Dear members,
August is a quiet month for us, with no Council meeting and many people off on holidays, which means it is a well-appreciated break. The quiet month gives us the time to relax, diet before the extravagant dinners begin, and prepare for the (gala) business end of the year. As, from September onwards, organizations including professional bodies and university groups begin to host numerous events and activities to keep the profession busy and well-fed.
Entries for the 19th Best Corporate Governance Awards closed in the middle of the month, and over 70 entries were received. The review panel is now going through these entries and the annual reports from other companies selected by the organizing committee. I look forward to receiving the shortlist and chairing the Judging Panel in October and engaging in debate with my fellow panellists. Good corporate governance is vital for Hong Kong’s long-term competitiveness.
Members interested in learning more about the importance of good corporate governance should attend the seminars the Institute organizes, including on 10 September on the importance of good sustainability practices and emerging trends in sustainability and social reporting.
The 2018 PAIB Conference with the theme “The day after tomorrow: A reality check for accountants today,” will take place on 8 September at the Institute’s training centre. I look forward to hearing from Guest of Honour, Laurence Li, Chairman of the Financial Services Development Council and others on the key challenges professional accountants in business face and the future opportunities ahead for this side of our profession. Ensuring we are suitably skilled and knowledgeable of important developments in our fields is vital for our continuing professional success in the age of accounting plus and attending conferences such as this, helps us to keep up-to-date with the latest professional developments.
“We are seeking your views on A Plus, and conducting a short readership survey to determine what you enjoy reading and areas of the magazine you think could be improved. I hope you take the time to complete the survey.”
If you’re more interested in learning about the latest technological developments then you should attend the upcoming IT Conference 2018 to be held on 20 October at the Ritz-Carlton where speakers will discuss how FinTech and artificial intelligence are changing the landscape of the accountancy profession. Topics to be covered include preparing the office of CFO for future innovative technologies, how to build a data-responsive organization, and how blockchain revolutionizes small- and medium-sized enterprise financing. Early-bird enrolment closes on 21 September, so don’t miss out.
We are seeking your views on A Plus, and conducting a short readership survey to determine what you enjoy reading and areas of the magazine you think could be improved. I hope you take the time to complete the survey.
Finally, I had an enjoyable evening with members and guests at the annual Sports and Recreation Night in Sheung Wan on 27 July. The fun and games at events like this are where we can let our hair down and enjoy the company of fellow members with interesting talents. I enjoyed seeing the lively dances, and fitness competitions between members of the different groups. Not forgetting, Vice President Patrick Law and Past President Clement Chan demonstrating their angelic voices which they unleashed on us in a lovely singing rendition. Accountants plus the curtain call.
Eric Tong
President
