Next month, thousands of accountancy professionals from across the UK will be packing the aisles at Accountex 2017. Returning to London ExCeL on 10-11 May, the industry-defining event will boast more new speakers, theatres, features, exhibitors and product launches than ever.
Just under half of the show’s 200+ exhibitors are new for 2017, ensuring this year’s visitors benefit from seeing game-changing new products, services and solutions from leading industry innovators from around the world (including established big brand names and emerging start-ups). Many of these companies won’t be exhibiting together at any other event in the UK this year.
“Accountex is often called the one-stop-shop for industry. It showcases the best choice of the latest innovations and insights completely dedicated to the accounting and finance profession,” explains Zoe Lacey-Cooper, the show’s event director.
“Being able to compare what’s on offer in the market from the best brands in one visit, and get advice and inspiration to ensure you make the right decisions for your business, whatever your size or need, is what makes it such an invaluable experience to its visitors. And it’s why so many of them recommend it and return year after year,” she says.
“Consider it a pilgrimage – ‘it’ and ‘everyone’ is all there,” agrees Paul Dunn, chairman of B1G1, just one of the show’s 150 confirmed speakers (confirmed to date), who’ll be appearing in 180+ CPD accredited Keynotes, seminars, panel sessions, and interactive workshops.
New speakers for 2017
Recently confirmed new speakers include entrepreneur Mark Wright – a self-taught digital-marketing specialist and the 2014 winner of BBC’s The Apprentice, Ed Currer, director of Vinyl Impression, and Michelle Lamb, director of The Cavalry Collective. They’ll be appearing alongside Dominic Allon, VP Europe at Intuit (and a former MD at Google Hong Kong) in an exclusive Keynote Theatre QuickBooks panel session discussing how SMEs perceive their changing relationship with their accountant, and how they expect their accountants to advise on areas such as digital tax, auto enrolment and cloud adoption.
Other new speakers for 2017 include Jon Thompson, chief executive and first permanent secretary of HMRC; Alan Laing, MD of Sage UK & Ireland – Northern Europe; renowned financial commentator Justin Urquhart Stewart, head of corporate development and co-founder of Seven Investment Management (7IM); James Brunton, technology director & product owner of Prosper (new sponsor of The Future & Growth Theatre); Hannah McIntyre, founder and CEO of FUTRLI (which is delivering its own programme in the show’s new Advisory Growth Strategies Theatre); and Nikki and Nigel Adams, joint-MDs of Ad Valorem Accountancy Services, which recently won ‘Most Innovative Medium Firm’ and ‘Managing Partner of the Year’ at The 2020 Innovation Awards (appearing in the new Accountants in Practice Theatre – sponsored by Sage).
Paul Aplin OBE, VP of the ICAEW and tax partner at Taunton firm, AC Mole & Sons, is also set to present two keynote sessions on ‘making tax digital’ in the Digital Change Workshops – sponsored by My Firms App.
A pioneer of the digital tax movement, having filed the UK’s first electronic self-assessment return in 1997 and having participated in virtually every HMRC digital programme since, Aplin is in a unique position to understand the impact of MTD on small and medium size firms. In his session (running on both days of the show), he’ll share his expert knowledge on what is to come and why he believes accountants need to start gearing up now.
“We are living through a time of unprecedented change. I think we will see more change driven by technology in the next three or four years than in the last ten or fifteen. Accountex is the one-stop-shop for seeing what is out there in the market and for hearing the very latest views,” says Aplin.
Other notable new speakers (who are also exhibiting for the first time) include Jonathan Cobb, director at KPMG Business Technology, examining the latest trends and the role of technology in finance teams (including the opportunities, as opposed to threat, that automation brings); Martyn Redman, CEO of VAT International, outlining the ‘Pitfalls, penalties and solutions’ to be EU VAT compliant; Alex Weddell, accountancy channel sales at HR startup Hibob, discussing how to successfully implement new software; Jeppe Rindom, CEO and co-founder of Pleo, demonstrating how to revolutionise business spending using data and automation; and Andy Bailey, who founded Octopus Blue last year, will share his perspective on why and how accountants should regularly re-evaluate business software for their practice and clients.
