ICAEW’s flagship conference returns on 17 October under the theme: “Thriving in transformation”. The event is focused on supporting members, businesses and the wider finance community to adapt and succeed in a world that is rapidly changing.

Alongside keynotes from the Bank of England’s Chief Economist, former England footballer Jill Scott and the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, the day-long event provides focuses on how finance teams can grasp the opportunities offered by artificial intelligence, shifting sustainability requirements and resilience in the face of uncertainty

“We have worked hard to design a programme that will elevate the work of our members and the wider finance community, supporting them through times of great change,” says ICAEW Chief Executive, Alan Vallance.

“You will find inspirational and motivational stories, alongside practical advice in this packed day. I look forward to meeting many members and learning about how they are adapting, developing and seizing opportunities to thrive.”

Latest developments

HM Treasury’s James Murray will be delivering the first session of the conference in Central London offering attendees the inside track on the UK government’s fiscal priorities just weeks ahead of the Autumn Budget. Murray will be sitting down with the BBC journalist Emma Vardy to discuss tax policy, economic growth and what might lie ahead for businesses and the accountancy profession.

This session will be followed by authoritative insights on the global economic situation from the Bank of England’s Chief Economist and Executive Director for Monetary Analysis, Huw Pill. His keynote will offer the broader economic context in which the UK is operating, covering the risks and opportunities on offer.

Throughout the day there will be sessions focused on using technology to thrive, particularly artificial intelligence (AI). Attendees will hear from peers who are already using the technology to transform accountancy processes within practices and businesses. Panellists will include Peter Beard, founder of GenFinance.AI and co-author of ICAEW’s GenAI Accelerator e-learning programme.

After the lunchbreak, Paul Ekwere, Senior Manager – Data, Innovation and AI at BDO, and Nina Barakzai, Specialist Counsel, Global Privacy and Information Governance at HPE, will be discussing implementing AI while managing regulatory and ethical risks. Find out how to revitalise and streamline finance processes while safeguarding the role of professional judgement.

Another key theme of the day is ESG, with a session on the business opportunities by the circular economy from Tessa Clarke the co-founder of Olio. The Olio app aims to reduce household and food waste by enabling neighbours to share or give away items to others in their area. 

Inspirational speakers

Following the event’s theme, the 2025 programme is packed with speakers with unique and inspiring perspectives on how to take on challenges and flourish. England football legend Jill Scot MBE will be sharing her insights into winning the UEFA Women’s European Cup in 2022 and what she learned about leadership, resilience and effective teamwork.

Attendees will also hear from Karenjeet Kaur Bains ACA on how she’s broken barriers in her accountancy career and beyond. As well as being an ICAEW Chartered Accountant, Kaur Bains has a passion for powerlifting which has seen her win gold medals, become a world record holder and led to working in television.

Kaur Bains will be talking about her journey to becoming the first British Sikh female to represent Great Britain at powerlifting championships, and the role played by perseverance and goal setting in her success.

Meanwhile, Richard Ratcliffe will be drawing on his experiences of living through a high-profile, international crisis to discuss how to navigate times of extreme uncertainty. Ratcliffe became front-page news as he led the campaign to have his wife, Nazanin Naghari-Ratcliffe, released from detention in Iran. Ratcliffe will be closing the conference discussing how his accounting background, professional and personal communities him helped to manage difficult situations.

Networking opportunities

Attendees to previous ICAEW’s annual conference have made it clear how valuable it is to network with the speakers, exhibitors and their peers as part of the event.

Given that there will be optional sessions to attend during the lunchbreak, ICAEW has ensured that there are breaks during the morning and afternoon programmes, as well as the drinks reception, to make the most of being with their fellow finance professionals.

In the exhibition area, attendees can find out more about a variety of risk management, audit, finance, accountancy and cyber security tools.

Our speakers