Stand up and support your CIMA community

As you may know, across the UK, the CIMA branch network organises over 250 events each year to provide members and students the opportunity to keep up to date with the latest developments in the profession, as well as building networks with other CIMA colleagues.

There are a number of great reasons to get involved, so why not make supporting your CIMA community your 2020 resolution!

Some of the many benefits in taking part in your CIMA network are:

• Gaining experience and developing skills that can be applied in your current organisation.
• Networking and socialising with like-minded professionals and building up a network that can support you when you are faced with technical and business challenges.
• Recognition from your peers for organising activities of relevance and interest to them, as well as building up your skills through relevant CPD sessions.
• Gaining new experiences in life, as well as in work, from confidence building to career and business development.
• Contributing to the direction of your Institute and the delivery of the events taking place.

Many of our volunteers find this is to be very fulfilling and rewarding, where you can have a direct impact in helping other members and engaging with CIMA.

We would love to hear from you if you are interested in getting involved as there are a number of opportunities to get involved at a range of different levels. 

UK growth rebound eases recession fears

The UK's economy grew faster than expected in July, easing fears that it could fall into recession, the BBC has reported.

The economy grew 0.3% in July, the UK's official statistics body said, helped by the dominant services sector.

Growth was flat over the three months to July, but this was an improvement on the 0.2% contraction seen in the April-to-June quarter.

This contraction, coupled with some weak business surveys, raised concerns the UK was heading for recession.

An economy is generally deemed to be in recession if it contracts for two quarters in a row.

However, while growth in the services sector - which accounts for about 80% of the UK economy - helped to drive July's stronger-than-expected growth figure, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) warned that the sector remained weak.

"While the largest part of the economy, the services sector, returned to growth in the month of July, the underlying picture shows services growth weakening through 2019," the ONS said.

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) also said that concerns remained.

"Although there was a rise in GDP between June and July, the zero growth recorded on the underlying three-month measure points to an economy under pressure from uncertainty over Brexit and weakening global economic conditions," said Suren Thiru, head of economics at the BCC.

"The manufacturing sector remains an area of concern, with tightening cash-flow, concerns over disrupted supply chains and weakening demand in key markets weighing on activity in the sector."

No-deal bill a 'chink of light' for business says Carolyn Fairbairn of the CBI

The BBC have reported that "Progress in passing a bill to stop a no-deal Brexit in parliament has been a "chink of light" for UK business", according to the head of Confederation of British Industry (CBI).

However, Carolyn Fairbairn told the BBC the "cloud has not gone away" for companies until a deal is agreed.

She said many would have to keep stockpiling, even though the bill is likely to be ready for royal assent on Monday.

"The clock is still ticking," she said.

On Thursday, the government confirmed the bill - designed to force the prime minister to seek an extension to the 31 October Brexit deadline - would complete its passage through the Lords on Friday.

The proposed legislation was passed by MPs on Wednesday, inflicting a defeat on Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

However, the government - which wants the UK to leave the EU on 31 October with or without a deal - is seeking support for an election on 15 October.

As a result, Ms Fairbairn said, many businesses would continue to prepare for a potential no-deal.

"So many businesses are stockpiling for 31 October in the same way they did for 29 March at enormous cost and expense," she said.

"It's so wasteful and I think they will have to continue to do that until they know otherwise.

"And I think more and more are deeply concerned about the long-term effect on their competitiveness; they are seeing a loss of market share internationally that is very hard to claw back."

Corbyn fears

The CBI has previously said leaving the EU with a deal is essential to protect the economy and jobs.

And it has said that, despite spending billions on preparing for no deal, many businesses are not ready for the shock it might cause.

A survey from manufacturing lobby group Make UK and the auditors BDO came to a similar conclusion. It found UK firms were less prepared for no deal than in March, while Brexit uncertainty was dragging on demand.

Despite this, Ms Fairbairn said few CBI members viewed the prospect of a Labour government following a potential October election as much better than no deal, citing concerns over Jeremy Corbyn's plans to renationalise industries and hand company shares to workers.

