Conference Brochure

2020 Annual MiP Conference

Going for gold – making impact possible

Thursday 22 and Friday 23 October 2020

Evolve virtual platform

In association with:

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Welcome from the Conference Chairman

Lorraine Ellison FCMA, CGMA, MBA 2020 Conference Chairman

Founder and Managing Director Simply Additions Ltd

Welcome to the very first virtual CIMA Members in Practice (MiP) annual conference. This year’s conference theme ‘going for gold’ was to tie in with the 2020 Olympics and while the Games are postponed to 2021, the theme still applies as we all strive to achieve our own gold medal.

As this year has shown, it’s not all about money. As communities throughout the world pull together, we know how great the MiP community is, more than ever. Together, we have a wide range of skills, we help each other, and we provide an outstanding support network to new (and pre) MiPs.

You may now be in the process of selecting the sessions that you wish to join live, and those you are opting to watch as a recorded version. This year I can get to see them all, so I won’t be complaining about missing out! As usual, Jonathan Nicholls has given us a great choice of sessions for which you can view presentation synopses, and speaker profiles in the pages to follow. And remember – note the sessions on your CPD record!

While this is a virtual conference, it is an ideal place to meet other MiPs. We hope you take up the opportunities to connect in having one-to-one conversations, and by joining a table in the virtual lounge. For those of you who may be shy, you can just attend the webinars. You’ll see from the programme that we have arranged some rooms by special interest, for example the charity sector, so you can network with others facing similar challenges.

Thanks to our sponsors, who have enabled us to deliver the content at a very affordable price, and you benefit further from no spend on travel and accommodation.

We do hope you join us for the virtual networking at the close of day one; formal dress is optional though MiP Panel Chairman Ian Ross, and I are up for it!

Please send your request to join our CIMA MiP LinkedIn group, and you’re welcome to connect with me on LinkedIn too.

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Conference programme Thursday 22 October 2020

Time Page Title Speaker (BST) number Bruce Burrowes ACMA, CGMA 09:00 Welcome 06 Kingston Burrowes Peter Milligan 09:10 Embracing change in uncertain times 20 New Generation Leaders 10:10 Comfort break 10:25 Masterclass sessions: Peter Milligan What they never told you about influence and communication 20 New Generation Leaders

Luan Wise LinkedIn masterclass 25 of Luan Wise

Know your standards James Spencer 22 – FRS 102 (1A) or FRS105? Taxfiler

Philanthropy and finance Kerry Clayton 09 – what you need to know to work with charities ACIE

12:00 Comfort break

Responsible financial leadership Nick Jackson FCMA, CGMA 12:15 15 – the opportunity for finance CIMA President

12:45 Lunch break

Lunch-time drop-in surgery FreeAgent -

Lunch-time drop-in surgery: Katerina Damcova 10 Protecting your data in a working from home environment IQ in IT

Service please! Kevin Lord 13:30 17 How enhancing client engagement can improve your practice FreeAgent

14:00 Breakout sessions: Finding your niche Alice Davidchack ACMA, CGMA 11 – how to find a ‘happy’ place in your practice Business Engine Room

Andrew Mead Topical accounting in a COVID age 19 AndMe Consulting

Fraud, scams, cons … fortunes, revolution, future Professor Olinga Taeed 22 - the opportunities and pitfalls of blockchain and cryptocurrencies Birmingham City University

Helen Easton ACMA, CGMA Public trust in charities, and regulating in a post-COVID landscape 12 Charity Commission

14:40 Comfort break Elaine Smyth 14:55 CIMA Professional Standards update 21 CIMA Amanda C. Watts 15:15 How to attract and convert high value clients 24 Oompf Global Bruce Burrowes ACMA, CGMA 15:55 Thank you and close 06 Kingston Burrowes Hosted by: 18:00 Virtual networking 03 | 29 Lorraine Ellison FCMA, CGMA

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Conference programme Friday 23 October 2020

Time Page Title Speaker (BST) number Bruce Burrowes ACMA, CGMA 09:00 Welcome 06 Kingston Burrowes The future of work post-COVID-19, Peter Cheese 09:10 08 and a renewed focus on people CIPD

10:10 Comfort break

10:25 Masterclass sessions:

Berkeley Harris Winning, retaining and expanding new clients 12 Sandler Training

What accountants get wrong in tax James Spencer 22 – seven things you may not know that you don’t know! Taxfiler Dr Stephen Hill Cyber – risks and security 13 Hill Bingham Ltd

Alan Konopka Year-end procedures in FreeAgent 17 FreeAgent

12:00 Lunch break

Lunch-time drop-in surgery FreeAgent -

Lunch-time drop-in surgery: Katerina Damcova 10 How to get the best value from your IT IQ in IT

