Navigating the complexities of hybrid work together
Microsoft say there is no universal approach to hybrid work. It's a matter of meeting the unique needs of your business and employees.
With the move to hybrid work, we’re on the brink of a disruption. Organizations are fast adopting a blended operating model with some employees returning to the workplace and others continuing to work from home. At the same time, it is also emerging that there is no universal approach to hybrid work. Every organization will need to adapt differently to access and deliver the needs of their employees. Employees are keen on flexible remote work options, but they also crave for more in-person collaboration. And this is the hybrid work paradox that we need to address urgently.
Every organization wants to empower people for a world of work that is dynamic, fluid, and cloud-powered. They want to find ways for people to work not just from anywhere but at any time, with solutions that allow both synchronous and asynchronous collaboration. And it’s a ‘whole organization’ shift —this is a conversation that requires leaders across the entire organization to come together to rethink work.
The choices an organization now makes will impact it for years to come. It’s a moment that requires a clear vision. Organizations need a plan and policies that put them on the path to extreme flexibility. These decisions will impact everything from how they shape culture to how they attract and retain talent to how respond to changes in the environment to future innovation.
The future of work is hybrid.
We remain committed to delivering experiences that anticipate the different ways teams need to work together while providing the flexibility and agility we now require – across people, places and processes. We’re giving employees a clear flexible work policy—any employee can work remotely up to 50 percent of the time. We’re also building privacy-backed listening systems to capture digital signals with tools including Workplace Analytics, part of Viva Insights, which lets managers and leaders check in on the wellbeing of their teams and organizations empowering managers and leaders to “hire talent from everywhere” and create their own team norms.
Our approach to places hinges on bridging the gap between the physical and digital, and evolving with employee needs. It starts with prioritizing employee safety.
Every business process will need to be transformed in the shift to hybrid work, and so we’re also taking the opportunity to reimagine our key business processes—from operations to sales.
Reimagine the employee experience.
It is also critical to include technology that enables teamwork and creates a new digital employee experience that follows employees no matter where they go.
With a hybrid workplace model, you're providing employees an exceptional place to work, create greater collaboration and community, and showcase an example of the modern workplace that is both flexible and hybrid. The next phase will bring challenges and opportunities, but we’re optimistic about the future. If we take what we’ve learned from overcoming a once-in-a-hundred-year challenge and use it to chart a path forward that gives people the flexibility they need, together we can build a better world of work for everyone.
By Rajiv Sodhi, Chief Operating Officer, Microsoft India
Check out these tips for navigating the hybrid landscape: msft.it/6003nWUyz
Accountex is back: Registration now open for Manchester show
Visitor registration is open now for Accountex Summit North 2021
Accountex Summit North – the definitive event for accountancy and finance in the North of England – has opened visitor registration for 2021. The show will be the first Accountex event to run in two years, following the postponement of both Accountex London and Accountex Summit North last year.
Returning to Manchester Central on 20-21 September, the event is expected to attract 1,300 accountants, finance and business professionals. For this year only Accountex Summit North will run across two days to meet the increase in visitor demand, which has resulted from the postponement of the 2020 events. To allow for maximum capacity, visitors are being asked to select one day to attend the Manchester event.
Portfolio director Caroline Hobden says: “Accountex is an established brand in the world of accounting and finance and we’re so proud of the vital role our events play in connecting the industry and driving innovation. The team have really missed bringing the accounting community together. But, since announcing that Accountex Summit North will run this autumn, we’ve been overwhelmed by the interest in the show and the support from the industry.
“In response to this unprecedented demand, we’ve added an additional day to Accountex Summit North for 2021 to allow as many visitors to attend the event as possible. This comes at no additional cost to our exhibitors – we’re pleased to enable them to meet with twice as many people to help support the profession at a challenging time for us all.”
Attendees to Accountex Summit North will have the opportunity to network in person with other industry professionals and meet and do business with 100 leading suppliers.
They will also have the chance to immerse themselves in accounting expertise via the expert-led conference programme. With over 21 seminars across three theatres, the programme will include sessions delivered by big industry names and high-profile thought-leaders. Topics covered include advisory, cyber-security, funding, making tax digital, pricing, succession planning, the voice of the client, making tech work for your practice, advice on how to set up your own practice and more. The full timetable is due to be announced next month.
