THE 2ND ANNUAL ICPAK CHAPTER SEMINAR – SOUTH AFRICA
Date: 25TH -29TH APRIL 2017
VENUE: HILTON SANDTON
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
Theme: Blending Technology with Human Factor for Exemplary Corporate Performance
1.1 Background
There is growing consensus that Africa must find African solutions for her challenges. This spells an opportunity for professionals to play leading role in policy formulation and implementation. There is a need for professionals to deliberately plan for their capacity development and attune the same to the continental social and economic demands. Professional institutes including PAOs also play a key role in ensuring impactful participation of professionals in driving continental development agenda. It is against this backdrop that ICPAK continues to support its members in terms of availing opportunities for Continuing Professional Development and cross learning. Such opportunities include inclusion of chapter seminars and international CPD events in its CPD calendar.
1.2 About the Theme
Reflecting on making the dream of a competitive and sustainable African economy,
Themed ‘Blending Technology with Human Factor for Exemplary Corporate Performance’ The 2nd Annual ICPAK Chapter Seminar will delve on human and policy aspects of social and economic development with focus on what has been done versus how to do it better or how it should be done.
2.0 Topics:
The areas to be addressed include:
1)The global professional accountant: exploiting business and professional opportunities abroad
With convergence of professional ethical and technical standards, developments in infrastructure, globalization of business and homogenization of market demands worldwide, a professional now has more opportunities to serve humanity anywhere in the world. This session will focus on international business and professional opportunities available for accountants across Africa and how CPAs can exploit them. The session will be facilitated by subject matter expert and will have an experience sharing sub-session before open discussion.
2)Financial Management Information Systems: Implementation Challenges
In the past decade, African countries have been encouraged to reform their public expenditure management systems and have increasingly embarked on major projects to computerize their government operations. Most popular among these have been projects to computerize government accounting and payment operations. The main questions are:
- Have these systems succeeded anywhere in Africa?
- What is the aggregate adoption rate of the thinking behind computerization public sector transactions in Africa?
- What can one country learn from another?
- Are there any obvious challenges that can be addressed by professional institutes or their members?
- What kind of support should the professional fraternity offer to the policy makers?
3)The Digital CFO: Harnessing technology for efficiency (PANEL)
The evolution of information technology has shaped the working lives of senior financial executives, changing what it means to be a CFO. Being a digitally engaged CFO means that you are not only using technology to be somebody who can understand how the finance team is working, but also how they can maximize their potential. In this panel session, the following questions will seek answers:
- What are the latest developments as far as digitalization of the CFO is concerned?
- What tools are out there to aid the CFOs role?
- How can trends such as big data analysis and artificial intelligence influence the role of the CFO today and in the foreseeable future?
4)The what and why of Participatory Budgeting in public sector
Participatory budgeting can be a panacea to most developmental problems faced by African countries. Benefits of participatory budgeting include, among others, improved governance; empowerment of citizens; improved information sharing; deepening local democracy; increased public ownership of development projects and reduced corruption; all of which lead to improved services delivery. However, for the benefits of participatory budgeting to be realized, there should be strong political will from the government which should be supported by an enabling legal framework.
This session will deeply consider the challenges, benefits and implications of participatory budgeting to the African economy with a greater focus on resource mobilization and allocation. The session will lay special emphasis on how participation can be enhanced for effective budgeting.
5)eXtensible Business Reporting Language: How far and how long?
XBRL (eXtensible Business Reporting Language) is a freely available and global standard for exchanging business information. XBRL allows the expression of semantic meaning commonly required in business reporting. XBRL enables preparers to utilize software to tag all financial items in their business reports to the elements within a taxonomy. This is accomplished with an Instance Document which can be electronically exchanged and validated between computers or viewed in a human readable format. This session will focus on the journey towards adoption of XBRL with emphasis on benefits of adoption of XRBL, the challenges faced in diffusion of XBRL so far and how this challenges can be addressed.
6)The Human Factor in Risk Management
It has often been said in business that a company is only as good as its people. Therefore, the people essentially are responsible for the success of any project. Since a good risk management plan must include all potential contingencies, human factors should also be included in that list of contingencies. But then again, humans are not static; they are influenced by external developments including technological and social dynamics. The question that begs answers is; what are the key human factors today that influence risk management strategy and how can these factors be addressed?
7)Tax Risks and Compliance
Globalisation, fiscal pressures and the complexity of the tax systems present new challenges to revenue authorities and taxpayers in securing compliance with tax laws. Board members and senior management have over time abrogated the responsibility of tax compliance to junior officers, posing significant risks in terms of penalties imposed due to non-compliance. This is exercebated by failure of management to do proper tax planning and conducting tax health checks.
This session will bring to the fore potential tax risks that institutions face when issues of non-compliance arise. Furthermore, the role of senior management and the board towards ensuring organizational tax compliance will also be discussed.
8)Succession Planning Matrix
At the 1,000 largest American companies (by revenue) in 2008, 80 new CEOs were appointed, and only 44 of them–55%–were promoted from within. If you view a board’s having to go outside to hire a CEO as a failure in succession planning, that represents a breakdown in the system. A failure rate of 45% means that far too many plans aren’t working. The situation could be the same or worse in Africa. It is agreeable that there is always a cost to bringing in talent from the outside and that it pays to nurture and promote from within. How can we utilize the succession planning matrix to address the shortcomings of hiring from outside?
3.0 About Johannesburg City
Johannesburg was named and established in 1886 following the discovery of gold, it is also known as “Jozi, Joburg and eGoli” is the largest city in South Africa and is one of the 50 largest urban areas in the world. It is the provincial capital of Gauteng, which is the wealthiest province in South Africa. While Johannesburg is not one of South Africa’s three capital cities, it is the seat of the Constitutional Court. The city is in the mineral-rich Witwatersrand range of hills and is the centre of large-scale gold and diamond trade.
4.0 CPD Units
Members of ICPAK and reciprocating professional bodies will be awarded 20 CPD Units upon successfully attending all seminar sessions.
5.0 Target Audience
Members of ICPAK and other professionals interested in leadership, audit, risk management and financial management in Southern Africa and Kenya.
5.0 Your Financial Commitment
The seminar charges for the 2nd Annual Chapter Seminar – South Africa are as follows:
| Category | Early Bird Registration | Normal Registration |
| Booking & Payment on or before 14th April 2017 | Booking & Payment or LSO/LPO received by ICPAK after COB 14th April 2017 | |
| Members | 84,950.00 | 89,950.00 |
| Non-Members & International Delegates | 89,950.00 | 94,950.00 |
| ICPAK South African Chapter members | 67,950.00
(700USD)
|
84,950.00
(750USD) |
6.0 Installment Payments
Delegates may pay in consecutive monthly installments using the early bird rate provided the final installment is by end of the early booking period, in this case 14th April 2017
7.0 Travel Information
Delegates from other nationalities are requested to check with their South African Embassy/ High Commission for their travel requirements.
We will assist on letters of invitation or any other confirmations that may be needed to facilitate issuance of VISAs
8.0 Special Needs
If you have special dietary or religious requirements, or should you need any particular assistance kindly refer to the event coordinator on brenda.imali@icpak.com.
9.0 Online Booking and more information
We call on seminar participants to note that booking for the 2nd Annual Chapter Seminar – South Africa is available only online at www.icpak.com/events and will close on the 21st April 2017. Delegates are reminded to note that online booking for events is mandatory. For more information or enquiries please email memberservices@icpak.com or visit www.icpak.com
