This month, our main interview is with Denise Chinpire O’Reilly FCCA, managing director of KS Chinpire Contracting Services. Based in Trinidad and Tobago, she runs the family-owned energy support company with her sister. It is a notoriously male-dominated industry, which she admits can be a challenge, but she urges other women business leaders to ‘never stop being who you are’. Read more about her journey here.
As the US heads to the polls, what will become of the mighty dollar? American businesses had become accustomed to a powerful dollar – for better or for worse. The strength of the US currency reached its apogee in late 2022, after a roughly 30% appreciation over six major peers in the prior decade. The greenback may have retreated from this peak but, as recently as May, Apple and Procter & Gamble were warning investors that the potency of the greenback was proving a drag on earnings – find out what CFOs should be doing.
In Europe, it’s the wages bill that is hitting Eurozone business profits. Part of the reason margins have been contracting has been a recent acceleration in wage growth, as workers seek to recoup spending power lost during the recent surge in inflation. So how worried should finance professionals be? Read our article for some reassurances.
As we know, digital tools and artificial intelligence are transforming the business landscape, but what does the digital revolution mean for audit and auditors – and, particularly, for those in smaller practices? A new playbook, produced by ACCA and Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, is a practical guide for audit firms of all sizes, but is especially relevant for small and medium-sized practices – read about it here.
Regarding digital tools, if you have not done so already, now would be a good time to find out about the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), which comes into effect across the EU on 17 January 2025. DORA is intended to address ICT-related risks as part of a comprehensive and unified regulatory framework covering the digital operational resilience needs of financial entities, and establishing an oversight framework for ICT third-party service providers designated as ‘critical’ (CTPPs). Find out more.
Finally, don’t forget to sign up for ACCA’s annual conference, Accounting for the Future, which takes place at the end of November. With the theme of ‘Embracing the disruption’, the three-day event looks at trends and developments affecting professional accountants around the world, including opportunities around new technology, imperatives for sustainability, and the new skills needed in this fast-moving landscape. Register to attend live on 26-28 November or on demand.