Accountex Summit North will once again be supported by a number of major industry associations, training bodies and charities, including ACCA – Association of Chartered Certified Accountants; AIA – The Association of International Accountants; BASDA – Business Application Software Developers Association; ICB – The Institute of Certified Bookkeepers; ICPA – Institute of Certified Practice Accountants; and IFA – Institute of Financial Accountants.
Other organisations supporting the event include 2020 Innovation and MyFirmsApp, as well as media partners Elite Business and XU Magazine.
Caroline Hobden continues: “With such high demand and limited places available, we recommend accounting and finance professionals register today to ensure they don’t miss out on attending the first in-person event from the Accountex portfolio to be hosted in 2021.”
Register now for Accountex Summit North
Accountex Summit North will take place on 20-21 September 2021 at Manchester Central. The event is free to attend for accounting and finance professionals only. Places are limited and all registrations will be verified and confirmed.
Apply for your free ticket here.
Meet Caroline Hobden, Accountex’s new Portfolio Director
Caroline Hobden was appointed as Portfolio Director for Accountex last month. She steps into the role with 20 years of experience managing international business-to-business events, delivering everything from industry dinners, seminars and conferences to vast trade shows spanning the globe.
Caroline has worked for and alongside a wide range of organisations, from start-up companies and SMEs through to global corporates. As Portfolio Director at Diversified Communications, Caroline until recently managed the teams responsible for delivering events in the ocean technology and geospatial sectors. She now heads up the Accountex Portfolio that includes two live events, a full programme of virtual content and Accounting Insight News.
We caught up with her to find out what she’s got planned for the shows...
What are you most looking forward to about working on Accountex?
The whole community has been so welcoming already, with reams of people reaching out to me to connect – I have already enjoyed countless virtual coffees! Getting to know so many people who make up this great profession will be an honour and is something I really look forward to.
What do you love most about your job?
I love getting under the skin of an industry. Working closely with clients, partners, influencers, leaders and publications to understand the direction they are headed in and working with them to facilitate a hard hitting event that provides excellent content, educational and networking opportunities. My job is to serve the accounting profession and in that vein my virtual door is always open to new ideas, suggestions and opportunities.
You’ve been working on Accountex for one month – what’s your impression of the show so far?
What a sensational brand Accountex is. Known across the globe as an unbiased platform, that successfully serves the accounting community with live in person events, a full virtual programme and Accounting Insight News, it really is an honour to take over the reigns on such a well established and successful portfolio.
Are there any focuses or developments that you have planned for the show?
The Accountex team have worked incredibly hard in the last 12 months, delivering an outstanding programme of virtual events, that filled the gap left by the lack of in-person events. And we're continuing work on our programme of live events too. Our next focus as the world opens up again is to create a safe environment for the accounting profession to meet in person with confidence. I can’t wait to open those show doors at Accountex Summit North in September in Manchester!
What’s a fun fact about you?
I have been surrounded by accountants for most of my life. My dad, brother and husband are all accountants so it felt like this role was meant to be!
Accountex & Accountex Summit North postponed until 2021
Accountex and Accountex Summit North have sadly been postponed, due to the coronavirus pandemic, until next year. Event organisers Diversified Communications UK says the decision has been widely supported by key exhibitors and association partners.
Accountex – the UK’s flagship accounting and finance conference and expo, will be back to celebrate its tenth anniversary edition on 12-13 May 2021 at ExCeL London. Over 10,000 attendees, including Accounting practice owners, CFOs and MDs from across business and industry, government departments, leading bookkeepers and tax bodies, and many other top accounting firms, will be highly anticipating its return.
The popular Accountex Summit North conference – for accountancy practices and finance professionals based in the Midlands and the North of England, has confirmed its new date of 21 September 2021 at Manchester Central.
The magnitude and unprecedented scale of the Covid-19 outbreak and the subsequent government restrictions has affected the lives and livelihoods of people and businesses around the world. While the UK’s strict lockdown measures are expected to ease over the coming months, physical distancing and restrictions on mass gatherings will remain for the foreseeable future.