"I think this is a choice no business wants to have to make. In terms of the policies of a Corbyn government, some of them are deeply damaging."

Some politicians have argued that warnings about the potential damage of a no-deal Brexit have been exaggerated.

Before becoming Leader of the House of Commons, Jacob Rees-Mogg said in July that quitting the EU without a deal could result in an £80bn boost for the economy.

He also dismissed as "pure silliness" Treasury forecasts warning of a £90bn hit to the UK - projections that former chancellor Philip Hammond later described as "terrifying".

CIMA CFO Conference; DNA of the future CFO - Wednesday 16th October

The CIMA CFO Conference will gather key decision-makers within different sectors to share their knowledge and expertise on the changing landscape of the finance function.

This conference will present a unique opportunity for our senior audience to network, collaborate and solve the most pertinent business challenges facing the finance function in 2019 and beyond.

What will you learn?

• DNA of the Future CFO
• Today’s CFO vs tomorrow’s CFO – Why CFOs need to think more strategically
• Success and organisational effectiveness for emerging leaders
• Identifying the resources, tools and training required to drive change
• Harnessing the finance function to drive business performance
• Defining the CFO’s innovation journey: How soon is tomorrow?
• How digital disruption is shifting the core finance competency and skill sets in a new direction
• How digital operations will unlock business value creation and a new role for finance
• Latest thinking on how to future-proof the finance function to enhance execution of both its functional and business responsibilities to move the finance function into the 21st century
• Talent acquisition
• How to attract and retain the key skills for your business
• Developing a finance team talent strategy — maximising team engagement and impact

Speakers:

Andrew Harding, Chief Executive – Management Accounting, The Association of International Certified Professional Accountants
Andrew Harding is Chief Executive – Management Accounting of The Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. Prior to this he was Chief Executive of CIMA as it joined forces to create the world’s most influential accountancy Association, representing the full breadth of the profession.

He served as Managing Director of CIMA from 2011 to 2016 and was responsible for the institute’s operational performance. Andrew is a chartered global management accountant, a chartered accountant, and holds an MBA from Henley Business School. Prior to joining CIMA in 2009, Andrew worked for 17 years in professional body education, regulation and management.

Peter Milligan, New Generation Leaders
Career success and organisational effectiveness are enhanced when emerging leaders have the right type of support and challenge to make a smooth transition from technical specialist to manager and leader.

Whether you are stepping up into a bigger role yourself, or a senior leader looking to promote and develop leadership talent, knowing the classic traps, and how to avoid them, will save time, money and energy. Peter will help provide you with powerful insights and useful tools for working with human psychology and culture. That way, you can confidently deliver results while fully enjoying your work and life,



Booking Information

Date	Location	Price
16 October 2019 - 09:30	Central London	Price: GBP 0.00	Book

CIMA CFO Conference; DNA of the future CFO

Increase your employability by attending this conference.

Book Now
Date:
Wednesday 16 October 2019

Location:
Royal Horseguards & One Whitehall Place, 2 Whitehall Court, Whitehall, London SW1A 2EJ

Joint CIMA/CIPD Event, ‘Building brilliant business relationships’ in Stafford on 24 January

Speaker: Michelle Mills-Porter, CEO of Ensize UK and Managing Director of Ethos Development Ltd - www.ethosdevelopmentltd.co.uk

Michelle Mills-Porter was involved in the horrific 2004 Boxing Day tsunami. She witnessed human behaviour in the face of true adversity and she will explain what she learned about humanity and what led her to do what she does now, running a behaviour profiling and development organisation.

Michelle will explain what behaviour profiling is, how we differ from one another and the sciences behind it.

Then she will show us how this can be of benefit in a working environment. When you understand and practice behaviour profiling, you can pre-empt your client’s wants and needs, build a massive sub-conscious rapport and build relationships that are impenetrable by any competition.

It will then be your turn to take a look at yourself. With the help of powerpoint slides and descriptions, we will see how Ensize divides the behaviour’s. This will be interactive and delegates will move around the room.

