FOR THE RECORD
Member information and updates from ICAS
FOR THE RECORD
Member information and updates from ICAS
ICAS Practice Conference 2026
The accountancy profession is changing fast and the pressure on practice owners and business leaders has never been greater. From personnel challenges and pricing pressure to AI and Making Tax Digital, it’s easy to feel pulled in too many directions at once.
The ICAS Practice Conference 2026: Profitability by Design is about cutting through the noise and focusing on what matters. Because growth doesn’t come from doing more, but from doing the right things well. This one-day conference is designed to help you strengthen the foundations of your firm, your people, your processes, your pricing and your use of technology, so you can grow with confidence, not complexity.
Across practical sessions, panels and interactive workshops, we’ll explore the core themes shaping modern accountancy practices:
• People and leadership
• Positioning, pricing and client advisory
• Technology and AI
Sessions
AI Won’t Save a Messy Firm
Author and entrepreneur Alexis Kingsbury on building the foundations that make AI effective.
From Reactive Referrals to Repeatable Growth
Commercial leader James Sundin on creating momentum and scaling your accountancy practice.
With more speakers to come, this promises to be a must for all accountants working in practice.
Date: Tuesday 16 June 2026
Time: 09.00–18.00
Location: Radisson Blu Hotel, 301 Argyle Street, Glasgow G2 8DL
Free to attend. Dress code business casual
Find out more and register here
ICAS Practice Conference 2026
The accountancy profession is changing fast and the pressure on practice owners and business leaders has never been greater. From personnel challenges and pricing pressure to AI and Making Tax Digital, it’s easy to feel pulled in too many directions at once.
The ICAS Practice Conference 2026: Profitability by Design is about cutting through the noise and focusing on what matters. Because growth doesn’t come from doing more, but from doing the right things well. This one-day conference is designed to help you strengthen the foundations of your firm, your people, your processes, your pricing and your use of technology, so you can grow with confidence, not complexity.
Across practical sessions, panels and interactive workshops, we’ll explore the core themes shaping modern accountancy practices:
• People and leadership
• Positioning, pricing and client advisory
• Technology and AI
Sessions
AI Won’t Save a Messy Firm
Author and entrepreneur Alexis Kingsbury on building the foundations that make AI effective.
From Reactive Referrals to Repeatable Growth
Commercial leader James Sundin on creating momentum and scaling your accountancy practice.
With more speakers to come, this promises to be a must for all accountants working in practice.
Date: Tuesday 16 June 2026
Time: 09.00–18.00
Location: Radisson Blu Hotel, 2301 Argyle Street, Glasgow G2 8DL
Free to attend. Dress code business casual
Find out more and register here
AI and the accountant
Almost three-quarters (72%) of accounting professionals fear Gen AI could produce errors or reach incorrect decisions, according to a year-long research study commissioned by ICAS.
The findings come from a major new report, Generative AI and Professional Judgement in Accounting, published as part of ICAS’ Shaping the Profession programme.
Conducted by research partners from Alliance Manchester and Aston business schools, the study provides rare real-world insight into how Gen AI is being adopted at a mid-tier UK accounting firm Beever and Struthers (now part of Menzies).
Drawing on firm-wide surveys of more than 200 accounting professionals, 50 in-depth interviews, targeted skills development activities and four detailed case studies, the project explores accountants’ use of the technology in day-to-day practice and how it is shaping their professional judgement.
Key findings include:
• 74% of the accounting professionals surveyed say the technology speeds up the tasks they perform
• 72% worry Gen AI could produce errors or incorrect decisions
• 52% raised concerns about client data privacy and confidentiality
• 53% turn to Gen AI to write emails and edit text, while 46% use it to summarise meetings or documents
• 21% said they were concerned Gen AI might affect their job security
“The message from our research is clear: people, not machines, must remain firmly in the driving seat of professional decision-making,” said ICAS Research and Thought Leadership Manager, Ewan McCall. “While Gen AI can help accountants work faster and handle many routine tasks more efficiently, the technology is only as effective as the information, supervision, and oversight behind it.”
