See highlights from 2025

The ICAEW Annual Conference returned in 2025 for its third sellout year. "Thriving in transformation" dove into AI, leadership, and sustainability – showing delegates how to lead, adapt and grow. See below for a glimpse at how we spent the day with forward-thinking experts shaping the future of accounting, and then secure your spot for 2026 by clicking the red button.

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Stay ahead of the curve

Unlock bold insights to help you thrive in a world of rapid economic change

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Lead with purpose

Shape a better future by driving sustainable success and building meaningful relationships

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Think big

Be inspired by visionary thinkers redefining what’s possible in business, finance and beyond

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Turn challenge into opportunity

Embrace uncertainty with confidence, and discover new paths to growth and resilience

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Invest in yourself

Gain up to 7 hours of verifiable CPD while expanding your horizons and professional impact

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Tailor your day

Focus on the topics that will impact you the most with 24 sessions to choose from

Image of Karenjeet Kaur Bains ACA, Commonwealth Powerlifting Champion & Guinness World Record holder

CONFERENCE CHAIR

Emma Vardy

Emma is a BBC Presenter and Correspondent with extensive experience covering major stories across UK and US Politics, Business, Technology, Sport and Entertainment.

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KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Jill Scott

Jill is a celebrated former professional footballer renowned for her commanding midfield presence and significant contributions to women's football.

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KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Huw Pill

Huw is responsible for the analysis used by the Bank of England to make monetary policy decisions, and leads the research that supports all their other functions.

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KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Karenjeet Kaur Bains

Karenjeet is a Commonwealth Powerlifting Champion with multiple gold medals to her name. She is an ACA-qualified accountant and her journey exemplifies the power of perseverance, goal-setting, and breaking barriers.

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Headline sponsor

MHA

MHA is a network ranked the 12th largest accountancy group in the UK. It comprises 19 offices nationwide with a strong reputation for specialist industry knowledge, that collaborate and share best practice to provide outstanding client service.

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Programme

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Registration, networking and exhibition viewing: 08:30

Breakfast session - Finance reimagined: navigating a new era with agentic AI | Workday Speaker: Naveen Gangwar, Workday. The pace of change in today’s world demands an agile finance and planning function and the profession is undergoing a profound transformation. Explore how agentic AI is setting a new paradigm, not just through automation, but by fostering powerful human-machine collaboration; delve into how this emerging technology is fundamentally reshaping roles and creating an unprecedented era of efficiency, accuracy, and strategic insight. Discover practical examples and understand how to navigate the evolving landscape of finance.: 09:00

Breakfast session - AIming for returns: opportunities and challenges for investors from generative AI | Rathbones Speaker: Sanjiv Tumkur, Rathbones. Generative AI is disrupting industries and reshaping investment strategies. Explore the risks investors must navigate, where the best opportunities could lie, and how finance leaders can position for sustainable returns in an AI-driven world. Learn how to identify the sectors and companies most likely to benefit or lose out from generative AI, understand the risks and ethical considerations shaping AI-driven investments and integrate AI considerations into long-term strategy.: 09:00

Breakfast session - AI-driven workflows: save hours, make faster decisions, work smarter | Dext Speakers: Paul Lodder, Dext and Paul Aplin OBE. AI in accounting isn’t just a buzzword — it’s a powerful tool to save time, improve decision-making, and build smarter processes. Discover practical, real-world applications of AI in your firm, from workflow optimisation to client advisory, getting your team to trust and embrace AI and learning how to avoid the common pitfalls. Dext will share AI best practices and education, with challenges and opportunities, and give you an inside look at how Dext uses AI to deliver measurable results for our customers.: 09:00

A really enjoyable and varied day with something for everyone - technical accountant or general manager.

