Behind the Numbers: Dealing with uncertainty, and mental health
We’re all navigating uncertainty right now. How can accountants manage it professionally and personally? Riaz Shah OBE, former EY Partner and Professor of Practice at Hult International Business School, breaks down the biggest factors affecting the profession at the moment, and how it might shape the role and future of accountants. Then Paul Guess, Case Management Officer for accountants’ support charity CABA, talks about the mental toll that the current environment is taking on professionals, and the kind of support that they can expect to receive.Links:https://www.icaew.com/learning-and-development/events/icaew-annual-conferencehttp://caba.org.uk/https://www.icaew.com/insights/viewpoints-on-the-news/2025/sep-2025/global-trust-in-chartered-accountants-rises-in-ai-worldhttps://www.icaew.com/insights/viewpoints-on-the-news/2025/jul-2025/ai-should-it-replace-junior-roles HostPhilippa LambGuestsRiaz Shah OBE, Professor of Practice, Hult International Business SchoolPaul Guess, Case Management Officer, CABAProducerNatalie ChisholmEpisode first published: 3 October 2025Podcast recorded: 25 September 2025
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Behind the Numbers: Should we compensate whistleblowers?
Whistleblowing is a vital process but often fraught with far more risk and emotional upheaval than it should be. In Western Europe, 43% of all occupational fraud cases come to light thanks to whistleblowers. And it’s not just fraud: cases from poor health-and-safety practices to bad team management have all been righted thanks to people speaking out.Although many whistleblowing cases do result in bad practice being stopped and workplaces improved, some whistleblowers have been victimised or forced out of their jobs. In the UK, the new Failure to Prevent Fraud offence will mandate large employers to put clear whistleblowing policies in place, and both the Serious Fraud Office and HMRC are looking at schemes to incentivise whistleblowing.Andrew Pepper-Parsons, Director of Policy and Communications at whistleblowing charity Protect, and Brendan Weekes, Associate Director at accountancy firm, S&W, join our host Philippa Lamb to discuss the topic, why a significant minority of whistleblowers don’t get the requisite protection and what the forthcoming regulation and potential SFO and HMRC schemes will mean for UK business. They also both discuss some best practice case studies from organisations that are doing a good job of encouraging people to speak up when they see something that’s not right. This includes the Wellcome Trust’s excellently named scheme “The Only Way is Ethics”.Linkshttps://protect-advice.org.uk/checklist-for-whistleblowers/https://whistleblowersblog.org/global-whistleblowers/uks-sfo-director-continues-to-push-for-whistleblower-awards/https://www.icaew.com/insights/viewpoints-on-the-news/2025/sep-2025/the-four-elements-of-effective-whistleblowing-culturehttps://www.icaew.com/insights/viewpoints-on-the-news/2025/jun-2025/why-whistleblowing-is-a-requirement-not-a-choice-for-accountantsHostPhilippa LambGuests● Andrew Pepper-Parsons, Director of Policy and Communications, Protect● Brendan Weekes, Associate Director, S&W ProducerNatalie ChisholmEpisode first published: 18 September 2025Podcast recorded: 12 September 2025
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Accountancy Insights: Kemi Badenoch on growth and the profession
In this special episode of Accountancy Insights, we bring you a timely interview of Kemi Badenoch by ICAEW’s Chief Executive Alan Vallance who sat down with her after a speech she gave at Chartered Accountants’ Hall.Badenoch talked about tackling perennial long-term problems like productivity and smarter regulation. She spoke with feeling about her frustration when, as Business Secretary in the previous Conservative government, she would meet with business leaders who showed her how debilitating regulation could be for business if the consequences of new laws are not thought through properly.Drawing on her tech background, she also disagreed with her former colleague Jeremy Hunt that AI would replace accountants, saying “I don’t think accountants have anything to worry about.” ICAEW’s Chief Policy and Communications Officer Iain Wright then joins our host Philippa Lamb to discuss Badenoch’s proposals and how it’s further evidence of ICAEW’s unique position as a leading voice for business.Links ICAEW: More on Kemi Badenoch’s speech - https://www.icaew.com/insights/viewpoints-on-the-news/2025/sep-2025/kemi-badenoch-speaks-at-icaew-we-need-to-take-risksICAEW Policy: How the government can deliver growth - https://www.icaew.com/about-icaew/regulation-and-the-public-interest/policy/how-the-government-can-deliver-growth HostPhilippa LambGuestsIain Wright, Chief Policy and Communications Officer, ICAEWProducerNatalie ChisholmEpisode first published: 18 September 2025Podcast recorded: 12 September 2025
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Accountancy Insights: Companies House update, scaling up smartly and the Next Generation ACA
Accountancy Insights explores the month’s top stories in the profession.In this episode, we discuss the introduction of four statutory instruments to enforce Companies House reform, as well as the common mistakes to avoid when scaling up a business. We also cover the introduction and content of the Next Generation ACA qualification.Philippa Lamb is joined by Mike Miller, ICAEW Economic Crime Manager; Anne Allibone, fractional CFO and commercial advisor; and Shaun Robertson, ICAEW Director of Education and Qualifications.Time codes00:30 Companies House update11:00 Scaling up smartly21:54 The Next Generation ACA LinksICAEW: Four draft instruments brought in to enforce Companies House reform: https://www.icaew.com/insights/viewpoints-on-the-news/2025/jul-2025/four-draft-instruments-brought-in-to-enforce-companies-house-reformICAEW: How to grow hub: https://www.icaew.com/technical/business/how-to-grow ICAEW: Next Generation ACA hub: https://www.icaew.com/learning-and-development/aca/next-generation-aca HostPhilippa Lamb GuestsMike Miller, Economic Crime Manager, ICAEWAnne Allibone, fractional CFO and commercial advisorShaun Robertson, Director, Education and Qualifications, ICAEW ProducerNatalie Chisholm Episode first published: 11 September 2025
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Accountancy Insights: Can history teach us anything about digital money?
In this episode of Behind the Numbers, we explore what the history of money can tell us about its future.Currency has been evolving for thousands of years, but the pace of change has now escalated with the introduction of online banking and digital currencies. We discuss the parallels between modern and historical advances in currency, and key lessons as central banks look to introduce their own digital currencies.Host Philippa Lamb is joined by Polly Tsang, Senior Financial Services Regulatory Manager at ICAEW; and Dr Tony Moore, Lecturer in Finance at Henley Business School.Links ICAEW Technology hub: https://www.icaew.com/technical/technology ICAEW Financial Services Faculty: https://www.icaew.com/technical/financial-servicesHostPhilippa LambGuestsPolly Tsang, Senior Financial Services Regulatory Manager, ICAEWDr Tony Moore, Lecturer in Finance, Henley Business SchoolProducerNatalie ChisholmEpisode first published: 20 August 2025Podcast recorded: 13 August 2025
In this podcast series from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), a panel of guests dissect the latest headlines and provide expert analysis on the top stories from across the world of business, finance and accountancy
UK