Accountancy Insights

Everyone’s talking about energy costs at the moment. Greenfields Energy Group’s co-founder LIAM CONWAY walks us through the energy impacts of the Iran War and outlines the best ways for businesses to protect themselves from global energy shocks.   

Elsewhere on the episode, we discuss new guidance from the Financial Reporting Council on managing the risks for auditors when it comes to AI adoption; and a quick update on UKGAAP: the challenges that the changes pose for smaller entities

Links
How higher oil prices will change Britain -https://www.thetimes.com/article/f754197a-859b-460b-8ad0-1e36fc878ff1
FRC – AI in Audit: Generative and Agentic AI guidance -https://www.frc.org.uk/library/standards-codes-policy/audit-assurance-and-ethics/guidance/ai-in-audit/
ICAEW UK GAAP hub - https://www.icaew.com/technical/corporate-reporting/uk-gaap/changes-to-uk-gaap
ICAEW: Changes to UK GAAP Conference - https://www.icaew.com/learning-and-development/events/corporate-reporting-conference
ICAEW podcasts - https://www.icaew.com/insights/podcast

Host
Philippa Lamb

Guests
Liam Conway, Co-Founder, Greenfield Energy Group
Ian Pay, Head of Data Analytics, ICAEW
Fahad Asgar, Technical Manager, Corporate Reporting, ICAEW 

Producer
Natalie Chisholm

Series Lead
Mark Rowland

Episode first published: 6 May
Podcast recorded: 29 April

AI is already having an impact on the make-up of audit teams and there’s some evidence it’s already reducing the number of junior roles. But it’s all still new, and developing all of the time. What about the medium and longer term effects? How might it change training and career paths and will it ultimately boost or diminish the appeal of a career in accountancy?

We’re joined by a young accountant, an ex-accountant turned HR advisor, and the MD of a leading hiring firm in the audit and accounting sector, about how roles, skills and hiring practices are evolving, and what that means for the profession.

Links
ICAEW: Why we still need junior accountants in the age of AI - https://www.icaew.com/insights/viewpoints-on-the-news/2026/apr-2026/why-we-still-need-junior-accountants-and-how-their-role-might-change
Is There a Brain Drain in Auditing? - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/402277496_Modeling_the_Consequences_of_the_Auditors'_Leaving_the_Public_Accounting_Profession_Is_There_a_Brain_Drain_in_Auditing
ICAEW: How to stop accountancy's brain drain - https://www.icaew.com/insights/podcast/behind-the-numbers/how-to-stop-accountancys-brain-drain/transcript
ICAEW: How is AI transforming roles in industry? - https://www.icaew.com/insights/viewpoints-on-the-news/2026/apr-2026/how-is-ai-transforming-roles-in-industry
ICAEW podcasts - https://www.icaew.com/insights/podcast

Host
Philippa Lamb

Guests
Lola Abitogun, Fractional HR Director
George Oliver, Audit Associate, KPMG
Chris Lawton, Group MD, Executive Search, Robert Half

Producer
Natalie Chisholm

Series Lead
Mark Rowland

Episode first published: 15 April
Podcast recorded: 11 March

We’ve already seen immediate spikes and fluctuations in the oil price and the wider financial and commodity markets.  But how will the UK economy be affected in the months to come and how heavy a price will British Business pay? RSM Chief Economist Tom Pugh shares his thoughts. 

Liz Barclay is Co-founder of Business 111, Special Adviser on Small Business & Entrepreneurship at the Institute of Directors and campaigner for tighter rules on late payments. She gives her views on the Government’s recently announced plans.

Finally, with demand growing for AI assurance, what does good actually look like?  Expert and Senior Programme Manager in Digital Ethics & AI at TechUK, Tess Buckley, fills us in.

