The Instituto Nacional de Contadores Públicos de Colombia (INCP), with IFAC’s support, will hold a Regional SMP Forum on November 24, 2017 to bring practitioners from small- and medium-sized accountancy practices (SMPs) together for a day-long seminar to focus on audit quality and how practitioners can build a successful practice.

When/Where? The event will be held November 24, 2017, at the Casa Dann Carlton Hotel in Bogota, Colombia

What? An international and regional line-up of subject matter experts will steer the forum and share important insights on pertinent areas of audit quality and practice management.

The line-up of speakers includes:

• Hugo Ospina INCP - CEO – President
• Jose Sanabria – KPMG Partner
• Cristobal Uribe – Amezquita Partner
• Wilmar Franco – CTCP
• Jorge Casteblanco – Crowe Horwarth Partner
• Jorge Pineiro – EY Partner
• Edgar Villamizar – Baker Tilly Partner
• Paola Vacca – BDO Marketing Director
• Monica Foerster – IFAC SMP Committee Chair
• Dawn McGeachy – IFAC SMP Committee Member
• Beverley Bahlmann – International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board Deputy Director
• Christopher Arnold – IFAC Head of SME/SMP and Research

Who Should Attend? The forum is open to accounting practitioners, as well as other professionals, who work directly or indirectly with SMP/SME affairs. 

Why? The event will examine the structure of the ISA pronouncements and how they can be applied proportionately. Additionally, the forum will include a session on building a successful practice, including evolving to be future ready and building capacity to offer to advisory services. Both sessions will include an overview of relevant guidance, including the IFAC Guide to Practice Management.

See the INCP Forum page for more information. 

Dr. Stavros B. Thomadakis has been reappointed Chair of the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants^® (IESBA^®) for a renewable one-year term commencing January 1, 2018, the key post Dr. Thomadakis has held since 2015.

Over the past three years, Dr. Thomadakis has championed the key role ethics play for the global accountancy profession in the public interest. He has also led the IESBA through significant projects relating to the Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (the Code) and enhancing its understandability and accessibility, including responding to non-compliance with laws and regulations (NOCLAR) and restructuring the Code.

James Gunn, Managing Director, Professional Standards, said, “Dr. Thomadakis’ re-appointment is very much welcome. He has provided extraordinary dedication to this role and delivered tremendous leadership for various projects that have not only elevated awareness of the Code of Ethics but also enhanced the reputation of the IESBA as an independent standard setter.”

“I am honored to continue this journey with the Ethics Board, and have the opportunity to support the evolution and implementation of the global Code of Ethics. Our hard work is far from complete, and we will need to continue to be innovative and responsive to the evolving global public interest by achieving and maintaining high-quality ethics standards. The formulation of IESBA’s new Strategy and Work Plan is a major challenge for the next year. The pursuit of innovative and challenging new projects and the wider adoption of the Code will serve to solidify the reputation of the global profession of all accountants and their commitment to the global public interest,” said Dr. Thomadakis.

To access the Ethics Board Strategy and Work Plan, visit the Ethics Board’s website: www.ethicsboard.org.

About the IESBA
The IESBA is an independent standard-setting board that develops and issues, in the public interest, high-quality ethical standards and other pronouncements for professional accountants worldwide. Through its activities, the IESBA develops the Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants, which establishes ethical requirements for professional accountants. The structures and processes that support the operations of the IESBA are facilitated by IFAC. Please visit www.ethicsboard.org for more information, and follow us on Twitter @Ethics_Board.

About IFAC
IFAC is the global organization for the accountancy profession dedicated to serving the public interest by strengthening the profession and contributing to the development of strong international economies. IFAC is comprised of more than 175 members and associates in more than 130 countries and jurisdictions, representing almost 3 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

This publication was prepared by the IAASB Group Audits Task Force to update the issues under consideration in the revision of ISA 600, Special Considerations‒Audits of Group Financial Statements, and other projects that address other international standards, including ISA 220, Quality Control for an Audit of Financial Statements, and ISQC 1, Quality Control for Firms that Perform Audits and Reviews of Financial Statements, and Other Assurance and Related Services Engagements.

Highlights from the IPSASB's September 19 - 22, 2017, meeting in Toronto, Canada.

0:11   --   Introduction and welcome (John Stanford, Technical Director)

0:50   --   Overview of meeting (Ian Carruthers, Chair)

3:44   --   Strategy and Work Plan (Ross Smith, Deputy Director)

5:01   --   Social Benefits (Paul Mason, Principal)

8:06   --   Cash Basis IPSAS (Joanna Spencer, Manager, Standards Development and Technical Projects)

9:21   --   Leases (João Fonseca, Manager, Standards Development and Technical Projects)

11:12  --  Final thoughts (Ian Carruthers, Chair)

12:26  --  Closing remarks (John Stanford, Technical Director)