“When I started my accountancy career around 20 years ago, I was a historian and an archaeologist; last quarter’s VAT return, last year’s accounts and tax returns, carefully digging through boxes of paperwork to put together what had happened,” explains Bailey.
“Today’s accountants are digital pioneers, exploring new opportunities for their clients. With MTD rapidly approaching, PSD2 opening banking standards and hundreds (thousands?) of software vendors and applications out there to help you out, you need to be looking forward and working with your clients to help them maximise efficiency and profits.
“With all the major players under one roof, Accountex is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the advances accounting software vendors are making and to find out how they can help your practice evolve. You’ll also have the opportunity to attend seminars from the industry’s thought leaders, earning CPD points, and network with like-minded accountants and professionals,” he says.
The full seminar programme, including speakers and sessions for HMRC’s new dedicated theatre and the new Finance Directors Forum, will be announced later this month. To see the latest speaker list, please visit www.accountex.co.uk/conference/speakers.
New exhibitors join the line-up
Another new show feature is the sold-out Start up Zone. Prominently-placed, near the show’s entrance, it offers visitors a first-look at some of the newest products entering the market, such as Horizon CPD, Arthur Online, The London Digital Agency, Neocol UK, Beyond Labs, TradeCrediTech, and FloFunder.
“Accountex is the premier event in the UK to discuss business strategy, build networks, understand trends and shape the future of our industry,” says Michel King, CEO at PeerPay (FloFunder).
Also taking a stand at Accountex for the first time are:
- 9 Spokes
- ABAX UK
- Accountancy Recruiters
- AccountancyManager
- AIA
- AIT
- ApprovalMax
- arbitrue
- Avalara Europe
- AVN and B1G1
- Base Practice Support
- BDODrive
- Canon (UK)
- com
- Capium
- Capriza
- CIS & Sophos
- Citrix ShareFile
- Citrus HR
- Clear Books
- cognevo
- Cogress
- Compleat Software
- CPD UK
- DataDear
- Debt Collection Services UK
- Digital Four Group
- DocuWare
- Dod-dle Corporation
- Elite Business
- Emerge Secure
- Essentia
- Expensify
- Fin-eX Outsourcing
- Foretagsplatsen
- FUJITSU
- Gbooks CloudPractice Plus
- Griffiths Allen – Stamp Duty Advisers
- ICAEW
- Informanagement
- Initor Business Solutions (Initor Global)
- ITM
- iwoca
- JSMT
- Kamozo
- Karbon
- Klyant Software
- Magicube
- Midwich
- Mode Print Solutions
- Money Mover
- moneycorp
- Moneypenny
- mTrio Automated CRM Software
- MyDocSafe
- Neolytics
- Octopus Investments
- Onion Reporting Software
- onkho
- Panintelligence
- PG Mutual
- Planday
- Postlethwaite Employee Ownership Lawyers
- Premium Collections
- ProForecast
- Pull Your Socks Up Simon
- Receipt Bot
- SafeHack UK
- SmartSearch AML
- Spotcap
- Spotlight Reporting
- SSASCo
- Synergy Commercial Finance
- TeamMate, Wolters Kluwer
- TeamSystem
- Technology Management
- Tesla
- The Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals
- The Good Till Co
- The Highly Profitable Accountant
- The Landlord’s Pension
- The Practice Engine Group
- The White Label Will Company
- Time Tracker by eBillity
- co.uk
- Valenta BPO
- White Rose Finance
- Willow Pay
- X-Vat
- Yes Growth
This year’s Accountex takes place at London ExCeL on 10-11 May. Attending Accountex is free and all Keynotes and seminars (in the show’s 14 theatres) are allocated on a first come, first served basis. Visitors can pre-book Digital Change Workshops (sponsored by MyFirmsApp) at www.accountex.co.uk/conference/digital-change-workshop.
For further information, and to register for a free ticket to attend, please visit www.accountex.co.uk and use priority code ACX103 (direct link: https://registration.n200.com/survey/01tyd1rdcvlg1?actioncode=ACX103).
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