Read the report here
AI and the accountant
Almost three-quarters (72%) of accounting professionals fear Gen AI could produce errors or reach incorrect decisions, according to a year-long research study commissioned by ICAS.
The findings come from a major new report, Generative AI and Professional Judgement in Accounting, published as part of ICAS’ Shaping the Profession programme.
Conducted by research partners from Alliance Manchester and Aston business schools, the study provides rare real-world insight into how Gen AI is being adopted at a mid-tier UK accounting firm Beever and Struthers (now part of Menzies).
Drawing on firm-wide surveys of more than 200 accounting professionals, 50 in-depth interviews, targeted skills development activities and four detailed case studies, the project explores accountants’ use of the technology in day-to-day practice and how it is shaping their professional judgement.
Key findings include:
• 74% of the accounting professionals surveyed say the technology speeds up the tasks they perform
• 72% worry Gen AI could produce errors or incorrect decisions
• 52% raised concerns about client data privacy and confidentiality
• 53% turn to Gen AI to write emails and edit text, while 46% use it to summarise meetings or documents
• 21% said they were concerned Gen AI might affect their job security
“The message from our research is clear: people, not machines, must remain firmly in the driving seat of professional decision-making,” said ICAS Research and Thought Leadership Manager, Ewan McCall. “While Gen AI can help accountants work faster and handle many routine tasks more efficiently, the technology is only as effective as the information, supervision, and oversight behind it.”
Read the report here
Admission Ceremony 2026
On Saturday 7 March, more than 340 newly qualified CAs were welcomed to membership at the ICAS Admission Ceremony in Edinburgh. It was a day filled with celebration and a real sense of accomplishment. Alongside their friends and family, the new CAs came together to celebrate their hard work and dedication and officially take their place in the 24,000-strong ICAS network.
This year’s ceremony marked a significant milestone for social mobility, as the ICAS Foundation celebrated helping more than 50 young people from low-income backgrounds to achieve CA status.
CEO Gail Boag said: “Welcoming the 50th ICAS Foundation alumnus to membership at this year’s ceremony is a particularly special moment in our 172-year history. Their admission, alongside 776 new members, reflects our commitment to removing barriers to entry and building a diverse pipeline of future talent within the accountancy profession.”
Admission Ceremony 2026
On Saturday 7 March, more than 340 newly qualified CAs were welcomed to membership at the ICAS Admission Ceremony in Edinburgh. It was a day filled with celebration and a real sense of accomplishment. Alongside their friends and family, the new CAs came together to celebrate their hard work and dedication and officially take their place in the 24,000-strong ICAS network.
This year’s ceremony marked a significant milestone for social mobility, as the ICAS Foundation celebrated helping more than 50 young people from low-income backgrounds to achieve CA status.
CEO Gail Boag said: “Welcoming the 50th ICAS Foundation alumnus to membership at this year’s ceremony is a particularly special moment in our 172-year history. Their admission, alongside 776 new members, reflects our commitment to removing barriers to entry and building a diverse pipeline of future talent within the accountancy profession.”
Your ICAS, your vote
The member nominations are in and voting will soon be open for the contested ICAS Council seats and the 2026 SGM and AGM resolutions.
Voting opens on Wednesday 1 April and will close on Wednesday 22 April, with the results of the elections being announced at the AGM on Friday 24 April.
All members will receive a voting email from Mi-Voice, the independent election scrutineer which is managing the voting on behalf of ICAS.
The email will contain full information on the seats open for election and the candidates – including their pitches to the membership.
Look out for your email when voting opens on 1 April
Your ICAS, your vote
The member nominations are in and voting will soon be open for the contested ICAS Council seats and the 2026 SGM and AGM resolutions.
