Ready. Set. Optimize.
FinOps Forward 2026 is a virtual summit for FinOps, finance and technology leaders navigating cloud financial management across multi-cloud, SaaS, AI and hybrid environments. With SaaS spend expected to rise 15% in 2026—and more than 60% of companies reporting that public cloud and SaaS costs for AI-related projects were over budget—it’s imperative for organizations to evolve FinOps into a comprehensive technology value discipline.
This event features keynote insights from a guest IDC industry analyst, the FinOps Foundation's 2026 State of FinOps Report and exclusive benchmarks from Flexera's 2026 State of the Cloud Report. Hear championship stories from real-world practitioners who've mastered AI cost governance, SaaS optimization and unit economics—moving from reactive cost control to strategic business value.
Why attend
Exclusive 2026 data and insights from State of the Cloud and State of FinOps reports
Champion customer stories from real teams sharing cloud wins and breakthrough strategies
Olympic-level FinOps strategies for multi-cloud optimization, AI governance, SaaS management and hybrid cost control
Agenda
9:00 a.m. CDT |
Setting the Pace: 
Start with an opening overview of the technology spend arena: cloud, SaaS, AI and hybrid. IDC will provide a data-led perspective on the current market state, examining where spend is accelerating, where performance gaps persist and how organizations are adapting their operating models. This session clarifies what's changing and what leaders should prioritize entering 2026. Explore how cloud spend growth (up 28%), AI adoption, software asset management and expanding SaaS portfolios are reshaping cloud cost management. Understand why organizations still struggle with cloud financial management despite rising FinOps team adoption and discover how to mature the capabilities that separate high performers from the rest. |
9:30 a.m. CDT |
Winning the AI Cost Game: 
Train for the big event with a focused session on how AI is reshaping spend patterns and how FinOps teams are adapting. Explore how teams are applying AI to improve forecasting, anomaly detection and reporting (AI for FinOps) while preventing AI-driven cost overruns (FinOps for AI). Gain practical guidance on unifying AI, SaaS and IaaS governance across your technology stack. Learn specific strategies for tagging AI workloads, allocating costs to business units and integrating AI spend tracking into existing workflows. |
10:00 a.m. CDT |
Championship Stories: Panel discussion It’s not about how you start the race—it’s about how you finish. Champion customers share how they converted common false starts like visibility gaps, untagged AI services or unmanaged SaaS growth into winning FinOps strategies. Expect candid storytelling about ownership shifts, unit economics hurdles, collaborative breakthroughs and automation that delivered ROI. Learn how real-world FinOps teams gained engineering, finance and executive stakeholder alignment and discover what these championship practitioners wish they'd known earlier in their expanded FinOps journeys. This session celebrates progress over perfection and provides tactical playbooks you can adapt for your organization. Includes 15-minute live Q&A where you can ask questions and get practical advice from peers who've solved similar challenges. |
10:45 a.m. CDT |
Reviewing the tape: 
Time to study the replay. The FinOps Foundation unpacks key findings from the State of FinOps 2026 Report: what's working, where teams are aligning priorities, understanding the impact of AI and the scopes that practitioners now manage (e.g., SaaS, AI, hybrid). Representing billions in analyzed spend, this data reveals how FinOps has evolved from cloud to be essential when managing technology value for organizations. Explore how the rise of FinOps has enabled executives with data, cross-functional leadership models and the organizational traits shared by teams that are successfully moving from reactive cost management to strategic value delivery. Learn how to embed FinOps into business decision-making and discover strategies for achieving excellence in 2026 and for years to come. |
Join FinOps professionals, finance leaders and technology
strategists training for technology value excellence
What’s included
- Access to all four sessions with industry-leading speakers
- Downloadable FinOps best practices
- On-demand recording available post-event
- Live Q&A with your peers
Speakers
Jevin Jensen
Vice President, Infrastructure & Operations Research
Analyst
Jevin Jensen
Vice President, Infrastructure & Operations Research
Jevin Jensen
Vice President, Infrastructure & Operations Research
Jevin Jensen is Research Vice President, Intelligent CloudOps Market service at IDC since 2021. He covers infrastructure as code, Infrastructure Automation, FinOps cloud cost transparency, DevOps, hybrid/public/multi-cloud management platforms and edge management.