13:00 Breakout sessions:

From striving to thriving Catherine Machalinski ACMA, CGMA 18 – how I developed my management accountancy practice Prevail Accountancy Ltd

Andy Spencer Essential guide to VAT and customs post-Brexit 21 Sovos Accordance

Why digital transformation Paul Hudson, IQ in IT 14 should be part of your COVID business recovery plan – how to use and back up Microsoft 365 Dennis Wahome, Datto 23

Mala Kapacee Managing a HMRC investigation 16 London Tax Network Ltd

13:45 Comfort break

Will Butler-Adams 14:00 Unfolding success against the odds 07 Brompton Bicycle Ltd

Bruce Burrowes ACMA, CGMA 15:00 Thank you and close 06 Kingston Burrowes

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Conference Master of Ceremonies

Bruce Burrowes ACMA, CGMA Principal Kingston Burrowes

Your host for the 2020 MiP conference is Bruce Burrowes, a CIMA Member and Member in Practice.

Up until 2008, Bruce worked in a variety of blue-chip companies including placements living in a variety of countries. His last role was a finance director of dot.com startup that was sold to a PLC. After a year in the PLC, having realised how much he enjoyed dealing with and using his skills in the SME market, Bruce started his own practice with no clients. Now, Kingston Burrowes run from two offices with numerous staff, offering a full range of traditional accountancy services as well as FD and a FCA approved commercial brokerage arranging commercial funds for clients. Last year they submitted in excess of 800 self assessment tax returns and just under 500 accounts.

Bruce knows that MiP have the required skill set to support business and are ideally placed to help businesses not only with their compliance requirements, but as rounded business accountants with CIMA skillsets.

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Conference speakers Alphabetical by surname:

Will Butler-Adams OBE CEng Chief Executive Officer Brompton Bicycle Ltd

Unfolding success against the odds

Friday | 2.00pm

Brimming full of passion for engineering, Will Butler-Adams is helping spearhead a new surge in British manufacturing. His company design, produce and distribute over 50,000 folding bikes each year from their UK factory – with half the 1,200 parts in every Brompton made onsite. Even in the current economic climate, they are enjoying exponential growth.

Brompton operates in a similar way to specialist car manufacturers. The R&D department works tirelessly on both small, mechanical details and big ideas like a ‘smart’ battery-powered model. They also launch new colours and offer customised options, with the minimum of marketing.

In his presentation Will explains his belief in ‘building out’ obsolescence: owners fall in love with a product designed to last a lifetime. As a result, rather than suffering the frustration of having to replace something, they promote sales by using social media to tell friends how wonderful it is. Furthermore, Will outlines his vision - including further expansion into China, Brompton’s for hire in cities throughout the UK, and exploring the widely overlooked opportunities for digitally connected bikes.

About Will …

Will is an expert in creating managed disorder. He continuously disrupts comfortable thinking in order to create innovation, turning tired business processes on their head. Holding up a mirror to companies, he inspires them to make simple changes in order to increase employee happiness and create an environment that fosters, rather than suppresses, creativity.

Passionate about all things engineering, Will studied Mechanical Engineering at Newcastle University and is a Chartered Mechanical Engineer. He has worked for Nissan, ICI, DuPont, and Brompton, and been involved in product development, R&D, project management and manufacturing excellence.

As Britain’s biggest bike producer, the London-made Brompton brand has been steered to new heights with Will at the handlebars. After joining its founder and inventor Andrew Ritchie in 2002, Will has excelled the business from 24 to 240 staff, launched a Brompton bicycle hire scheme, and introduced his powerful vision for the future of cycling – electric bicycles – to spearhead a new surge in British manufacturing. With a staggering 80% of sales accounted for by export to 45 countries, Will demonstrates that investment in our export market can produce real growth.

Alongside his Brompton mission, Will is one of the champions of the ‘Make it in Great Britain’ campaign, Trustee of Speakers for Schools, Commissioner for the UKCES, Trustee of Investors in People, and Trustee of Inspiring the Future.

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Peter Cheese Chief Executive Officer CIPD

The future of work post-COVID-19, and a renewed focus on people

Friday | 9.10am

The workplace, the nature of work and employment, and even what an organisation is, have been changing – influenced by technology but also other shifts. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated change, and new paradigms of work are rapidly emerging, providing both challenges but also opportunity. How businesses and business leaders respond requires agility and resilience, and the ability to look ahead with positive belief but also being realistic about the immediate challenges.

This requires us to understand all our stakeholders, and to try to act to key principles of fairness, compassion, and ethical behaviours, alongside the tough decisions. Some of the skills we will need in ourselves and in our organisations will be different but, a focus on attitude and behaviours alongside technical competence will be important.

