Anders Virtual CFO Joins Global Agency Leaders at the ICOM World Meeting in Porto, Portugal

Roxanne Raynor

Anders Virtual CFO had the opportunity to partner with the ICOM World Meeting in Porto, Portugal, joining nearly 40 independent creative and digital agencies from around the globe for three days of collaboration, innovation, and forward-thinking conversations. 

Bringing together agency leaders as they navigate the biggest transformations the industry has seen in years, the conference tackled the intersection of AI, operational change, client expectations, and the future of agency growth. 

The event reinforced a number of common themes, questions agencies everywhere are asking themselves: 

  • How do we stay profitable in an evolving market?  
  • How do we use AI strategically — not reactively?  
  • How do we scale without losing culture, creativity, or quality?  
  • What should the agency model of the future actually look like?  

Anders Virtual CFO Session: Financial Insights for Independent Agencies 

Led by Mikala Page, Virtual CFO, and Jake Grimm, Partner and Virtual CFO, Anders presented the session, “Financial Insights for Independent Agencies.”  

Drawing from the ICOM Global Survey and Anders’ work with agencies across the U.S., the session focused on the financial and operational trends shaping independent agencies right now and what leaders should be paying attention to. 

Key themes included: 

  • Profitability pressure despite strong revenue growth  
  • The growing need for better forecasting and financial visibility  
  • Operational inefficiencies hiding inside delivery models  
  • AI’s impact on pricing, staffing, and client expectations  
  • The importance of real-time financial strategy over historical reporting  

The conversation centered around helping agency leaders move beyond basic financials and into smarter, more strategic decision-making, giving them the clarity and confidence needed to fuel long-term growth. 

Key Themes Across the Conference 

One of the strongest takeaways from the ICOM World Meeting was that AI is no longer theoretical for agencies; it is actively reshaping how agencies operate, deliver work, and define value. 

Several standout sessions explored this shift from different angles: 

Building Agency Operating Systems in the AI Era 

In this keynote presentation, Neil Perkin, Founder of Only Dead Fish, challenged agencies to rethink not only efficiency, but their entire operating model. Discussions focused on scenario planning and how agencies may increasingly become AI enablers for their clients. 

Automated Thinking for Unstuck Agencies 

Rob Scherzer, Innovation & DX Director at DNA&STONE, explored how agencies can operationalize innovation through “automated thinking” — breaking work into repeatable systems and using AI to accelerate workflows, tools, and client-facing solutions. “AI is a full contact sport,” Scherzer says. “It’s not something you do. It’s not something you add on. It’s something you become.”  

Agency of the Future Panel 

Agency leaders shared real-world examples of how AI is already changing operations, client service, delivery timelines, and internal collaboration. The emphasis throughout the panel was practicality over theory: agencies are already implementing these changes today. Moderated by Alan Brown, Founder of DNA&STONE, this session’s panelists included Tina VonderHaar, CEO and President Brighton, Pedro Barbosa, CEO and Founder of Wise Pirates, Michael Pavone, CEO of Pavone Group, and Luke Azzopardi, Head of Marketing at Switch.  

Looking Ahead 

The ICOM World Meeting made one thing abundantly clear: independent agencies are evolving quickly. The agencies that thrive in the next era will be the ones that embrace operational clarity, strategic financial insight, innovation, and adaptability. 

View all Blog Posts

Our firm provides this information for general educational guidance only and does not constitute the provision of legal advice, tax advice, accounting services, investment advice, or professional consulting of any kind. The information provided herein should not be used as a substitute for consultation with professional tax, accounting, legal, or other competent advisers. Before making any decision or taking any action, you should consult a professional adviser who has been provided with all pertinent facts relevant to your particular situation. Podcasts posted by Anders are not intended to be used and cannot be used by any individual or business, for the purpose of avoiding accuracy-related penalties that may be imposed on the taxpayer. The information is provided "as is," with no assurance or guarantee of completeness, accuracy, or timeliness of the information, and without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of performance, merchantability, and fitness for a particular purpose. Please note that some content may be generated using artificial intelligence and is intended for educational and informational purposes only. In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a professional relationship.