ICAEW Annual Conference 2024 delegate

Chair’s opening remarks | Emma Vardy: 09:45

Welcome address | Alan Vallance, Chief Executive, ICAEW: 09:50

Solving the UK’s growth problem: in conversation with Justine Greening Set against the backdrop of a new Industrial Strategy, growing global political uncertainty and ahead of the Autumn Budget, hear from ICAEW member Justine Greening, the former Secretary of State for Education and Economic Secretary to the Treasury, on the role that the profession, business and policymakers can play in unlocking the sustained economic growth needed to improve living standards across the whole of the UK.: 10:00

The UK and global economic outlook: risks and opportunities Huw Pill, Chief Economist and Executive Director for Monetary Analysis, Bank of England: 10:35

Morning break, networking and exhibition viewing: 11:15

How accounting firms are building new revenue streams with carbon accounting | Sage Earth Speakers: Conrad Langridge and Erin Roesch, Sage Earth. Carbon accounting presents one of the fastest-growing opportunities for accounting firms today — but how does it actually work in practice? Drawing on exclusive anonymised research from 15 accounting firms and a series of practical case studies, Conrad will showcase how firms are successfully building sustainability-led services that generate new revenue, enhance client value, and attract top-tier talent. Gain clear insights and actionable steps to future-proof your practice.: 11:45

Navigating the world beyond the horizon | MHA Speaker: Professor Joe Nellis CBE, MHA. In an era defined by unprecedented political, technological, and population shifts, this session will look beyond the current economic environment, understanding what it takes to thrive in a rapidly changing world where insight, agility and innovation will determine tomorrow’s winners. Gain insights into global economic dynamics, demographic contrasts, a reshaping labour market, technological change and what defines leadership for the future.: 11:45

Audit reimagined: how technology empowers growth and resilience | Thomson Reuters Speakers: Kyle Gibbons, Thomson Reuters, David Smith, Kreston Global, Harriet Bourne, Azets. Mid-tier and smaller audit firms are at a pivotal point, facing growing workloads, an evolving regulatory landscape, and the ongoing challenge of attracting and retaining talent. Sustainable growth now depends on strategic innovation and smart technology adoption. Explore how embracing modern methodologies can help firms scale efficiently, improve audit quality, and build long-term resilience.: 11:45

A really enjoyable and varied day with something for everyone - technical accountant or general manager.

ICAEW Annual Conference 2024 delegate

Smarter finance operations: balancing automation and human expertise to drive growth and compliance | Yooz Speaker: Shelsea Adrian, Yooz. As technology reshapes finance, the challenge isn’t whether to automate – it’s how to do so intelligently. In this session, we’ll explore how finance leaders can strike the right balance between automation and human judgment to unlock efficiency, ensure compliance, and support strategic growth. Learn how to identify the tasks best left to automation, where human insight adds the most value, and how to future-proof your finance operations for a world of increasing complexity.: 12:20

CTRL+ALT+TAX: when AI takes the keyboard on tax returns | Sage Speaker: Chris Downing, Sage. Explore how accountants can stay ahead of MTD by using Sage’s Authentic Intelligence - AI built with accountants, for accountants. See what the 2026 MTD tax return really looks like (spoiler: it’s not what you think), how AI is moving from assistive to agentic and why that’s good news for your workflow, and how authentic AI can help mitigate the workload impact of MTD, freeing you to focus on value, not volume.: 12:20

Future fit sustainability: turning emissions insights into business impact | NatWest Speaker: Daniel Gibbs, NatWest. With sustainability being integral to businesses being future fit, businesses need more than ambition, they need actionable insights. Explore how digital innovation is transforming the way businesses measure, manage, and reduce their carbon footprint. Discover how using the right tools to interpret and apply emissions insights can inform smarter decisions, unlock efficiencies, and drive meaningful change to help businesses thrive in a rapidly evolving landscape.: 12:20

Excellent range of topics and very good coverage.

ICAEW Annual Conference 2024 delegate

Strength and Balance: The Journey of Karenjeet Kaur Bains, ACA | Chair: Emma Vardy Meet Karenjeet Kaur Bains, the first British Sikh female powerlifter to represent Great Britain at the World and European Championships, and discover how she balances her career as an ACA-qualified accountant with her passion for powerlifting and her starring role on the BBC. Learn about her journey, the challenges she faced, and her mission to inspire women, especially from minority backgrounds, to pursue strength sports.: 12:55