The takeaways from Peter’s presentation include to: • Inspire some different thinking. • Encourage you to look ahead. • Help in dealing with the many issues we have today.

About Peter …

Peter writes and speaks widely on the development of HR, the future of work, and the key issues of leadership, culture and organisation, people and skills.

He is a Fellow of the CIPD, a Fellow of AHRI (the Australian HR Institute), and the Academy of Social Sciences. Peter is also a Companion of the Institute of Leadership and Management, the Chartered Management Institute, and the British Academy of Management. He is a visiting professor at the University of Lancaster and sits on the Advisory Board for the University of Bath Management School. Peter holds honorary doctorates from Bath University, Kingston University, and Birmingham City University.

Prior to joining the CIPD in July 2012, Peter was Chairman of the Institute of Leadership and Management, and a member of the Council of City & Guilds. Up until 2009 he had a long career at Accenture holding various leadership positions, culminating in a seven-year spell as Global Managing Director, leading the firm’s human capital and organisation consulting practice.

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Kerry Clayton TEP MAAT MCSI Treasurer Association of Charity Independent Examiners (ACIE)

Philanthropy and finance - what you need to know to work with charities

Thursday | 10.25am

The key features of Kerry’s presentation include: • Charity types. • Regulatory framework. • Charity accounts vs commercial accounts. • Independent examination. • Philanthropy and your clients. • Being a treasurer. • Reward and remuneration. • Moving forward.

About Kerry …

Kerry has been a member of the ACIE since 2008, and was appointed to the ACIE board of trustees in 2016. She brings with her 20 years’ experience of working in the field of trust practice including, administering charities, preparing the accounts and, in the latter years, undertaking independent examinations.

Kerry is also a Senior Trust Manager, at Rathbone Trust Company. She joined the firm in 1997 and heads up a team whose wealth of experience can provide trustees with trust taxation, inheritance tax compliance, accountancy and administration services for all types of trust funds. Kerry specialises in charity structures and as a charity trustee herself understands the responsibility this brings. She is able to assist trustees with their compliance, including preparation of all types of charity accounts.

Kerry is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), a member of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI), and a member of the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT).

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Katerina Damcova Managing Director and Co-Founder IQ in IT

Protecting your data in a working from home environment Thursday | 12.45pm As an accountant you will be conscious of the need to comply with tight industry regulations. You have had to move your staff to remote working, and do it quickly. What do you need to do now to make sure you are compliant and safe? Kat will share her top tips to make sure your company and client data are safe when employees are working from home. Are your employees using their own devices for work? Perhaps they are using work devices but connected to a home Wi-Fi network? Kat will inform you how to make sure your company data is safe and backed up, followed by an opportunity to ask your questions.

Lunch-time drop-in surgeries sponsored by

How to get the best value from your IT Friday | 12.00pm Most accountants and their clients use an external IT provider as the most cost-effective way to deliver their business IT needs. It’s important to keep costs fixed and affordable. But are you getting VALUE from your IT? Good value IT support should mean you don’t experience many problems – it should be proactive to prevent costly downtime. A good IT provider should be able to offer advice to increase productivity and optimise uptime. Join Kat’s presentation to find out how to get the best value from your IT provider, and to be sure you have the right services and support to meet the unique requirements of your busienss.

About Katerina … Kat lives and breathes IT and is obsessive about security An award-winning IT specialist she provides security focused IT services with customer service at heart. Based in SW London, the company serves clients all over the UK and Europe. IQ in IT has extensive experience supporting clients in the financial sector, with expert knowledge of accountancy firms and their end clients. A corporate escapee, Kat set up IQ in IT in 2009 to bring her extensive corporate IT expertise to SMEs. She brings valuable corporate, enterprise level knowledge with a focus on fast, responsive service to her own customers. Kat holds a Master's Degree in Pedagogy, Information Technology in Education, plus bachelor's degrees in Information Technology. She is also a Microsoft certified professional, and IQ in IT is a Microsoft Silver partner. Outside of work, Kat is the President at her local Chamber of Commerce and served as a volunteer director for five years prior. She is passionate about encouraging girls into STEM – especially IT, and volunteers as a mentor for girls in STEM subjects at the local university. Kat is also a passionate advocate of the Young Enterprise scheme, and volunteers as a business mentor to secondary school age children in her local area.

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Alice Davidchack ACMA, CGMA, CPA Founder and Managing Director Business Engine Room

Finding your niche – how to find a ‘happy’ place in your practice

Thursday | 2.00pm

As a practitioner, you are often told to focus on what your customers need and want. But what about what you want? Many build practices on assumptions and beliefs being sometimes disconnected from what we truly want.

