The Digital Accountancy Forum and Awards 2021
The Waldorf Hilton, London
4th November 2021
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The Digital Accountancy Forum and Awards 2021
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We are delighted to announce the return of the annual and eagerly-awaited Digital Accountancy Forum and Awards 2021.
For the 10th year running, we are bringing together leading accounting firms, regulators and industry bodies; consultancies and advisors, law firm and tech vendors to debate the key challenges impacting the accountancy sector and the opportunities for growth that they represent.
This prestigious event returns to London and to the iconic Waldorf Hilton Hotel. Opened in 1908 and built in the American style, the hotel is now a symbol of English heritage.
Join us to celebrate all that is best and most innovative in modern accounting.
Why attend?
With focused sessions, practical workshops, an exhibition and an evening Gala Awards dinner, the 10th annual Digital Accountancy Forum and Awards 2021 offers delegates the perfect opportunity in which to share their experience, challenges and opportunities in accountancy.
TESTIMONIALS
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‘That was a superb day, it feels like we’ve been at a real, in person, conference!’ Worldwide Clinical Trials
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‘A great event, I met more people than I do at an in-person event and I’ve got loads of follow ups’ Conversis
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‘The whole setting is actually very well accomplished! Thanks again for the invitation!’ Apogenix AG

Samantha Louis
CEO,Praxity Global Alliance
Biography: Samantha Louis is Chief Executive Officer of Praxity Global Alliance, joining in June 2021 from the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants where she was Vice President in charge of International Advocacy. She’s an experienced leader and prior to her moving to London she was Regional Vice President for Africa at the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) where she directed the growth of the member and student population in Africa from 2,000 to over 25,000 and led the expansion of CIMA into Southern and Western Africa. Samantha has served on various local and international boards and senior leadership groups, including the Professional Accountancy Organisation Development Committee of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) and has extensive experience in several non-executive directorships. She currently serves on the Council and Finance Committee of Roedean School, UK. Samantha is a Fellow of CIMA and a Chartered Global Management Accountant. She holds a Batchelors degree from the University of the Witwatersrand and holds post-graduate courses in public relations and management, as well as a Master’s degree in business administration, with distinction, from the Gordon Institute of Business Science at the University of Pretoria.
Session Details: Profitably purposeful – reporting on sustainability and ESG 04-11-2021, 1:50 pm Panel: Does the future look bright? 04-11-2021, 3:10 pm View In Agenda

Zoya Malik
Group Accountancy Editor,International Accounting Bulletin and The Accountant
Biography:
Session Details: Chair’s opening remarks 04-11-2021, 8:50 am View In Agenda

Joe Pickard
Editor,The Accountant

Evan Jones
Lead Technology Product Manager,Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting UK
Biography: With extensive experience in the accountancy industry across roles in auditing, IT, process re-engineering and product management, Evan has an excellent track record of delivering high profile projects and successful business consultancy. He joined Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting UK in 2014 as a professional services consultant and became Lead Technology Product Manager in 2018. From both a technical and strategic business point of view, his career has always been tightly aligned with increasing productivity within accountancy practices. Starting out as an auditor in his early career, Evan progressed on to senior IT roles in accountancy firms including six years with a top 15 UK practice, and over three years with Rouse Partners. The expertise and knowledge he gained led him to start his own business in 2014, providing consultancy and training for accountancy practices and other professional services providers. At Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting UK, Evan focuses on representing and managing the customer and market needs, covering both existing on-premise and the company’s future cloud products. He holds the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) certification from the BCS - The Chartered Institute for IT and is certified by the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT). He also holds certifications from Microsoft.
Session Details: Preparing your Clients Ahead of the MTD for Income Tax Deadline 04-11-2021, 11:30 am Panel: What does the rapid acceleration in digital adoption mean for the industry? 04-11-2021, 12:30 pm View In Agenda

