Blogs
A wonderful world?
January 2025
I saw trees of green, red roses too…
I saw skies of blue and clouds of white…
And I saw friends shaking hands, saying “How do you do?”
New Orleans was indeed a reminder of how close our people connect at yet another Russell Bedford International physical event; the first of 2025. Unfortunately, however, the timing of which came immediately after the atrocity that occurred in a city famous for celebrating freedom, improvisation and inclusiveness through the music of jazz.
There are so many poignant occurrences all around the globe that makes one question whether the world is as wonderful as Mr Armstrong once expressed it, so calmly yet emphatically, to be.
But together, we can help one another and I am always proud to see the people from our firms engage in deep discussion, sharing knowledge and direct experience of latest practice issues and trends.
We continue to live in challenging times, but the accountancy profession has been seen to be adaptable, agile and able to deal with uncertainty. I am personally excited to embrace such developments, and always looking to turn challenges into opportunities. Private equity will continue to play its part, with more and more accountancy firms changing structure, along with further mergers and acquisitions. As an international accounting network, traditionally promoting independence, we must work towards a future strategy, somewhat repositioning, to ensure we remain relevant.
We shall continue to help our firms diversify, bringing into their practices more people with new skills, as the profession works to cope with the demands of sustainability reporting along with continuing to advise on the financial and more traditional aspects of businesses.
The advancements in Artificial Intelligence, along with the importance of ESG, will attract more people to join accountancy practices, as the profession becomes more attractive to people from alternative backgrounds and with diversified skills, which will help in the battle on talent, that has become so prevalent for so many firms, worldwide.
And so… there is much concern in the world, and we must prepare ourselves for what’s next; but together, in a network with like-minded, passionate and dedicated individuals, I see a unified positivity and it can indeed be a wonderful world.
Thanks to all who participated with such energy in our first regional meeting of the year!