Michelle will show a group analysis on screen. This is who we are and what we would look like if we were working together as one organisation. This section is anonymous and highly entertaining.

The talk will finish by showing us how we can learn to identify behaviours in others, communicate more effectively and build better business relationships.

Delegates who attend the event will be given the opportunity to have their own behaviour snapshot which will be sent to them electronically after the event along with a cheat sheet to remind them of the different behaviours and how to identify them. They will leave with the tools to build a massive rapport with potential clients, existing clients and colleagues, diffuse conflict and work more effectively together.

Our events are an excellent opportunity to meet and network with other CIMA members, students and guests. You are welcome to bring a guest, please ensure they are booked in and include their email address.

Michelle Mills-Porter FPSA is an author, speaker, fellow and regional president of the Professional Speaking Association. Michelle witnessed human behaviour in the face of true adversity. Having discovered the elements responsible for our motivation, she is able to provide clients with breakthrough discoveries to some of the most persistent organisational issues. Michelle delivers her talks in a stimulating, encouraging and thought provoking manner and her sessions are extremely enjoyable and witty.

Booking Information

Date: 24 January 2018

Time: 6.30 for 7.00pm

Location: Tillington Hall Hotel, Stafford ST16 1JJ

Price: GBP 0.00

CIMA Event: ‘Landing your next job with ease’ - 18 January in Coventry

You have decided the time is right to take the next step in your career but are you finding it tougher than you expected? If you are ready to land your next job with ease, this event is for you.  

By the end of this event you will: - 

•Understand the importance of developing the right mind-set for success. 

•Have clarity about what you have to offer to an employer. 

•Be able to market yourself effectively so you get invited for more interviews. 

•Know how to succeed in job interviews and increase your chances of getting offered the job. 

Speaker: Duncan Brodie, Managing Director of Goals and Achievements Ltd  

Duncan Brodie specialises in helping accountants and professionals build their soft skills and achieve more career success. He is a fellow of The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) and a certified professional coach. Prior to setting up Goals and Achievements in March 2006 he spent 25 years in accounting and consulting roles with major organisations including PwC, Ernst & Young, Lloyds TSB and the NHS. He is a former NHS finance director. Since setting up Goals and Achievements he has trained, coached and mentored in excess of 5,000 accountants and other professionals. He has had several articles published in the Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors UK professional journal ‘Internal Auditing’ as well as on the CIMA Insight E-Magazine and other publications. He has published three kindle books on Amazon, ‘How to have a successful career in accountancy’, ‘Leadership for professionals’ and ‘Being an effective team leader’. Our events are an excellent opportunity to meet and network with other CIMA members, students and guests. You are welcome to bring a guest, please ensure they are booked in and include their email address. 

Booking Information: -

Date/Time: 18^th January at 18:30  

Location:  Citrus Hotel (formerly Holiday Inn), Coventry CV8 3DY   

No charge.   

Buffet served on arrival

Happy New Year from the Chairman of CIMA West Midlands

Happy New Year to all of my friends, colleagues and contacts - 2018 marks my 35th year within industry and the 20th anniversary of my first involvement with the CIMA branch and area committees (going on the be Branch President of North West Midlands from 2003-2005 and again from 2012-2014) and Chairman of CIMA West Midlands from the beginning of 2015 (so now entering my fourth year in the role).

2018 is shaping up to be a challenging year for UK businesses, with the three CIMA branches in the West Midlands already planning some excellent events to support our members and students, along with their companies.

Following our highly successful Prestige Event in 2017, where Lord Digby Jones was our very passionate keynote speaker, 7th June 2018 will see this year's Annual Lecture at The Council House, Birmingham, given by David Smith, Economics Editor at The Sunday Times, and the Bank of England.

We are always looking for volunteers at Branch Committee level to assist us with our work, so if you're interested in helping us then please contact Julie Witts at Julie.Witts@aicpa-cima.com who will be able to give you further details.