Change and complexity are now a normal part of doing business. But with all challenges, there are always opportunities if you know where to look.

The focus for this year’s ICAEW Annual Conference is ‘Turning business complexity and change into value’, exploring the biggest issues that are currently shaping the profession, including AI and technology, sustainability, leadership, and transformation.

Who you will hear from:

Compered by renowned broadcast journalist Krishnan Guru-Murthy, the programme includes mathematician and author Professor Hannah Fry. In her session, she will ask a critical question for modern organisations: when both humans and machines have flaws, who should we trust to make the decisions that matter most?

Baroness Ayesha Hazarika MBE, broadcaster and political columnist, will discuss the current geopolitical and economic realities and what they mean for the UK, alongside Green and Blacks co-founder Jo Fairley. Later in the day, Dean Forbes from Fonterro will explore what effective leadership in finance looks like.

Other speakers include:

• Tim Doubleday, CFO of Burger King UK;
• Glenn Wilkinson, CEO of Agger Labs and ‘white hat’ hacker;
• Jed Griffiths, Chief Digital Officer, Microsoft UK and Ireland; and
• MTD expert Rebecca Benneyworth.

You can see a full list of speakers at icaew.com/annualconference.

CPD and networking

Alongside providing eight hours of verifiable CPD, the conference provides networking opportunities throughout the day to allow delegates to connect with peers that share the same challenges and opportunities.

“In addition to a fantastic range of 50 speakers, we’ve got nearly 1,000 members who will be there on the day,” says ICAEW CEO Alan Vallance.

“I’m really looking forward to meeting as many of our members and other people as I can. I want to talk to them about the issues they face and understand how the institute can really help them to deliver on advising their clients, whether they work in practice and working in business.”

Share your views

As well as opportunities to put your questions to our keynote speakers, there are 15 breakout sessions for you to participate in, sharing your experiences and insights.

Breakout sessions cover a range of developments affecting the profession, including:

• reflecting on how MTD for income tax is going;
• discussing the government’s modernising corporate reporting programme;
• understanding regulatory changes for employers;
• exploring the evolving ownership of accountancy practices; and
• considering how to transform the finance function from operational backbone to strategic driver.

Finally, keep your eyes out for our roving podcast reporter. Mark Rowland will be onsite and keen to hear your views on a variety of hot topics for business leaders of today.

Tickets are still available for the Annual Conference, but they’re selling fast. Go to the Annual Conference events page to book today.