International Accounting Forum & Awards 2023

Companies listed on regulated markets, credit institutions and insurance undertakings (known as Public Interest Entities or PIEs), in the UK and EU are required by law to conduct a competitive audit tender process every ten years. However, given the importance of a high-quality audit, companies or groups of companies which are not PIEs may also decide that it is in their best interests to put their audit out to tender. The government’s recently announced plans to revamp the UK’s corporate reporting and audit regime will redefine hundreds of the largest private companies as PIEs, subject to mandatory audit retendering. Many companies are unprepared for the challenges of managing an audit tender, which can be an unfamiliar experience for the individuals who are responsible and accountable for the success of the process.

During this breakfast, Graham Hall will share his learnings from managing the recent global audit tender for the world’s largest food and beverage company, covering more than 750 entities and 180 countries. Graham will focus on practical advice covering issues such as planning and preparation, governance, key activities and documentation, transition planning to a new auditor, and technology tools that can be used to help achieve a successful outcome.

The pandemic was a unique and exceptional challenge for society, the economy, and our profession.

But as we’ve adapted to new ways of working, and embraced greater use of technology, a more purposeful and people-centric accounting profession is becoming reality faster than ever could have been imagined.
As we look ahead 25 years from now, we say things can only get better…

• The outlook for the post-pandemic firm is set amid a backdrop of The Great Resignation, a younger generation’s shift in priorities, and desire for a greater sense of purpose from work
• Alongside these societal shifts, the hybrid-work era is just beginning – learning to develop and maintain relationships, creating and nurturing meaningful roles, and providing a better experience for accountants are all key to success
• In today’s – not tomorrow’s – digital audit-era, maximising the use of technology and automation is critical to enabling the accountant experience needed to attract and retain talented people in the profession
• Businesses have always recognised and valued the unique and comprehensive perspective accountants provide – technology is enhancing this
• Technology is enabling accountants to supplement professional judgement with greater objectivity – building more transparent and insightful client relationships
• The increasing connectivity of systems allows businesses of all shapes and sizes to benefit from big data
• In the age of disinformation, the concepts of true and fair have never been more important
• The Brydon report sets a path for a more purposeful Audit profession that acts in the public interest – this is achieved most easily with the right blend of people and technology
• Sport has shown how technology compliments and supports fair and consistent application of the rules – it’s time for financial referees to get the same help

• Modernize your accountancy and tax client interaction management with a secure, onestop interaction workflow platform
• Building a onestop hub to manage your complete accountancy and tax client life cycle across account onboarding, account servicing, and exception handling
• Rethinking today’s costly, inefficient, and fragmented client engagement model, which requires significant manual intervention
• Streamline client business processes across your accountancy and tax firm and orchestrate each step of your workflows to fast-track client business

• The pandemic has caused many firms to rethink their strategies and transformation is absolutely necessary for firms to grow and survive
• Breaking down the opportunities presented to firms today which include ESG advisory, supply chain advisory, client accounting and technology services

• Discussing the challenges and how firms are over coming these challenges. People challenges are top of mind

• Uncovering the challenge and opportunity in being in a remote world and how the office game has changed forever

• Find out how well technology is really transforming accounting
• Assess how your firm’s progress compares to peers
• Learn what’s critical for success in any digital strategy
• Hear the results from Silvefin’s annual research into technology use in the profession
• Understand views on the technology pillars for success in digital transformation and the critical role this plays in the building of a successful advisory revenue stream..

• Cyber Risks to firms and clients
• Impact of cyber crime – costs to businesses and impact on reputation
• How Praxity firms and clients are evolving, what are the solutions?

• In the accountancy sector, we spend a lot of time discussing digital transformation in terms of technology – but less time talking about our own digital brand, i.e. our personal online profiles.
• To make your practice attractive to the next generation of accountants, it’s vitally important to optimise the online brand of each of your people.
• Join Phil Hobden, Head of Digital at Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting UK, as he explores why practices need to prioritise personal digital transformation – in a way that reflects the external brand profile.

With over 30 years of experience in professional services Francesca has seen at first hand the importance of the diversity of thinking, especially the need to encourage a broader range of people to take on senior roles and how best to create an environment that helps support this aim.

• Are we moving away from large digital solutions that can do everything?
• How we best maximize the potential of digitalizing your finance teams’ workflow for efficiency and accuracy

• Choose solutions that work well together. The more complete your ecosystem is, the more accurate information you can deliver

• Trends currently happing in building a digital finance team, e.g., business technologist and Citizen Technologist – are they a quick fix or long term?

• Accountants’ play a vital role as trusted advisers to the small business sector
• Given SMEs represent about 90% of businesses of the global economy, improvements in their sustainability practices are vital to addressing our global environmental and social challenges
• How can accountants take the lead and assist in making real, effective change at the heart of SMEs?
• Join our fireside chat as James Lizars of Thrive Accountants shares his experiences of becoming B-Corp registered and putting sustainability at the heart of his practice and the impact it has had

Pre-pandemic the industry was identifying potential future risks to accounting practices with a focus on automation of manual tasks and changes in client expectations. Fast forward two years and the pandemic has forced firms into change at a speed never seen before. This session will discuss key strategies and transformation to assist in the sustainability of your firm.

• What does the automation of a practice really look like? Is digital transformation necessary?
• What does the new working landscape look like and how do we manage it? ( Remote working inc client experience)
• Is long term growth of a practice dependent on revenue or people?
• Ignition

Many firms are experiencing high-growth from their audit business, but face capacity challenges. As a number of key developments in audit move from debate to implementation, how can firms capitalise on growth and drive high-impact, cultural changes.

• A high level overview of key developments in audit
• The role of standard setters, methodology providers, firms, and teams
• The status of firms and the impact of developments
• How firms can increase alignment across leadership

• Information is integral to business performance. From business intelligence and financial analysis to marketing campaigns and email correspondence, information is critical to every aspect of business operation.
• Join us for this real-time interactive session to learn how your business can uncover the true cost of information management, when we are increasingly faced with a growing amount of unstructured information.

• Understanding the immediate risks for organisations and clients
• Practical first steps organisations can take
• The opportunities of developing ESR thinking into a service line