Carl Reader
Head of Accounting ,Practice Ignition
Biography: Carl Reader is chairman at multi-award winning firm d&t and Head of Accounting (EMEA) at Practice Ignition. Carl serves as Chair of the Practitioner Panel at ACCA. Carl is widely recognised as a thought leader in the accounting profession, speaking globally to accountancy audiences about a range of topics. He has been recognised as one of the leading voices on social media by ICAEW, is regularly featured in the accounting press, and was formerly a member of the Accountancy Age 35 under 35.
Session Details: Happy clients, happy bank account 04-11-2021, 12:10 pm Panel: What does the rapid acceleration in digital adoption mean for the industry? 04-11-2021, 12:30 pm View In Agenda

Jamie Lyon
Portfolio Head – Business Management,ACCA
Biography: Jamie Lyon leads ACCA’s cutting-edge insights programme that explores the implications and opportunities presented by advancing digital technologies, corporate governance, enterprise risk, financial and business transformation and talent management. By working with employers, governments and regulators across the world, Jamie and his team produce cutting edge, practical and accessible advice and insights on the most pressing issues impacting the business environment. Jamie’s extensive experience of financial management, corporate transformation, risk management and talent development was gained during his career in industry with a number of leading FTSE 100 businesses including Royal and Sun Alliance and Marks and Spencer. Jamie is a chartered certified accountant with a degree in Economics from Sheffield University.
Session Details: Professional Accountants at the heart of sustainable organisations 04-11-2021, 9:40 am Panel: What does the post-Covid accountancy firm look like? 04-11-2021, 10:20 am View In Agenda

Sam Plotkin
Global Analytics Director,Deloitte
Biography: Sam Plotkin is a Chartered Accountant with a masters degree in computing science which focused on human-computer interaction. Experienced in applying technology across audit, assurance, and advisory, Sam is chair of the Deloitte global audit analytics working party, and authored the strategy which set the firm on a path to data driven audit. Sam’s experience as an auditor established a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities data and analytics can bring to the audit industry. This led to his appointment as programme director of the analytics platform Spotlight, which was successfully deployed globally on thousands of audit engagements. He now takes responsibility for the development of analytic content in the next-generation data platform, Cortex. During his time at Deloitte, Sam has fostered a holistic, people-centred, and purpose-driven approach to using technology to improve audit. He believes that a high-quality audit has societal benefit and using technology to improve audits is vital to capturing public trust and confidence in the profession.
Session Details: Data and Detectives, Not Diesels: What matters more - loud engines and powerful tools OR access to data and tech-enabled auditors? 04-11-2021, 9:00 am Panel: What does the post-Covid accountancy firm look like? 04-11-2021, 10:20 am View In Agenda

Mark Edmondson
CEO,Inflo
Biography: As the mastermind behind Inflo, Mark aims to transform the audit and accounting profession by making innovative technologies and broader expertise available to all. With the global audit profession facing heavy criticism after high-profile business failures and frauds, Mark has stepped forward as a voice for progress. As well as being quoted in Sir Donald Brydon’s and other audit market reviews, Mark has been called upon to support international efforts to modernise and transform the audit and accounting profession. Mark is a member of the Advisory Panel to the IAASB’s Technology Working Group as well as the Reference Group supporting the development of the IAASB’s new standards for auditing less complex entities. He also leads a US AICPA working group to tackle innovation barriers through advancing data standards. Mark’s efforts centre around developing the relevance and value of the accounting profession’s work, and ensuring accountancy offers an exciting career pathway. Mark has a strong passion for advancing the skills and expertise of his peers in the profession and Inflo now performs a key role within education, including within the ICAEW’s Chartered Accountant qualification.
Session Details: Digital + Data = Irreplaceable 04-11-2021, 2:50 pm Panel: Does the future look bright? 04-11-2021, 3:10 pm View In Agenda