Voting opens on Wednesday 1 April and will close on Wednesday 22 April, with the results of the elections being announced at the AGM on Friday 24 April.
All members will receive a voting email from Mi-Voice, the independent election scrutineer which is managing the voting on behalf of ICAS.
The email will contain full information on the seats open for election and the candidates – including their pitches to the membership.
Look out for your email when voting opens on 1 April
SGM and AGM 2026
Join our Special General Meeting and Annual General Meeting 2026, at CA House in Edinburgh and online, to vote on business including approval of the 2025 Annual Report and consolidated financial statements, to hear the announcement of the ICAS President, Deputy President and Vice President for 2026/27, and the results of the elections to Council.
Members are encouraged to vote by proxy in advance of the SGM and AGM either online or by post. Those joining online and who wish to vote during the meeting will be required to vote online using the instructions sent to them by Mi-Voice.
Date: 24 April 2026
Time: 14.00–15.00 BST
Location: CA House, 21 Haymarket Yards, Edinburgh EH12 5BH or online
To join in person, email events@icas.com
SGM and AGM 2026
Join our Special General Meeting and Annual General Meeting 2026, at CA House in Edinburgh and online, to vote on business including approval of the 2025 Annual Report and consolidated financial statements, to hear the announcement of the ICAS President, Deputy President and Vice President for 2026/27, and the results of the elections to Council.
Members are encouraged to vote by proxy in advance of the SGM and AGM either online or by post. Those joining online and who wish to vote during the meeting will be required to vote online using the instructions sent to them by Mi-Voice.
Date: 24 April 2026
Time: 14.00–15.00 BST
Location: CA House, 21 Haymarket Yards, Edinburgh EH12 5BH or online
To join in person, email events@icas.com
An evening with the Queen of Shops
“When creativity and finance work in rhythm, it’s magical.” That was the message from ‘Queen of Shops’ Mary Portas OBE, speaking at an International Women’s Day event hosted by ICAS in February.
The celebrated retail consultant, broadcaster and author was in conversation with TV and radio presenter Amy Irons at the Everyman Glasgow, where they discussed leadership and the role of business in creating positive change.
For Portas (pictured with ICAS President Karen Scholes CA), leadership should be all about authenticity. Reflecting on her own career, the former ‘high street tsar’, who transformed Harvey Nichols into a cultural icon, said she’d come to value qualities that were once overlooked in the boardroom.
“I want to be a woman who can be vulnerable, sensitive and still lead,” she told the audience, adding that empathy and emotional intelligence remain undervalued in many workplaces. Looking back, “I would have respected my intuition and feminine energy more – instead of leaning into patriarchal alpha culture,” she said.
A key theme of the evening was the relationship between the creative and financial disciplines. Portas argued that great ideas alone are rarely enough without sound financial thinking behind them.
Conversation also touched on the wider purpose of business. Portas believes organisations should think carefully about their social impact. “Business has to make profit – that’s what we’re there for,” she said. “But if we can do it in a way that gives back, what a different place this would be.” And CAs are central to making that balance possible, she said. By providing financial clarity and accountability, they help ensure purpose-led ideas are sustainable in the long term.
Proceeds from the event were donated to Smart Works, a charity that supports unemployed women by providing interview coaching, professional clothing and ongoing career support. Tens of thousands of women have already benefited from the charity’s tailored coaching and clothing service – with many securing employment within weeks.
Guests at the event also had the opportunity to purchase copies of Portas’s latest book, I Shop, Therefore I Am, with a signing following the discussion.
Donate to SmartWorks here
An evening with the Queen of Shops
“When creativity and finance work in rhythm, it’s magical.” That was the message from ‘Queen of Shops’ Mary Portas OBE, speaking at an International Women’s Day event hosted by ICAS in February.
The celebrated retail consultant, broadcaster and author was in conversation with TV and radio presenter Amy Irons at the Everyman Glasgow, where they discussed leadership and the role of business in creating positive change.
