Myles Thompson has spent 35 years working in audit for KPMG and over ten years supporting the work of Accountancy Europe, culminating in his recent election as President. In this article, he shares his thoughts on operating in an environment of uncertainty, the challenges facing the profession, and the potential for accountants to make a big impact on the most pressing issues of our time. Today, the accountancy profession faces many competing demands. In that context, how do you prioritise particular issues for Accountancy Europe to pursue? Accountancy Europe has always had a clear strategy in terms of what it’s working on. That’s developed continuously and every two years, with a new president, it’s looked at again. About a year ago, when I knew I would be the president from 1 January, I worked with the Accountancy Europe team and the CEO to consider how we wanted to develop the strategy. We came up with six key strategic areas to work on: corporate reporting, audit and assurance, corporate governance, sustainability, COVID-19 recovery, and – linked across all these areas – the impact on SMEs. Even though they are very broad strategic areas, we then had to identify what’s important for our members and where we can make a difference. That informed our focus, taking into account the resources available at Accountancy Europe. In some instances, we agreed to work on a particular project because it’s vital for the profession, while in other cases, we would have liked to work on a project but, for various reasons, we couldn’t. So it is a prioritisation game. We also work through this process with Accountancy Europe’s board, which has representatives from ten countries, including Ireland. We discuss the strategic objectives and consider what we should be working on with the Accountancy Europe team, which frames how we work. But we’ve got to be agile. The European Commission has said that it will look at audit reform, for example, and we will have to adapt to that because it will be significant for the profession. Sustainability reporting and assurance is an emerging area of discussion and debate. What role do you see the profession playing in this space? Sustainability reporting is very high on the European Commission’s agenda. It has established a process to develop corporate sustainability reporting standards for Europe, and the IFRS Foundation is also looking at this. There are several roles in that sphere for the profession. First, we must work with the European Commission to help them develop appropriate corporate reporting standards. But we also have a role to play, especially as Accountancy Europe, in ensuring that the European Commission and the IFRS Foundation work together towards a global solution – because most of the companies this will impact are global. Regarding comparability, the problem is that various bodies developed standards, but they’re all slightly different. So, this is an opportunity for the European Commission and the IFRS Foundation to bring it all together in one global set of standards that the Commission is happy with and can use – and can build on. These standards will represent the baseline, but certain countries or regions will always want additional reporting on top of that. And I think that’s fine, as long as you have an agreed starting point. Investor groups are increasingly seeking environmental reporting, which provides significant momentum for companies – and then we move into the area of assurance. To get consistent, high-quality reporting by entities, you need assurance. The Commission has already announced that the reporting it will put in place will be subject to assurance. The profession, therefore, has a significant role to play in ensuring that this is not overly burdensome and that it’s proportionate to what we’re trying to achieve. Linked to that, we must recognise that many companies will not have the systems and processes necessary to develop the reporting required. It’s going to take time for companies to get the right processes and systems in place. From that perspective, the profession must work with these entities to get them ready for assurance. The time needed to get companies to report will be short in terms of the potential transition period. Indeed, the Commission has put forward a very ambitious timetable whereby companies will be reporting in two years based on revised standards. But we’ve got to recognise that when companies start to report in that initial period, there will be bumps in the road and they will need time to get that reporting process right. Assurance needs to follow after this, and perhaps companies will need a couple of years to work with their auditors before public assurance can be given. We don’t want assurance that simply keeps telling people that the reporting is wrong; that won’t help anyone, and companies will need time to get it right. The audit profession is facing reform in the UK, driven by the Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) consultation process. Do you expect similar reforms at the EU level, particularly in light of the recent Wirecard scandal? Audit quality has improved enormously over the past 20 years, and we need to recognise that. There has been more regulation and scrutiny, and even the regulator admits that audit quality has improved. But of course, it needs to continue to improve.   It is easy to blame the auditors for a company failure, but the auditors aren’t the cause. The whole ecosystem needs to be looked at, from the entity’s corporate governance to the directors, the regulators, and the audit. So, it’s good that the UK’s BEIS consultation looks at that whole ecosystem and recognises that everybody in that process needs to improve. The UK consultation is important because the European Commission recently announced that it would look at the outcomes of the 2014 audit reform. They will consider whether it has made a difference in audit quality, concentration, and independence, but they will also look at the whole ecosystem. They recognise that this is not just about the audit. That is coming in the autumn, and it needs to involve all stakeholders – business, regulators and auditors – to thoroughly debate all views and perspectives, not least those of the accountancy profession. Commissioner Mairead McGuinness is saying the right words at the moment, that this must be done collaboratively. I’m sure they’ll look at the outcome of what is happening in the UK and the Netherlands. When it comes to the UK and Europe, I think some of the issues are very similar. For example, when you look at the audit firms, they will consider governance processes, independence and non-audit services, concentration, and improving regulation. However, some of the solutions may be different. Many possible solutions that have been discussed in the UK are very UK-specific, mainly because the regulator is the regulator of both companies and auditors. It handles both sides, and that’s unusual. In the US, for example, the SEC (Securities & Exchange Commission) oversees the companies while the PCAOB (Public Company Accounting Oversight Board) oversees the audit. Emerging from COVID-19, economies will have higher debt burdens. How will economies stabilise, and what role will the profession play in this regard? The first thing to say is that nobody knows what will happen. This is new territory for everybody, so we have to be flexible and learn as we go. But for me, the critical area where the profession can help is in working with the SME sector. So much regulation concentrates on listed public interest entities, but the SME sector constitutes 80% of the European economy. The accountancy profession is a key advisor to SMEs, and we are uniquely placed to help them deal with this crisis while working with governments and banks in various countries. There is a considerable concern that banks in most countries are being encouraged by their respective governments to give companies time, but it will be fascinating to see how banks react. As things start moving, will they suddenly decide against servicing a particular company or area? The number of UK companies that have gone insolvent in the past year has reduced dramatically because furlough schemes and banks have shored them up. However, those supports will eventually diminish, and there will be an increase in insolvencies down the line. The profession will be vital in helping companies through that chasm. In terms of advocacy for this important sector, Accountancy Europe has worked with the European Commission to push it on policies for SMEs. But this type of advocacy needs to happen on a country-by-country basis because it’s very difficult to have Europe-wide laws. The profession can act as the voice for many of these SMEs at a local level and work with SME groups. For example, Accountancy Europe works with SME United, a Brussels-based group representing SMEs in Europe. We need this kind of collaboration to get the best for companies. You have worked through many economic shocks during your more than 35 years at KPMG. What did these experiences teach you about leadership? I remember the 2008 banking