In this issue
FEISV Chapter Newsletter | January 30, 2026 
FEI Silicon Valley Events
02/06 - Financial Officers Forum (FOF) (Virtual)
02/18 - FEISV Happy Hour | Wells Fargo
03/04 - Winning and Retaining Finance and Tech Talent | JPMorgan Chase
03/31 - Cybersecurity – Why Protecting Company Data is the #1 Issue of CFOs in 2026 - Save the Date! | JPMorgan Chase
06/04 - 27th Annual Scholarship Golf Tournament Hosted by Robert Half & FEISV
Partners & Other Chapter Events
02/03 - Agentic AI: Use Cases & Best Practices for Leveraging AI Agents in F&A (Virtual) | FEI
02/04 - Strategic Trade Solutions – Mitigating Tariff Impacts (Virtual) | PwC
02/10 - Prepare Your Nonprofit for 2026: The Trends That Will Impact Your Mission and How to Navigate Them (Virtual) | BPM
02/17- How Geopolitics and AI Are Redefining the Next Moves in Risk (Virtual) | PwC
02/18 - Private Company Priorities Conference (Virtual) | FEI
02/24 - 02/26 - HR Leaders Compliance Summit (Virtual) | Acrisure
03/11 - Q1 2026 Quarterly Accounting Webcast (Virtual) | PwC
05/17 - 05/19 - 2026 Financial Leaders Forum (San Antonio) | FEI
Latest Trends in FEI
We’re still feeling the excitement from our Getting a Paid Board Seat event this past week! A heartfelt thank-you to everyone who joined us for an evening full of meaningful discussion, fresh perspectives, and valuable connections. Our fantastic panelists shared real-world guidance on navigating the path to paid board opportunities, sparking thoughtful conversations that continued well beyond the session.
We’re also incredibly grateful to Wells Fargo for hosting us at their impressive Innovation Center, the perfect venue for bringing ideas and leaders together. Another huge thank you to Wells Fargo, as they will be hosting our next FEI Silicon Valley Happy Hour on February 18th! We can’t wait to see many of you there to keep the good times going!
FEI Silicon Valley Happy Hour will be held at the Wells Fargo Innovation Center on Wednesday, February 18th, from 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm Pacific.
FEISV Members & Partners: Free | Registration: Here
Financial Officers Forum - Next Friday!
The first Financial Officers Forum (FOF) of the year is happening next Friday, and it’s a can’t-miss session for senior finance leaders who want real-world, immediately applicable insight. This session is built for consulting CFOs, controllers, and senior finance leaders.
FOF is a confidential, peer-only room where you can speak freely and dig into real client issues. Past topics include accounting systems for small businesses, PEO pros and cons, SaaS metrics, revenue recognition, and board compensation ideas. AI now comes up at almost every meeting, so you’ll hear what consulting CFOs are actually seeing and trying!
As a long-time FEI Member, Ed Schaffer says, the Forum brings finance leaders together to swap issues, ideas, and solutions in a practical, real-world way."
When you register, you’ll submit one question you want answered, so the conversation reflects your priorities.
Financial Officers Forum will be held virtually on Friday, February 6th, from 12:00 pm - 1:15 pm Pacific.
FEISV Members & Partners, Other FEI Members, and Non-Members: Free | Registration: Here
Turning Plans into Performance: How Forecasting Strengthens Financial Strategy
Forecasting has become an indispensable practice for finance leaders aiming to navigate their organizations through uncertain economic landscapes. While budgets remain the traditional starting point for organizational financial planning, they are often built on optimism and static assumptions. Forecasts, by contrast, provide an ongoing reality check that keeps organizations aligned with actual performance and prepared for change.
Effective forecasting is not tied to the calendar year. Rather, it should be anchored to the start of each organization’s fiscal cycle. This approach ensures that forecasting practices remain applicable across diverse industries, whether a nonprofit begins its fiscal year in July or a corporation starts anew in January.
By treating forecasting as an evergreen initiative, finance leaders can align the planning cadence with their unique financial calendar and avoid the trap of rigid, one-size-fits-all timing, which tends to make the budget static; an ineffective approach.
Learn more. Read Turning Plans into Performance: How Forecasting Strengthens Financial Strategy via FEI Daily.
