Accountancy Insights

In this episode, EY UK Digital Assurance Leader Richard Harrison joins us to talk about how the firm is using AI agents in audit. How do they divide tasks between people and tech?  And how are they understanding and mitigating risk?

Then, Polly Tsang, ICAEW’s Senior Financial Services Regulatory Manager tells us about Prediction Markets. While you may not have heard of them, they’re opening up a whole new market for Insider Traders. Polly explains how they work, where the risks lie and what needs to happen to minimise them.

Links
EY principles of responsible AI - https://www.ey.com/en_uk/insights/ai/principles-for-ethical-and-responsible-ai?channel=TxtV-B
Prediction markets spark insider trading fears - https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/09/prediction-markets-spark-insider-trading-fears-how-firms-are-responding.html
Microsoft bans prediction markets - https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-prediction-markets-employee-policy-2026-7
Prediction markets are minting a new type of insider trader - https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2026-polymarket-traders-who-knew-the-future/
Google worker charged with using internal data to make $1.2m - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c052yv259jvo
ICAEW CPD record - https://www.icaew.com/membership/cpd/online-cpd-record
 Host: Philippa Lamb
 Guests:  
Richard Harrison, UK Digital Assurance Leader, EY
Polly Tsang, ICAEW’s Senior Financial Services Regulatory Manager
 Producer: Natalie Chisholm
 Series Lead:  Mark Rowland
 Episode first published: 4 August
 Podcast recorded: 27 July

The question of whether an ‘AI bubble’ is going to burst doesn’t seem to be going away. There’s a compelling case to be made on both sides of the argument, with the growing demand for AI tools, and the huge amount of money and resources needed to deliver on that demand. 
So what are the actual risks of an AI bubble, and what would that mean for the tools that businesses and firms are investing in right now? We interrogate the various indicators of whether there might be a bubble or not, and discuss the considerations and failsafes that businesses should consider when adopting AI software.
Links
Data centre planning policy - https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-10315/CBP-10315.pdf
Gas use in data centres - https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/dramatic-increase-in-data-centre-developers-wanting-gas-grid-connections-21-04-2026/
Water use for data centres - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/688cb407dc6688ed50878367/Water_use_in_data_centre_and_AI_report.pdf
AI company IPOs - https://www.blackrock.com/us/financial-professionals/insights/mega-ai-ipos-and-index-inclusion
Increasing demand for AI – Forbes - https://www.forbes.com/advisor/uk/business/software/uk-artificial-intelligence-ai-statistics/
AI boom leaves data centre demand beyond supply - https://datacentrenews.uk/story/ai-boom-to-leave-data-centre-demand-far-above-supply
ICAEW CPD record - https://my.icaew.com/cpdrecord
Host
Philippa Lamb
Guests
Tom Pugh, Chief Economist, RSM UK
Tasmin Lockwood, tech and environment journalist
Hothyfa Elbeera, Senior Software Engineer, Claimsgate, MoJ 
Producer
Natalie Chisholm
Series Lead
Mark Rowland 
Episode first published: 15 July
Podcast recorded: 08 June

We’ll have a new PM soon, while the war in the Middle East rages on. Does this mean more uncertainty for businesses in the second half of 2026? ICAEW’s Chief Economist tries to predict what might happen next. 

If that wasn’t enough, there’s a lot going on in tax at the moment, from MTD Income Tax to new agent registration rules and more tax changes than expected mid-year. Lindsey Wicks explains all the changes. 

Finally, we get an insight from Junaidy Ab-Mutalib about the profession in Malaysia. What are the unique opportunities and challenges for the profession in the region?
Links
ICAEW: Suren Thiru on how US-Iran peace deal could influence UK’s economic outlook - https://www.icaew.com/insights/viewpoints-on-the-news/2026/jun-2026/suren-thiru-on-how-us-iran-peace-deal-could-influence-uk-economy
ICAEW: Significant changes announced at Tax Update 2026 - https://www.icaew.com/insights/tax-news/2026/jun-2026/significant-changes-announced-at-tax-update-2026
ICAEW: HMRC sets timetable for agent multi factor authentication rollout - https://www.icaew.com/insights/tax-news/2026/jun-2026/hmrc-sets-timetable-for-agent-multi-factor-authentication-rollout
ICAEW: HMRC publishes detailed guidance on mandatory tax adviser registration - https://www.icaew.com/insights/tax-news/2026/jun-2026/hmrc-publishes-detailed-guidance-on-mandatory-tax-adviser-registration
ICAEW: MTD income tax and claims for averaging relief - https://www.icaew.com/insights/tax-news/2026/jun-2026/mtd-income-tax-and-claims-for-averaging-relief
ICAEW: CPD record - https://www.icaew.com/membership/cpd/online-cpd-record 
Host
Philippa Lamb