crisis distinctly because I was trying to help audit clients through that process. It is similar to the current crisis in the sense that you have to be practical and transparent to identify the issues and solutions. In some instances, people assume that companies have suffered badly in a crisis. But many have reinvented themselves, they’ve emerged much stronger. They achieve that by being clear on their position and debt burden, for example. Of course, some companies will fail, but the profession must help these companies be transparent on issues like resilience and going concern. That’s why I’m a big supporter of companies talking about resilience in the context of what could happen in three to five years. I’m also a big advocate of detailed audit reports and robust audit reporting. We’ve driven that enormously over the last six years in the UK – talking about the risks and highlighting concerns. We must underline to investors what the issues are in a company, but it is also imperative to ensure that the board and directors are fair and balanced in what they say about a company’s performance and prospects. We can do a lot of work in that area in the future. If I was to share one piece of advice, it’s to cultivate your role as a professional advisor – whether you work in practice or industry – so that we can help companies develop and grow. We must see that as different from the auditor; the auditor must be independent and not part of the business. But when you’re not the auditor – and many SMEs don’t require an audit – the profession needs to be there as an advisor. We must help SMEs get through whatever crisis they’re in, help them with their supply chain, help them with their processes, help them deal with their debt burden, and make them as efficient as they can be. In short, we must strive to be trusted advisors to business. How has the work of Accountancy Europe changed over the term of your involvement? I’ve been involved with Accountancy Europe for over a decade. Accountancy Europe was historically very technically focused. It mainly responded to technical consultations, whether from the international standard-setters globally or the European Commission. But over the last five years, it has become much more strategic and much more involved in helping the Commission develop its agenda early in the process. One example is sustainability reporting. Accountancy Europe has been involved from the beginning in helping EFRAG, the group dealing with this issue. So while the technical activity remains, Accountancy Europe has become much more strategic in its focus, and that’s important. What other issues do you expect to come into focus for you and the accountancy profession in the years ahead? The profession has a lot on its plate with sustainability reporting and audit reform, to give two examples. But for me, the profession needs to keep improving and ensure that it deals with public and regulatory expectations, especially on the audit side. The profession could do more to explain its role in that respect. Whenever a company collapses, the focus often falls on the auditor, and the question is always: ‘why didn’t the auditor see it coming?’ If the profession continues to explain the role of audit and how it works, that would be helpful. But as I mentioned earlier, auditors don’t bring down companies. So, the profession needs to keep explaining its role and what it does, and that will be important as we work through the fallout from this crisis and in the years ahead. Myles Thompson is President of Accountancy Europe. Myles Thompson on… the expectation gap There should be an expectation that auditors are doing the job to the highest quality that they can. And I think that is a very important expectation that we should have. But I think it is also relevant to recognise that other stakeholders may well have a greater expectation of the profession than is currently required by the regulators and by standards. The expectation gap exists; it’s been there for many years. I don’t think the profession helped itself by not dealing with it or explaining the process. But we shouldn’t hide things and say: ‘well, that’s not our responsibility’. We need to explain what we do and what we can do. And if, in the end, society decides that we need to do more, that can be done. Audit is a risk-based process, and of course you can do more – you can lower the risks and test more, and we are doing more of that through technology. Technology may be crucial because when it’s used appropriately, it can be a really powerful tool in identifying unusual transactions. A large company may transact thousands of times a day, but we have artificial intelligence tools now that can analyse every transaction in every day of the year to see if something stands out. But we still need to understand the expectations of us as auditors and deal with that. Myles Thompson on… Brexit There are two areas to consider. First, we need to recognise that London is a significant capital centre, and many European companies are listed in London. So, we need to make sure that such companies can transact appropriately and work in that capital environment in the UK. Before, everything was equivalent, so we need to make sure that it works. And from a profession point of view, we need to ensure that we continue to have proper recognition of the profession across Europe. Because again, before Brexit, the qualifications in one country were recognised in others. Work is needed on this because there are many UK qualifications used by member bodies in other countries. If a qualification is not going to be recognised, then that could have a significant impact.  Thankfully, the biggest area of cooperation is between the UK and Ireland, which is being dealt with in an appropriate way. I see the relationship between the UK and Ireland as separate from that between the UK and mainland Europe because the UK and Ireland have always worked together very strongly. For example, Chartered Accountants Ireland is a member body for north and south, and many firms operate on that basis also. The profession works across borders, and it must continue to do so in that respect. So, I’m less worried about the UK and Ireland and more concerned about how the UK and continental Europe will work.

The membership has voted to re-elect the Officer Group for a second term as the Institute and broader profession seeks to re-emerge from the COVID-19 crisis. President Paul Henry, Deputy President Pat O’Neill and Vice-President Sinead Donovan discuss the year that was and explain their priorities for the year ahead. The re-election of the Officer Group for a second term is an unprecedented step in the Institute’s recent history. Can you explain the thinking behind it and outline what it will mean for members as we enter a new phase in living with COVID-19 and its consequences? Paul Henry (PH): At the recent AGM, a proposal was put to – and passed by – the membership of Chartered Accountants Ireland to extend the term of the Officer Group by one further year. The coronavirus pandemic effectively halted important parts of the President’s role, not least outreach and member representation activities. As such, Council felt that an extension of our term would provide an opportunity for the Officer Group to achieve our objectives in a meaningful way for the benefit of members while providing much-needed stability and continuity as the pandemic on the island of Ireland enters a new phase. Over the past year, I have sought to provide leadership at a time of uncertainty as the island grappled with the challenges of COVID-19 and Brexit. During that time, I – along with my colleagues in the Officer Group – supported the advocacy activity of the Institute to alleviate pressure points for members so that they could continue to deliver for their businesses and clients. I also focused on attracting new talent to the profession, continuing a long tradition of positioning the Chartered Accountant qualification as the gold standard for the accounting profession. Looking ahead, the Officer Group will continue to lay the foundations for renewed growth in the aftermath of the pandemic. The future is uncertain and, for many, survival is the sole objective. My goal is to help Chartered Accountants, both in business and as advisors to business, prepare for the challenges that will come as economies re-open and a new ‘business as usual’ takes hold. Pat O’Neill (PON): The profession has worked through many unprecedented issues since the middle of last year, and now we are figuring out how to emerge from a period of significant restriction. We deliberated on the benefits that continuity would bring and concluded that as the economy opens up, the President and the Officer Group will have an opportunity to advance the member-focused initiatives identified at our election in 2020. So in terms of overseeing the evolution of our education model – and in the last year, that has entailed keeping the path to qualification clear and open for our students and member firms – this continuity is vital. We are also focused on supporting our future pathway to being a more