Mark Lawther pledges to champion innovation and support Northern Ireland’s economic growth.  Mark Lawther has been elected Chairman of Chartered Accountants Ulster Society at its 118th Annual General Meeting. The Ulster Society represents over 5,700 Chartered Accountants across Northern Ireland and is a district society of Chartered Accountants Ireland, the largest professional body on the island of Ireland. Mr Lawther is a partner in EY Northern Ireland’s Assurance practice with over 15 years of audit experience. He supports a range of clients across Northern Ireland and the UK from indigenous entrepreneurs, PLC’s and multinational businesses and is actively involved in the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Programme. Addressing members at the AGM, Mr Lawther paid tribute to outgoing Chairperson Gillian Sadlier, praising her leadership in championing the strengths of Northern Ireland business and her campaigning on the issue of skills. Mark Lawther said: “It is a real honour to be elected Chairman of Chartered Accountants Ulster Society. I’m proud to serve this community and excited for the year ahead. I want to highlight the vital role that our members play in harnessing innovation and driving change – and the tremendous impact that has for our economy. “Northern Ireland’s capacity for innovation is one our greatest strengths, and Chartered Accountants have a key role to play in that story. At a time of geopolitical uncertainty, we want to ensure that we highlight the positives of living, working and doing business here in Northern Ireland.” With a strong focus on technology, Mr Lawther said that Chartered Accountants are rewriting the traditional role of the accountant, finding themselves at the heart of innovation, leveraging AI, data analytics and new technologies. He said: “As Chartered Accountants, we are redefining our profession – leading on innovation and contributing meaningfully to the businesses and communities we serve. “Our members provide the leadership which drives innovation in both the public and private sectors, boosting productivity and enhancing competitiveness across our region. In the year ahead, we will continue to be a trusted and progressive voice for our members across Northern Ireland.” Mr Lawther also recognised the importance of teamwork and thanked his family, mentors and his EY colleagues for their support, particularly during this period of exciting growth and as they open their second Northern Ireland office; based at Ebrington Plaza in the North West.   

On 21 May, the Ulster Society hosted for a legal webinar with A&L Goodbody focusing on legal issues around Secured Lending and Financing.   This session with A&L Goodbody’s finance team covers: Types of facility agreement (Facility letters/LMA) Security types, land/assets Other types of financing Special purpose lends  Other topical issues – ESG, Insurance requirements, ECTEA, NSIA Tips for approaching refinancing (lead-in, diligence etc) A recording of this webinar is available to view HERE A copy of the slides from this presentation are available to view HERE

On Wednesday 14 May the Ulster Society hosted an update aimed principally at members working in the public sector from Professor Robert Kirk. This 60 minute talk will concentrate largely on the very important changes that will be implemented in the private sector, arising from the publication of IFRS 16 Presentation and Disclosure in Financial Statements – the basics. The standard will have to be implemented into the government’s FReM within the next year or two so this short webinar will provide a brief insight into the possible changes to public sector reporting. A recording of this webinar is available to view, for free and on demand, HERE A copy of Professor Kirk's slides are available to view HERE