Lunch, networking and exhibition viewing: 13:25

Lunch session - Future-proofing corporate governance | Diligent Speaker: John Simpson, Technology Leader. Tom Keaton, Diligent. Corporate governance is shifting, and the pressure is rising. Dive into how AI is transforming internal audits and controls, especially with the UK’s new corporate governance rules. AI isn’t just hype — it’s helping companies streamline tasks, spot risks, and make audits faster and smarter. These reforms demand more transparency, stricter reporting, and better resilience, creating real challenges for organisations. See how AI can help you adapt, strengthen compliance, and support your audit team.: 13:30

Lunch session - Securing the organisation: leadership, accountability and cyber risk | Mitigo Speaker: Kerrie Machin. Cyber risk is a board-level issue, with senior leaders responsible for strategy, operational resilience, and oversight. This session explores the increasing accountability of leadership amid rising threats and regulatory demands, focusing on key actions to ensure effective governance.: 13:30

Lunch session - Accelerating audit innovation with AI | Caseware Speakers: Jack Holloway, Jason Bradley and Kyle Silverman, Caseware. In the era of rapid technological advancement, artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping industries. However, for many audit professionals the leap from understanding AI conceptually to applying it day-to-day remains challenging. Join Jack, Jason and Kyle as they discuss using AI and other automated tools to bridge the gap, offering practical and actionable insights tailored to the needs of today’s audit teams.: 13:30

The whole event was very informative and useful.

ICAEW Annual Conference 2024 delegate

Leadership, resilience, and building a winning mindset | Jill Scott MBE Join us for an exclusive fireside chat with Jill Scott MBE, England football legend and UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 champion, as she shares her insights on leadership, resilience, and teamwork.: 14:15

Rethinking waste: the circular economy advantage | Tessa Clarke, Olio Waste isn’t just an environmental issue – it’s a missed business opportunity. Discover how a circular economy approach unlocks cost savings, new revenue streams, and competitive advantage and learn practical strategies to integrate circularity. From food surplus to supply chains, see how businesses are turning waste into profit, enhancing reputation, and staying ahead of ESG regulations.: 14:50

Thriving in transformative times | Riaz Shah, Hult International Business School Explore how leaders can navigate today’s rapidly shifting landscape. With global demographics in flux, evolving employee expectations, and relentless technological disruption, traditional leadership models are under pressure. Get powerful insights and practical takeaways from Riaz as he discusses how to lead with curiosity, boldness, and humanity – stay resilient, attract talent, and thrive in uncertainty.: 14:50

Real-world AI in accountancy: lessons from early adopters Panellists: Sarah Schlobohm ACA, Origin Matters | Peter Beard, GenFinance.AI | Elliott Poulter, Microsoft UKI. AI is no longer a futuristic concept – it’s here, transforming accountancy in both practice and business. But what does AI adoption really look like in the real world? In this session, early adopters share their firsthand experiences of integrating AI, exploring the practical challenges, key successes, and measurable impacts of AI on efficiency, compliance, and client services.: 14:50

The event of the year - always a great agenda, speakers, topics, and other delegates.

ICAEW Annual Conference 2024 delegate

Afternoon break, networking and exhibition viewing: 15:20

Advancing gender equality: driving the 'S' in ESG from commitment to action What does real inclusion look like in practice? Julia Penny sits down with Rachel Harris – practice owner, media commentator, and Stylist’s first female finance columnist – for a fast-paced, insightful chat on how she built a tech-forward firm with zero outsourcing, a grassroots talent pipeline, and a bold commitment to social mobility and equity. Expect practical takeaways on creating workplaces women choose, and how to drive measurable, meaningful change.: 15:45

Lead with presence: how physiology shapes confidence and influence | Kerri Hollick, Executive Coach and Leadership Consultant Great leaders don’t just think differently – they use their body, voice, and physiology to project confidence, make better decisions, and inspire action. In this high-energy, interactive workshop, Kerri will share practical techniques to help you unlock the power of body language and presence to enhance your leadership impact, guiding you through strategies to project confidence and authority in any situation.: 15:45

Driving AI adoption with integrity Panellists: Nina Barakzai, HPE | Paul Ekwere, BDO | Polly Tsang, ICAEW. Learn how to build AI systems that follow legal and ethical standards. Find out how to handle regulations, reduce risks, and create trustworthy AI solutions. Discuss the role of professional judgment in using AI, helping you make informed decisions, and explore how AI can drive innovation in accounting, making processes more efficient, accurate, and valuable for your clients and organisations.: 15:45

A great, thought-provoking day, focused on the future.