For Portas (pictured with ICAS President Karen Scholes CA), leadership should be all about authenticity. Reflecting on her own career, the former ‘high street tsar’, who transformed Harvey Nichols into a cultural icon, said she’d come to value qualities that were once overlooked in the boardroom.
“I want to be a woman who can be vulnerable, sensitive and still lead,” she told the audience, adding that empathy and emotional intelligence remain undervalued in many workplaces. Looking back, “I would have respected my intuition and feminine energy more – instead of leaning into patriarchal alpha culture,” she said.
A key theme of the evening was the relationship between the creative and financial disciplines. Portas argued that great ideas alone are rarely enough without sound financial thinking behind them.
Conversation also touched on the wider purpose of business. Portas believes organisations should think carefully about their social impact. “Business has to make profit – that’s what we’re there for,” she said. “But if we can do it in a way that gives back, what a different place this would be.” And CAs are central to making that balance possible, she said. By providing financial clarity and accountability, they help ensure purpose-led ideas are sustainable in the long term.
Proceeds from the event were donated to Smart Works, a charity that supports unemployed women by providing interview coaching, professional clothing and ongoing career support. Tens of thousands of women have already benefited from the charity’s tailored coaching and clothing service – with many securing employment within weeks.
Guests at the event also had the opportunity to purchase copies of Portas’s latest book, I Shop, Therefore I Am, with a signing following the discussion.
Donate to SmartWorks here
Supporting diversity in the profession
April marks World Autism Acceptance Month, an opportunity to recognise the strengths that neurodivergent individuals bring to our workplaces and to reflect on how organisations can create environments where everyone can thrive.
Neurodiversity refers to the natural variation in how people think, learn and process information. Many autistic professionals, and those with other neurodivergent conditions, contribute valuable perspectives, creativity and problem-solving approaches with their work.
Creating psychologically safe workplaces is an important part of supporting neurodiversity. When colleagues feel able to communicate their needs and preferences, organisations are better positioned to unlock talent and enable individuals to perform at their best.
ICAS offers a range of wellbeing support for members, students and firms. Through the wellbeing helpline, members can access confidential advice and counselling support, available 24 hours a day. You’ll also find a managerial advice line which can support leaders and employers who are navigating conversations about wellbeing and workplace support.
Members also have access to Ele, the digital wellbeing platform, which provides a library of self-help resources including videos, podcasts and expert guidance covering topics such as mental health, resilience and neurodiversity.
Learn more about ICAS’ wellbeing support
Supporting diversity in the profession
April marks World Autism Acceptance Month, an opportunity to recognise the strengths that neurodivergent individuals bring to our workplaces and to reflect on how organisations can create environments where everyone can thrive.
Neurodiversity refers to the natural variation in how people think, learn and process information. Many autistic professionals, and those with other neurodivergent conditions, contribute valuable perspectives, creativity and problem-solving approaches with their work.
Creating psychologically safe workplaces is an important part of supporting neurodiversity. When colleagues feel able to communicate their needs and preferences, organisations are better positioned to unlock talent and enable individuals to perform at their best.
ICAS offers a range of wellbeing support for members, students and firms. Through the wellbeing helpline, members can access confidential advice and counselling support, available 24 hours a day. You’ll also find a managerial advice line which can support leaders and employers who are navigating conversations about wellbeing and workplace support.
Members also have access to Ele, the digital wellbeing platform, which provides a library of self-help resources including videos, podcasts and expert guidance covering topics such as mental health, resilience and neurodiversity.
Learn more about ICAS’ wellbeing support
Real insight, real people, real results
At Cooper Parry Finance Recruitment, we’re deeply connected to Scotland’s finance community. With offices in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow, our team is embedded in the market. We’re close to our clients and tuned into the talent shaping the profession.