Many of Accountex’s exhibitors and visitors have been busier than ever – supporting businesses getting to grips with the ‘new normal’. However, many also have scores of clients with much of their workforce still furloughed. Or, are among the furloughed themselves. With so much uncertainty, it is hard for firms to plan months in advance.
Zoe Lacey-Cooper, Portfolio & Event Director, says: “Like all businesses, we have been closely following the rapidly changing developments during these difficult times. Whilst we were hopeful that the current tough measures on restricted social interaction would be lifted by the autumn, there are still too many questions surrounding hotels, travel, social distancing measures, and individual company policies, to make it viable to run this year’s events. Clearly, the best and most responsible option for everyone involved is to wait and host even better events in 2021.
“We appreciate how important Accountex is to the profession and are very sorry to disappoint the thousands of attendees that were planning on exhibiting and visiting. However, the success as well as the safety of our exhibitors, speakers and visitors has always been our priority and we are hoping that everyone will get behind this tough but necessary decision.
“The good news is that much of the event planning is already in place, and we go into 2021 with an incredible amount of good will and support. We look forward to working together to ensure that Accountex continues to be the celebration and gathering the industry deserves – and can be proud of.”
Today’s announcement follows the news that the Accounting & Finance Virtual Summit, which the Accountex team helped found (in partnership with ACCA, Practice Ignition, and Generation CFO) has so far raised over £44,500 for the NHS to support their work helping patients with Covid-19. The free two-day virtual event welcomed 15,600 registrations and featured content from over 100 speakers.
Accountex will now take place on the new dates of 12-13 May 2021 at ExCeL London. Accountex Summit North will run on 21 September 2021 at Manchester Central. For more information, please visit www.accountex.co.uk/london and www.accountex.co.uk/summitnorth.
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Media enquiries to:
Emma-Louise Jones, Head of PR & Communications
t: +44 (0)1273 645134
e: [email protected]
Website: www.divcom.co.uk
Twitter: www.twitter.com/DiversifiedUK
Becky Webb, Portfolio Marketing Manager
t: +44 (0)1273 645153
e: [email protected]
Twitter: www.twitter.com/accountex and www.twitter.com/ACXSummitNorth
Website: www.accountex.co.uk/london and www.accountex.co.uk/summitnorth
Event enquiries:
Zoe Lacey-Cooper, Portfolio & Event Director
t: +44 (0)1273 916537
e: [email protected]
Notes:
Show logo: https://www.divcom.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Accountex2021_black_bright_blue.jpg
Summit logo: https://www.divcom.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/ASN21_logo.jpg
Images: https://www.accountex.co.uk/london/2019/06/06/in-pictures-accountex-2019/
Diversified Communications UK Ltd (Diversified UK) is a fast-growing trade event organiser and publisher based in Brighton, Peterborough, and London. Diversified UK’s event portfolio includes Accountex; Accountex Summit North; SITS – The Service Desk & IT Support Show; Digital Construction Week; British Tourism & Travel Show; Casual Dining; lunch!; Commercial Kitchen; Natural & Organic Products Europe; Nordic Organic Food Fair & Natural Products Scandinavia in Malmö, Sweden; Organic Food Iberia & Eco Living Iberia in Madrid, Spain; GEO Business; Ocean Business; MARELEC Marine Electromagnetics conference; Euro Bus Expo; Coach & Bus UK; and London Design Fair. For more information, visit: www.divcom.co.uk.
Diversified UK is part of Diversified Communications, a leading international media company with a portfolio of face-to-face exhibitions and conferences, online communities and digital and print publications. As producers of these market-leading products Diversified Communications connects, educates and strengthens business communities in over 15 industries including: food and beverage, healthcare, natural and organic, business management and technology. Established in 1949 and headquartered in Portland, Maine, USA with divisions and offices around the world, Diversified Communications remains a privately held, third generation, family-owned business. For more information, visit: www.divcom.com.
