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Register for TakeControl APAC 2026

TakeControl APAC 2026 Agenda

4-Part Series

Sept 17 – Oct 8

Sept 17th

11am AEST

From Principles to Practical Application: How Accountants Lead the AI Era

Session Details

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From Principles to Practical Application: How Accountants Lead the AI Era

AI is here, and accountants are in a great position to become dramatically more efficient because of it — this was never a story about replacement, it's about opportunity. But there's a real gap: how do you get started, prove accuracy to auditors, and move as fast as your board wants? Most companies haven't been through a substantive AI audit yet, and the risk isn't the technology itself — it's the space between fast adoption and real governance. COSO just handed accountants the most important job of the AI era: governing, evidencing, and auditing AI so financial reporting can be trusted. Walk away with a practical 3-crtierion rubric and a 5-level maturity model you can start applying to your team immediately.

Session Speakers:

Mike Whitmire

Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder

FloQast

Chris Sluty

Chief Product Officer & Co-Founder

FloQast

Mike Whitmire

Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder

FloQast

As Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Mike leads FloQast's corporate vision, strategy, and execution. Prior to founding FloQast, he managed the accounting team at Cornerstone OnDemand, a SaaS company in Los Angeles. He began his career at Ernst & Young in Los Angeles where he performed public company audits, opening balance sheet audits, cash to GAAP restatements, compilation reviews, international reporting, merger and acquisition audits and SOX compliance testing. Mike is also the author of Controller's Code: The Secret Formula to a Successful Career in Finance, an Amazon Best Seller providing career guidance for finance professionals. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Accounting from Syracuse University.

Chris Sluty

Chief Product Officer & Co-Founder

FloQast

As Chief Product Officer and Co-Founder at FloQast, Chris oversees customer setup and support, product strategy and go-to-market planning. He works hands on with new and existing clients to ensure their success in creating a faster, more accurate close process. Prior to joining FloQast, Chris was an Audit Manager at Rothstein Kass (acquired by KPMG), where he managed their largest client. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Accounting from Syracuse University.

Sept 24th

11am AEST

CPD Eligible

You're Going to Build Agents. The Question Is Where and How.

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You’re Going to Build Agents. The Question Is Where and How.

Generic AI wasn't built to close your books, but accounting-native agents are. The proof: three lean teams running them in production today.

At Liquid AI, eight custom agents on FloQast Transform held a four-day close through revenue growth, no new headcount. At Hazeldenes, five agents eliminated 600 hours of manual work and shifted preparers into reviewer roles. At Nitrogen Wealth, a team of three automated 90% of close tasks and offboarded a seven-person outsourced firm while holding a six-day close.

Join Jonathan Mears (Liquid AI), Ben Cirillo (Hazeldenes), and Minh Hill (Nitrogen Wealth) for a behind-the-scenes look at the agents they built, why they chose those workflows first, and the hours, headcount, and audit confidence they got back.


Join this session to:

  • See Real Agents in Action: Discover the AI agents three lean finance teams run in production - from allocations to cash booking - and evaluate the ROI they unlocked.
  • Build Your First Agent with Confidence: Learn which finance work belongs on a governed, auditable platform, and explore the framework Hazeldenes, Liquid AI, and Nitrogen Wealth used to select, build, and scale agents.
  • Scale Without Adding Headcount or Audit Risk: See how accountant-owned, audit-ready agents expand a lean team's capacity, and identify their second-order effects on close processes and team roles.

Session Speakers:

Roshan Chekuri

General Manager, Transform

FloQast

Jonathan Mears

VP, Finance & Accounting

Liquid AI

Ben Cirillo

Group Financial Controller

Hazeldenes

Minh Hill

VP, Corporate Controller

Nitrogen Wealth

Roshan Chekuri

General Manager, Transform

FloQast

Roshan Chekuri joined FloQast in 2017 as part of the sales team before spearheading the development of the company's Private Equity and Venture Capital partnership vertical. He later transitioned into a role in the office of the CEO, where he led several zero-to-one strategic initiatives, most notably taking FloQast's Compliance product to market. Now, as General Manager of AI Solutions, Roshan is driving the go-to-market strategy for FloQast's AI platform, shaping the future of AI-powered accounting solutions, and enabling the market's transition into the world of agents.

Jonathan Mears

VP, Finance & Accounting

Liquid AI

Jonathan Mears is the VP of Finance and Accounting at Liquid AI. A tech finance executive with 17 years of experience, including a decade within Google and Alphabet's emerging products, he specializes in building high-performing controllership functions for hyper-growth companies, guiding portfolio ventures like Google Fiber and Wing from early-stage to market leaders.