Prior to IDC, Jensen was a Vice President of Global Infrastructure at the world’s largest flooring manufacturer, where he led the P&L and 150-person Infrastructure and Operations (I&O) team, transforming business capabilities through modern technologies and processes. He has more than 25 years of progressive IT‑leadership experience in publicly traded enterprises.
Steve Trask
Chief Operating Officer
Analyst
Steve Trask
Chief Operating Officer
Steve Trask
Chief Operating Officer
Steve has been involved in the FinOps Foundation since its inception in 2019. He has deep knowledge of FinOps industry data and trends, having managed the State of FinOps Report since it began in 2020. He stays closely connected with the community, with interests in intersecting disciplines and evolving FinOps team structures. You can always find him at FinOps X and regional events in the UK, where he is based.
Salomé Keet
Head of Software Asset Management & FinOps
Customer
Salomé Keet
Head of Software Asset Management & FinOps
Salomé Keet
Head of Software Asset Management & FinOps
Salomé Keet is a long‑standing ITAM and FinOps leader with more than two decades of experience across IT finance, software asset management and optimization. As Head of Enterprise IT Asset Management at FirstRand’s FNB South Africa, she champions the alignment of ITAM and FinOps to drive cost efficiency and strategic value. A FinOps Certified Practitioner and active ITAM Forum Vice Chair, she is a passionate advocate for community collaboration and industry advancement.
Eric Mulartrick
FinOps Leader, Advisor
Customer
Eric Mulartrick
FinOps Leader, Advisor
Eric Mulartrick
FinOps Leader, Advisor
Eric is an experienced FinOps leader with a strong practitioner background in cloud financial management and optimization. As FinOps Lead at Boomi, he works closely with engineering, finance and product teams to improve cost visibility, accountability and value across cloud and SaaS environments. A long‑standing member of the FinOps community, Eric is a FinOps Certified Practitioner and frequent speaker at FinOps Foundation events, bringing a practical perspective on AI‑driven cloud consumption and sustainable FinOps operating models.
Jeremy Chaplin
Director, Solutions Architecture & Advisory (Cloud/FinOps)
Flexera
Jeremy Chaplin
Director, Solutions Architecture & Advisory (Cloud/FinOps)
Jeremy Chaplin
Director, Solutions Architecture & Advisory (Cloud/FinOps)
With more than 20 years in IT, Jeremy specializes in cloud financial management, helping global enterprises optimize multi-cloud environments for cost and performance. He is a trusted advisor to enterprise-scale cloud teams, with deep expertise across AWS, Azure and GCP. At Flexera, he leads strategy and delivery for Cloud Cost Optimization (FinOps), aligning innovation with enterprise and hybrid IT needs.
Josh Fraser
Chief Customer Officer
Flexera
Josh Fraser
Chief Customer Officer
Josh Fraser
Chief Customer Officer
Josh Fraser is Chief Customer Officer at Flexera, with more than 15 years of executive experience helping enterprises address cloud complexity, rising costs and accountability across technology investments. He works closely with global organizations to improve visibility, strengthen governance and align cloud and SaaS spend with business priorities. Josh brings a strategic, customer‑led perspective on driving measurable outcomes across complex, hybrid environments.
FAQ
What is FinOps Forward 2026?
FinOps Forward 2026 is a free virtual summit for FinOps, finance and technology leaders focused on managing technology value across cloud, SaaS, AI and hybrid environments. The event features insights from IDC analysts, the FinOps Foundation, Flexera experts and real‑world practitioners who’ll share proven strategies and lessons learned.
Who should attend FinOps Forward 2026?
This event is designed for FinOps practitioners, finance leaders, cloud and IT leaders, procurement teams and technology strategists who want to improve cost visibility, governance and value realization across multi‑cloud, SaaS, AI and hybrid estates.
What topics will be covered during FinOps Forward 2026?
Sessions will explore AI cost governance, multi‑cloud and SaaS optimization, unit economics, hybrid cost management and how FinOps is evolving into a technology‑value discipline. Attendees will hear both data‑driven insights and practical stories from teams applying FinOps at scale.
Is FinOps Forward 2026 free, and will recordings be available?
Yes. FinOps Forward 2026 is free to attend, and all registrants will get on‑demand access to session recordings.