Over 1,200 attendees flock to Accountex Summit North
Manchester’s exclusive one-day accounting conference just got bigger, with 10% increase in attendance for 2019
The second edition of Accountex Summit North – an exclusive one-day accounting conference and exhibition – was on record-breaking form earlier this month, with over 1,200 attending the event at Manchester Central on Tuesday 10 September.
That was 10% up on last year’s launch event – and it came just four months after the flagship Accountex event in London attracted a huge 9,000 attendees.
The list of visitors included top accountants, finance directors, accounts managers, tax professionals, heads of IT, bookkeepers, and sole practitioners (working in practice, industry, and the public sector) from leading firms, businesses and institutions.
Among them were representatives from organisations as diverse as Procter & Gamble, Mars UK, Siemens UK, FirstGroup, HMRC, Lush Cosmetics, BNY Mellon, WOCO, Euro Garages, Nottingham University, Royal Museums Greenwich, North Wales Wildlife Trust, Beauty Bay, and more. Plus top accountancy firms including PwC, Grant Thornton, BDO, Saffery Champness, Haines Watts, Crowe UK, UHY Hacker Young, TaxAssist Accountants, Armstrong Watson, MHA Moore and Smalley, Cowgills, Beever and Struthers, Mitchell Charlesworth, Garbutt & Elliott, Bennett Brooks, Bulley Davey, and PM+M.
They came to discover the best new tech, products, services, solutions, and innovations from more than 80 leading exhibitors, and to access more than 18 hours of free seminar content delivered by a line-up of 24 expert speakers.
Glowing testimonials have been coming in thick and fast. Excellent, exciting, well organised, fun, fantastic, informative, interesting, relevant, varied, and superb are just some of the words that attendees have used to describe the show so far.
Summing up his experience at Accountex Summit North, Dean McMullan, partner at Allens Chartered Accountants described it as “a jam-packed day of accounting software and technology with an exciting choice of speakers.”
“An extremely good use of a day – informative, relevant and also an eye-opener to the technology available today,” agrees Hugh Tracy-Forster, managing director at T4 Consulting.
“Accountex Summit North 2019 was a great place to find new software suppliers, meet my LinkedIn contacts for the first time and to attend some useful seminars,” says Lorraine Ellison, owner of Simply Additions. “The most useful element was hearing about what is coming next, which allows me to think about the impact on my business, and how it will affect my clients. It feels good to be ahead of the game!”
“It was great to hear from HMRC on their implementation and plans for new tax regimes and put faces to the support helplines of our existing software providers,” says Sharon Turner, chartered accountant at Bryan Redhead & Co.
“A perfect platform to learn, great opportunity to make professional connections and gain 8 CPD hours. A must-attend event to know the latest in the world of accountancy and finance,” says Prav Tyagi, principal accountant at TaxAssist Accountants Manchester South.
Keynote highlights
From standing room only sessions and packed panel discussions, to big-name Keynotes and topical seminars, Accountex Summit North’s three theatres were a hive of activity throughout.
Gordon Gilchrist, author and speaker at 2020 Innovation, kicked off the day with an industry update, before BBC Broadcaster Joe Lynam took to the stage to deliver his insightful Keynote talk on Brexit and the current state of the UK economy. In a packed Theatre 3, HMRC’s Rebecca Hutton gave an up-to-the-minute update on Making Tax Digital, while in Theatre 2 Taxwise presenter Amanda Chadwick tackled mental health in the workplace, and FreeAgent’s Nick Longden talked AI and open banking to an audience spilling into the aisles in Theatre 1.
This year’s line-up also featured sessions from industry experts including: Verna Gellvear (HMRC), Glen Foster (Xero), Philippa Hume (Intuit QuickBooks), Chris Downing (Sage), Andrew Hubbard (Taxation Magazine), Amanda C. Watts (TwentyTwo Agency), Matt Garman (SalesEnabla), Alastair Barlow (flinder), Des O’Neill (OmniPro Group), Richard Sergeant (Principle Point), Lucy Whittington (Brilliant Business Things), Josh Riffe (FUNancial Services), Alan Woods (Woods Squared), Janice B. Gordon (Scale Your Sales), Nick Elston, Brian Coventry (Envision), Martin Bissett (USP), Carl Reader (Small Business Champion), and Jo Edwards (JE Consulting).
