The Strategic Rise of Fractional CFOs and How AI is Affecting the Role

The role of today's finance executive is evolving—particularly in the life sciences industry, where companies must balance innovation, capital efficiency, and growth through every stage of development. As organizations increasingly turn to fractional and interim finance leaders, experienced CFOs and finance executives are finding new ways to deliver strategic impact without a traditional full-time role.

Join this meeting for a candid discussion on the rise of fractional finance leadership.

Hear perspectives from both a leading fractional CFO firm and experienced independent executives as they explore how finance leadership needs evolve from early-stage startups to scaling organizations, what it takes to build a successful fractional practice, and the opportunities shaping the future of senior finance leadership.

Panelists: 

- Francisco Oliveira  - Managing Director CFGO, Finance Operations & Leadership for Life Science Innovators

 https://www.linkedin.com/in/franciscofoliveira/

- Darlene Deptula-Hicks  - Fractional CFO, Owner, Crimson Consulting, LLC

https://www.linkedin.com/in/darlenedeptulahicks/?skipRedirect=true

- Alex Salcedo - Interim/Fractional CFO, Meadowland Capital Management, Inc.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexsalcedo/ 

Moderators

- Marc Cote - Master Executive and Business Coach - FocalPoint 

- Geeta Singh - Co-chair Life Sciences/Pharma SIG, Managing Director/Principal GSi Advisory, EIR

BIOs Francisco Oliveira is Managing Director of CFgO, a consulting firm that provides fractional finance leadership and finance operations support to innovative companies. CFgO partners with emerging businesses to build right-sized, best-in-class finance functions by integrating systems, people, and processes. Previously, Francisco served as Chief Accounting Officer and Vice President of Finance at Ikena Oncology, where he played a key role in multiple financings and strategic transactions, including the company's IPO. Earlier in his career, he held finance leadership roles at Akcea Therapeutics and Dimension Therapeutics and began his career in the life sciences audit practice at PwC. Francisco is a Certified Public Accountant in Massachusetts. Darlene Deptula-Hicks, is an accomplished biotechnology and pharmaceutical executive who has served as a fractional CFO since 2018. She brings extensive international experience in finance, capital markets, corporate strategy, and M&A, with a proven track record of raising private and public capital and guiding companies through critical growth milestones, including IPOs, strategic partnerships, and acquisitions. Darlene currently serves as CFO of Levicept and is a board member and Audit Committee Chair of Aldeyra Therapeutics (Nasdaq: ALDX), as well as a board member of Lytix Biopharma. Previously, she was CFO of F-star Therapeutics, where she led the company's Nasdaq IPO, follow-on financing, and successful acquisition. She holds an MBA from Rivier University and a BS in Accounting from Southern New Hampshire University. Alex Salcedo is Founder and Managing Partner of Meadowland Capital Management, where he advises companies on finance, strategy, and operational growth. An accomplished finance executive, Alex has held numerous fractional and interim CFO leadership roles, partnering with founder-led, private, private equity-backed, and growth-stage companies across life sciences, medtech, and other innovation-driven industries. He brings extensive experience in financial strategy, business transformation, capital planning, operational excellence, and M&A, helping organizations navigate periods of growth and change. In addition to his advisory work, Alex has served on corporate boards and continues to counsel executive teams and investors on building scalable businesses and creating long-term value. Our Moderators  Marc Cote, Master Business & Executive Coach- After a 30 year career in a variety of finance, operations and entrepreneurial roles, Marc realized that his true passion was assisting others to make a positive difference in their lives. Marc has been a Certified Master Business & Executive Coach with Focal Point Coaching since 2017 and is also a Certified Trust Edge Coach, Certified in EQ, trained in Conversational Intelligence® and as a Positive Intelligence (PQ) coach. Today, through his coaching practice, he inspires his clients to define and achieve their greatest visions of professional success. Marc and his team utilize proven coaching and training program materials, personal and team development tools and years of business andleadership experience to help business leaders, executives and their teams’ overcome obstacles, improve their effectiveness, develop their people and enhance the performance of their companies. Since 2006 Marc has worked with leaders in the life science industry and focuses much of his practice today supporting those leaders and their teams as a trusted business advisor Geeta Singh is Managing Director/Principal of GSi Advisory, where she serves in fractional executive leadership roles and advises founders, boards, and executive teams on company building, governance, growth strategy, and capital planning. She is also Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's EnterpriseWorks incubator, mentoring science-driven startups and emerging life sciences companies. A serial entrepreneur and company builder, Geeta has founded and led two life sciences companies and brings more than 25 years of experience spanning investment banking, corporate strategy, executive leadership, and entrepreneurship. Earlier in her career, she executed more than $10 billion in cross-border M&A, IPO, and strategic transactions across North America, Europe, and Asia. Geeta serves as Co-Chair of the FENG Life Sciences & Pharmaceuticals Special Interest Group, Midwest Lead for Biotech CEO Sisterhood, and is an active member of Executive Women in Bio.