HFG x GrowCFO – Finance Breakfast Seminar

Finance Teams & the Future: How to Make AI a Daily Habit

HFG x GrowCFO – Finance Breakfast Seminar recap

HFG were delighted to host a Finance Breakfast Seminar in partnership with GrowCFO, bringing together senior finance leaders for a morning of discussion and networking. The session explored one of the most relevant and fast-moving topics in the profession today: 'how finance teams can make AI a daily habit.'

Driving real change through everyday AI.

We were joined by Oliver Deacon, executive coach and former Microsoft Finance Director, who delivered an engaging and highly practical presentation focused on embedding AI into day-to-day finance workflows.

Oliver highlighted that while AI continues to dominate strategic conversations, the biggest challenge for many teams is turning awareness into action. His talk explored exactly that, showing how finance professionals can confidently adopt AI tools in a way that improves productivity, reduces manual workload and enhances decision-making.

Key takeaways from the session

Throughout the seminar, Oliver shared real-world examples of how AI is already transforming finance functions across industries. Some of the standout lessons included:

Start small, build confidence – Begin with simple, repeatable tasks where AI can make immediate impact.

Focus on habits, not big transformations – Consistency is more valuable than large, infrequent projects.

AI supports, not replaces – The aim is augmented decision-making, enabling finance teams to focus on higher-value work.

Use real tools in real workflows – Practical demonstrations helped attendees visualise how AI can be applied instantly.

Attendees walked away with actionable steps they can introduce straight away, no matter their level of AI experience.

A morning of insight & connection

Alongside the presentation, guests enjoyed breakfast, networking and the chance to discuss shared challenges and opportunities with peers from across the finance and insurance sectors.

We would like to extend a huge thank you to everyone who attended, to GrowCFO for partnering with us and of course to Oliver Deacon for delivering such an insightful and thought-provoking session.

Join us for future events

HFG will continue hosting Finance Breakfast Seminars to support leaders across the insurance market. If you’d like to be notified about future events, please email markb@hfg.co.uk
.