“We launched the show last year to bring the best of Accountex to accountancy professionals in the North – and we’ve been overwhelmed by the level of enthusiasm the industry has shown,” says event director Zoe Lacey-Cooper.
“We’re thrilled to have notched things up for our second year with an amazing 10% increase in attendees and delighted that the brand continues to go from strength to strength. Accountex is the best platform for bringing the industry together and the sense of one community uniting to network, support, share, and learn from each other at both our Manchester and London events is inspiring.”
She continues: “A huge thanks, as always, to all of our exhibitors, visitors, speakers and partners for their phenomenal support, we couldn’t create these fantastic events without you. See you at Accountex 2020!”
Save the date for Accountex 2020
The flagship Accountex event will return to ExCeL London on 13-14 May 2020. To register your interest in attending or for further information, please visit www.accountex.co.uk/london.
The next edition of Accountex Summit North will take place at Manchester Central on 21 September 2021. To register your interest in attending or for further information, please visit www.accountex.co.uk/summitnorth.
In Pictures: Accountex Summit North 2019
Accountex Summit North – an exclusive one-day accounting conference and exhibition – took place earlier this month on Tuesday 10 September at Manchester Central. Here's some of the highlights from this year’s show…
The next edition of Accountex takes place at ExCeL London on 13-14 May 2020. For more information and to register for a free trade ticket to attend please visit www.accountex.co.uk/london.
Video highlights from Accountex Summit North 2019
More than a thousand accountancy and finance professionals from across the UK flocked to Manchester Central last week on Tuesday 10 September for Accountex Summit North – an exclusive one-day accounting conference and exhibition. In case you missed it – or to recap – here’s some video highlights from this year’s show…
The next edition of Accountex takes place at ExCeL London on 13-14 May 2020. For more information and to register for a free trade ticket to attend please visit www.accountex.co.uk/london.
Accountex Summit North 2019 opens at Manchester Central on Tuesday 10 September
More than a thousand accountancy and finance professionals from across the UK will be heading to Manchester on Tuesday 10 September for Accountex Summit North – an exclusive one-day accounting conference and exhibition.
Doors open at 8.30am at Manchester Central with around 1,300 attendees expected. Delegates from many of the UK’s top accountancy firms, including Grant Thornton, BDO, Smith & Williamson, Saffery Champness, Haines Watts, Crowe UK, UHY Hacker Young, TaxAssist Accountants, Armstrong Watson, MHA Moore and Smalley, Cowgills, Beever and Struthers, Quantuma, Mitchell Charlesworth, Garbutt & Elliott, Bennett Brooks, Bulley Davey, PM+M, Ellacotts, and DSG Chartered Accountants, are among those preparing to attend.
Also on the visitor list are finance professionals from well-known businesses and institutions, including Procter & Gamble, Mars UK, Siemens UK, FirstGroup, HMRC, Co-op, Lush Cosmetics, BNY Mellon, WOCO, BOUYGUES, Emerald Publishing, Euro Garages, Nottingham University, Royal Museums Greenwich, Hitachi Capital, University of Liverpool, North Wales Wildlife Trust, Northumbria University, Beauty Bay, and SeatGeek.
Event director Zoe Lacey-Cooper says: “In one day, our delegates will enjoy a full line-up of CPD-accredited Keynotes, seminars, and panel sessions delivered by industry experts. They’ll take away real-time insights, tools and solutions, which will help them to continue to provide the best all-round accountancy service possible.”
80+ industry-leading exhibitors
The exhibitor line-up for 2019 features more than 80 top industry suppliers, including FreeAgent, Intuit QuickBooks, IRIS, Sage, Wolters Kluwer, Xero, HMRC, Tolley, Fujitsu, Silverfin, Receipt Bank, FUTRLI, DREAM AUDIT a Gest On Line Solution, Riverdale Insurance, SmartVault, AccessPay, GoCardless, MyWorkpapers, Nomisma, Qubic Tax, Senta, RollPay, ProsperChain, AutoEntry, PayFit, IWOCA, Soldo, Docusoft, and Arthur Online. They’ll be demonstrating and displaying the latest and most innovative accounting tools, tech, services, and solutions.