What sets us apart? Our team is led by qualified finance professionals. That means every conversation is backed by genuine expertise and market insight, allowing us to ask better questions, give clearer advice and deliver stronger outcomes.
We’re also proud to be an ICAS recruitment partner. Integrity, professionalism and doing the right thing aren’t slogans for us. They’re fundamental to how we work.
Our approach is consultative, honest and people-first. We take time to understand ambitions, team dynamics and long-term goals so we can connect the right people with the right opportunities.
Real insight, real people, real results
At Cooper Parry Finance Recruitment, we’re deeply connected to Scotland’s finance community. With offices in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow, our team is embedded in the market. We’re close to our clients and tuned into the talent shaping the profession.
What sets us apart? Our team is led by qualified finance professionals. That means every conversation is backed by genuine expertise and market insight, allowing us to ask better questions, give clearer advice and deliver stronger outcomes.
We’re also proud to be an ICAS recruitment partner. Integrity, professionalism and doing the right thing aren’t slogans for us. They’re fundamental to how we work.
Our approach is consultative, honest and people-first. We take time to understand ambitions, team dynamics and long-term goals so we can connect the right people with the right opportunities.
Looking for your next role or your next hire? Get in touch: cpfinancerecruitment@cooperparry.com
Mentor the next generation of CAs
Could you mentor an undergraduate student on the ICAS Foundation programme?
The ICAS Foundation is a charity that supports young people from low-income backgrounds to access the accountancy and finance profession. Since 2014 it has supported more than 400 students with £2.6m of bursary and grant support. Fifty-two of its graduates are now CAs.
The foundation’s Nurturing Talent programme welcomes students at any stage of undergraduate study, offering individualised support for up to four years to those with an annual household income of less than £34,000.
Applications are now open for the programme, so if you work with students or have connections in schools or universities please pass on the details, which you can find here.
Mentoring is crucial to the foundation’s success – and the charity needs more CAs to volunteer an hour or two each month to guide students on the programme. So far 246 mentors have given more than 7,500 hours of valued guidance. Could you join them?
Crucially, mentoring is a mutually beneficial experience and provides mentors with a valuable opportunity for professional development and learning.
Find out more at icasfoundation.org.uk/mentor
Mentor the next generation of CAs
Could you mentor an undergraduate student on the ICAS Foundation programme?
The ICAS Foundation is a charity that supports young people from low-income backgrounds to access the accountancy and finance profession. Since 2014 it has supported more than 400 students with £2.6m of bursary and grant support. Fifty-two of its graduates are now CAs.
The foundation’s Nurturing Talent programme welcomes students at any stage of undergraduate study, offering individualised support for up to four years to those with an annual household income of less than £34,000.
Applications are now open for the programme, so if you work with students or have connections in schools or universities please pass on the details, which you can find here.
Mentoring is crucial to the foundation’s success – and the charity needs more CAs to volunteer an hour or two each month to guide students on the programme. So far 246 mentors have given more than 7,500 hours of valued guidance. Could you join them?
Crucially, mentoring is a mutually beneficial experience and provides mentors with a valuable opportunity for professional development and learning.
Find out more at icasfoundation.org.uk/mentor
General Practice Manual
We have refreshed our General Practice Manual page on icas.com. The manual offers help and practical advice for members in general practice.
The refresh enhances the member journey to access helpsheets, guidance and specimen documents by reducing the number of clicks needed to access the material. We have also made it easier to navigate and improve the visibility of topic areas, incorporating them as part of an indexed system directly on the page.
Helpsheets and specimen documents are also grouped together by subject, with each topic dropdown giving improved access.
View the General Practice Manual here
General Practice Manual
We have refreshed our General Practice Manual page on icas.com. The manual offers help and practical advice for members in general practice.
The refresh enhances the member journey to access helpsheets, guidance and specimen documents by reducing the number of clicks needed to access the material. We have also made it easier to navigate and improve the visibility of topic areas, incorporating them as part of an indexed system directly on the page.