In this session, Alice will take you through a process of self-reflection by shifting the focus on you as the practitioner, your preferences and attitudes in relation to the type of work you do, the kind of people you work with, the kind of relationships you prefer to have, and the kind of practice that would suit your personality.

Alice will rely on the tools used in transactional analysis, as well as her own experience, to help you increase awareness and gain insight of your unique self.

About Alice …

Alice earned a BA in Business, and a Master’s in Accounting and Information Systems from the University of Kansas and qualified as a Certified Public Accountant in the USA in 1999. She worked through university as a part-time accountant for several small businesses and started her post-graduate career with Deloitte.

Moving to the UK, Alice qualified as a Management Accountant (ACMA) with the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) and worked in senior roles across a range of sectors, including higher education, voluntary sector, and local government. Having worked in senior strategic roles for 13 years, Alice took the decision to leave the boardroom in 2014 to set up the Business Engine Room. Her vision was to create an organisation which adds unique value to growing small and medium-sized businesses, charities and social enterprises; the practice has evolved from statutory accounts to an advisory, coaching and training practice.

Having created a wide range of tailored strategic solutions for many organisations, Alice feels confident that she and her team can help businesses go further – be it in generating profit, creating customer value or achieving far-reaching social outcomes. She works with a wide range of consultants and affiliate partners to deliver tailored solutions unique to each business. Alice is also a qualified psychotherapist, with a life-long interest in the workings of the human mind and group dynamics.

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Helen Easton ACMA, CGMA Accountant Charity Commission for England and Wales

Public trust in charities, and regulating in a post-COVID landscape

Thursday | 2.00pm

Helen will give a regulatory update that will provide a basic introduction to the Charity Commission for England and Wales (CCEW) for those audience members who are unfamiliar with the CCEW.

She will then give an update on the CCEW’s guidance, and any items published on CCEW’s website of interest, aimed at accountancy practitioners and independent examiners.

About Helen … Helen is assigned to cases where suspected financial misconduct or mismanagement has occurred at a charity. She previously worked in the private sector as an internal auditor, and is CIMA qualified.

Berkeley Harris Managing Director Sandler Training

Winning, retaining and expanding new clients

Friday | 10.25am

Client acquisition is relatively straight forward if planned. Traditional selling used in the modern era can work against us and damage our credibility. In this presentation Berkeley will highlight the consultative Sandler approach which gains strong credibility with prospects and clients quickly which, in turn, resulting in a ‘trusted advisor’ long term relationship with clients.

Learn how to win new clients using a modern-day process that results with truly understanding the compelling and emotional reasons of how you can help people with their business. Conference attendees joining this session will receive a free invite for a dedicated CIMA Sandler workshop along with a free Sandler online 12-month license.

About Berkeley … Berkeley is an award-winning global trainer with Sandler and enjoys sharing the Sandler methodology. As a former sales director in the private medical insurance sector, Berkeley has seen the positive results of implementing the Sandler approach. An ex Royal Marine who is an active volunteer with the Royal British Legion, Berkeley lives in Bristol with his family and dog Noodle.

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Dr Stephen Hill Managing Director Hill Bingham Ltd

Co-director Fraud Training Ltd

Cyber – risks and security

Friday | 10.25am

Dr Hill’s presentation will focus on helping organisations navigate the potential cybersecurity vulnerabilities and threats that face their business in the hyper-connected world we operate in today; especially with the additional threats linked to the recent pandemic. As well as helping you to understand the current threats of cybercrime the session Dr Hill will tell you how to protect your organisation from attack or exposure using effective preventative techniques.

The key features of Dr Hill’s presentation include: • Cyber threats affecting your business. • Working from home exposures. • Types of cyber-attacks – phishing and ransomware. • Risks of free public Wi-Fi and the cloud. • Identifying the safeguards required to protect your data. • Steps to take for improved cyber security.

About Dr Hill …

Dr Stephen Hill is an expert trainer and consultant with over 20 years’ experience of providing services to the private and public sectors in fraud (cyber) risk management, data security/protection, also internet investigations and open source intelligence.

Stephen spent over 11 years working for a top international firm of chartered accountants heading the fraud and forensic group, leading an expert body, advising clients on prevention, detection and recovery of fraudulent assets, working closely with the police, HMRC and private sector.

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Paul Hudson Certified Ethical Hacker IQ in IT

Why digital transformation should be part of your COVID business recovery plan – how to use and back up Microsoft 365

Friday | 1.00pm To be presented jointly with Dennis Wahome, Datto

The global pandemic has brought about rapid change in business operations and the use of technology. If digital transformation wasn’t already part of your business plan, then it should be now!

