Join CIMA CEO Andrew Harding as he opens the 2021 Engage Europe Conference. 

Graeme Leach is CEO & Chief Economist of macronomics, a macroeconomic, geopolitical and future megatrends research consultancy. In the wake of Covid, Brexit and the disruption of a technological revolution, never has the economic uncertainty been greater. Graeme will take you on a tour d’horizon of the future of the economy, in both the short-term and long-term, to help you understand the forces at work and how they will impact the economy and business in the future. In both the short and long-term Graeme will challenge the consensus and prevailing wisdom and so this is a must see.

Graeme will open with an analysis of the short-term economic outlook post lockdown and the vaccine, describing the shape and speed of economic recovery and why financial markets are complacent about the threat of inflation.

He will then go on to examine the 3 long-term economic drivers which will shape the economic outlook in the 2020s most: (1) The enduring economic legacy of Covid-19. (2) The impact of the UK-EU Trade Agreement (3) The transformative impact of the technological revolution and the maturity, scale and convergence of technologies such as AI, 5G, IoT, Big Data and 3D manufacturing.

Main learning outcomes:

-An understanding of what will shape the economic outlook in the short-term.
-An understanding of what will shape the economic outlook in the long-term.
-An understanding of how economic analysis works in the real world.

Andrew Mead from AndMe Consulting is a specialist is accounting and financial reporting. He will guide you through the things all accountants have to consider when preparing financial statements in the current world. He will introduce accounting for new things businesses are experiencing and remind you of some unchanged principles.

Covid has changed all our lives but it has also given us lots to think about from an accounting point of view. Andrew will remind people of the accounting for government grants and explain the intricacies of accounting for the various government backed loans. There is also revised accounting for rent concessions which some businesses have received. Covid also gives us challenges on the valuation of both assets and liabilities, including the need to consider impairments of many assets on Balance Sheet. Finally, there is the need to consider the disclosures required to give the reader of the accounts an understanding of the position of the business.

Although the presentation will be UK GAAP based, most of the principles will also apply to IFRS adopters.

Business partnering has been around for decades yet companies still struggle to create value through business partnering. A new approach is needed to unleash the value potential of the finance function. In this session, we will address the steps needed for Finance to succeed with business partnering once and for all. Expect to get a practical framework for implementing business partnering that works in your company!

Leadership IS influence.  It is influencing others to move from point A to point B.  Whether that’s influencing others to buy into an idea or vision, achieve a goal, give their best, etc.  Your sphere of influence is that place where your opinion holds weight.  We all have one.  It can extend to your colleagues and peers, your team-members, your manager and beyond.  During this session you will learn three ways you can expand your own sphere of influence so that you can become more effective in the workplace.  You will also come away with a personalised action plan that you can implement immediately.  

In order to adapt to today's quickly changing business conditions and remain competitive, organizations must embark on a journey of true digital transformation, especially in the area of planning and analysis. Successful planning requires accurate data, a single source of truth, collaboration across the entire organization and the flexibility to adjust plans and forecasts quickly. It sounds simple, but in most organizations, business unit planning is a lengthy, manual and siloed process. Join us to learn how leading finance teams are integrating financial and operational planning, automating key processes and augmenting human intelligence through the use of artificial intelligence and predictive analytics, in order to drive more accurate plans and forecasts. You’ll hear insights and best practices directly from IBM clients who have already embarked on their transformation journey. Learn how they were able to get stakeholder buy-in, standardize financials, improve operational efficiencies and make better business decisions, faster.

Join this session to hear from Matt Russell, a partner at PwC specialising in Financial Crime, who will help you understand how the current anti-money laundering regime is changing and the priorities of those tasked with enforcing compliance with the corresponding legislation and regulations.

Businesses large and small have struggled over the last year trying to survive lockdowns and restrictions due to COVID 19. Now more than ever businesses need to be flexible and creative. SMEs have been particularly hard hit but can be much more nimble than larger organisations. The key is to be open to change and understand how the marketplace you are operating in is developing.

This presentation is designed to help you review your business model, adapt it to the changing marketplace in 2021 and strengthen your strategic direction going forward. With the use of real life case studies we will explore together how successful businesses thrive.

Learning Outcome: 

• How to review your current business model and move it towards a more appropriate future model

Gin Lalli will talk about the science behind how the brain functions during anxiety, stress and depression. An accumulation of negative thoughts over time can mean that we feel overwhelmed and out of control. Understanding the biological process that causes this enables us to manage these symptoms and feel better both mentally and physically.

By using examples and metaphors, Gin gives you an accurate, straightforward explanation of brain function and how, by improving just one underestimated area of your life, you can ‘empty your stress bucket’.

Learning outcomes: 

• Anxiety, depression and anger are survival responses. 
• Use metaphors to explain brain function and discuss mental health openly. 
• Sleep is your superpower and ‘free therapy’ – don’t underestimate it!. 

Learn how to leverage analytics to achieve your strategic goals in this actionable break-out session.

Reporting and analytics are often used interchangeably. Yet they offer different levels of value to the organization. In this session, we’ll share the most valuable reports finance should create and practical ways to leverage analytics for your competitive advantage.

As business begins to rebound, having a clear understanding of your spending only helps you chart a strategic course forward. And knowing how to efficiently turn spend data into actionable insights will keep you ahead of the rest.

Join this webinar to learn:How analytics and reporting differ, The crucial reports finance should create, Practical ways that analytics supports success, How to uncover opportunities in complex data