ICAEW Annual Conference 2024 delegate

Navigating uncertainty and resilience | Richard Ratcliffe What does it take to stand up for what’s right in the face of extraordinary challenges? Chartered accountant Richard Ratcliffe became an unexpected public advocate during his campaign to free his wife, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, from unjust detention in Iran. Richard's unique experience of navigating a high-profile international crisis and its variety of actors gave him a steep learning curve on how to push for change, but also how to cope with extreme uncertainty and unsightedness, and the importance of support networks for that navigating. He will discuss how his accounting background, and the support from his firm, played crucial roles in managing the situation during its key struggles, and also in the different challenge of returning to normalcy after trauma. Richard's story highlights the broader lessons of support and strength found in professional and personal communities during challenging times, and after. Join us to hear how these experiences can inspire and inform our approach to overcoming adversity in both professional and personal contexts.: 16:20

Closing remarks | Robert Tindle, ICAEW Vice President: 16:55

Drinks reception: 17:00

Event close: 18:30

Our speakers

Tessa Clarke Co-Founder and CEO, Olio

Tessa leads the world’s only neighbour-to-neighbour food-sharing app. Since 2015, Olio has grown to 8 million users, redistributing over 100 million meals. Recognized as Veuve Clicquot’s Bold Woman of the Year in 2023, Tessa advises the UK Government on SME concerns.

Kerri Hollick Executive Coach and Leadership Consultant

Kerri Hollick is passionate about empowering leaders through presence. She believes great leaders use their body, voice, and physiology to project confidence, make better decisions and inspire action. With over 20 years of experience, she shares practical techniques to enhance leadership impact through body language and presence.

Riaz Shah OBE FCA Professor of Practice for Innovation & Leadership, Hult International Business School

Riaz is a former Senior Partner at EY. With over 40 years of experience, he advises companies and developing country governments on how to adapt, lead, and thrive in today’s rapidly changing, complex global landscape.

This conference is the perfect mix of networking, interesting and topical sessions, interesting exhibitors and inspirational and expert speakers. A great day away from the office to remind me why I joined this profession and spend time with other hardworking professionals.

ICAEW Annual Conference 2024 delegate

A great opportunity to hear about a wide range of topics, all of which were relevant to a multitude of industries, whilst meeting new people and embracing the atmosphere.

ICAEW Annual Conference 2024 delegate

The event was broad ranging without being overly technical, fast paced and multi-dimensional with adequate breaks to absorb the lessons from each session. All the main speakers were excellent.

ICAEW Annual Conference 2024 delegate

A really informative and inspiring day, I came away with plenty of practical tips to put into action in the business. I hope to be back in 2025!

ICAEW Annual Conference 2024 delegate

Our sponsors

ICAEW works with global companies that support the finance profession to bring you the best events possible.

Headline Sponsor: MHA

Session Sponsors: Caseware, Dext, Diligent, Mitigo, NatWest, Rathbones, Sage, Sage Earth, Thomson Reuters Confirmation, Workday, Yooz

Exhibition Sponsors: AccountsIQ, Acting Office, Circit, Deel Local Payroll, Fiscal Technologies, Frontline Accounting, Marsh Commercial, Mitigo, Starling Bank, Xero, Zoho

Media partner: Accountancy Age

2026 Sponsorship enquiries

Disclaimer

The opinions expressed by external guest speakers in interviews or other publications included on this website are, by their nature, those of the speaker. They are not necessarily fully endorsed by ICAEW or purport to reflect the official policies and views of ICAEW or its members.

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ICAEW Annual Conference

See highlights from 2025

Stay ahead of the curve

Lead with purpose

Think big

Turn challenge into opportunity

Invest in yourself

Tailor your day

CONFERENCE CHAIR

Emma Vardy

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Jill Scott

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Huw Pill

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Karenjeet Kaur Bains

Headline sponsor

MHA

Programme

Our speakers

Our sponsors

Disclaimer

See all our events