Kirsty McGregor
Founder & Chairman,The Corporate Finance Network
Biography: Kirsty McGregor is founder and Chairman of The Corporate Finance Network, a group of independent regional accountancy firms, and Accountant-in-Residence at Capitalise.com, the capital advisory platform. As an experienced SME Corporate Financier, she now shares her knowledge and practical resources with accountants who aim to assist owner-managed businesses to grow profitable businesses and ultimately to exit. She is also a speaker, professional trainer and is regularly called upon to provide commentary on SME issues to the press and media.
Session Details: Where are you on the Pyramid of Advisory? 04-11-2021, 2:30 pm Panel: Does the future look bright? 04-11-2021, 3:10 pm View In Agenda

Simon Warren
Managing Director,CaseWare UK
Biography:
Session Details: The Journey to the Cloud: It’s Easier Than You Think 04-11-2021, 9:20 am Panel: What does the post-Covid accountancy firm look like? 04-11-2021, 10:20 am View In Agenda

Clive Viegas Bennett
CEO,MGI Worldwide
Biography:
Session Details: The competitive advantage of mental well-being 04-11-2021, 10:00 am Panel: What does the post-Covid accountancy firm look like? 04-11-2021, 10:20 am View In Agenda

Shane Lukas
Managing Director,AVN
Biography: Shane Lukas is passionate about giving people more choice in their lives. Working with accountancy practice owners for more than 23 years, he’s seen how people suffer when they believe they can’t change the way they work or the way they live and he is committed to changing that situation. As Managing Director of AVN Inspiring Accountants he helps accountants to develop their businesses so they can do the work and live the life they choose – and then help their business owner clients do the same. He runs his own business based on the same philosophy. Shane is also the author of several books including the Amazon best sellers, Putting Excellence Into Practice and What’s Next For Accountants.
Session Details: Go digital and be more human 04-11-2021, 11:50 am Panel: What does the rapid acceleration in digital adoption mean for the industry? 04-11-2021, 12:30 pm View In Agenda

Anshul Bongirwar
EMEA Business Lead,Moxo
Biography:
Session Details: Powering Your OneStop Client App to Transform the Accounting and Tax Client Journey 04-11-2021, 2:10 pm Panel: Does the future look bright? 04-11-2021, 3:10 pm View In Agenda

Christos Christodoulou
CEO,Delphi Alliance
Biography:
Session Details: Top tips for growing your practice in 2022 04-11-2021, 4:00 pm Closing panel: What are the essential takeaways as we step into 2022? 04-11-2021, 4:40 pm View In Agenda

Lianne Gatti
Country Manager UK & Ireland,Konsolidator
Biography:
Session Details: Closing panel: What are the essential takeaways as we step into 2022? 04-11-2021, 4:40 pm View In Agenda

Rob Brown
Host,Accounting Influencers Podcast
Biography: Rob Brown is co-founder of the Accounting Influencers Roundtable, a think tank and door-opening club for specialists/vendors who serve the accounting/fintech profession. He runs a training company called Business Development Academy which trains busy technically smart accountants to be confident, effective work winners. He is the bestselling author of Build Your Reputation (Wiley) and his TEDx talk ‘The Personal Brand of You' has been viewed 280K times on Youtube. He co-hosts the international podcast Accounting Influencers with Martin Bissett and is a professional host, moderator and chair for accounting/fintech events, conferences and panel discussions. He is a committed Christian, a black belt in kickboxing, enjoys backgammon, loves chocolate orange and is allergic to grapefruit.
Session Details: Panel: What does the post-Covid accountancy firm look like? 04-11-2021, 10:20 am Closing panel: What are the essential takeaways as we step into 2022? 04-11-2021, 4:40 pm View In Agenda