To view the full exhibitor list, please visit www.accountex.co.uk/summitnorth/exhibitor-list.
18+ hours of speaker sessions in three theatres
The conference will feature 24 sessions in three dedicated theatres, covering topics as diverse as AI, anxiety, Brexit, MTD, Open Banking, digital disruption, mental health, and more.
Speaker highlights include BBC broadcaster Joe Lynam, Rebecca Hutton (HMRC), Verna Gellvear (HMRC), Glen Foster (Xero), Philippa Hume (Intuit QuickBooks), Chris Downing (Sage), Nick Longden (FreeAgent), Andrew Hubbard (Taxation Magazine), Amanda Chadwick (Croner/Taxwise), Amanda C. Watts (TwentyTwo Agency), Gordon Gilchrist (2020 Innovation Training), Matt Garman (SalesEnabla), Des O’Neill (OmniPro Group), Lucy Whittington (Brilliant Business Things), Alan Woods (Woods Squared), Janice B. Gordon (Scale Your Sales), and Jo Edwards (JE Consulting).
“Accountex Summit North is critical to the accountancy industry because opportunities are lost when accountants do not get out from behind their desk. This is an opportunity to get out there, meet the best of the best, hear the latest insights, see different ways of doing things, mingle with the people on the same journey as you and be open to the possibilities,” says Des O’Neill, managing director of OmniPro Group.
“In these uncertain times it’s vital to have a forum for discussion and presentation of new ideas, thinking about a prosperous future and how to bring it about. There will always be a North/South divide, but Accountex Summit North helps to show that business in the North is of enormous value and is equal to, not less important than the South,” says Matt Garman, CEO and founder of SalesEnabla.
“Accountex Summit North is, for me, the must attend event in the industry, it’s a great chance to meet up with current suppliers, peers in the industry, influencers in the industry and learn best practice, along with more than a few shortcuts to success,” says Alan Woods, founder of Woods Squared.
The full programme is available to view at www.accountex.co.uk/summitnorth/conference-programme.
A selection of speaker Q&As are available at www.accountex.co.uk/summitnorth/category/speaker-qa.
Accountex Summit North is open at Manchester Central from 8.30am to 5pm on Tuesday 10 September. All delegate places are now fully booked and the event has sold out of all available exhibition space.
For further information, please visit www.accountex.co.uk/summitnorth.
Revealed: Six trends shaping accountancy in 2019
With the fast-pace of changes being wrought by technology and politics in 2019, future-proofing is increasingly difficult for businesses and accountants. To help you keep at the forefront of this fast-paced profession, we spoke to six experts to get their take on the key trends shaping the accounting industry in 2019:
Janice B Gordon, The Key Account Strategist at Scale You Sales:
"Millennials, who will make-up 50% of the workforce by 2020, are shaping the way businesses communicate and transact. Millennials have specific specifications and demand hands-on support.
Accountants must speak the language to their changing client base and adapt to becoming tech-savvy and tech enabled. Accountants must stay ahead of these business trends to remain relevant to serve their changing client needs and preferences."
Des O'Neill, managing director of OmniPro Group:
"In my opinion the key trend that I am experiencing is a trend that many in the accountancy profession are ignoring. However it is a trend that is shaping the profession none-the-less.
More than ever before entrepreneurs and business owners want more. They want more from their business. They want to get results easier and quicker. They need compliance but they want more advice, more support, more of what accountants can give. Progressive modern business owners are happy to pay once they get the value. The evidence among the accountancy firms that have tapped into this is irrefutable.
This trend is a golden opportunity for the accountants who want more out of their business by giving more to their customers."
Matt Garman, CEO and founder of SalesEnabla:
"Without a doubt, the need to shift focus to advisory. It's the way to safeguard and differentiate an accountancy business, to offer wider value and offer specialist services, with the right tools, as a one stop business growth advisory shop."
Jo Edwards, managing director of JE Consulting:
"The automation of compliance is moving at a fast rate, firms have to grasp that reality and focus on developing and marketing their advisory skills."
