Annual FEI CFRI Conference to Address Outlook on Financial Reporting Transformation and Economy for 2013

MORRISTOWN, N.J., Oct. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Financial Executives International, the association of choice for CFOs and other senior-level finance executives, will be hosting the 31^st annual Current Financial Reporting Issues Conference (CFRI) on November 12-13^th at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City. For over three decades, CFRI has been the must-attend event for senior finance professionals.  Entitled "Navigating the Path Forward," CFRI will feature two days of in-depth discussion and insight on the most relevant issues facing the industry, and an outlook for the year ahead. This year's conference will feature keynote remarks from Michael Woodford, Former President & CEO of the Olympus Corporation and David A. Levy, Chairman of the Jerome Levy Forecasting Center.  The event will also feature Leslie F. Seidman, Chairman of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB); Paul A. Beswick, Acting Chief Accountant of the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC); and Ian Mackintosh, Vice Chairman of the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB).

"CFRI provides a platform for conversation among financial executives, standard setters and regulators to share ideas and provide in-depth perspectives," said Marie Hollein, CEO and president, Financial Executives International. "U.S. financial reporting has undergone many changes recently, and FEI intends for this year's conference to focus the challenges these changes represent. Our impressive line-up of speakers and panelists will provide attendees with unique insight into regulatory and financial reporting issues and challenges moving forward."

Featured sessions offered at CFRI 2012 include:

• Corporate Governance in the Real World:  Corporate governance has long been thought to promote long-term behavior by corporations.  In this address Woodford tests whether, in the real world, that assumption is right, or whether the market's seemingly inexorable drive toward short-term gain still requires another upgrade of governance practices.
• Economic Outlook 2013 – The Profits Perspective: Companies are faced with competing controllership priorities as they work at improving individual, functional and corporate performance. Controllers from several leading companies highlight and debate key controllership issues they are addressing in the current environment.

The event will also include updates from influential regulators, and give attendees an opportunity to informally address unanswered questions during an interactive Q&A:

• ­FASB/IASB Technical Accounting Update: Senior members of the FASB and IASB will address developments on FASB and IASB projects, including progress on U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Convergence Issues.
• ­Update from the SEC: Senior members of the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission staff will address proposed new rules, issues arising in reviews of SEC registrant filings as well as top projects on accounting and disclosure.
• Q&A with the FASB and the SEC: Leaders of the SEC and FASB will informally address unanswered questions carried forward from earlier sessions and take additional questions from the floor.

Conference attendees can also take part in panel sessions throughout the conference to address topics such as revenue recognition, financial instruments, and global tax management platforms.

In conjunction with CFRI, FEI will also host the 7^th annual Hall of Fame Gala on November 12^th at Gotham Hall in New York City. The event recognizes the careers of individuals who have epitomized the performance, leadership and integrity of the most exemplary financial executives throughout their careers.  This year's gala will honor 2012 Hall of Fame inductees William J. Ihlanfeldt, former assistant controller, Shell Oil Co., Hans G. Storr, former EVP and CEO,  Philip Morris Co., and chairman and CEO of Philip Morris Capital Corp., Robert P. Wayman, former EVP and CFO,  Hewlett-Packard Co., and John K. Wulff, former CFO, Union Carbide Corp.

Registration details and additional information on the gala can be found at www.feihall.org.

For more information on CFRI, visit www.financialexecutives.org/cfri

About FEI

Financial Executives International is the leading advocate for the views of corporate financial management. Its 15,000 members hold policy-making positions as chief financial officers, treasurers and controllers at companies from every major industry. FEI enhances member professional development through peer networking, career management services, conferences, teleconferences and publications. Members participate in the activities of 86 chapters, 74 in the U.S., 11 in Canada and 1 in Japan. FEI is headquartered in Morristown, NJ, with additional offices in Washington, D.C. and Toronto.  Visit www.financialexecutives.org for more information.

SOURCE Financial Executives International