No Accounting for Taste ep200: FCA will become the AML supervisor
The AccountingWEB team celebrates the 200th podcast episode by looking back in time at some notable moments and reflecting on the first episode.
Matthew Ord takes a look at the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) new role as anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing (CTF) supervisor for all accountancy and legal firms. He recalls his chat with AML expert David Winch, who warned it won’t be a light-touch regime. Ord explores why the move has frustrated supervisory bodies and whether the FCA really understands the profession.
Tom Herbert turns to Making Tax Digital (MTD) and the part that banks are starting to play. With 840,000 taxpayers not yet using commercial software, Herbert talks about which banks have made their MTD move, his concerns about this approach and how he sees it all playing out.
Back from the US, Richard Hattersley shares his experience at NetSuite’s SuiteWorld where AI was the topic of conversation. The team unpacks the launch of NetSuite Next and the push toward the “autonomous close”, asking whether finance teams are ready for AI.
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Caseware chief on audit’s next tech leap
Caseware CEO David Marquis tells AccountingWEB technology editor Tom Herbert about the company's UK priorities: cloud parity, safer AI, platform consolidation and a shift from compliance to advisory – and why firms shouldn’t sit on their hands when it comes to tech transformation.
For full details see the show notes at: https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/tech/accounting-software/caseware-chief-on-audits-next-tech-leap
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No Accounting for Taste ep199: MTD special with Craig Ogilvie
HMRC’s Making Tax Digital (MTD) programme director Craig Ogilvie joins the team to share the latest updates on MTD testing and why joining early is the best way to prepare. The team also discusses the exemptions process and who qualifies, with Ogilvie warning listeners not to leave applications until the last minute.
He outlines its benefits, talking about how MTD goes beyond compliance to build a modern, data-driven tax system. With better record keeping and improved accuracy, MTD aims to create a fairer, more efficient and resilient tax environment.
The conversation then turns to multi-agent functionality, software support and HMRC’s efforts to help both agents and unrepresented taxpayers through helplines, targeted communications and regional engagement.
Ogilvie closes with some practical advice: get your Agent Service Account (ASA) ready, sign up clients early and make sure your software and records are in shape because April 2026 will come around fast.
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No Accounting for Taste ep198: AEA winners shed light on the profession
The team had a wonderful evening at the Accounting Excellence Awards (AEA) and we hope everyone who joined did too! They share their highlights, with Richard Hattersley reflecting on how the winners shed light on trends shaping the profession. Focusing on the small, mid-tier and large firm winners, Hattersley talks about private equity, management buyouts and growth. Many of these winners will also be speaking at the Finance, Accounting and Bookkeeping Show at the NEC, Birmingham, on 11-12 March 2026.
Tom Herbert spent the day after the awards at Wolters Kluwer’s CCH Connections User Conference. Herbert shares his experience with Wolters Kluwer’s integrated Making Tax Digital (MTD) solution ahead of the mandation date, what the next six months are going to look like for firms and the mood among attendees as MTD nears.
Matthew Ord concludes the podcast by recalling his chat with ICAEW president, Derek Blair. Appointed in June 2025, Blair outlines the legacy he wants to leave, what his goals are and his focus on a social mobility programme to tap into new talent.
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The Progressive Firm Podcast - S1E5: Wilson Partners' Growth Journey
As the first series of The Progressive Firm Podcast comes to an end, we profile the rise of Wilson Partners and how it navigated recruitment, M&A, branding and tech to become the multi-office operation it is today.
Ireland