Mark Koziel
President & CEO,Allinial Global
Biography: Mark Koziel became President and CEO of Allinial Global in August 2020 after 14 years with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). In addition to leading a team of twenty-seven staff members, he is responsible for strategic planning, financial performance, and the association’s overall growth and success. From the beginning of his career at a large local accounting firm in Buffalo, New York, to his tenure as Executive Vice President of Firm Services at the AICPA, Mark has been a leader and consistent advocate for CPA firms. Well known and highly regarded within the profession, he has appeared among the top 10 of Accounting Today’s Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting and been named to the International Accounting Bulletin’s Global Accounting Power 50 List.
Session Details: Creating a Digital Strategy to Support Growth 04-11-2021, 11:10 am Panel: What does the rapid acceleration in digital adoption mean for the industry? 04-11-2021, 12:30 pm View In Agenda

Jack Skov
Co-Founder & CFO,Konsolidator
Biography: Jack Skov is one of the founders of Konsolidator and the CFO. He is State Authorized Public Accountant and has a Master of Science in Business Economics and Auditing. Jack has been working in finance and public accounting for 20 years. He has been working with consolidation accounting, financing, and M&A activities throughout his career, and has served publicly and privately-owned groups when working in public accounting and worked as a State Authorized Public Accountant at Deloitte.
Session Details: One more step towards increasing profitability with financial consolidations in 2022 using technology 04-11-2021, 4:20 pm View In Agenda

Will Farnell
Founder & Director,Farnell Clarke Ltd
Biography: Will Farnell is the founder and a director of Farnell Clarke Ltd, an innovative and pioneering accounting firm based in East Anglia and London, UK offering a fresh approach to SME accountancy and business advisory services. Farnell Clarke was one of the first firms globally to fully adopt cloud accounting technology back in 2009 and remains one of the most innovation firms in the UK. The firm has been named Best Independent Firm (East of England) three times at the British Accountancy Awards, including in 2019 and was awarded Medium Firm of the Year award at the Accounting Excellence awards in 2019. The firm also won the 100% Xero award in 2017. Will is author of ‘The Digital Firm’ a blueprint for digital transformation. He is a regular speaker on how accounting firms can leverage technology, people and process to achieve practice growth, as well as providing consulting services to support firms in becoming a digital practice.
Session Details: Panel: What does the rapid acceleration in digital adoption mean for the industry? 04-11-2021, 12:30 pm View In Agenda

Steve Heathcote
CEO,Prime Global
Biography:
Session Details: Closing panel: What are the essential takeaways as we step into 2022? 04-11-2021, 4:40 pm View In Agenda




Delphi Alliance also promotes an evolutional “network within the network concept”, where twelve different lines of professionals will be working together within their own country, although independently but under the umbrella of Delphi Alliance. At the same time, they will participate in similar networks globally, sharing resources, know-how and business opportunities through international alliances.
- Lines of Business:
- - Accounting, Auditing, Taxation
- - Financial Advisory and Monetary
- - Management Advisory
- - Business Advisory
- - Legal services and Liquidations
- - Fiduciary and Administration
- - Information Technology
- - Marketing & Advertising
- - Human Resources
- - Real Estate
- - Reporting, Translation and Interpretation
- - Professional Training and Education







Konsolidator is a Danish software group with HQ in Denmark and subsidiaries in UK and Sweden. The group has developed a cloud-based software that automates the financial consolidation and reporting process. The software is created and supported by auditors and powered by innovative cloud technology.
With the software Konsolidator Audit auditors can prepare their client’s financial consolidation in a streamlined and digital format while increasing the quality of their work and saving a substantial amount of cost. With single sign on (SSO) auditors get immediate access to all clients in one system with just one login.
Konsolidator Audit integrates with Silverfin and allows trial balance import from Silverfin and export of the consolidated data back to Silverfin.






Accountants make better businesses.
At Dext, we provide digital tools that help accountants and bookkeepers like you to automatically and intelligently process and analyse financial data. So you can advise in real time with better levels of insight than ever.
With an armoury of the right tools at your disposal; accountants and bookkeepers are the backbone of every successful business. It’s that simple.
And through the Dext platform, those tools have become even more powerful and integrated to meet the demands of businesses today.
We’re fuelling the next generation of accountants and bookkeepers with Dext.