Helpsheets and specimen documents are also grouped together by subject, with each topic dropdown giving improved access.
View the General Practice Manual here
Chloe Hastie,
Audit Associate,
CT: Accountants Advisers
What attracted to your current role?
I decided to pursue a career in audit after my graduation from Edinburgh Napier University as I was intrigued by the exposure I had through my course. I definitely made the right career choice. It’s what I enjoy most – the problem-solving and critical thinking, paired with a wide range of different clients, mean that no two days are the same. That’s quite exciting.
Which part of your ICAS training has helped you most to date?
The range of content covered by the syllabus. It covers everything from the basics of accounting to in-depth technical procedures, with areas of ethics and sustainability practices distributed throughout. This, coupled with the relevant practical experience, has given me a well-rounded accounting-based skillset. Being able to choose your own elective subject at the Skills level is beneficial too, as you can mould the qualification around what you are most passionate about.
What do you hope to achieve over the next year?
I want to continue to expand and develop my knowledge and skillset to keep providing high-quality audit services to my clients, build and maintain relationships and progress in my exams to get closer to gaining my CA qualification.
What do you enjoy most about working for your company?
The variety of clients we work with. We get insight into businesses in a range of different sectors and industries. I also enjoy the firm’s culture; there is a strong sense of community and inclusivity, and your opinions and feedback are always heard and taken onboard, which gives rise to strong peer relationships. There are also lots of networks and societies to get involved with – there really is something for everyone.
What would you say to someone thinking of studying to become a CA?
I couldn’t recommend it enough. The qualification opens up so many opportunities and career paths. And if you’re anything like me and want to work abroad and travel throughout your career, it functions as a passport for you to do just that.
I have met so many amazing and inspiring people already through ICAS. Starting out attending events, as I was going through the ICAS Foundation programme, and going on to become an Alumni Ambassador for the foundation, and also becoming involved in organisations such as the CA Women’s Network, the connections you gain through being an ICAS student or member are invaluable.
Join the CA Women’s Network here
Chloe Hastie,
Audit Associate,
CT: Accountants Advisers
What attracted to your current role?
I decided to pursue a career in audit after my graduation from Edinburgh Napier University as I was intrigued by the exposure I had through my course. I definitely made the right career choice. It’s what I enjoy most – the problem-solving and critical thinking, paired with a wide range of different clients, mean that no two days are the same. That’s quite exciting.
Which part of your ICAS training has helped you most to date?
The range of content covered by the syllabus. It covers everything from the basics of accounting to in-depth technical procedures, with areas of ethics and sustainability practices distributed throughout. This, coupled with the relevant practical experience, has given me a well-rounded accounting-based skillset. Being able to choose your own elective subject at the Skills level is beneficial too, as you can mould the qualification around what you are most passionate about.
What do you hope to achieve over the next year?
I want to continue to expand and develop my knowledge and skillset to keep providing high-quality audit services to my clients, build and maintain relationships and progress in my exams to get closer to gaining my CA qualification.
What do you enjoy most about working for your company?
The variety of clients we work with. We get insight into businesses in a range of different sectors and industries. I also enjoy the firm’s culture; there is a strong sense of community and inclusivity, and your opinions and feedback are always heard and taken onboard, which gives rise to strong peer relationships. There are also lots of networks and societies to get involved with – there really is something for everyone.
What would you say to someone thinking of studying to become a CA?
I couldn’t recommend it enough. The qualification opens up so many opportunities and career paths. And if you’re anything like me and want to work abroad and travel throughout your career, it functions as a passport for you to do just that.
I have met so many amazing and inspiring people already through ICAS. Starting out attending events, as I was going through the ICAS Foundation programme, and going on to become an Alumni Ambassador for the foundation, and also becoming involved in organisations such as the CA Women’s Network, the connections you gain through being an ICAS student or member are invaluable.
Join the CA Women’s Network here
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