Discover how trust and innovation are redefining finance, and what this means for your career, your skills and the future of the profession. Our flagship conference, Accounting for the Future, on 25–27 November 2025, will give you the insights, strategies and skills you need.
Conference highlights
Join us – and thousands of fellow ACCA members around the world – to earn over to 21 units of free CPD and explore critical trends shaping the future:
Driving sustainable business
Explore how data powers the green transition, why financial and sustainability reporting must align, and the skills needed to tackle the assurance challenge.
Shaping future skills
Discover how entrepreneurial skills, new technologies and changing career paths will define the profession’s future.
Embracing innovative tech
Learn how AI and advanced analytics are redefining data, skills and trust in decision-making, and how accountants must play a frontline role in building cyber resilience.
Global risks and the trust dividend
At a time of heightened geopolitical instability and fragile economic confidence, trust is at a premium. But those who can help rebuild trust are set to reap handsome dividends, and finance professionals are among those best qualified to do so. Join us in conversation with Tina Fordham, leading global expert in geopolitical risk, and Risk Accounting Standards Board chair Steve Bailey FCCA as they discuss future challenges, opportunities and restoring the trust dividend.
Speakers: Steve Bailey FCCA, Tina Fordham
Trade disruption and other headwinds – 2026 outlook
2025 will be characterised the year of major trade disruption, but what will drive the economic winds of 2026? Will US trade policy continue to dominate, or could other concerns, such as the sustainability of the public finances, come to the fore? Our panellists discuss the prospects for the global economy and key regions and countries, and how finance professionals need to adapt to ensure their organisations survive and thrive in the new economic environment.
Speakers: Linda Yueh, John Beirne, George Legarios, Jonathan Ashworth
The evolving need for data
AI and advanced analytics are fundamentally changing the way financial and non-financial data is processed and analysed. This new era will have huge implications for the role, skills and training of accountants as they come to terms with the availability of vast quantities of new data and the need for quality, integrity and trust. This panel discussion will examine the evolution in the types of data available to organisations; how to assess its value; the skills and knowledge accountants will need; and the role they will play in improving the quality of data-driven decision-making.
Speakers: Ali Al Sherbaz, Leanne Allen, Dr Patricia Francis, Alistair Brisbourne
Cyber risk and organisational accountability
Recent attacks on big brands have pushed cybersecurity to the top of agendas around the world. There are leading roles for technology experts, but accountants must be at the heart of confronting cyber risks. This session will examine the urgency of building cyber resilience; the role of accountants in assessing cyber defences; how to plan for continuing operations in the event of an attack; and the crucial need for collaboration with other functions to counter emerging threats.
Speakers: Prof Kamal Bechjoum, Nick Sanna, Simona Covaliu
Combatting fraud – navigating a perfect storm
Fraud is a silent killer of trust and value and no single profession can tackle it alone. As ACCA unveils its landmark report on combatting fraud, developed in collaboration with ACFE, IIA and other leading professional bodies, this panel explores where accountability is falling short, where progress is taking root, and what practical steps professionals in finance, audit, risk, compliance and governance can take to drive meaningful change.
Speakers: Ashu Sharma, Benito Ybarra, Jane Walde, Rachael Johnson
The future of work – it's not just tech
Tectonic changes are remoulding workplaces across the world, and it's not just about artificial intelligence. Other technologies are making their mark, populations are ageing in many jurisdictions, new entrants to the market face economic constraints, and there is growing demand for analytical skills. This panel will explore the shifting economic and technological landscape and its implications for high-skilled workers across all sectors.
Speakers: Alex Krotoski, Rita Fontinha, Mansoor Soomro
Understanding the ambitions of finance professionals
ACCA research reveals that members have reached a moment of transition. ACCA's Global Talent Trends survey 2025 finds that many see the future in founding their own businesses, while sustainability-linked roles and AI skills are high among their concerns. This panel discussion will look at members' attitudes to accountancy roles today, examine the appeal of entrepreneurial skills, explore concerns about technology training, look at the role sustainability plays in many careers.