Ian Moss, editor of Accounting Insight News:
"The focus at the moment is still on the Brexit political maneuvering at Westminster, but once this phase is over all the tension will be on practicalities. Accountants are going to be playing a vital role in helping small businesses navigate the complexities of the post-Brexit financial world (should we ever get there)."
Brian Coventry, CEO of Enivison:
"Succession issues are driving firms into mergers and aggregations that are leaving the younger generations to question what the future holds for them. Talent shortages will continue to be issue and AI will only offset some of this downside."
Get the latest industry insights at Accountex Summit North 2019
Accountex Summit North 2019 takes place at Manchester Central on 10 September. Apply for your free ticket to attend here.
Experts from BBC, HMRC, Intuit QuickBooks, Sage, Xero and more to speak at Accountex Summit North 2019
Tuesday 10 September marks the return of Accountex Summit North – the annual one-day accounting conference and exhibition for senior accountants and finance professionals.
With all places now booked, more than 1,300 attendees from the world of business and finance are set to head to Manchester Central next month. They’ll gain up-to-the-minute insights from the cutting-edge of the industry and hear directly from a raft of experts including speakers from the BBC, HMRC, Intuit QuickBooks, Sage, Xero, and others.
They’ll also have the chance to discover the best choice of new products, tools, software and solutions from 87 leading exhibitors, including ACCA – Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, FreeAgent, Fujitsu Scanners, FUTRLI, IRIS, Receipt Bank, Senta, TaxCalc, Tolley, Wolters Kluwer, and more.
Seminar highlights
The conference programme for 2019 boasts over 18 hours of exclusive seminar content in three dedicated theatres, with sessions covering everything from AI and advisory, to MTD and mental health. Highlights include:
• Joe Lynam, BBC Broadcaster: Opening Keynote – Are We in Crisis?
• Rebecca Hutton & Verna Gellvear, HMRC: Update from HMRC on Making Tax Digital
• Andrew Hubbard, Taxation Magazine: MTD – Looking Towards 2021
• Nick Longden, FreeAgent: AI and Open Banking – The Next Wave of Digital Disruption
• Philippa Hume, Intuit QuickBooks: FinTech and Talent: How to be Tomorrow’s Practice
• Amanda Chadwick, Croner/Taxwise: Mental Health, Technology and Health & Safety – Joined at the Hip?
• Damon Anderson, Xero: Unlocking the Power of High Integrity Accounting Data
• Chris Downing, Sage: Digitising Your Practice is as Easy as ABC with Automation, Bookkeeping and Compliance
Other confirmed speakers are Gordon Gilchrist (2020 Innovation Training), Lucy Whittington (Brilliant Business Things), Janice B. Gordon (Scale Your Sales), Alastair Barlow (Flinder), Richard Sergeant (Principle Point), Amanda C. Watts (TwentyTwo Agency), Alan Woods (Woods Squared), Joshua Riffe (FUNancial Services), Matt Garman (SalesEnabla), Brian Coventry (Envision), Des O’Neill (OmniPro Group), Jo Edwards (JE Consulting), Martin Bisset (USP), small business expert Carl Reader, and mental health commentator Nick Elston.
The full programme is available to view at www.accountex.co.uk/summitnorth/conference-programme.
A selection of speaker Q&As are available at www.accountex.co.uk/summitnorth/category/speaker-qa.
Exhibitor highlights
The ‘big names’ aren’t just reserved for the seminar programme – a host of top suppliers will also be showcasing their latest innovations in the central exhibition. The following is just a taste of what will be on show:
TaxCalc is presenting a range of new Practice Management solutions, featuring advanced workflow, multiple dashboards and time. Trusted by over 8,000 firms, TaxCalc's integrated practice products are designed to be smart, scalable and to offer exceptional value. Also showcasing: the recently introduced AML Centre (stand 30).
CaseWare UK is previewing its new Cloud Audit software, which is designed to empower audit teams to collaborate more effectively by accessing the latest client data anywhere, on any device, increasing efficiency by up to 50% for shorter, faster, risk-focused audits (stand 33).