digital organisation for the benefit of our members. And not least, we need to support our members in dealing with the challenges of emerging from the pandemic and the Brexit transition. Sinead Donovan (SD): As an Officer Group, we spent much of our time over the past year in fire-fighting mode. We now have an opportunity to make progress on issues of critical importance on a more proactive basis, and our re-election allows us to conclude some complex issues while putting the Institute and the profession on a solid footing as the vaccination programme and economic recovery gathers pace. The virtual environment has been a largely positive experience for the Institute and its members, but not without its challenges. How can members and students expect their Institute to evolve as the vaccination programme continues and restrictions are eased? PH: Since the pandemic took hold, members have benefited from a greater degree of accessibility to their Institute, and that will continue. There will also be a continued emphasis on upskilling and knowledge sharing, as the Institute’s suite of webinars, bulletins, and other digital communications have been invaluable in helping members adapt to remote working while staying on top of relevant technical developments in the profession. We will also continue to work on our digital education offering. Last year, the Institute moved from a traditional in-person examination model to a virtual examination environment, condensing a five-year project into a far shorter period. There have been challenges and setbacks on this journey, and I acknowledge the difficulties our FAE students faced in April. We knew at the outset that there were risks involved in moving all examinations online, and it has been our objective over the last year to mitigate these risks to the greatest possible extent. More than 20,000 virtual exams have now been completed, and we will continue to work closely with our partners to test and develop the platform as we improve the Institute’s digital capabilities into the future. PON: The experience of the virtual working environment has been different for everyone. Large organisations, for example, have central functions, which makes the transition to a virtual working world that bit easier. In contrast, some smaller businesses and practices struggled to adjust to new technology and remote working norms while achieving some degree of work-life balance. And whether you are in business or practice, the process of developing relationships with new customers or clients has been challenging. Indeed, certain ways of working have changed irrevocably, but the value of face-to-face interaction cannot be overstated for many members. We have seen this demand for connection through increased engagement from the membership with services provided by the Institute, such as webinars and digital networking events. Our district societies, both in Ireland and abroad, have played a vital role in this regard, and as Paul said, the Institute was at the vanguard of online education delivery at the very outset of this pandemic. Although the Institute embarked on its digital journey before the arrival of COVID-19, we will continue our measured approach on that journey as we seek to maximise the benefit to our members. SD: One challenge that will become crucial for the Institute is the absence of in-person, on-the-job training, which many trainee Chartered Accountants have now missed out on. The profession may not see the impact of this development for several years. Yet, we must be mindful of this and work to ensure that those trainee Chartered Accountants most affected by the pandemic from a training perspective are upskilled accordingly in the months and years ahead. PH: That is correct, and we must also bear in mind that the current crop of students is missing out on vital peer-to-peer networking opportunities. One of the most notable benefits of my training has been the number of people who studied alongside me that ultimately became lifelong friends and business acquaintances. Unfortunately, students are missing out on that engagement and vital on-the-job learning that helps them develop critical soft skills, which are increasingly crucial for the Chartered Accountant of the future. The business community continues to grapple with a host of issues from Brexit and sustainability to good governance and diversity and inclusion. How is the Institute maintaining its focus on these issues while supporting its members through the COVID-19 crisis? PH: The Institute has adopted a proactive stance on these key issues, notably Brexit. There has been much debate about the Northern Ireland protocol. Irrespective of your position on it, the profession must endeavour to make the best of the situation in the best interest of the island of Ireland while becoming more familiar with the associated operational issues. In terms of sustainability, there is a clear opportunity for members to lead the charge in tackling the climate crisis. As business advisors, we can help people understand and record their sustainability activity and begin to report on that activity in a meaningful and confident way. This work will evolve greatly in the coming months.  The Institute also continues its work in critical areas such as diversity and inclusion and ethics and governance. Many members volunteer their time and expertise on a range of expert working groups, and I would like to express my gratitude to them for their involvement in the Institute and selfless work in the interest of the broader profession. This individual commitment is reflective of the broader societal contribution that we can make.  PON: It has been remarkable to see the extent to which, in particular this year, organisations have pivoted their narrative reporting to highlight their focus on issues such as governance, climate, and diversity and inclusion. We continue to promote these agenda items for our members through member committees, including those devoted to ethics and governance and diversity and inclusion. Much good work has been done in the past year or more, but the journey is just beginning in many respects. The Council of Chartered Accountants Ireland is very gender diverse. However, we have been working to ensure that diversity and inclusion are more formally incorporated into the appointments process for the Institute’s many boards and committees. I am glad to say that the Institute is moving in the right direction and at pace on many fronts. SD: 2021 is the year in which we need to take a giant leap forward in some of these areas. I fully appreciate the need to move forward with care, but the pandemic has also presented a catalyst for change. The past year has forced people to think about what has happened and what could happen in the future. At a very practical level, I have seen a distinct change in the rhetoric used around diversity and inclusion. There is still a degree of nervousness when it comes to asking specific questions of our membership, but I sense that the membership is becoming increasingly receptive to speaking out about diversity and sharing the many stories that are there to be told by our 29,500 members. And it isn’t just about our current members. The Institute and the profession as a whole must endeavour to be dynamic, vibrant, and attractive to the next generation of Chartered Accountants. We have made very good advances on that front in recent years, and it is up to us to maintain that momentum. Your re-election seeks to bring a sense of continuity to the profession at a critical juncture. But looking to the future, what is in store for the profession and its members in the decade ahead? And how will the Institute help them prepare for the changes that will come? PH: The future for Chartered Accountants is, in my view, very positive. People need advice in an increasingly complex world, and the members of our profession are trained to handle, interpret, and communicate technical information and data in a clear, accurate and insightful way. As the level of complexity grows, so too will the importance of those communication skills. And while artificial intelligence will support us in providing advice to clients, I don’t see it as a threat in any way. Instead, it will improve the insights we provide to our clients. PON: The Institute is working through its implementation of Strategy24. If I’m honest, the pandemic has meant that we need to be agile in terms of planning ahead. So, looking out to the end of our strategic planning period is difficult to do with much accuracy at the moment, not to mention beyond that. That said, issues such as the increasing digitalisation of business and the profession will be a challenge. Cybersecurity, automation, and analytics are becoming increasingly real for businesses. Business leaders – and, by extension, Chartered Accountants – must continue to embrace these developments. Taking a longer-term view, the Institute is also engaged with the Department of Education regarding the accounting syllabus in secondary schools in Ireland. This is an excellent example of the Institute looking forward and playing a very positive role in ensuring that the accountancy profession continues to play its part in shaping the education of the next generation of Chartered Accountants. What have you learned about leadership over the past year? And what do you see as the main challenges for leaders as the profession develops a shared understanding of the new world of work? PH: For me, the number one lesson has been the importance of communication. We have achieved a high level of communication at the Officer Group level and within the Executive Team at Chartered Accountants Ireland. However, many of the challenges faced by businesses worldwide during the pandemic arguably arise partly due to an inability to read the room in an online setting or notice nuances or concerns during a virtual meeting. I don’t think you can overstate the importance of this.  