams
• Learn the key risks and governance considerations when using AI in finance roles
• Understand the difference between free vs paid tools, and open vs closed models
• Learn a simple prompting structure that improves results in everyday finance tasks

The goal of the Power Hour is to help participants leave with clearer judgment, better questions to ask internally, and more confidence in using AI tools appropriately in their role.
The session includes 45 minutes of content followed by a 15-minute Q&A, giving participants the opportunity to ask questions and discuss their own use cases and concerns.

A Reflective Edition of the Walk with Wisdom Series.

Step away from spreadsheets, strategy decks, and screens and join a curated group of CFOs, Finance Directors, senior finance leaders, alongside Founders, CEOs, Non‑Execs, and Strategic Advisors, for a different kind of in‑person meetup.

This edition of Walk with Wisdom will take the form of a guided forest bathing experience — a slower, more intentional way of being in nature that supports clarity, creativity, and strategic reflection. Rather than focusing on distance or debate, the emphasis is on presence, insight, and restoration.

This is a space to:

• Connect with peers across the leadership spectrum
• Create room for reflection on innovation, transformation, and leadership
• Gain fresh perspectives away from the usual office or screen
• Enjoy nature, gentle guidance, and time to recharge — individually and collectively

(No prior experience required. Participation is entirely at your own pace.) (NO dogs please)
🗓 Next Session: Sept 10th, 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM📍 Location: The Hermitage of Braid (Meeting at The Lodge Coffee House, 69B Braid Rd, Edinburgh EH10 6JF)

Whether you’re leading finance strategy, driving change, or simply seeking space to think differently, Forest Bathing (with Wisdom) offers a calm, purposeful way to reconnect — with yourself, with others, and with the bigger picture.

✨ With thanks to our friend Rebecca Bonnington and https://www.forestbathingscotland.com/ for generously guiding this experience.

Want better answers from AI? Start with better prompts.

This 1-hour Power Hour is a practical session focused on how to communicate effectively with large language models (LLMs) to get reliable, usable results in finance-related work.
The session starts with a very brief refresher on LLMs and then moves quickly into prompting. The emphasis is on why traditional “Google-style” searching does not work well with AI tools, and how moving to clear, structured instructions significantly improves output quality.

Participants will learn different prompting approaches and then go deeper into a structured 5-part prompting technique that can be reused across tools and use cases. The session includes live examples based on common finance workflows rather than abstract or marketing-style prompts.

Examples are drawn from four typical finance use cases: Personal productivity and daily work organisation; Documentation and written outputs (emails, memos, guidelines); Getting help with tools such as Excel, PowerPoint, or finance systems; Analytical thinking and structured analysis support. The session also covers how to evaluate AI outputs critically, including how to improve prompts iteratively, how to validate results, and how to recognise when an output should not be trusted.
In this session, participants will:

• Understand why effective prompting is a core skill when working with AI
• Learn different prompting techniques and when to use them
• Apply a clear 5-part prompting structure that works across LLM tools
• See practical, finance-related prompt examples used live
• Learn how to improve, test, and validate AI-generated results
• Understand how prompting differs for regular chat models, reasoning models, and deep research tools

The session includes 45 minutes of content followed by a 15-minute Q&A, allowing participants to ask questions and discuss their own prompts and use cases.
Cost - £30 + VAT

The role of FP&A is changing rapidly. As AI evolves from simple chat interfaces to intelligent
agents capable of gathering data, generating insights and supporting decision-making,
finance leaders have an opportunity to rethink how planning, forecasting and performance
management are delivered.
In this practical session, Simon Ritchie, Founder of Blox, will explore:
• Why many FP&A teams still spend too much time on manual reporting, data preparation
and spreadsheet-driven processes
• The latest developments in AI, including the shift from chat-based tools to agentic AI and
multi-agent workflows
• How leading organisations are using AI to improve forecast accuracy, accelerate reporting
cycles and free up capacity for higher-value strategic work
• What the future of FP&A software and business intelligence looks like in an AI-first world
• A live demonstration showing how AI-powered planning and forecasting can be applied in
practice

Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of where AI is heading, what it means for
finance teams, and practical ideas they can begin applying immediately within their own
organisations.

🧠 What’s happening?A live, free, informal discussion with AI trainer & automation specialist, Gerlyn Tiigemae, who will discuss how businesses can leverage AI and automation to boost efficiency, reduce costs, and stay competitive. She’ll share practical tools, real-world examples, and insights on what’s working, what’s hype, and where the future is headed.
💬 Featuring: Gerlyn Tiigemae (AI Trainer and Consultant)🎙️ Hosted by: Kirsty Mackenzie📅 Date: May 15th🕒 Time: 1pm📍 Location: Live (register below)
Why attend?

• Learn how AI and automation are transforming finance workflows
• Get insider tips from Gerlyn Tiigemae on practical tools and strategies she uses daily
• Hear honest takes on what’s hype vs. what’s delivering real results
• Ask your own questions and join a candid conversation

Come meet the worker who never sleeps.
In this session, you’ll discover what a digital worker actually is, how it operates, and we'll discuss the real challenges and rewards of adopting them. Perfect for anyone curious about the future of work and the practical impact of AI‑powered automation.

🌿 Walk with Wisdom: A Unique In-Person Meetup for Strategic Finance and Business LeadersStep away from spreadsheets and strategy decks and join a curated group of CFOs, Finance Directors, and senior finance leaders, alongside Founders, CEOs, Non-Execs, and Strategic Advisors, for an energising walk where ideas flow as freely as the conversation.This is a space to:

• Connect with peers across the leadership spectrum
• Share insights on innovation, transformation, and continuous improvement
• Gain fresh perspectives away from the usual office or screen
• Enjoy nature, intentional dialogue, and a moment to recharge
• (Dogs are welcome too! 🐾)

🗓 Next Walk: Nov 12th, 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
📍 Location: The Meadows (meeting Söderberg, The Meadows, 27 Simpson Loan, Edinburgh EH3 9GG)

Whether you're leading finance strategy, driving change, or simply seeking space to reflect and connect — Walk with Wisdom offers a unique opportunity to do just that, with purpose and presence.