Four areas that the next government must focus on November 14, 2019 Britain is facing a momentously critical General Election. Beyond this vote, there are unprecedented challenges and opportunities ahead in the short and long term. Regardless of the outcome, several areas will demand clarity, close attention, and innovative solutions from our next government. 1. Brexit quandary Economic confidence has fallen heavily in recent years. ACCA’s Global [...]
Profit from purpose: What does it mean to be an ethical leader? October 17, 2019 At a time when the conduct of business leaders is regularly questioned, the concept of ethical leadership matters now more than ever. People are taking to the streets around the world, demanding action on human rights, civil liberties, and climate change. With the public becoming increasingly concerned about environmental, regulatory, and societal issues, these considerations [...]
Spending advice for the chancellor September 19, 2019 With the ongoing constitutional soap opera unfolding in Westminster, it’s hardly surprising that the Spending Round announcement from Sajid Javid didn’t make many headlines earlier this month. With parliament suspended until mid-October, there is some breathing space and time to reflect on the critical role that the Treasury will play in creating an environment where [...]
Our next Prime Minister should understand how crucial infrastructure projects are to the economy July 18, 2019 Tory members are electing their new leader and the next Prime Minister. Boris Johnson or Jeremy Hunt’s premiership will be dominated by a few issues – solving the Brexit deadlock in parliament, funding public services, and healing the country’s divides. But while it hasn’t featured as prominently as the European issue, infrastructure is of key [...]
Accountants can save the world (really) October 18, 2018 Last week, the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a landmark report due to be presented to governments at the Conference of the Parties in December this year. Its conclusions are stark – global carbon emissions must start to reduce well within 12 years if we are to prevent potentially catastrophic climate change [...]
Mayor power: Devolution is giving Britain a brighter future September 13, 2018 With the distraction of Brexit, one could be forgiven for believing that devolution policy has been dormant since 2016. Indeed, as Westminster negotiates feverishly for optimal European and international status come 30 March, it can seem that domestic policy has been effectively on hold since the referendum. But in that time, a quiet revolution has [...]
Mayor power: Devolution is giving Britain a brighter future September 13, 2018 With the distraction of Brexit, one could be forgiven for believing that devolution policy has been dormant since 2016. Indeed, as Westminster negotiates feverishly for optimal European and international status come 30 March, it can seem that domestic policy has been effectively on hold since the referendum. But in that time, a quiet revolution has [...]
How to get more women to the very top of the business world March 8, 2017 This International Women’s Day, I have been thinking about why – after so many years of discussion – we still need an “international day” to commit to working towards gender equality. As a female chief executive of a global professional body, I am unusual and most of my peers are men. ACCA has helped buck [...]
An open letter to the chancellor: What the accountancy profession want from the Autumn Statement November 16, 2016 Dear chancellor, I am writing to outline ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants)’s priorities for the Autumn Statement and Spending Review. ACCA has recently concluded a wide-ranging consultation with our members operating at senior levels across all parts of the public sector. Our consultation focused on the priorities of public sector decision-makers ahead of [...]
Navigating uncertainty: The future of accountancy October 12, 2016 The discovery that a computer error may have caused the sterling “flash crash” last week probably raised wry smiles in board-rooms around the world. The flurry of panicked headlines caused by Theresa May implying that Britain was heading towards hard Brexit apparently tricked trading algorithms into rapid selling of the currency. A meltdown triggered by [...]