Microsoft 365 has become the number one tool for many of us working from home. You’re used to Excel and Outlook and maybe you’ve started using Teams. But you probably don’t know there are other tools built into 365 that can transform your business operations. Find out how to use these tools to be more efficient and improve your client and employee communications.

Paul will introduce Dennis Wahome from Datto, who will advise on essential back-ups so you can protect your business from data loss and its inherent risks.

Presentation sponsored by

About Paul …

Paul is a digital transformation expert; a certified ethical hacker (CEH), and a virtual chief information officer (VCIO).

He has extensive experience helping companies transform the way they use cloud-based technologies to maximise productivity. Advising and supporting businesses of all sizes and industries, Paul’s expertise includes large multi-site legal firms, accountants, and third sector clients.

A computer science graduate from Brighton University, he has been working in IT since he was a student. Paul set up his first IT company aged 21, giving him first-hand experience of business challenges from entrepreneur through to enterprise level.

Paul is passionate about using his knowledge to help companies make the most of their Information Technology.

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Nick Jackson FCMA, CGMA President CIMA

Sales Development Leader, Digital Transformation for Finance Oracle

Responsible financial leadership - the opportunity for finance

Thursday | 12.15pm

COVID-19 has highlighted why finance needs to reimagine how it operates; and presents an opportunity to drive a positive impact on our environment and wider society.

CIMA President Nick Jackson will make his case for why the finance profession can take this time to show the value of what it does while changing business for the better.

About Nick …

Nick has had a strong interest in financial management and performance improvement throughout his career, working across several industries, including central and local government, energy, and utility companies. He currently works for the software technology company Oracle, which he joined in 2016, where he leads a team of business development directors working across Western Europe, supporting over 100 sales representatives. Nick’s team is responsible for developing and promoting industry-based propositions using Oracle Cloud services for financial and performance management.

Nick was co-opted to CIMA Council in 2009, in recognition of his role in promoting the value of CIMA as a balanced qualification for public sector finance professionals. In 2014, he was elected to the Executive Committee as member without portfolio, and remains an active advocate for CIMA, delivering talks to promote management accounting, with a particular focus on the public sector.

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Mala Kapacee CTA Director London Tax Network Ltd

Managing a HMRC investigation

Friday | 1.00pm

Mala will cover a range of tax investigation issues including, how to respond to information requests, dos and don'ts of handling HMRC investigations, and an update on cases being brought to HMRC's attention, also updates to HMRC powers in FA 2020.

The key learning outcomes from Mala’s presentation include: • What information should/should not be given to HMRC. • Ways to mitigate risk of enquiry. • Things to keep in mind to mitigate penalties.

Mala will make her presentation as interactive as possible, so please come prepared with your questions.

About Mala …

Mala trained as an accountant with a top ten professional services firm, where she worked in the tax investigations department and gained experience in a wide range of personal and corporate taxes. She then joined the tax investigations team at a boutique tax consultancy and developed her portfolio, before moving to a tax investigations firm and eventually setting up her own practice. Mala specialises in the preparation of disclosures to HMRC, and the resolution of tax enquiries, also CoP8 and 9 investigations. She has experience in a wide range of situations and taxes, both direct and indirect.

Mala lectures regularly for accounting and tax bodies and has been published by several professional publications including Bloomsbury Professional, Tax Adviser, and Taxation Magazine. She was a finalist in the ‘best rising star in tax’ category of Tolley’s Taxation Awards 2020; the awards are known for identifying excellence in tax. Being shortlisted demonstrates Mala’s commitment to the tax profession as well as her technical excellence, as supported by testimonials from clients and other tax experts.

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Alan Konopka AFA, MIPA Practice Implementation Consultant FreeAgent

Year-end procedures in FreeAgent

Friday | 10.25am

The key features from Alan’s presentation include an overview of: • Accounting for additional fixed assets. • Searching and re-coding transactions to correct nominal codes. • Accounting for bad debt. • Locking dates. • Extracting reports.

About Alan … Alan helps accountants to streamline and automate their processes with FreeAgent’s award-winning online accounting software. He also has extensive experience of helping small and medium-sized businesses with managing their tax and compliance needs. Prior to joining FreeAgent, Alan was a senior business advisor for one of the biggest independent accountancy practices in Scotland. He is an Associate Financial Accountant, and Member of the Institute of Financial Accountants.

Presentations sponsored by

Kevin Lord Head of Practice Enablement FreeAgent

Service please! How enhancing client engagement can improve your practice

Thursday | 1.30pm

The key features of Kevin’s presentation will include an overview of: • The ever-changing role of the accountant. • How using the right software can help you diagnose problems. • How digging a little deeper can power up your personalised client services.