Silverfin is previewing its new Corporation Tax (CT600) compliance workflow, which allows users to file directly with the relevant authorities in just a few clicks of a button without ever leaving the cloud. Using standardised data directly from the Bookkeeping system and Silverfin Working Papers users can automate much of their Corporate Tax process (stand 3).
Senta is launching a range of updates to its new cloud-based client portal, including a new Secure Q&A function. This allows clients and practices to communicate without resorting to unsecure email communications (stand 15).
Spotlight Reporting is launching its Driver Based Forecasting, which makes it easy to build forecasts based on business drivers. Users can choose the inputs that drive business activity – price and quantity, billable hours, or even days worked – and use these drivers as the building blocks to forecast the success of the business (stand 62).
MyWorkpapers is demonstrating Monthlies, a new feature within the platform that allows accountants to validate the processing done by clients on a monthly basis, enter accruals and adjustments to produce accurate and timely management reports, create tasks for checklists and programs, and engage with clients through advisory conversations (stand 19).
CIEX is designed for M&A, CF and Deal Teams, to provide this sector with a new and innovative way of buying, selling and investing in businesses in a confidential and anonymous environment. Operated between accountants on behalf of clients, this new concept offers global reach through a cloud platform (stand 4).
Hudson Weir Insolvency Practitioners is promoting its recruitment services. The experienced team will scour the market and identify the best talent for a business. Shortlisted candidates will then be put through highly specialised skills, attitude and aptitude testing, using Hudson Weir’s pioneering technology platform, T5 (stand 5).
Riverdale Insurance is promoting its offering of Commercial Insurance and Fee Protection. With over 50 years of experience, access to specialist markets and with six offices nationally, Riverdale can assist with the most complex of insurance needs for clients (stand 84).
Wolters Kluwer is showcasing a new MTD for VAT feature, which is part of its CCH OneClick cloud accounting software. CCH OneClick delivers end-to-end bridging software for MTD allowing users to maintain many of their VAT processes and monitor their VAT returns, irrespective of whether they or their client files them (stand 44).
AccountancyManager is demonstrating a new feature for its online portal. Thanks to this new feature, AccountancyManager will now track whether documents have been signed, then automatically chase a client if not – just like it chases for missing data when onboarding a new client (stand 66).
accountingcpd.net is promoting its team subscription, which allows businesses to develop and retain the best talent with a huge range of CPD on technical and professional skills. Each team member can learn what they want, where and when they want with access to effective, flexible, online CPD all year round (stand 49).
SmartVault is showcasing its all-in-one solution for online document storage and secure file sharing, built for the unique security, workflow, and compliance needs of the modern accountancy practice. The solution is flexible to fit the needs of a practice, from bespoke folder and email templates, to custom branding of the client portal (stand 55).
DREAM AUDIT a Gest On Line Solution is demonstrating its data solution. This simple data tree, which is broken down into five simple steps, coupled with ISA updates in real-time, mean that users can save time and become more efficient especially with the automation process applied to all documents, as well as the possibility to work collaboratively in real-time (stand 75).
BTCSoftware is presenting its Making Tax Digital Solution, BTCHub – an MTD compliant cloud software. Created using the latest technology, this is a new Software as a Service (SaaS) platform for MTD that is browser based to provide device independence, meaning it can be used on PCs, Macs, tablets and mobile phones (stand 28).
Other exhibitors at the show include: Access Pay, Arthur Online, AutoEntry, bluQube, Compleat Software, Docusoft, Fluidly, GoCardless, Institute of Financial Accountants, iwoca, Modulr, Nomisma Solutions, Payfit, Practice Ignition, Prosper Chain, Qubic Tax, Rollpay, Soldo, and more.
To view the full exhibitor list, please visit www.accountex.co.uk/summitnorth/exhibitor-list.
Accountex Summit North opens at Manchester Central from 8.30am to 5pm on 10 September. All delegate places are now booked and the event has sold out of all available exhibition space. For further information, and to apply to join the waiting list for any delegate tickets that become available, please visit www.accountex.co.uk/summitnorth.
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Grace Donnelly, PR Executive
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