Another big lesson has been the importance of understanding the human side of your colleagues, and not just the professional side. It is vital to make time to get to know your colleagues and support them as we work through the months ahead. It could be something as simple as a 10-minute call with a cup of coffee to chat about anything other than work. Gestures such as this don’t take much effort or time, but the impact on your colleagues could be huge. PON: Flexibility is the word that springs to mind for me, the importance of adapting your leadership style. During this pandemic, I have learnt the importance of understanding the challenges and pressures my colleagues face beyond the office. It is important to reassure people that it’s okay to feel under pressure, to prioritise family and to look after their own wellbeing. Flexibility affords us all the opportunity to prioritise different areas of our lives while still achieving our professional goals, and harnessing this opportunity will be of great importance into the future. SD: I agree wholeheartedly with the point about communication. I have found that people with different personality traits have responded differently to the pandemic and the resultant lockdowns. So for me, the big lesson has been taking time to check in on individuals on your team, particularly those who might be closer to the introversion end of the scale. The extroverts, I have found, have managed during the pandemic as they can get their feelings across in a virtual setting, but that is not the case for all colleagues. If you want to get the best out of people and ultimately avoid losing excellent talent, leaders need to communicate and engage with their people in a meaningful way and on an ongoing basis. In that context, wellness must be a priority for all leaders – including us. As an Officer Group, we will therefore continue to raise awareness about the benefits of wellness initiatives and promote the many valuable webinars and other wellness initiatives hosted by CA Support and the various District Societies. Finally, what is in focus for you as you enter your second term? PH: The focus will be on building supports for members as the vaccine roll-out continues, economies re-open, and the recovery takes hold. There is also an opportunity to support the government and the public sector. We have begun to increase our activity in this space – not least with the recent publication of a position paper on proposed reforms to Irish public sector accounting, launched by Minister Michael McGrath – and that will continue in the year ahead. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Barry Dempsey and the leadership and staff of Chartered Accountants Ireland for their sterling work over the course of the last year. It was a year of many firsts – the first virtual annual general meeting, the first virtual conferences, the first virtual conferring ceremonies, the first virtual student recruitment campaign, and the first virtual regulatory inspections. The staff have ensured continuity of service for members in the most challenging circumstances while innovating beyond what we thought possible just two years ago. Their efforts are greatly appreciated by the Officer Group, Council, and the membership at large. PON: There will also be a strong sense of continuity in the second term. For example, the Institute has made great strides in advocacy and raising the voice of the profession – and that will continue. The Institute is undoubtedly the best spokesperson for members in terms of the challenges they will face and the supports they will need as we re-emerge from the COVID-19 crisis. We will also seek to play our part in building trust in the profession. This is an emerging area, particularly with regard to developments concerning regulation in the United Kingdom. These developments will directly impact our members in Northern Ireland and possibly have a trailing impact for members elsewhere. It will be important to support our members through that process and we will do so in the first instance by responding in July to the United Kingdom’s consultation on proposed reforms to restore trust in audit and corporate governance. SD: Re-emergence is probably a good word to describe the theme of our second term. There will, of course, be an initial knee-jerk reaction to bring people together and enjoy face-to-face interaction once more, but we must not lose sight of the benefits of the hybrid working model. We need to ensure that we re-emerge from this pandemic in a safe and protected manner, but also in a way that embraces change for the benefit of our colleagues and organisations.

Paul Henry shares his thoughts on the challenges ahead following his re-election as President of Chartered Accountants Ireland for a second successive term. It has been my privilege to serve as President of Chartered Accountants Ireland for the last year, and in a sign of these unusual times, I find myself at the mid-way point of a two-year term of office. I feel incredibly fortunate to represent our almost 30,000-strong membership once again as we move into what I hope will be a brighter time for us all. I want to express my appreciation to my colleagues on Council, and my fellow Officer Group members, for affording me the opportunity to continue to lead the work we started together this time last year. It is a pleasure to be joined by Pat O’Neill and Sinead Donovan in this issue of Accountancy Ireland for a round-table discussion on the issues of importance for our members and students. This will be a year of adaptation as we recover and grow again. It is more crucial than ever that I, as President, my Council colleagues, and our entire organisation channel our collective energies to empower our profession to fulfil its mandate, “for tomorrow, for good”. For society and the economy at large, the last year has been one of worry, isolation, and loss. The public health crisis has persisted for longer than most of us expected, and it has tested us. As human beings, we are not designed to operate at such removes from each other. We are now at an inflexion point, as a combination of prudent public health measures and successful vaccination delivery facilitate reopening and a greater sense of sustained optimism than there has been to date. This time of year is an inflexion point for Chartered Accountants Ireland too – a chance to reflect and plan for the coming months. While it may feel like we have been running to stand still during the pandemic, it is important to reflect on what has been achieved. It was a year of firsts: our first virtual AGM, our first entirely virtual conferences, the virtual completion of examinations, our first virtual conferring ceremonies, and our first virtual student recruitment campaign, to name a few. We have seen a surge in member engagement, which shows that what we are doing is resonating. I thank the Institute’s staff for their commitment to making this possible. I thank our members for their perseverance and resilience in delivering to the high standards that our profession demands in practices, businesses, and the public sector at home and abroad. Our profession has played an instrumental role in supporting businesses in keeping the show on the road in the face of immense challenge. And there is so much still to do. I said last year that recovery from the pandemic would be the challenge of a generation, and all of us will be called on to show even greater leadership and resilience. I look forward to leading the Institute in meeting this challenge. Chartered Accountants Ireland will continue to work on behalf of members this year as your strongest supporter and ceaseless advocate. We will work to promote the profession in which we hold such pride to a new generation. And above all, we will position our shared expertise to contribute to a meaningful and sustainable recovery. I was asked recently as President what career tips I would give to my younger self, and right up there was my advice to build a strong team and keep hold of them. The stronger the team, the better the outcome. None of us can meet the challenges of the future without a collaborative approach, and I look forward to working with you, and for you, this year. Paul Henry is the President of Chartered Accountants Ireland.