Join New FEI SV Networking Group
FEI Silicon Valley (FEI SV) launched a networking group in September 2025. We have approximately fourteen CFO members and partner sponsors in the networking group. The participants have found the networking group helpful, especially with the use of “troikas,” which are groups of three who get together to find out more about each of their businesses and how they may be able to help each other through referrals. If you aren’t familiar with networking groups, the following is some information that explains how they work.
Networking groups work by bringing professionals together to build relationships, exchange knowledge, and generate opportunities like leads, partnerships, and mentorship through regular meetings, events, and shared resources, fostering a supportive environment for mutual business growth, often through structured introductions, casual mingling, and specific referral systems.
Core Mechanisms
- Relationship Building: The primary goal is to form connections based on trust and credibility, not just direct sales.
- Information Exchange: Members share industry insights, best practices, and market trends through meetings, workshops, and seminars.
- Referral Systems: Members actively refer business to each other, creating a pipeline of potential clients.
- Mutual Support: Groups provide a platform for collaboration, mentorship, and problem-solving.
- Increased Visibility: Active participation boosts members' presence and reputation in their fields.
If you think you might be interested in joining the FEI SV networking group, please reach out to Scott Taylor at [email protected].
Save on a Second-Chapter Membership!
Did you know FEI Silicon Valley and FEI San Fransciso Members can join the other chapter at a discounted rate? Second-chapter memberships are pro-rated, making it an affordable way to expand your network and attend additional programs.
If you’re interested, FEI National can provide the exact cost and help you add San Francisco or Silicon Valley and align renewal dates. It’s a great way to get even more value from your FEI Membership.
Those who are interested, please email [email protected].
Agentic AI: Use Cases & Best Practices for Leveraging AI Agents in F&A
Finance & Accounting (F&A) leaders are under pressure to do more with less: close faster, reduce costs, manage risk, and support the business with better insights, all while dealing with legacy systems, talent shortages, and rising compliance demands.
AI promises relief, but most initiatives stall before delivering value.
Join FEI for a 60-minute virtual panel discussion that brings together experts from Georgia-Pacific, Finspyr, and magentIQ to discuss practical, proven ways to drive operational impact across Finance & Accounting through AI.
Agentic AI: Use Cases & Best Practices for Leveraging AI Agents in F&A will be held virtually on Tuesday, February 3rd, from 11:00 am - 12:00 pm Pacific.
FEISV & Other FEI Members: Free | Registration: Here
How Geopolitics and AI Are Redefining the Next Moves in Risk
Geopolitical volatility, policy shifts, and rapid advances in AI are reshaping the risk and compliance landscape. As geopolitics increasingly influences supply chains, operations, and strategic decision-making, leading organizations are moving beyond passive monitoring toward early action powered by horizon scanning and scenario planning.
At the same time, AI is transforming risk, legal, compliance, internal audit, and investigation functions. Intelligent tools enable real-time risk sensing, faster investigations, continuous monitoring, and more agile audits, allowing teams to focus on higher-value decisions and strategy.
Join PwC leaders and risk and compliance executives as they discuss navigating geopolitical shifts, applying advanced AI, and strengthening enterprise resilience to position organizations for advantage amid uncertainty.
How Geopolitics and AI Are Redefining the Next Moves in Risk will be held virtually on Tuesday, February 17th, from 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm Pacific.
FEISV Members & Partners: Free | Registration: Here
FEISV Member of the Week
Drew Hamer is a strategic, operational, and innovative finance leader who has partnered with executive teams to successfully scale global, high-growth VC-backed, and publicly held companies in the SaaS, software, high-tech, cyber-security, and internet industries. Currently, Drew serves as CFO for Arcserve. Previous CFO experience includes roles at Palladyne AI, Velodyne Lidar, Inc., and Anomali, among other prominent organizations.
Drew earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Binghamton University. He received his Master of Accountancy from Florida International University - College of Business.
FEISV Partner of the Week
PwC is a global professional services network known for delivering excellence in audit, tax, and advisory services. With a commitment to innovation and integrity, PwC helps businesses navigate complex business and financial challenges and drive sustainable growth.
CONTACTS:
Mandy Dhillon
Assurance Partner
PwC
[email protected]
Monica Nayar
West Region Leader & Silicon Valley Market Managing Partner
PwC
[email protected]
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