About Kevin … Kevin has worked with small businesses for almost a decade to raise their awareness of the benefits that digital tools can bring, and to assist them through times of change. At FreeAgent, Kevin works with accountant partners to promote awareness of the revolutionary business improvements that cloud accounting software can offer. With a career that spans a high-growth technology company and the SME banking industry, Kevin has a wealth of business knowledge and experience to inform the advice and insight he provides. This includes how online accounting software like FreeAgent can help to keep clients compliant, and how accountant partners can maximise the opportunities that digital tools can bring to their practices.

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Catherine Machalinski ACMA, CGMA Founder and Director Prevail Accountancy Ltd

From striving to thriving - how I developed my management accountancy practice

Friday | 1.00pm

Catherine will share with you how she established and developed a management accountancy practice, with a focus on a niche in the construction industry, and how she went from having small sole trader clients and doing mostly compliance, to becoming a strategic management accountant and gaining bigger clients.

Catherine will also discuss her recent mountain accident, near-death experience, and the lessons she took from the incident.

About Catherine …

Catherine is a strategic business advisor who specialises in helping clients with business consultancy and management accountancy, with a focus on the construction sector. She is passionate about business and her work and puts quality and proactive approach in first place.

Catherine graduated in 2001 with a Master’s Degree in Economics, and has over 10 years’ experience working within finance, accountancy and the construction industry, also 10 years’ experience working in sales; she is a powerful asset to help businesses achieve their goals.

Catherine is passionate about business planning, project costing, forecasting and management accounting. She works step-by-step alongside clients to deliver real time business performance data. Catherine has an agile and flexible approach to projects and encourages clients, to empower them to make the right business decisions.

Fearless Catherine enjoys rock-climbing and mountain biking in her free time. She spends nearly every weekend in the mountains with her two children; encouraging them to love the nature and respect the earth.

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Andrew Mead Principal AndMe Consulting

Topical accounting in a COVID age

Thursday | 2.00pm

This pandemic is fundamentally impacting all our lives, not least the accounting which companies need to do. The going concern assessment is key for all boards and will be audited critically. Many asset values will be impaired and impairment reviews will be highly judgemental. Most organisations will have received some kind of government support including the CJRS, the JSS, and the BIP in CBILs and BBLs. Not only do we need to learn the new acronyms but also understand the accounting implications of each.

The learning outcomes from Andrew’s presentation will include: • Understanding whether COVID-19 is a post-balance sheet or in-year event, and the impact on forecasts and management’s going concern assessment. • Accounting for government grants and the government loan schemes. • The COVID-19 impact on all other assets and liabilities of all companies.

About Andrew …

Andrew is an independent consultant specialising in accounting advice and financial reporting. In addition to his technical consulting work he provides head of finance/finance director services to companies on a part time, short-term, or interim basis, across a range of sectors. Andrew also has experience of finance transformations.

Prior to becoming independent Andrew was an audit director with KPMG where he was responsible for a mixed portfolio of large international companies and growing owner managed business. He also spent time within KPMG’s accounting advisory services team where he worked on providing solutions to complex accounting problems. He is experienced in IFRS and UK GAAP.

Andrew is also an experienced presenter and has delivered financial reporting training to many organisations in the UK and overseas. He is also a freelance presenter on financial reporting for BPP, and for the ICAEW’s Academy of Professional Development.

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Peter Milligan Director New Generation Leaders

Embracing change in uncertain times Thursday | 9.10am “Things are getting better and better, also worse and worse, faster and faster.” Tom Atlee’s quote sums up the challenge of living in a modern, fast-changing world. On top of Brexit, the global reaction to COVID-19 has brought a tsunami of change that few could have imagined a year ago. How much more can we take?

Peter’s session is for business professionals wanting to respond more effectively to rapid and unpredictable change, and includes: • Developing the mindset essential to confidently face and embrace change. • Why certainty is a short-term friend and your long-term enemy. • Learning to recognise and navigate the four stages of the change cycle. • Taking advantage of the powerful interplay between order and chaos. • Why the desire to feel in control and look good can inhibit growth.

What they never told you about influence and communication Thursday | 10.25am “What got you here, won’t get you there.” – Marshall Goldsmith The journey of any professional begins with developing technical knowledge and skills. This is necessary but not sufficient to build a successful career and business. Whether you work for yourself or within a larger practice, your success will be closely tied to your capacity to influence others. If you have ever felt the frustration of people not listening or responding to you, this session will give you four powerful keys that can change this. They are simple, yet not widely known or practiced.

Applying these will enable you to: • Improve relationships in your personal and professional life. • Understand your stakeholders better. • Have people wanting to listen to you and respond positively. • Increase the energy, motivation, and commitment of others.