Minister Michael McGrath provides an update on the National Recovery & Resilience Plan and the National Development Plan, as Ireland sets about rebuilding its economy with a focus on sustainability and resilience. In the past 15 months, the world has been hit by a massive health and economic crisis, unprecedented in modern times. No country could possibly try to tackle this on its own. By collaborating with international partners, we have been able to harness the best available medical knowledge for diagnosis, treatment, and vaccination against COVID-19. It was clear from early on in the pandemic that, as well as a concerted medical response to the crisis, there would need to be a dedicated economic plan to mitigate the economic impact. In July of last year, EU leaders met against a backdrop of growing turmoil in member states over the impact on people’s livelihoods. At this summit, an agreement was reached on a recovery package to complement the work of national governments.  The National Recovery & Resilience Plan NextGenerationEU The European Union’s €750 billion NextGenerationEU recovery instrument, along with the Union’s trillion-euro budget for the next seven years, is central to the EU’s response to the global pandemic. There is an important difference in the EU’s response to the global pandemic compared to the response to the financial crash. Lessons have been learnt, and the EU moved quickly to reassure member states that we would be supported. NextGenerationEU aims to help repair the immediate economic and social damage brought about by the pandemic and prepare for a post-COVID Europe that is greener, more digital, more resilient, and fit to face the future. The Recovery and Resilience Facility is the largest component of NextGenerationEU, making €672.5 billion available to member states in the form of grants and loans to stimulate economies and improve conditions for citizens. Every crisis is also an opportunity and, as we move on from COVID-19, we must use these funds to make a real difference to our country, reform where it’s needed, and put climate action at the top of our agenda. The Recovery and Resilience Facility and Ireland Ireland is expected to receive €915 million in grants under the facility in 2021 and 2022. A further set of grants is to be allocated in 2023, taking into account economic developments between now and then. To access this funding, Ireland has developed a National Recovery & Resilience Plan for approval by the European Union. The plan sets out the reforms and investments to be supported by the facility. My Department of Public Expenditure & Reform is responsible for preparing this plan, along with the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Finance. Other departments have also given their input to ensure a coordinated ‘whole of government’ approach. We are all on the same page when it comes to using these funds wisely and getting the best possible value from this investment. Recovery and Resilience Facility The Recovery and Resilience Facility is structured around six pillars:  Green transition; Digital transformation; Economic cohesion, productivity and competitiveness; Social and territorial cohesion; Health, economic, social and institutional resilience; and Policies for the next generation, as well as seven flagships identified by the Commission. Addressing green and digital transition is a hallmark of the facility. National plans must devote a minimum of 37% of expenditure to climate and 20% to digital investments and reforms. Plans should also seek to address seven flagship areas identified for reforms and investments: Clean technologies and the acceleration of development and use of renewables; Energy efficiency of public and private buildings; Sustainable, accessible, and smart transport; Roll-out of rapid broadband services, including fibre and 5G networks; Digitalisation of public administration; Increase in European industrial data cloud capacities and the development of powerful and sustainable processors; and Adaptation of education systems to support digital skills and educational and vocational training. Member states are required to embed the measures they plan to take in their national budgetary processes. The plans must also strike a balance between reforms and investments and seek to address challenges identified in the relevant Country Specific Recommendations. Ireland’s Plan and Projects Ireland’s Plan has a particular focus on green and digital transition, as well as supporting economic recovery and job creation. It is aligned with the National Economic Recovery Plan and has been developed alongside the ongoing review of the National Development Plan. Priorities for the National Economic Recovery Plan aligned with the National Recovery & Resilience Plan include climate actions and reforms; digital delivery of public services; social and economic reforms; digital transformation and adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies by SMEs; and research and innovation. The National Recovery & Resilience Plan includes a suite of projects focused on: Advancing the green transition; Accelerating and expanding digital reforms and transformation; and Social and economic recovery and job creation. Several large-scale reforms and investments are included to maximise the impact of the funds provided. Next steps National plans must meet stringent EU requirements set out in the Recovery and Resilience Facility regulation before they receive approval from the European Commission and the Council of Ministers. Intensive negotiations with the European Commission have been underway in recent months, and Ireland’s plan will be considered carefully for two months before it is approved. The facility is a performance-based instrument, which means that demanding milestones and targets must be met before funding can be drawn down – and this is as it should be. As well as milestones and targets, requirements include green and digital expenditure tagging, detailed costings, an appropriate control and audit framework, and compliance with the ‘do no significant harm’ principle. Plans should demonstrate a lasting impact on member states, whether by strengthening job creation and social resilience, whether the expenditure is reasonable compared with the expected return, and whether suitable control mechanisms are in place to prevent corruption, fraud, and conflict of interest.   European solidarity The lifetime of this Government will see Ireland mark 50 years of EU membership. Our membership has played an immense role in our social, economic, and political development. The values of the European Union are our values. That is why the Programme for Government sets out a vision of Ireland at the heart of Europe and global citizenship. During the five decades, we have benefited from the solidarity that comes with membership. We have seen this over the last year as we responded to the global pandemic and in the previous five years as we navigated the challenges posed by Brexit. In the Recovery and Resilience Facility, we see further evidence of that solidarity. In the coming weeks and months, the National Recovery & Resilience Plan, along with the National Economic Recovery Plan and the National Development Plan, will enable us to move beyond the pandemic to rebuild the economy and improve our country for all. We have been through a difficult period, and the economic and social scars cannot be underestimated or dismissed. However, decisions at the EU level have shown that we really are all in this together. Member states will be supported in finding their way forward, and we will emerge as a stronger and more resilient EU. The National Development Plan Creating our shared future Like accountants, ministers and civil servants are analytical thinkers, carefully scrutinising the driving forces of change, the prevailing macro-economic factors, and the views of the people we serve. We depend on evidence and numbers, and this analysis is vital as we craft the revised National Development Plan, which is due for publication later this year. The National Development Plan is one half of Project Ireland 2040. Launched in 2018, it sets out the investment priorities that underpin the implementation of the National Planning Framework. When this Government took office last July, we set about tackling the many challenges we face as a country, including the COVID-19 pandemic, Brexit, housing, and an uncertain political landscape. Our country is at a critical stage in its development, and there has been much discussion about an ‘infrastructure-led recovery’ across the globe. We know that we need to create opportunities to rebuild a better Ireland for all, as without substantial reform, we risk repeating the mistakes of the past. Investment decisions must support broader economic, environmental, and social outcomes. Our national recovery requires a holistic approach involving the contribution of both urban and rural areas. It is my view that we should take the opportunity to create the foundations for long-term, sustained economic growth. That is why, on taking office last July, I asked my officials to bring forward the mooted review of the National Development Plan. Economic context Our population is set to grow by one million people by 2040. The infrastructure implications of that alone are enormous. We must ensure we have thriving and sustainable communities for future generations. Ireland’s economy was the only one to grow in the EU last year. The European Commission expects Irish GDP to grow by 3.4% in 2021 and marginally faster in 2022. These are solid numbers considering the global challenges we’re facing. The impact of COVID-19 on our working lives has been seismic. We have undertaken the greatest global home-working experiment ever, moving it from the fringes to the mainstream. The Government’s National Remote Work Strategy helps to make remote working a permanent option in Ireland. It plans to give employees a legal right to request remote working and to introduce a code of practice on the right to disconnect. The Strategy commits to investment in remote work hubs and the development of the national broadband plan. The Programme for Government characterises the climate emergency as the single greatest challenge facing humanity. We are the first generation to truly feel the effects of climate change, and we may be the last to have an opportunity to reverse it. This is why we have to act now. In the public consultation we undertook, there was near consensus that the revised National Development Plan will have to be viewed through a climate lens. Public Spending Code We need to ensure that the right policy settings are in place. Rigorous cost-benefit analysis is essential, particularly in the current economic climate. As part of the ongoing reform of Ireland’s public investment management system, the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform has reviewed and updated the Public Spending Code. The review was informed by an extensive consultation process involving engagement with public officials and an examination of international best practice. Importantly, the Public Spending Code also incorporates learnings from various capital projects in Ireland, including the National Children’s Hospital. The update to the Public Spending Code specifically strengthens the existing guidance to better reflect the realities of project delivery with a particular focus on financial appraisal, cost estimation, and risk management. The updated Public Spending Code: Supports public bodies in delivering greater value for money; Provides greater clarity on roles and responsibilities; Revises the project life-cycle to reflect the realities of project delivery; Strengthens guidance; and Increases transparency through the publication of business cases and evaluation reports. This update followed an extensive consultation process, and as a result, there is a stronger focus on cost estimation and professional project management. We have also learned from international experience when it comes to managing mega-projects over €100 million. There are at least 40 projects in this category in the National Development Plan. Later this year, we will have a new governance and assurance process for major projects. This will involve two external reviews of major projects at key points in the project life-cycle by independent experts in infrastructure delivery. I have asked my ministerial colleagues to rigorously assess the costs of existing planned projects to ensure that those costs are up-to-date and realistic. I am also developing a new external review process for all major projects worth over €100 million. The process In early April, I published the Phase 1 Report on the Review of the National Development Plan. The work carried out as part of Phase 1 included:  Macro-economic analysis; Public capital expenditure and infrastructure demand analyses; Consideration of climate action, housing, and planning; and Alignment with the National Planning Framework. The Phase 1 report also includes detail on the successful public consultation process, Review to Renew, which generated 572 submissions. Phase 2 will involve detailed engagement with colleague departments to agree on capital allocations for the coming period and priority programmes for inclusion in the new National Development Plan. Combined, this is a solid evidence base that will allow us, as a Government, to make informed decisions and bring forward a new National Development Plan in the summer of 2021. Michael McGrath is Minister for Public Expenditure & Reform, a TD for Cork South Central, and a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland.