Ben Cirillo

Group Financial Controller

Hazeldenes

Benjamin Cirillo is the Group Financial Controller at Hazeldenes. With a rich background spanning private equity-backed, venture-backed, and ASX-listed businesses, Ben specializes in capital raising, post-acquisition integration, and operational scaling. He previously served as the Interim CFO of Vitura Health (ASX:VIT), where he navigated public board governance and strategic corporate development. Today, Ben is a leading voice on digital transformation in accounting, currently spearheading an AI initiative at Hazeldenes to eliminate more than 1,000 hours of manual operational friction. He is a qualified Chartered Accountant (CA ANZ).

Minh Hill

VP, Corporate Controller

Nitrogen Wealth

Minh Hill, CPA is the VP, Corporate Controller at Nitrogen. As a forward-thinking finance leader specializing in SaaS and fintech environments, Minh focuses on leveraging advanced automation to elevate accounting from a compliance function to a strategic growth engine. Her recent AI-driven modernization initiatives have successfully boosted operational productivity by 50% while unlocking substantial EBITDA savings. She is highly skilled in leading organizations through complex business transformations, building internal accounting capabilities from the ground up, and partnering with executive leadership on strategic initiatives. She holds her Master of Science in Accounting from Bradley University.

Sept 30th

11am AEST

CPD Eligible

Real Talk: How Accounting Leaders are Rewriting the Rules

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Real Talk: How Accounting Leaders are Rewriting the Rules

The "Wait-and-See" strategy has reached its expiration date. For decades, the goal was automation, using machines to speed up human tasks. We've entered the era of Agentic Accounting, where digital agents don't just assist your team—they execute the work.

As the gap between "Traditional" and "Agentic" leaders becomes a competitive canyon, the challenge is not only picking software; but also architecting a future where AI is governed and scalable. This session cuts through the noise to provide a definitive playbook for the Reviewer-First model where AI Agents handle the heavy lifting while humans provide the strategic oversight. Learn how to transform the finance function from a record-keeper of the past into a real-time, value driving engine.

Join this session to:

  • Navigate the "Build vs. Buy" Debate: Evaluate the trade-offs between general AI platforms and purpose-built platforms, ensuring long-term compliance and auditability.
  • Lead the Transition from Automated to Agentic Teams: Master the leadership framework for evolving a "people-only" finance function into a high-performance hybrid workforce, strategically balancing human judgement with AI agent execution.
  • Capitalize on the ROI of Accounting AI: Leverage the gains of agentic accounting to move beyond efficiency, focusing on how improved financial intelligence drives business-wide strategy.

Session Speakers:

Carina Hira

Finance Transformation Partner

CFGI

Landon Hartley

Vice President & Controller

PACS

Dan Callaghan

Chief Accounting Officer

FloQast

Michelle Foster

Controller

PowerSchool

Carina Hira

Finance Transformation Partner

CFGI

Carina Hira is a Finance Transformation Partner at CFGI, where she led the CFGI AI campaign for Client Delivery as well as co-led the CFGI Finance Effectiveness practice. She also spearheads initiatives designed to help modern CFOs rethink financial operations through advanced technology, robust data structures, and optimized operating models. With two decades of experience spanning strategy through execution, Carina specializes in enterprise-wide change, including Cloud ERP implementations, process re-engineering, and data governance. An alumna of DePaul University, she also serves on the Advisory Board for the non-profit organization America Needs You.

Landon Hartley

Vice President & Controller

PACS

Landon Hartley is the Vice President and Controller at PACS (NYSE: PACS), a top-tier post-acute care operator. Bringing a blend of public and private corporate accounting experience, Landon specializes in financial infrastructure transformation and operational scaling. He has successfully guided the organization through milestone achievements including its IPO journey, S-1 drafting, and multi-facility ERP system implementations. Today, he oversees the core accounting and controllership functions supporting 250+ healthcare facilities across the country.

Dan Callaghan

Chief Accounting Officer

FloQast

Dan Callaghan currently serves as Chief Accounting Officer for FloQast. Dan is a seasoned accounting and finance executive with over 30 years of experience guiding high-growth public companies across industries including eCommerce, cybersecurity, SaaS, enterprise software, and digital media. Beginning his career in Big 4 public accounting, he has since held senior leadership roles from Controller to Chief Accounting Officer. Throughout his career, Dan has led finance teams through three IPOs—including a 25x oversubscribed offering in 2021—and raised more than $1.5 billion through various private and public funding rounds. He has supported over $3.2 billion in M&A transactions, spearheaded U.S. and international entity expansion across EMEA and APAC, and successfully implemented SOX, ERP, and ASC 606/842 frameworks. Known for building world-class finance organizations, Dan brings deep expertise in U.S. GAAP, SEC reporting, revenue recognition, stock-based compensation, and IPO readiness. Dan holds a B.S. in Business Administration and Accounting from California State University, Los Angeles, and is an active CPA.