Whatever challenge an alliance if facing – the odds are we faced the issues before and will deliver practical advice and solutions.
We frequently cover:
• Strategy development and implementation
• Business development, transnational proposals, and referrals
• Supporting global and regional special interest groups by service line or industry sector
• Reviews of bylaws, membership agreements and dues formulae
• Recruiting new members firms in targeted locations
• Exploring merger or joint venture opportunities
• Quality management policies, procedures, together with member firm and audit file reviews
• A sounding board/mentoring facility and individual or team coaching and performance programmes
• Independent IT consultancy covering systems selection, and implementation available to the international office or the global membership
• The Zenzero Global Alliance Hub – a cost effective full compliant global conflict checking platform built on Microsoft Power Platform
• Global brand reviews, positioning, values & behaviours, visual identity, and guidelines


Accounting Influencers is the world's leading accounting, CPA and fintech podcast where hosts Martin Bissett and Rob Brown bring you critical insights, best practice, expert interviews, market intelligence and occasional rants on the accounting and fintech world in short, sharp listens on a daily basis.
ABOUT THE SHOW
Its audience is accountants and CPAs, together with the networks, associations, vendors and influencers who lead them, work in them and serve them. With the backing of several trusted commercial partners, the show comes out daily with engaging 'radio show' style news items, insights on 'what really works' and the occasional rant. Twice a week there are featured interviews with accounting profession influencers, disrupters and thought leaders who advise, train, serve and speak into the accounting/fintech profession. Some are experts (commentators, authors, consultants). Others are in business (suppliers, vendors and partners to accounting firms). Topics include leadership, value, winning work, culture, talent, sales, trust, growth, tech, digital, cloud, change, marketing, trends, performance and strategy. To check out the show, go to any podcast app/platform or https://bit.ly/accinfpodcast
ABOUT THE HOSTS
Martin Bissett is the founder of the Bissett Group of companies that provide practice and personal growth communities, content, and continuing education exclusively to the accounting and bookkeeping professions worldwide. Previously he established a high six-figure consulting firm while serving as a keynote speaker with over 100 one-off and repeat engagements to his name, as well as becoming the most published author on his topics of specialism with 11 books including 1 bestseller. Since 1998, Martin has played a major part in working with over 1800 accounting firms in over 40 countries. These projects have led to those firms acquiring over £500m of recurring fees before inflationary increases, referrals and upselling are factored in. He stopped keeping track of this number over 5 years ago. Martin now advises a range of accounting practitioners and fintech companies at board level. Rob Brown is a renowned MC, facilitator and chair of virtual and in-person panels, conferences and events globally for the accounting and fintech profession. He is co-founder of the Accounting Influencers Roundtable (AIR) mastermind group and co-hosts the world's most popular accounting and fintech podcast: Accounting Influencers. Throughout the pandemic, Rob chaired 24 virtual panels with leaders of global accounting networks and alliances to discuss the key issues and challenges. He is retained by several associations and vendors to chair their events and provide high-level interview content for their communities. He is also the bestselling author of Build Your Reputation (Wiley) and his TEDx talk 'The Personal Brand of You' has been viewed 300K+ times on YouTube.


The Bissett Group
Sponsorship Opportunities
To enquire about sponsorship opportunities for the conference, please contact:
Ray Giddings
Sales Director
T: +44 (0) 20 3096 2585
E: ray.giddings@arena-international.com
Kadin Luong
Digital Marketing Executive
E: kadin.luong@arena-international.com
Speaker Opportunities
To enquire about speaking opportunities or to take part in one of our interactive sessions, please get in touch with:
Kim Palfrey
Programme Director
T: +44 (0) 207 9366 960