Dee Moran, Professional Accountancy Leader at Chartered Accountants Ireland, speaks to Accounting for Sustainability’s Jessica Fries about the role Chartered Accountants can play in mitigating the worst impacts of the climate change crisis and making sustainable business synonymous with business as usual. Dee Moran (DM): Can you briefly explain the economic risk facing the business community regarding sustainability and the climate crisis? Jessica Fries (JF): Since Accounting for Sustainability (A4S) was first established in 2004, we have seen an increasing awareness of environmental and social risks and just how important they are from an economic, financial and business perspective. In the last couple of years, in particular, we have seen a significant shift in tracking these issues. The World Economic Forum publishes a global risk report each year. Environmental and social risks feature consistently in the top 10, which underlines just how focused businesses are on those risks. In response to those trends, we also see more businesses taking action and more investors and regulators focusing on identifying the risks and possible responses. This time last year, when the pandemic started to hit, people were concerned that environmental and other sustainable business issues would be forgotten due to the urgent need to respond to the human and economic crisis and the pandemic’s impact on wellbeing and livelihoods. If anything, however, the understanding of climate and the climate crisis has continued to grow. This year, COP26 – the major UN climate conference – will be hosted by the UK in Glasgow in November. This will be a vital meeting. Over five years ago, in 2015, at the Paris COP, governments around the world committed to keeping the average increase in global temperatures to well below two degrees with the ambition to limit warming to 1.5 degrees. Science tells us that this is needed to mitigate the worst impacts of the climate crisis and maintain a habitable world. A key part of the agreement was a ‘ratchet’ mechanism with governments committing to set increasingly ambitious targets every five years, recognising that the initial commitments made at the time of the Paris agreement were not sufficient. COP26 is the conference at which these updated commitments will be made. Of course, in addition to the human impact, the economic consequences of failing to act at the pace and scale demanded by the science are enormous; the Economist Intelligence Unit has estimated that the direct costs by mid-century will be $7.9 trillion.  As well as a continued focus on climate, the pandemic also reinforced business responsibility in relation to social issues and the need to think about how businesses support communities and employees. These issues are interconnected, so you cannot look at either the climate crisis or the COVID-19 pandemic in isolation. The pandemic has also forced everyone in the world to pause, reflect on the kind of recovery we want, and ask whether we can create a more equitable, more resilient, and more sustainable world. On that note, businesses are thinking about the kind of shift there might be and how they can be best positioned to respond. Accountants have played a vital role in helping their organisations navigate challenging conditions thus far, of course, but there is also a massive opportunity for accountants to help shape a sustainable future. DM: It is widely acknowledged that if we are to avoid the worst impacts of the climate crisis, global greenhouse gas emissions need to halve by 2030 and reach net-zero by mid-century. You alluded to it there, but how can the finance community drive efforts as we work towards that goal? JF: Your question highlights the dramatic nature of the transition needed to achieve those goals. Accountants are at the heart of the organisation in terms of measuring, tracking, setting targets, and planning the necessary investment. To that end, they analyse the external risks and identify the information their organisations need to assess the impact of the transition on their business. More and more organisations are also setting what are called science-based targets, which, as you say, are needed to avoid the worst impacts of the climate crisis. Accountants can help set those goals, but also embed them throughout the whole organisation. Accountants also direct flows of money and financing, and investors are increasingly interested in these issues. This is a significant opportunity to access different sources of funding with the growing interest in environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing which, at the moment, is critical for some businesses.  The other thing that we see is accountants’ ability to influence others, including engaging new employees. We often hear about the newer generations of accountants having a clear sense of purpose, and that is true – but it is equally true throughout the whole organisation. This provides a dual opportunity for accountants to play to the finance team’s skillset and that softer cultural engagement, which is an essential driver of business success. From large companies to small accountancy practitioners, climate change will affect us all. There is, therefore, a role for everyone to play. It doesn’t have to be something individuals think about in terms of home life alone; we can also have a powerful impact through our professional lives. DM: The Irish Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe TD, added his support to the TCFD (Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures) last November. What should accountants expect in the future in terms of sustainability reporting? And how can they help their organisations prepare? JF: TCFD is gaining global momentum. It started as an industry-led group endorsed by the regulatory community. As a result, it has always had a regulatory hue, but it was very much investors, companies, and other key representatives coming together to create a framework. We are now several years into its adoption, and we can see a shift to mandatory reporting. A4S has done quite a lot of work globally with organisations to apply its principles in practice, and they find a few areas particularly challenging – one of which is scenario analysis. But this is an area of significant interest to investors. It links back to the kind of targets companies need to set, whether that is a net-zero target or a science-based target. In the build-up to COP26, you will see more and more organisations making that kind of commitment. You will also see investors come together to focus on what companies are reporting and the concept of a transition plan – does the business have a credible strategy to respond to the change in the global economy as we transition from fossil fuel use and work to halve global emissions by 2030? We also know that businesses have to account for the physical impacts arising from climate change, such as flooding. We can already see changing patterns and the impact this is having on business. Building resilience into any response while trying to reduce the risk is therefore crucial. This all fits into the broader reporting landscape where regulators and standard setters are now asking for improved reporting on climate-related issues. Most recently, the IFRS Foundation announced its intention to establish a sustainability standards board, providing a potential ‘home’ for the TCFD as part of a recognised standard setter. So there is much momentum – not just in terms of what should be reported on from a climate perspective and convergence with the TCFD framework, but also how that plays into the broader sustainability reporting landscape. Companies need to think this through, and accountants can help their companies whether they are within the organisation or providing that advice as a third-party. And finally, because sustainability reporting is becoming increasingly mandatory and there is a focus on the robustness of the information needed to support investors in their decisions, assurance comes into play. Therefore, accountancy firms must consider how to adapt assurance services to assure climate and other sustainability information. Sustainability reporting is important, but the impact of sustainability trends on financial reporting is also key. The heads of the accounting bodies are collaborating to reinforce this point, but it can often get lost in the discussion around sustainability standards: auditors and accountants in business should already be thinking about the impact of climate risk on the financial statements. More sustainability-related information might go in the front half of the annual report but if you look at the existing requirements under financial reporting, organisations should consider how some of these issues impact the financial statements. That is another critical area to consider – and one that few organisations have started to analyse in the kind of depth that will be demanded in the next few years. DM: On that point, do you think the accountancy profession is sufficiently equipped with the skills