About Peter … Peter is an inspirational speaker and business psychologist with three decades of experience in developing business leaders and teams, helping them to have less stress, more joy, and greater productivity at work.

Originally an IT professional, Peter retrained in psychology and joined the management team of a leading Australian HR consulting firm. After moving to the UK in 2000, he became a director of Europe's largest executive coaching firm before establishing his own business in 2005.

Peter has worked with leaders at all levels across a wide range of industries. His clients have ranged from professional services firms, SMEs and family businesses, to larger corporates including Australia Post, AXA, BP, Credit Suisse, First Group, Kerry Foods, Novartis, Origin Energy, Rolls-Royce, Rydges Hotels, and Vodafone.

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Elaine Smyth Associate Director – Professional Standards CIMA

CIMA Professional Standards update

Thursday | 2.55pm

Being a professional is key to attracting and retaining clients. Find out how CIMA Professional Standards has been supporting members in practice during these challenging times. Also, receive an update on how to remain compliant with key requirements around anti-money laundering, CPD, and the member in practice rules.

About Elaine … Elaine’s role involves advancing and maintaining the professional standards for CGMAs worldwide, to ensure they are compliant with relevant external legislative and internal regulatory requirements, in the areas of anti- money laundering, CPD monitoring, and enforcement and licensing of members in practice. Elaine oversees the operational aspects of these functions and prepares papers and recommendations for the Professional Standards Committee; responsible for policy on these aspects of professional practice. She works closely with national and international government regulators and law enforcement agencies in initiating CIMA policy in professional standards, and in anti-money laundering compliance.

Andy Spencer Director of Professional Services Sovos Accordance

Essential Guide to VAT and customs post Brexit

Friday | 1.00pm

Andy will share his thoughts on the following points: • Possible outcomes of the UK-EU Brexit negotiations, and their VAT and customs implications. • Strategies to mitigate issues and maintain supply chains. • Interaction of Brexit and E-Commerce package. • What action can be taken now to prepare for Brexit.

About Andy … With more than 32 years of experience, Andy is a highly experienced indirect tax professional. He began his career with HM Customs & Excise and before joining Sovos Accordance in 2009, was VAT director at Baker Tilly’s Southern UK operation, a senior VAT manager at KPMG for six years, and a senior VAT manager at Ernst & Young for seven years. Andy is involved in delivering major international VAT projects for blue-chip clients, bringing expertise in both structural compliance and commercial efficiency. He specialises in providing clients with bespoke VAT advice that helps them manage existing VAT liabilities, and also develop into new territories with the appropriate controls in place to manage VAT effectively. Andy has developed expertise in international VAT throughout his career and has advised on a broad range of issues in a large number of countries.

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James Spencer Product Evangelist Taxfiler Ltd

Know your standards – FRS102 (1A) or FRS105? Thursday | 10.25am James will be exploring the key differences between the two standards, and take an in depth look at the compliance obligations under each standard, and when it would be more appropriate to use each one? He will also look at the less explored advantages behind each format.

Presentations sponsored by

What accountants get wrong in tax – seven things you may not know that you don’t know! Friday | 10.25am With more than 9,000 accountants in practice using Taxfiler, there are a number of technical areas that commonly come up on the support desk that seem like HMRC is simply being illogical. In this presentation James will explain what the HMRC reasoning is behind each of these common areas.

About James … James has worked in financial technology, mainly within tax and accounting software, for more than 25 years. He has worked both within software companies such as Taxfiler, CCH, and some companies that are now just memories, as well as for some of their largest clients such as KPMG and Deloitte, including within tax technology. James is a Fellow of the Association of Tax Technicians.

Professor Olinga Taeed Visiting Professor in Blockchain Birmingham City University

Fraud, scams, cons … fortunes, revolution, future - the opportunities and pitfalls of blockchain and cryptocurrencies

Thursday | 2.00pm

Professor Taeed will deliver a masterclass on how to, and why bother to, use cryptocurrencies legally and to avoid illegal practices. He will also explore mainstream applications of blockchain that have traction, their key advantages, and when to not bother. Professor Taeed will explain digital tokens, the direction of travel at nation level, and hold a discussion on where the accounting future is heading for – both financial and non-financial assets.

About Professor Taeed … In addition to being a visiting professor, Professor Taeed is Director of the not-for-profit Centre for Citizenship, Enterprise and Governance – world’s leading think tank on movement of value, with 170,000 members. In 2019 Professor Taeed was appointed to a seven-person, Chinese Ministry of Commerce, ‘China E- Commerce Blockchain Committee’ with oversight of 70% of US$ 103 trillion global market. He is Chief Editor of Frontiers in Blockchain – the peer reviewed academic journal. In 2017 he carried out the UK’s first and only official initial coin offering (ICO) with FCA guidance. Professor Taeed launched in the Middle East, world’s first £210m Seratio DLT Open Bank, and TTP Procurement Foundation, leading to a 2,700-multination consortium.

