Registration and refreshments

Chair's opening remarks │ Dharshini David

Welcome address │ Karen Scholes CA, President, ICAS

Opening keynote: Paul Johnson in conversation with Dharshini David

Leading economist Paul Johnson CBE is the former director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies and now provost of The Queen’s College, Oxford. He joins Dharshini David in conversation to talk about the current state of the economy, the fiscal challenges and opportunities facing the UK government and the economic trends heading our way in 2026

Host

• Dharshini David, Deputy Economics Editor - BBC News

Speakers

• Paul Johnson CBE, Provost - The Queen's College Oxford

Panel discussion: The UK on the world stage

The UK remains a global leader in soft power and a key player in international security. However, Brexit fallout, geopolitical tensions, a foreign investment slowdown and Trump’s Maga isolationism are all arguably diminishing the UK’s global influence. Our panel discuss what’s at stake – and what the future holds for Brand Britain.

Host

• Dharshini David, Deputy Economics Editor - BBC News

Speakers

• Tina Brown CBE, Journalist, editor and author - Tina Brown Live Media

• Margaret Casely-Hayford CBE, Lawyer - Governance expert

• James Sproule, Chief Economist - Handelsbanken UK

Morning break

Leveraging tech to get the best sustainability data

Join this session to learn more about what makes good data, how to source it and what role tech can play. Our experts will delve into the depths of data, the vital building blocks that enable good reporting and decision making.

Host

• Victoria Lee CA, Sustainability and Climate Solution Specialist - MSCI

Speakers

• Dr Katharina Bryan LLM, Former Head of International Sustainability Reporting Policy - Amazon

Integrating AI into your processes: Embedding governance and risk management from the start

AI offers many benefits, but how do you safeguard against risk? This session explores the importance of having an appropriate governance and risk management framework in place to support the effective and safe use of AI tools within organisations.

Host

• Karen Scholes CA, President - ICAS

Speakers

• Temi Labor CA, Chief Internal Auditor - Pay10 Global

Living ethical decision making: Reflections on 'The Power of One'

As we celebrate 10 years since the launch of ICAS’ The Power of One, our panel share how to make ethical decisions, drawing from both their own experiences and their interactions with other ethical leaders.

Host

• Mary Campbell OBE CA, CEO - Resilient Corporates Ltd

Speakers

• David Nussbaum CA, Non-Executive Director, Trustee and Board Chair - Portfolio

• Reysha Shah CA, Head of Propositions - Octopus Energy

Leading the charge on transition: How to make business clean and thrive

This session will explore how businesses can deliver value through decarbonisation, focusing on profitable strategies and practical transition tips. Join the discussion to learn more about building organisations that are fit for the future.

Host

• Kathryn MacLeod CA, Head of ESG Reporting - Heineken UK

Speakers

• Laurence Goodman, Chief Financial Officer - Octopus Energy

Impact of AI on Professional Judgement: Early insights from practice

Get a first look at early findings from ICAS-funded research with Alliance Manchester Business School and Menzies. This session reveals how technology is transforming professional judgement and influencing ethical reasoning, critical thinking and decision-making in practice.

Host

• Sean Robertson, Director of AI & data - ICAS

Speakers

• Caroline Monk, Partner - Menzies LLP

Cyber Governance for Boards and Leadership Teams

Cyber-attacks are increasingly becoming a constant threat to organisations. Our panel discuss the actions boards and leadership teams should take to mitigate the risks of a cyber-attack, with reference made to the UK Cyber Governance Code of Practice.

Host

• Alex Smith CA, Finance Director - Dickson Minto LLP

Speakers

• Jake Upfield, Data and AI Director - Cybit

• Bruce McDougall CA, Director - Black Arrow Cyber Consulting

Networking lunch

Quorum: Understanding and controlling your IT spend using FinOps

In today’s cloud-first world, understanding and controlling your IT spend is critical. That’s where FinOps comes in. FinOps is the meeting point between finance, tech, and business and is a collaborative way to make cloud spending transparent, accountable, and agile. But beyond cutting expenses, FinOps helps you understand where your money’s going, optimise your usage, and make informed decisions to ensure that every pound spent on cloud drives business value. For professional services firms, it’s a shift from seeing cloud costs as a sunk expense to treating them as a strategic tool to drive efficiency and innovation.

Speakers

• James Frost, Data and AI Director - Quorum

Panel discussion: Will AI replace accountants - or elevate them?

While headlines warn of white-collar jobs disappearing due to AI, the tech is already transforming accounting – from capturing invoice data to drafting client emails. Our expert panel explores the realities behind the hype, addresses common fears and discusses how AI could reshape – or even enhance – CAs’ careers. 

Host

• Dharshini David, Deputy Economics Editor - BBC News

Speakers

• Nick Fry, Non-Executive Chairman - Motion Applied

• Dame Wendy Hall DBE, FRS, FREng, Regius Professor of Computer Science - University of Southampton

How ESG investing has evolved, and why it matters more than ever

Based on decades of fund management experience, our panel discuss how sustainability has shaped, and continues to shape, investment assessments and capital allocations, no matter the label.

Host

• Bruce Cartwright CA, CEO - ICAS

Speakers

• Lloyd McAllister CA, Head of Sustainable Investment - Carmignac

AI and accountancy: What’s next?

In a candid discussion with an AI Product Developer, we explore the innovations shaping the next 18 months and beyond in AI and how these tools will transform the way accountants work.

Speakers

• Youssef Hounat CA, Head of Product & Engineering - ComplianceWise

The Accountancy profession at a crossroad: Ethics, trust, and societal impact

Grounded in insights from ICAS’s Society First report, this session invites bold thinking on the profession’s evolving role in society, and explore how accountants can lead with integrity, reinforce public confidence and respond to emerging ethical challenges.

Host

• Sarah Chisnall, Director of Public Affairs - ICAS

Speakers

• Franceska van Dijk, CEO of One Stone Advisers Ltd and Council Public Interest Member - ICAS

Afternoon break

Panel discussion: Can business be ethical and profitable?

Demand for ethical goods and services is soaring but how can businesses balance ethics and sustainability with financial success? Can companies really prioritise purpose and profit?

Host

• Dharshini David, Deputy Economics Editor - BBC News

Speakers

• Bruce Poon Tip OC, Entrepreneur, leader and philanthropist - G Adventures

• Susie Warran-Smith CBE DL, Portfolio - Non-Executive Director

• Omar Shaikh CA, Managing Director - Global Ethical Finance Initiative

Closing keynote: From space missions to business decisions

Ten years after becoming the first British ESA astronaut to visit the International Space Station, Tim Peake closes the ICAS Annual Conference. He’ll reflect on his extraordinary career, lessons in resilience, growth mindset, lifelong learning, Space X and what it’s really like to spend six months floating around in space. 

Host

• Dharshini David, Deputy Economics Editor - BBC News

Speakers

• Tim Peake CMG, Former astronaut - European Space Agency

Closing remarks │ Bruce Cartwright CA, CEO, ICAS

Networking drinks

Conference close