necessary to ensure that their businesses are sustainable and to report on those issues? JF: There is undoubtedly a considerable capacity gap. One of the significant challenges we all face is how all professions can upskill to respond to this massive task. When we set up the Accounting Bodies Network in 2008, that was one of the five principles – how do you embed sustainability into professional training and education? We are starting to see the tools, techniques, and approaches become embedded into syllabi, but most professionals did their qualification quite a long time ago. Continuous professional development (CPD) therefore needs to be an acute focus. Reporting is one of those important areas, but many finance professionals spend the majority of their time looking at other areas such as management accounting, supporting the strategic planning process, capital investment decisions, preparing management information, raising finance, engaging with the capital markets and many other areas. We have developed an A4S Essential Guide series that covers all these accountancy and finance areas in a very practical way and is free to access for all from our website, www.accountingforsustainability.org. Last year we launched the A4S Academy, which is our way of helping finance professionals dig deeper into the issues and equip themselves with the necessary skills. DM: Certainly, the guidance and data that A4S has produced have been really useful for Chartered Accountants Ireland’s membership. To follow on from that point, we will likely be grappling with the impact of COVID-19 for years to come. For those working in finance, how can we better address environmental and social risks, both now and into the future? JF: We have done research over the past year to understand the role finance has played in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and how the different parts of the finance system can work together to start building a better future. Three themes came through from our work with the accounting community, the first of which I already discussed – setting ambitious targets. The second area is accountability through reporting. Again, I touched on that earlier in the discussion, and it plays to the heart of what accountants can do to support their organisations. And finally, there is the theme of collaboration – how do we come together across different sectors and different stakeholder groups to innovate and find solutions? Throughout the pandemic, we have witnessed some fantastic and inspiring examples of organisations thinking creatively to find solutions to pandemic-related challenges. That same kind of thinking and collaboration will be vital in our fight against climate change. DM: Technology-enabled communication platforms are a game-changer in this context, aren’t they? JF: Absolutely. I am sure most of us are keen to return to some form of human interaction and in-person events, but that ability to connect globally is here to stay. It provides some exciting opportunities for the future. As we look ahead to COP26, we will focus on bringing finance teams to that conference in a virtual way and delivering insights and messages from the summit back to the finance community. Accountants and finance professionals around the world can play a significant role in tackling climate change. We will need to consider how we mobilise that commitment to action and support accountants in what will be a vital year in terms of having a chance of achieving those ambitious global targets in the decade ahead. DM: With COP26 due to take place in Glasgow in November of this year, do you see it as a ‘make or break’ moment in the fight against climate change? JF: Absolutely. Time is running out, and a decade is an incredibly short amount of time. To halve the emissions globally over the next decade, we need to see action every year. COP26 is just one event, but the focus is not solely on governments coming together to ratchet up their commitments. It is also a call to action to every other corner of the economy, and we can all contribute by making a vocal, visible commitment. Our role is to enable governments to take the kind of action needed, which provides the context within which businesses and individuals can take action. DM: And what are your hopes for the COP26 summit? JF: I hope that we see a commitment to action from all parts of the global community. Of course, thinking of the work that A4S does, I would particularly like to see accountants worldwide commit to playing a role in accelerating that transition to a net-zero economy. I would also love for all of your members to signal their commitment, sign up, raise the ambition and – most importantly – take tangible action. Look out for more ways to get involved in the coming month. It’s one thing to commit, but it’s quite another thing to act. What we need to focus on now is action. DM: Finally, you led a workshop at the 20th World Congress of Accountants entitled “Can accountants save the world?” Over two years have passed since then, so what is your answer to that question today? JF: Yes, I think they can. I hope that the discussion we’ve had today will convince accountants that they have a critically important role in turning climate change around and, ultimately, saving the world.  

Seven Chartered Accountants reflect on their careers overseas and describe life in different countries as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Fiona Walsh  Audit Manager at KPMG  Sydney, Australia Time abroad: three years In June 2018, I was given the opportunity to move to Sydney as part of KPMG’s global mobility programme. This was a really exciting opportunity, both personally and professionally, so I packed my bags and moved half-way across the world. Moving with the same company and in the same role made the move a lot easier as, along with starting a new job, you are trying to familiarise yourself with a new city, find a place to live, and settle in. The first few months are a really exciting time but while Australia is quite similar to Ireland culturally, it did take longer to settle in than I had imagined. When the pandemic hit, it changed life as we knew it in Sydney. The switch to a virtual world was sudden. At first, there was a novelty attached to it. We quickly had to adapt as most Australian companies are June year-ends, so busy season was fast approaching. However, in Sydney, we returned to the office relatively quickly as COVID-19 numbers decreased. We have been working from both the office and home for several months now. One positive outcome from the pandemic is that we now have a lot more work flexibility, but I don’t believe a full-time work-from-home model is sustainable in the long-term. We found the transition back to the office easier than expected, with a renewed value on face-to-face interactions with teams and clients. In Australia, we have been very lucky with the impact of COVID-19 restrictions compared to Ireland, but the toughest part is that, for the Irish community abroad, we don’t know when we can next jump on a flight to visit family and friends. I got engaged to my fiancé in October (also an Irish Chartered Accountant), so we are very excited to get home to celebrate. The uncertainty of the pandemic makes a full-time move home more difficult to contemplate in the short-term. Claire Iball Finance Director at Intel Portland, Oregon, USA Time abroad: 15 years The worst part of being away from home during the pandemic is not being able to physically see and hug my family in Ireland, though FaceTime and WhatsApp have eased the distance. When I took this role in the US, I thought I would stay for two to three years. I didn’t know what I was getting into. I am super independent, but the first few months without friends and family were difficult. That said, I don’t think I would do anything differently. You can only grow when challenged by new situations, people, and environments. It tested my ability to adapt and respond to change and differences. Working for a US company where the majority of business partners are US-based means more traditional work hours. In contrast, working for a US company while living in Ireland meant working later into the evening to collaborate with US colleagues. And while I would love the opportunity to work in Ireland and live closer to family, I have also started my own family here and have a different lifestyle and new friendships. I think working from home during the pandemic has opened up job opportunities and does not require experts to be in certain locations. As the end of pandemic is in sight, we will reflect and adapt to the new world and way of working.  I think there are great personal development opportunities in working abroad. Anyone thinking of doing so should go for it. If you want to experience a new country, culture, and learn new ways of working, that’s the best way to go about it. It’s always better to regret something you’ve done rather than something you haven’t done. S. Colin Neill Board member New Jersey, USA Time abroad: 45 years On graduation from Trinity, I joined Arthur Andersen in Dublin. I had always heard that being a Chartered Accountant would provide a passport to travel the world, and indeed it proved to be.  