| TIME | EVENT |
|---|
| 8:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. | Networking |
| 8:30 a.m. – 8:35 a.m. | Opening Conference Remarks: Abdul-Aziz Garuba Jr., CPA, CMA, CA, Director, Business Architecture at RBC Capital Markets |
| 8:35 a.m. – 8:40 a.m. | Opening Remarks by Craig Smith, EVP Member and Student Services |
| 8:40 a.m. – 9:40 a.m. | Opening Keynote
Topic: Intentional Integrity: How to Drive Integrity into the Culture of Your Company
Description: In the bestselling book – Intentional Integrity, Robert Chesnut delivers a six-step process for leaders to foster and manage a culture of integrity at work. As the leading expert in corporate ethics, he explains the rationale and legal context behind his curriculum and illuminates the nuances of thinking deeply and objectively about workplace culture.
As employees become better aligned with a company’s core mission, and customers learn that they can trust it to do the right thing, the results flow directly to the bottom line. It’s time for a transformation in how business gets done, and Intentional Integrity provides the essential, proactive, ethical course of action businesses worldwide are craving.
Speaker: Robert Chesnut; Former General Counsel and Chief Ethics Officer at Airbnb |
| 9:40 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. | Short Break |
| 9:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. | Main Session
Topic: A Practical Guide to Digital Ethics – How to Build an AI Strategy & Drive Consensus Across Leadership on the Priorities
Description: As organisations seek to digitalise, and in particular develop AI and automation approaches, it’s crucial that they develop their capability in sequence with their governance. In this talk, Charles will give an overview of what best-practice looks like from a practical perspective, and offers a method to drive consensus across senior leadership on the priorities so organisations can move from talk to action.
Speaker: Charles Radclyffe, CEO of EthicsGrade |
| 10:45 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. | Break & Networking Opportunity |
| 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Main Session
Topic: Financial Statement Fraud Risk Post-Pandemic
Description: The world saw a wave of large-scale financial statement fraud cases coming out of the 2001–2002 and 2008–2009 economic downturns. The COVID-19 pandemic will have the making for another potential wave if accounting practices, processes and changes are not fully understood, vetted and kept in check. Financial statement fraud frequently begins in organizations with the manipulation of valuations, estimates and reserves — anything that can be perceived as subjective or relies upon assumptions — to meet a target. Never in history have valuations and estimates been more subjective and easier to manipulate than now. Under normal circumstances, historical performance plays a significant role in these calculations. But COVID presents a unique challenge for accountants determining these valuations: there are no historical performance measures showing the impact of a pandemic on the organization, its competitors, vendors or customers. Simply, there is no history to reference or benchmark against, making the valuations and estimates even more subjective. This creates opportunity for an unprecedented amount of financial statement fraud. This session examines the areas of highest risk for fraudulent manipulation in accounting valuations and estimates. You will also learn what accounting, audit, compliance and anti-fraud professionals should be questioning and examining to deter, prevent and detect financial statement fraud.
Speaker: Mary Breslin, Founder and Managing Partner, Verracy |
| 12:00 p.m. – 12:05 p.m. | Short Break |
| 12:05 p.m. – 1:05 p.m. | Closing Keynote
Topic: Ethical Dilemmas from the Top
Description: Boards and senior management frequently must grapple with complex situations and involve their internal advisors, including auditors, human resource professionals, fraud team leaders, CFOs, and others who are perceived as experts and independent. It is therefore important that we wisely consider a range of possible resolutions based on our knowledge and experience.
Speaker: Shelley Hayes, CPA, CA, CFE; Partner, Forensic, KPMG Canada |
| 1:05 p.m. – 1:10 p.m. | Networking |