A warm welcome from ICB CEO, Ami Copeland

In this session, Small Business Commissioner, Emma Jones CBE, will share her own journey of building a business with a bookkeeper as vital back-up, and outline her current mission to boost business performance and confidence, working hand in hand with the bookkeeping and accounting profession.

Get to know our exhibitors in this fast-paced, high-energy session designed to help you find the tools and partners to elevate your practice.

Refreshments and networking in the exhibition hall

What really happens when the ICB investigates a practice for not meeting its Money Laundering Regulations (MLR) responsibilities? In this eye-opening session, Garry Carter will sit down with Stephen Hardwick, ICB’s Director of Compliance, to share stories and lessons from the past year of reviews.
Stephen leads the team that looks into suspected cases of non-compliance and has seen first-hand what can go wrong when client files aren’t up to scratch. He’ll talk through the investigation process, the common mistakes that land practices in hot water, and—most importantly—what you can do to avoid them.

Administering payrolls never involved the press of the ‘calculate now’ button. Yet, our clients do not always realise that paying people means being constantly up to date, always with our eyes on compliance now and in the future.

Alongside the HMRC session on MTD, starting in 2026, Ian will relay the other topics you need to be aware of to confidently say that you offer payroll as a service. Just how does he make payroll sound so interesting? Find out by spending 30 minutes listening to Ian Holloway - Your AI-free payroll companion.

AI isn’t here to replace bookkeepers - it’s here to remove the noise that gets in their way.
From smarter workflows and AI “assistants” to emerging “agent” systems that run tasks for you, discover what’s real, what’s hype, and how to turn new technology into time, confidence, and growth for your practice.

Gavin Fell of Apron will share how to close the loop of bookkeeping and payments for your clients. This session will examine how Apron can facilitate the easy workflow through from card, capture and unreconciled transactions to payments.

Jo Wood C.FICB PM.Dip and Zoe Whitman MICB will walk you through the exact framework that is helping hundreds of bookkeepers build thriving practices. You'll discover the "Ideal Client Avatar" exercise that targets your perfect clients, the "Pain Points to Success" methodology that turns client problems into your services, and why the "Gold Standard" service sells itself. Plus, we'll share the referral systems and content strategies our Collective members use to attract clients who want to work with them. You’ll leave with templates and a 90-day implementation roadmap.

There’s a lot of hype around AI - and it’s time to ground ourselves in reality. What are the practical, pragmatic tools actually delivering value to bookkeepers (and accountants) right now - not at some unknown point in the future?

This session cuts through the noise and ends with a live demo of an AI-enabled workflow that mirrors how Dave actually works day-to-day.

Lunch and networking in the exhibition hall

Clare will discuss the highs and lows of running a successful bookkeeping practice over the last decade, from increasing her revenue to winning awards, taking on employees, and some of the failures along the way including finding the right clients and employees.

How do you put the right value on your bookkeeping services? In this session, Helen Rogers, founder of Matix with 14 years of practice experience, and Sam Wai, who has been in business and launched his own ICB practice just over a year ago, will share their pricing journeys. Together, they’ll compare the challenges and lessons of starting out versus sustaining growth, exploring how digital tools, client expectations, and confidence in your value shape pricing decisions. Attendees will gain practical insights into modern pricing and leave with confidence to price in today’s new era.

The first MTD for Income Tax deadline is fast approaching. Are you ready to guide your clients through the changes with confidence? Join this practical workshop to explore how to simplify the transition, minimise client stress, and overcome common pitfalls. We'll share actionable tips on communicating changes and show you the tools to deliver effective support, ensuring seamless compliance.

The future of running your business lies in the partnership between artificial intelligence and human intelligence. In this fireside chat, we’ll explore how Intuit QuickBooks’ Agentic AI capabilities deliver a virtual team of AI agents collaborating across accounting, customer management, finance and projects to automate where it counts and stay human where it matters. Discover how the fusion of Agentic AI and HI is transforming the way businesses operate — driving efficiency, compliance and growth on one connected platform.

Craig, who leads MTD delivery at HMRC, will provide an exclusive update on progress, timing, and how bookkeepers are key to making MTD a success.

All the big-picture stuff - strategies, visions, marketing plans - won’t count for anything if your basic bookkeeping isn’t up to scratch. I’ve seen the good, the bad and the downright ugly and I’ll be sharing exactly what your bookkeeping should really look like. Including actionable tips to help you raise your game and set a Gold Standard. This is really what will get clients flocking to your door and recommending you over and over again.

Refreshments and networking in the exhibition hall

Don't just survive the age of AI – master it. Xero UK MD Kate Hayward will reveal how intelligent technology is not a threat, but an opportunity for the bookkeeping industry. Learn how AI is already driving a capacity shift and freeing up half of a work week to let bookkeepers step into their most valuable role as a true strategic advisor. Kate will also unveil Xero’s commitment to purpose, including the new Xero For Good Ambassador Programme, empowering the bookkeeping community to champion financial literacy and build economic stability for small businesses across the UK. This session is a definitive call to action on how to embrace the future and transform your practice today.

Rebecca has lectured extensively on Making Tax Digital for the last few years, and during 2025 she has presented courses for several thousand accountants and business people. There are a number of key questions which come up on almost every session, and Rebecca will use the Top Ten Questions to explain some of the issues with MTD which have been puzzling bookkeepers, accountants and business people in the last few months.

Few people have had as much impact on the way bookkeepers work as Gary Turner. As co-founder and former UK Managing Director of Xero, he was at the forefront of the cloud accounting revolution that reshaped the profession.
In this special session, ICB CEO Ami Copeland joins Gary to revisit those early days and discuss what comes next. They’ll explore how the role of the bookkeeper is evolving in an AI-powered world, why technology adoption rarely happens as fast as the headlines predict, and what Gary hopes the future holds for the profession.
Expect thoughtful insights, practical reassurance, and a message for bookkeepers everywhere: the future is yours to shape.

Wrap up from Ami Copeland