My wanderlust took me to New York after qualification at a time when it was relatively unusual for Chartered Accountants to make such a move. I eventually got involved in the formation of the Association of Chartered Accountants in the US (ACAUS), which sought to enhance and promote the Chartered brand. The effort was extremely successful – ACAUS celebrated 40 years last year and has achieved mutual recognition of qualifications with many US states. My life would not have turned out the way it did without the solid business foundation of the Chartered Accountant training and qualification. I am now semi-retired, but I remain active on several boards. The challenge for me has been to master and embrace current technology, which I have luckily done. Some of the boards I serve on support the charitable fundraising activities of hospitals, both in the US and Ireland. The pandemic has made holding live fundraising events impossible, and that has had severe consequences for the hospitals. On the other hand, the commercial entities whose boards on which I serve are thriving. Unfortunately, one is an historical cemetery and crematory – business is booming. While I travel back to Ireland several times year – mostly to play golf – leaving was a very good move for me. The only time myself and my Irish friends ever questioned moving back to Ireland was during the rise of the Celtic Tiger. The thought did not last long, however. Gavin Fitzpatrick Director of Financial Accounting and Advisory Services at Grant Thornton San Francisco, California, USA  Time abroad: 20 months The pandemic has definitely made it more challenging to achieve the objectives I set for myself when first taking this role. Meeting existing clients to further develop relationships has been more difficult in a remote environment. Building rapport with new teams, whether internal or external, has required additional effort. Add to this the personal challenges of keeping a young family in good spirits during lockdown in a foreign country. This role, and the last 12 months, have taught me the importance being agile, staying positive, and taking stock regularly to challenge myself to ensure I am putting effort into relevant tasks. The way I support existing clients has changed, but they still get value from a local contact who can help them navigate a world of constant change. Despite a year of home-schooling and travel restrictions, my family have managed to make the most of this adventure, creating memories, friendships, and achieving many personal goals along the way.  Despite the challenges, this move has been a success, both personally and professionally. If I had the opportunity to do it all over again, I wouldn’t do anything differently. We try to make the best decisions we can with the information we have at a point in time. When the outlook changes, no matter how radically, we adapt. Roles such as mine are important for our business and the development of our teams. While planning for similar roles in the future will no doubt mean considering additional matters, I would encourage anyone to grab these opportunities wherever possible. Fearghal O’Riordan Vice President at Aon Cayman Islands Time abroad: 11 years I’m missing Ireland. It has been 18 months since I was home. Not being able to see family, friends, neighbours and Galway has been a challenge. I am a keen horseracing fan, so I miss being able to visit stables and see the horses. But, I do enjoy it here, and I guess I am settled now. This is home. I met my wife here on my first visit and we have been together 19 years, and the Cayman Islands people have been very welcoming and good to me. It’s a very attractive place to live. I love the mix of cultures here in the Caribbean. We have over 100 nationalities in a population of 65,000. You meet lots of wonderful people with great stories of life in their homelands. We are fortunate to have a super global IT infrastructure supporting our local office. That held up very well when we all went remote in March 2020. Thankfully, the IT didn’t buckle under the strain. The Cayman Islands came out of lockdown in July and I’ve been working in the office since, though staff do have flexibility to continue to work from home, especially those who commute through morning traffic. The Cayman Islands is (as of 15 March 2021), COVID-19 community transmission-free since July 2020 so we are very, very fortunate to be living relatively normal lives with the sole exception of the border being closed so travel is restricted. Having emigrated twice, I would implore anyone thinking of doing so to make the most of where you are – be it in Ireland or abroad. Everywhere has benefits and downsides. Enjoy the best of where you are and, if you move, make the best of that place. Nowhere is perfect but if you do have that sense of adventure, go for it. Louise O’Donnell  Manager of International Operations, Strategy, Legal & Compliance at Oman Insurance Dubai, UAE  Time abroad: 12 years I definitely knew what I was getting into when I moved here 12 years ago, and I would not change anything with regards to working and living overseas. I believe it has moulded me and allowed me to work in an extremely multi-cultural environment where I experience different viewpoints that will remain with me in the future. On a personal level, it allowed me to put down roots in a new city, take up new hobbies, and create a life. I also met my husband in Dubai.  However, due to the pandemic, it is the first time since leaving Ireland that I have not been able to go home to see my family and friends. The rate of change in lockdowns and the ambiguity prevented me from doing so. That said, I am not ready to move home yet, and given that my personal life is very much entwined in the region, it would be a difficult choice to make. My husband is from Palestine, so it would have to be a good move for both of us – a consideration I didn’t have when I jumped at the chance to move to Dubai.  For others wanting to move abroad, I would give the same advice pre-pandemic and post-pandemic: go for it. You might have a defined timeline for moving overseas and a plan for when you might then return home. I had that in mind, as well, but my plans changed. We all think ‘I will live overseas for a maximum of three years and then go home’ – most expats in the UAE had the same thing in mind, but most usually end up here for longer than anticipated. I think there will always be a need for overseas employment, particularly in locations that are well-known expat hotspots. These locations continue to be transient and are developing fast, hence the need to bring new talent into these cities will remain. Even though we are still working from home and many countries remain in lockdown, I do not believe that this will continue full-time post-pandemic. There is a lot of debate on this topic and we do hear of certain industries moving their staff to 100% work-from-home, but I am a firm believer that innovative work still gets done in the office and we all need face-to-face interaction. Niall Fagan  Audit Senior Manager at Grant Thornton  Newport Beach, California, USA Time abroad: 10 years When I embarked on my secondment in 2011, I was looking for a new adventure both personally and professionally. The initial transition was challenging, but working for a large global organisation with consistent systems and methodology made the work transition easier. Having been one of the first secondees in the San Francisco office, I set up a group where we help future secondees and international hires with their transition to the US and I love to pass along all of my experiences. It’s been just over a year since I’ve been to our office or to a client site. At first, it seemed impossible to think we’d be able to operate at the same level of efficiency remotely. While working from home has definitely had its challenges, I believe we’ve demonstrated that we can perform efficient audits in a remote setting, which could have a large impact on our industry. It brings into question the need for large office spaces and the need for audit team onsite every day. Continued remote working should provide more flexibility and better work-life balance for people. From a personal point of view, while the pandemic has been tough and we might have to wait until 2022 before we can make it back to Ireland again to visit family and friends, it has allowed me to spend a lot more time with my two small children, for which I’m thankful. If someone is considering a career overseas in the post-pandemic world, my advice would be to go for it. The Chartered Accountancy qualification is highly respected worldwide. You can gain invaluable experience, learn new skills, and grow your global network. From a life experience perspective, I believe living and working in another country is extremely valuable, and I would encourage anyone who has an interest to take a chance.