I'm up in the air on a plane to Guernsey. I've been invited to the AdFin launch party taking place at the iconic Guernsey Yacht Club tonight, and I'm looking forward to catching up with award-winning ICB member firm, TCS Guernsey.
What AdFin and TCS have in common is a culture that's disruptive by design and a fiercely customer-centric approach. They're also both handling a lot of international transactions and working cross-border. Fintechs are attracted to Guernsey because of its innovation-friendly government regulatory stability and tax-neutrality. I'm attracted to the sea views and never say no to a party or the chance to visit an ICB practice. On which note - send me an invitation and I'll pop round to your office for a cuppa.
There's something deliciously sweet about a solo flight unencumbered by children and their inefficiently packed luggage, spillages and emotional volatility. And it's hard not to adopt blue sky thinking or an open ocean mentality when it's all you can see out the window!
So it's with great enthusiasm that I think about what's coming in this second half of the year. ICB is attending every great MTD roadshow possible to reaffirm the central role that bookkeepers have to play in it. Check out this article by Sage which is flatteringly scattered with quotes from one of my talks at Accountex wherein I big up bookkeepers and spell out the path forward for bookkeeper x accountant collaboration.
If you haven't been involved in testing MTD IT, it's not too late to join. The benefits are huge - even though I know you'll take quarterly updates in your stride, it's the faffing about adding clients, getting authorisation, linking the tech, etc. that's not worth leaving until the last minute. The more bookkeepers we have testing the system, the more likely HMRC will build it right. Your input is essential!
Get in touch with us if you're interested in testing, and you'll join a group of ICB members at the forefront of change. We'll make sure you get direct support from HMRC and they've promised to prioritise your needs. If you're still not quite ready make sure you book your tickets to the
Bookkeepers Summit and ICB's MTD Day where HMRC will be on-hand for grilling!
H2 will also see us reviewing our syllabus. I'm particularly looking forward to speaking to the Advisory Council at our meeting next week to discuss how we can deliver our Strategic Objective to 'Future-proof the skills of our members'. With ACCA and ICAEW's newly launched syllabuses promising to 'redefine accounting', it strikes me that for all the innovation, they're not a patch on how MTD has redefined bookkeeping by making it as mandatory as end of year compliance. How do we ensure that bookkeepers up and down the country can take advantage of this unique opportunity?
Anyone who spends as much time as I do observing bookkeepers building careers and businesses will tell you that we've reached a critical moment - it's like we're flying above the clouds and while there'll always be some wind resistance, the turbulence has gone and we're well on our way!
