Eighth annual ACCA virtual conference sees record online turnout

This month saw the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) hold its epic three-day global virtual conference, Accounting for the Future, with a record attendance recorded.

ACCA said the event, which has been running for the past eight years, was the most successful yet with around 24,000 people from over 175 countries visiting the conference, up from 18,000 people from the previous year.

It is designed to give ACCA members the opportunity to keep themselves updated on the latest trends and developments affecting their professional life.

Delegates were given access to ACCA’s Professional Insights reports; a vast network of members from across markets; and a chance to listen to speakers from many countries and ask them questions, all within a virtual conference environment.

ACCA said this year saw particular focus on technology and ethics , but the 28 sessions ranged across the board with presenters from many countries and organisations – other topics covered included corporate reporting, tax, and trade issues such as Brexit and Belt and Road. The level of engagement was extremely high and technology sessions based on the Professional Insights report, Race for relevance, were the most tuned into sessions.

There were:

ACCA’s director of Professional Insights, Maggie McGhee, said: “This has been another successful and exciting year for Accounting for the Future. Many personalities have come together over the past three days to present some really insightful and entertaining sessions. We’ve seen a number of high profile individuals ranging from the likes of Corporate philosopher, Roger Steere; Grant Thornton’s CEO, Sacha Romanovitch to Richard Howitt, chief executive of theInternational Integrated Reporting Council.

“More than 16,000 items of ACCA’s Professional Insights work– such as our reports, online magazines and ACCA’s Professional Insights app – have been accessed. These numbers will certainly increase between now and next year.

“For anyone who was unable to attend, the material from the conference remains open ‘on demand’ until April 2018 at accaglobal.com/accountingforthefuture.”