Speakers: Richard Stagg, Samantha Sing Key, Moneeza Butt, Jamie Lyon FCCA
Replotting finance career paths
The next decade could see accounting careers evolve significantly. The panel will explore the reconfiguration of accounting careers, including the upskilling challenge in the wake of automation; the potential for highly skilled professionals to work for multiple employers; and how the trend of 'back to the office' sits at odds with accountants' preferred ways of working.
Speakers: Lata Loungani, Anand Jumar Pandey, Ruxandra Bilius, Clive Webb
Ethical culture and governance: reinforcing public trust
The accounting profession plays a critical role in upholding public trust in the financial system. In a world of heightened ethical expectations in business, accounting and audit firms that embed an ethical culture in their strategy and operations will create long-term sustainable value and success, as well as building public trust. Our panel discusses the current ethical environment, governance and culture, and what the future looks like.
Speakers: Gabriela Figureido Dias, Will Pullenayegum, Maggie McGhee, Sarah Lane
Pathways for SMEs' digital transformation
Unlocking digital growth has never been more important for SMEs in today's competitive business environment. But finance professionals are quickly learning how digital needs can vary greatly between sectors and size of organisation. In this session, we show how enterprising accountants can identify practical pathways to transform their businesses, learn about available support mechanisms and gain insights from successful digital transformation case studies.
Speakers: Zwelani Knomo, Gabriel Tan, Rolando Cedeno, Aleksandra Zaronina-Kirillova
How empathy among leaders can build trust
Empathy isn't a 'soft skill' it's a strategic asset. In this webinar, psychologist and leadership coach Jess Baker explores how empathic leadership builds trust, strengthens workplace culture, reduces burnout, and drives performance. Discover practical tools like the empathy dial,' learn how to balance empathy with accountability and see how leading with empathy creates competitive advantage in today's fast-changing world.
Speaker: Jess Baker
Sustainability reporting: track your progress
In this live, audience-led session, panellists share their experiences creating and using the interconnected sustainability and financial information needed for resilient and thriving sustainable organisations. The discussion will feature ACCA's global survey into the key challenges in processes, systems, access to data and skills needed for high-quality, interconnected information, including 10 key recommendations.
Speakers: Milena Olszewska-Miszuris, Alan McGill, Kristine Ng, Sharon Machado FCCA
Data at the heart of the green transition
New regulations and disclosure requirements, to say nothing of wider stakeholder demands, are driving a surge in the collection and analysis of sustainable data. With initiatives such as the EU's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive now in play, requiring analysis of over a thousand data points, what can be collected, and what is relevant? This session will investigate future data requirements and dive into practical assessments to help tackle future data challenges.
Speakers: Sophie Zakari, Jason Tu, Duncan Oswald, Jessica Bingham
Financial and sustainability reporting working together
Amid the uncertainties of geopolitical tensions, inflation and climate change, organisations, investors and other stakeholders need timely, connected and reliable financial and sustainability-related information to make critical business decisions, seize opportunities and manage risks. Panellists will discuss how the IFRS Standards complement each other to build trust by enabling organisations to help their stakeholders understand the effects of climate-related risks and other uncertainties in their corporate reports.
Speakers: Sue Lloyd, Linda Mezon-Hutter, Lorraine Holleway, Aaron Saw
Skills and the sustainability assurance challenge
With the growth in sustainability reporting in multiple jurisdictions around the world comes a need for assurance. Sustainability assurance will offer enormous opportunities for accounting professionals to build trust in a new era in corporate disclosures. This panel will discuss the regulatory requirements, the knowledge and skills required and the route to providing the highest quality service.
Speaker: Antonis Diolas
Leading on innovation: fostering team trust and bold thinking
Studies conducted worldwide confirm how leaders create team environments that encourage original thinking. Join organisational psychologist Dr Rob Yeung in exploring evidence on how organisational policies, leadership and creative techniques unlock team potential. You will leave this session with practical pointers on hiring and coaching for creativity, managing organisational constraints and harnessing proven methods that deliver real results.
Speaker: Dr Rob Yeung