Chartered Institute of Management Accountants

15 June 2006

Pensions, ethics and risk management are the key topics to be addressed by leading business figures at the CIMA Annual Conference to be held on 9 November 2006 at The Grange City Hotel, London.

The top line-up of speakers, to be chaired by Sarah Montague, presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme, include Ian Pearson, BT’s Futurologist, Dr David Blake, Director of The Pensions Institute at Cass Business School and Barbara Moorhouse FCMA, Director General Finance, Department of Constitutional Affairs.

The theme of the conference is ‘shaping the future’ and the focus will be on the issues challenging the business world today and will provide members with a chance to update their continuing professional development.

Dr David Blake, Director of The Pensions Institute at Cass Business School will lead a Pensions discussion panel including Robin Ellison, Head of Strategic Development of Pensions, National Association of Pension Funds, Mark Hommel, Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Nick Eyre, Company Secretary, Co-operative Group.  Pensions are going through a period of unprecedented change; In line with the latest Pensions White Paper, employers are likely to face a £2.6 bn a year bill for compulsory contributions to the new national pensions’ savings scheme.  The effect on business now and in the future will be addressed and debated by the panel. 

Ian Pearson, formerly an expert in network design and evolution, cybernetics and mobile systems, will speak on the advances in technology and artificial intelligence.  He specialises in mapping the progress of new developments throughout information technology, considering both technological and social implications.  He will explain how companies will need to adapt in order to survive. 

High standards of ethics are a hallmark of professional people and play a vital role in underpinning the employability of CIMA members, particularly following high-profile corporate scandals of the past few years. Following on from the recent introduction of CIMA’s Ethics Helpline, the Whistleblowing Advice Line and the Legal Advice Line, Philippa Foster-Back, Director of The Institute of Business Ethics will address the nature of ethics in business and the best practice and procedures for ethical dilemmas including whistle blowing.

A business experience case study will also be provided by Barbara Moorhouse FCMA, Director General Finance, Department of Constitutional Affairs, who will draw on her extensive experience as a management accountant in both the public and private sector.

Other sessions and speakers include:

Enterprise Risk Management: enhancing your capacity to create value: Patricia Cochran, Chief Financial Officer, Vision Service Plan – AICPA guest speaker

An international perspective on the global economy of the future

Financial intelligence: The future for technology in the finance department

CPD update: Financial reporting, company law reform and corporate governance: Andrew Buchanan, Partner, Financial Reporting Unit, BDO Stoy Hayward

The conference is in association with SAS and sponsored by totallyfinancial.com .

ENDS

For delegates wishing to attend the conference

Tel: 020 8849 2244 or book online at:
www.cimaglobal.com/cimaannualconference

For media queries only please contact:

Nadia Manuelli, Head of Communications, at
Nadia.manuelli@cimaglobal.com or on 020 8849 2254

Claire Grewer, Press Officer, at
claire.grewer@cimaglobal.com or on 020 8849 2300

 

Notes to editors

1. CIMA (the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) is the only international accountancy body with a sole focus on business.  It is a world leading professional institute that offers an internationally recognised qualification in management accountancy, focusing on accounting in business, in both the private and public sectors. CIMA is the voice of over 155,000 members and students in158 countries and is responsible for the education and training of management accountants who work in industry, commerce and not-for-profit and has more members in the public sector than any other UK based body.  CIMA prides itself on the commercial relevance of its syllabus, which is in tune with the activities of high performance organisations, and evolves continually to reflect the latest developments in global business.  It is committed to upholding the highest ethical and professional standards of members and students, and to maintaining public confidence in management accountancy.  For more information about CIMA, please visit www.cimaglobal.com