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Dennis Wahome Solutions Engineer Datto

Why digital transformation should be part of your COVID business recovery plan – how to use and back up Microsoft 365

Friday | 1.00pm To be presented jointly with Paul Hudson, IQ in IT

As organisations increasingly move data into cloud-based applications such as 365, many believe that traditional best practices such as data backup are outdated. After all, SaaS applications are always available, accessible from anywhere, and highly redundant, so why is backup necessary?

An astonishing 1-in-3 companies report losing data stored in cloud-based applications. The single leading cause of this data loss? End-user error.

Other common culprits include: • Malware or ransomware attacks. • Malicious end-user activity. • Accidental data overwrites. • Cancelled account subscriptions.

With more and more companies depending on Microsoft 365 for collaboration and business operations, these risks are impossible to ignore. Backup is just as important in the cloud as in traditional on-premises IT systems, and we will show you why in this presentation.

Presentation sponsored by About Dennis …

Dennis is a Solutions Engineer with Datto, a market-leading vendor specialising in backup and disaster recovery solutions for small to medium businesses. He has extensive experience working with the financial sector, making him fully aware of the threats to data loss that impact the industry across all sizes of business every day.

Dennis has delivered training on accounts payable solutions and has managed business continuity planning and implementation for large EPOS systems. He understands the importance of having a strong disaster recovery plan in place to ensure that businesses protect themselves from costly downtime which can cripple a business and damage brand reputation.

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Amanda C. Watts Founder – CEO – Director Oompf Global

How to attract and convert high value clients

Thursday | 3.15pm

Amanda will be sharing how the accounting landscape has changed over the past 20 years, and how by leveraging modern marketing activities will enable you to attract the high value clients you truly desire.

Now more than ever, CIMA registered accountants have an advantage when it comes to growing their practice. People are wanting more from their accountants and you are ideally positioned to help.

Amanda will give you clear insights into: • How to position yourself as a VITAL asset to attract ideal clients. • The customer journey on which all ideal clients need to go. • The importance of the three brands – before, during, and after you get a client.

If you want to get ideal clients and grow the freedom firm you truly desire, then this presentation is a must.

About Amanda …

Amanda gives sales and marketing superpowers to accounting firms. She noticed that accounting firms were being overlooked, compliance based and decaying, and that commoditisation is their Kryptonite.

When Amanda is not out sharing her superpowers, she is a speaker, entrepreneur, Amazon best-seller, and the author of ‘The pioneering practice’. Since 2009 she has helped over 1,000 companies launch or grow through her firm, worked with Richard Branson’s Virgin Start-Up, and training and mentoring.

Amanda’s marketing programmes eliminate the confusion and overwhelm that many partners suffer from, and they no longer focus on merely being functional. They attract higher value clients and become VITAL.

Amanda’s clients are some of the fastest growing accounting firms around and she has helped them achieve higher revenue with fewer clients.

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Luan Wise Marketing Consultant Luan Wise

LinkedIn masterclass

Thursday | 10.25am

In this interactive masterclass led by one of LinkedIn’s own course instructors, Luan Wise will help you to review your current LinkedIn profile and take you on the next steps to getting results from the number one business-to-business social media platform. You will learn how to make connections, build your network, post content, and spot the triggers to start one-to-one conversations. Luan will share top tips and advice on how to make your use of LinkedIn a habit, manageable in less than ten minutes a day.

About Luan …

Luan Wise is a chartered marketer with more than 20 years’ experience in agency, client-side and consultancy roles. She has worked across a variety of sectors including office supplies, postal services, manufacturing, recruitment, higher education, and professional services – for household names such as Royal Mail, Hilton and University of Cambridge, to the kinds of companies that are big in their field but unknown to the wider world.

Alongside running her consultancy business, Luan is a course instructor for LinkedIn’s online learning platform. She is an accredited lead trainer for Facebook and Instagram, also a coach for Google’s Digital Garage initiative. Luan is author of the award-winning book ‘Relax! it’s only social media’, and creator of the ‘Social media planner’ which is listed by The Independent newspaper, as one of the ‘nine best books for entrepreneurs’.

Luan is a visiting fellow at the University of South Wales; she regularly speaks at universities and colleges as well as at events led by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self Employed (IPSE), and Enterprise Nation.

You can find out more about Luan via www.luanwise.co.uk, also at www.linkedin.com/in/luanwise

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