A Taste of The Future of Finance
Cultivars, Conversation and the Future of Finance
For the modern Chief Financial Officer, transformation is no longer a phase of work that can be delegated, delayed or treated as a project. It has become the daily mandate of senior finance leadership. The responsibilities of the finance function now extend far beyond stewardship, compliance and reporting. Finance leaders are expected to be strategists, technologists, operators and advisors, often at the same time. Yet the environments designed for them have not always kept pace with this evolution.
Many events still rely on presentations, product demonstrations and compressed explanations of complex ideas. This event was created as a response to that pattern. It is a deliberate pause. A room dedicated to reflection and conversation. A space where senior leaders can engage with peers who understand the realities of transformation, complexity and organisational leadership.
This exclusive gathering will be held at Olives and Plates at Ellipse on Thursday, 12 February 2026 with arrival from 16:00. It is an invitation only evening curated specifically for CFOs, Finance Directors and senior transformation leaders. Attendance is intentionally limited to protect the quality of the room and ensure that every guest will be among peers who carry similar responsibilities.
Why this evening matters for senior finance leaders
Although technology has accelerated the potential for real time reporting, automation and insight, finance leaders know that technology is seldom the hardest part of transformation. The true challenge lies in behaviour. It lies in guiding teams through new ways of working, building trust in data, redefining how finance partners with the business and balancing governance with the agility needed for growth. These dynamics are not solved through features. They are solved through leadership.
This evening creates the environment for that leadership conversation. It offers the chance to explore what has worked, what has not, and what the Finance roles and industry are becoming. It encourages the kind of dialogue that cannot take place in large venues or structured conference halls. It supports strategic thinking through perspective, and it reinforces the importance of cultivating informed and trusted relationships. These are foundational principles in any environment where influence, timing and clarity matter.
A different kind of finance event
This event is free of presentations, sales scripts and demonstrations. Nothing is pitched. Nothing is sold. The room exists for unfiltered dialogue among senior executives who understand that their decisions shape organisational direction. The emphasis is on depth rather than volume, and on candour rather than performance.
Guests will be welcomed from 16:00 with a glass of DOM Cap Classique MCC, followed by opening context from Maryke Kruger, Chief Executive Officer of CoreSync. Her perspective on the changing role of finance and the pressures facing leadership sets the tone for the evening. Jordaan Burger of Sage will then offer a strategic view on finance transformation and the shifting requirements of the fintech industry. His contribution is designed as a conversation rather than a presentation, placing modern finance in the broader context of organisational design and decision intelligence.
Following this, an overview of the partnership between CoreSync and Sage Intacct will be shared, along with insight into the Signature Group and the transformation challenges they assist organisations in addressing. The remainder of the evening flows into an extended guided wine experience led by Bartho Eksteen.
The Flow of the Evening
The structure of this event is intentionally simple:
Arrival & Welcome
Guests arrive from 16:00 and enjoy an informal welcome over MCC.
Opening Context
Maryke Kruger sets the tone, framing the evolving role of finance leadership.
Sage Perspective
Jordaan Burger offers a high-level view on finance transformation and the future of finance.
Guided Tasting & Conversation
The remainder of the evening unfolds organically, guided by Bartho Eksteen and shaped by the room.
There is no rush.
No pressure.
Just space to think.
A thoughtful view on Sage Intacct
Although the evening is not product led, modern finance cannot be separated from the systems that support it. Finance leaders require visibility, traceability, automation and scalability to meet the expectations of boards and executive teams. Sage Intacct plays a meaningful role in supporting these requirements. It enables real time reporting without manual effort, supports multi entity consolidation, strengthens audit readiness and provides a level of control that assists leaders in governing complex environments with confidence.
The relevance of Sage Intacct is positioned within outcomes rather than features. It enables faster insight, more reliable data and a finance function that can devote more time to strategic work. This aligns with the broader principle that technology should lift the quality of leadership, not distract from it.
Wine as a metaphor for leadership
The wine experience is central to the evening and is hosted personally by Bartho Eksteen, one of South Africa’s most respected winemakers. His philosophy reflects many of the qualities admired in excellent finance leadership. His work is rooted in precision, discipline, integrity and respect for origin. Much of the tasting draws from the Hemel en Aarde Valley, a region known internationally for balance and restraint, especially in Pinot Noir. Like transformation, great wine is shaped over time and influenced by environment, intention and judgement.
Guests will be guided through cultivars such as the unwooded and wooded Sauvignon Blancs, a Provençal style rosé, an estate Pinot Noir from Hemel en Aarde and a refined Rhône inspired red blend. Each wine is introduced with its own history and meaning, inviting reflection rather than demanding attention. The tasting complements the conversation and creates a natural rhythm to the evening.
The importance of the room
A meaningful exchange depends on who is present. This event brings together senior finance leaders in conversation with Maryke Kruger and Jordaan Burger, not as presenters but as peers. The structure of the evening encourages dialogue rather than instruction. It invites questions, perspectives and shared experience. This subtle shift elevates the quality of the discussion and transforms the evening into something genuinely valuable.
An invitation to those shaping the future of finance
The Wine tasting has been designed for leaders who are accountable for performance, direction and transformation without disrupting the critical functions that keep organisations moving. It is for finance executives who understand that insight requires perspective and that perspective requires the right environment. This is not an event to collect brochures. It is an evening to collect clarity.
Attendance is limited and by invitation only. For finance leaders who value thoughtful conversation, peer level engagement and experiences designed with intention, this event is the space where meaningful transformation begins.
RSVP to CoreSync’s Wine Tasting event today:
CoreSync Wine Tasting Invitation Registration – Fill in form