Guests
Suren Thiru, Chief Economist, ICAEW
Lindsey Wicks, Senior Tax Technical Manager, ICAEW
Junaidy Ab-Mutalib, Managing Partner, JM & Co

Producer
Natalie Chisholm

Series Lead
Mark Rowland

Episode first published: 1 July
Podcast recorded: 26 June

Last year CEO pay rose 20 times faster than workers’ pay, according to new research from Oxfam and the International Trade Union Confederation. At the most extreme end of that pay scale, investors approved an executive package for Elon Musk worth a potential $1tn.

So when does CEO pay become too high?  What are the commercial, ethical and cultural implications for organisations if they’re perceived to be over-paying their CEOs?  And as businesses compete globally for the best executive talent what can Boards do to keep pay packages in check?

Links
Top CEO pay statistics from Oxfam - https://www.oxfam.org/en/press-releases/top-ceo-pay-increased-20-times-faster-workers-pay-2025
ICAEW: Remuneration Committee ebooks - https://www.icaew.com/technical/corporate-governance/committees/remuneration-committees/remuneration-committee-ebooks
ICAEW: Guidance on remuneration - https://www.icaew.com/technical/corporate-governance/committees/remuneration-committees
ICAEW: How a CEOs pay package influences corporate culture - https://www.icaew.com/insights/viewpoints-on-the-news/2025/apr-2025/how-a-ceos-pay-package-influences-corporate-culture
ICAEW CPD record - https://www.icaew.com/membership/cpd/online-cpd-record
Host
Philippa Lamb

Guests
Shefaly Yogendra, independent Board director, board adviser and author
Peter van Veen, Governance and Ethics Director, ICAEW

Producer
Natalie Chisholm

Series Lead
Mark Rowland

Episode first published: 17 June
Podcast recorded: 11 May

The government has plans to tokenise financial markets. What exactly is tokenisation? What might it look like in practice and what are the big questions about it that still need answering? Polly Tsang, ICAEW’s Senior Financial Services Regulatory Manager, explains.

After that, audit reports: ICAEW has created the Auditor Reporting Lab, alongside audit firms, to encourage modernisation in the market. KPMG Partner in Professional Practice, Accounting & Reporting, Pamela Taylor, has been thinking hard about how to make them more useful and more user-friendly.

This podcast counts towards your annual CPD – click the link below to log your time.

Links
ICAEW: What is tokenisation, and what are the challenges for accountants? - https://www.icaew.com/insights/viewpoints-on-the-news/2026/may-2026/what-is-tokenisation-and-the-challenges-for-accountants
Government tokenisation announcement - https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-fintech-backed-to-embrace-future-payments-technology
FCA call for input on the future of tokenisation - https://www.fca.org.uk/publications/calls-input/future-tokenisation-joint-vision-authorities-uk-wholesale-markets
ICAEW: Digital Assets Conference - https://www.icaew.com/learning-and-development/events/digital-assets-conference
ICAEW: Auditor Reporting Lab - https://www.icaew.com/policy-and-research/thought-leadership/audit-and-assurance-thought-leadership/auditor-reporting-lab
ICAEW: Rethinking the auditor’s report - https://www.icaew.com/policy-and-research/thought-leadership/audit-and-assurance-thought-leadership/auditor-reporting-lab/rethinking-the-auditors-report
ICAEW: Audit and Assurance Conference - https://www.icaew.com/learning-and-development/events/audit-and-assurance-conference
ICAEW podcasts - https://www.icaew.com/insights/podcast

Host
Philippa Lamb

Guests
Polly Tsang, Senior Financial Services Regulatory Manager
Pamela Taylor, Partner in Professional Practice, Accounting & Reporting, KPMG

Producer
Natalie Chisholm

Series Lead
Mark Rowland

Episode first published: 3 June 2026
Podcast recorded: 19 May 2026