Links
ICAEW: Iran conflict sends economic shockwave across the Gulf -https://www.icaew.com/insights/viewpoints-on-the-news/2026/mar-2026/iran-conflict-sends-economic-shockwave-through-the-gulf
Oil prices to stay elevated across Iran War scenarios - https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/oil-prices-stay-elevated-across-iran-war-scenarios-2026-03-27/
Late payments consultation response - https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/late-payments-tackling-poor-payment-practices/outcome/late-payment-consultation-time-to-pay-up-government-response-web-version
Government AI assurance roadmap - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/trusted-third-party-ai-assurance-roadmap/trusted-third-party-ai-assurance-roadmap
Ensuring responsible AI development - https://www.techuk.org/resource/ensuring-responsible-ai-development-let-s-talk-about-ai-assurance.html

Host
Philippa Lamb
Guests
Liz Barclay, Co-founder of Business 111, Special Adviser on Small Business & Entrepreneurship at the Institute of Directors
Tess Buckley, Expert and Senior Programme Manager in Digital Ethics & AI at TechUK
Tom Pugh, RSM Chief Economist
Producer
Natalie Chisholm

Series Lead
Mark Rowland

Episode first published: 1 April
Podcast recorded: 27 March

UK Sustainability Reporting Standards (UK SRS) are bringing sustainability reporting in line with international standards. So who will be mandated to use them and how will they apply in practice? The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is consulting on this at the moment. One of the people behind the international standards joins us and ICAEW’s Sustainability Reporting and Assurance Director to discuss the implications of this.
Links
UK Sustainability Reporting Standards - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/uk-sustainability-reporting-standards
FCA Consultation - https://www.fca.org.uk/publications/consultation-papers/cp26-5-sustainability-disclosures
IFRS Sustainability Disclosures navigator - https://www.ifrs.org/issued-standards/ifrs-sustainability-standards-navigator/
ICAEW Government publishes UK SRS - https://www.icaew.com/insights/viewpoints-on-the-news/2026/feb-2026/government-publishes-uk-sustainability-reporting-standards
Host
Philippa Lamb
Guests
Ravi Abeywardana, ICAEW's Director of Sustainability Reporting and Assurance
Richard Barker, a member of the International Sustainability Standards Board
Producer 
Natalie Chisholm
Series Lead
Mark Rowland
Episode first published: 10 March
Podcast recorded: 9 February

There’s just one month to go till Making Tax Digital kicks in for Income Tax; we take a look at how the transition will go. There’s also a lot happening in corporate reporting at the moment – Sally Baker brings us up to speed.
Links
ICAEW: Making Tax Digital - https://www.icaew.com/technical/tax/making-tax-digital
ICAEW: MTD: How to prepare your clients - https://www.icaew.com/insights/tax-news/2026/jan-2026/mtd-how-to-prepare-your-clients
ICAEW: FRC issues amendments to FRS 102 and FRS 105 - https://www.icaew.com/insights/viewpoints-on-the-news/2026/mar-2026/frc-issues-amendments-to-frs-102-and-frs105
ICAEW: Government publishes UK Sustainability Reporting Standards - https://www.icaew.com/insights/viewpoints-on-the-news/2026/feb-2026/government-publishes-uk-sustainability-reporting-standards
Regulation plan update: Modernisation of Corporate Reporting - https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2025-10-21/hcws973
ICAEW: UK adopts IFRS 18 - https://www.icaew.com/insights/viewpoints-on-the-news/2025/dec-2025/landmark-moment-for-financial-reporting-as-uk-adopts-ifrs-18
ICAEW: IFRS 18 fact sheet (ICAEW members only) - https://www.icaew.com/restrictedmedia?mediaItemId=03545ebb-a068-48eb-b50c-13eede0e3804
Host
Philippa Lamb
Guests
Sally Baker, Head of Corporate Reporting Strategy, ICAEW
Rebecca Benneyworth, ICAEW Chartered Accountant
Producer 
Natalie Chisholm
Series Lead
Mark Rowland

Episode first published: 4 March
Podcast recorded: 23 and 25 February