Michelle Foster

Controller

PowerSchool

Michelle Foster is the Controller at PowerSchool, a leading provider of cloud-based K-12 software. With seven years at the company and a strong foundational background from her formative years at Oracle, Michelle is an expert in enterprise tech controllership and financial operations. She specializes in driving operational transformations and building strong, connected corporate cultures within hybrid and remote accounting environments. Michelle holds a degree from CSU Sacramento, is in inactive CPA, and is a FloQast Certified Accountant (FCA) with advanced mastery in record-to-report optimization and accounting AI foundations.

Oct 8th

11am AEDT

CPD Eligible

The Professional Skeptic vs. The One-Click Close: Safeguarding Integrity

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The Professional Skeptic vs. The One-Click Close: Safeguarding Integrity

The "one-click close" is often dismissed as marketing vaporware, and for a skeptical accountant, that skepticism is a superpower. True autonomy isn't about blind trust; it's about engineered certainty. This session tackles the myth that AI and auditability are at odds. We're replacing the reactive, month-end scramble with a continuous, proactive architecture designed for finance leaders who demand both speed and control.

Join us for a masterclass in modern close design, moving beyond the hype to show you how to build for an AI-first world without sacrificing oversight.

Join this session to:

  • Apply Automated Accounting Workflows & Controls: Apply professional skepticism to create a plan for automated accounting workflows that ensure auditable, consistent, and compliant AI controls.
  • Engineer Trust & Auditability: Develop a documentation framework and methodology to interrogate AI decisions, satisfying external auditors skeptical of machine-only reporting.
  • Customize Dashboard Visibility: Leverage custom dashboards and diagnostics to gain real-time visibility across the close process, identifying bottlenecks and driving efficiency.

Session Speakers:

Jason Andrews

Senior Product Marketing Manager

FloQast

Remington Petrow

Senior Accounting Manager

MRI Software

Joni Risley

VP of Finance

Chickasaw Nation Industries, Inc.

Tim Williams

Director of Asset Management & Senior Controller

ExchangeRight

Jason Andrews

Senior Product Marketing Manager

FloQast

Jason Andrews is a Senior Product Marketing Manager at FloQast, with extensive experience in finance and accounting. He began his career with five years as an auditor at Grant Thornton, then worked at Yahoo and Pre-IPO company GC Aesthetics. During his four years as a FloQast customer at Twilio, Jason served as Head of Global Close and Finance Transformation Lead, where he used the platform to manage growth, streamline record-to-report processes, and navigate the complexities of being a public company undergoing an ERP implementation. Now based in Cork, Ireland, Jason lives with his partner and daughter, helping teams succeed at FloQast.

Remington Petrow

Senior Accounting Manager

MRI Software

With a career spanning over a decade in accounting and finance, Remington has developed a skillset that touches on every aspect of a business' financial environment, from meeting lien covenant obligations and improving DSO to internal auditing and companywide ERP implementations. Always chasing better efficiencies and dismantling redundancies, Remington brings a pragmatic level of business acumen to any situation to cut out the noise and focus on the wider picture.

Joni Risley

VP of Finance

Chickasaw Nation Industries, Inc.

With more than 30 years of experience in accounting, compliance and financial reporting, Joni Risley has built a reputation as a strategic finance leader who combines operational excellence with a passion for team development. In her current role, she leads high-performing teams responsible for complex financial operations, audit readiness, process automation, capital management, government contracting compliance, acquisition due diligence and transition, and multi-entity accounting. Most notably, her team reduced the month-end close process at CNI from 15 to 5 days. Joni is a Certified Public Accountant with a B.S. in Accounting from Tabor College, Hillsboro, Kansas.

Tim Williams

Director of Asset Management & Senior Controller

ExchangeRight

Tim currently serves as the Director of Asset Management and Senior Controller at ExchangeRight. He joined the company in 2021 as Senior Controller and expanded his role to oversee asset management in 2023. Tim is focused on leading his team to proactively manage ExchangeRight's assets by overseeing tenant relations, strategic leasing initiatives, and stewardship of the physical properties. Tim began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers in the private company services audit practice, where he served family-owned and private equity-backed organizations in the Minneapolis, MN area. He later spent six years at McCoy Group, where he led the accounting function for the transportation division and contributed to strategic acquisitions and divestitures. Tim holds both B.A. and Master degrees in Accounting from the University of Northern Iowa, graduating in 2013. He also earned national recognition with the prestigious Elijah Watt Sells Award for outstanding performance on the May 2013 CPA exam.

The Future of Accounting Starts at TakeControl APAC 2026

See how leading teams are putting agentic AI to work. Gain the strategies, workflows, and insights needed to drive the next era of accounting.