Build vs. Buy: The CFO’s Playbook for AI Finance | CFO Connect Summit 2026

At the CFO Connect Summit 2026, Christopher Eary (DeepL), Mamta Lal Patel (Feedzai) and Pauline Glikman (Payflows) discuss the choices CFOs face when adopting AI in finance. The conversation looks at when to build, buy, configure, integrate or partner, weighing speed, cost, control, security and long-term ownership. You’ll learn: How to assess whether an AI capability should be built or bought Which costs and risks are often missed in build decisions How to experiment quickly without losing financial discipline -- 00:00 Welcome and Session Overview 01:00 Reframing Buy vs Build in an AI World 03:20 Meet the Panel: Mamta and Chris 06:50 The Hidden Costs of Building Fast 12:10 Build vs Buy in Practice and Vetting 'AI' Vendors 15:55 Decision Frameworks: Criteria, Customization, Flexibility 21:00 ROI, Data Foundations, and End‑to‑End Thinking 29:20 Talent in the AI Era: Skills, Mindset, and Champions 37:00 What to Build vs Buy, Q&A, and Closing Takeaways -- CFO Connect is Europe’s leading private community for finance leaders. We bring together 12,000+ vetted CFOs and finance executives across 20+ countries to learn, share, and grow through exclusive events, expert webinars, peer networking, and proprietary research. Learn more and apply to join: https://www.cfoconnect.eu/