Coming up in DMD Season 3: AI, Ethics, and the Future of Chartered Accountancy

This episode of the Chartered Accountants Global Update gives our listeners a sneak peak at what lies ahead in Season 3 of Difference Makers Discuss, Chartered Accountants Worldwide’s flagship webinar series. Over six powerful conversations, chartered accountants from around the world share insights on AI, forensic accounting, neurodiversity, ethics, international careers, and resilience.

From groundbreaking fraud detection with AI to reimagining inclusivity in the workplace, and from navigating global opportunities to redefining ethics in a fast-changing world—these sessions challenge assumptions and spotlight practical strategies for thriving in the profession today.

Transcript

Welcome to the Chartered Accountants Global Update, the podcast keeping you connected to what matters in our profession worldwide. Today we're diving into something special—Season 3 of Difference Makers Discuss, Chartered Accountants Worldwide's flagship webinar series.

Over the next two months, six remarkable conversations are coming your way, featuring Chartered Accountants who are tackling everything from AI and forensic accounting to neurodiversity and global ethics. Whether you're a student, early in your career, or a seasoned professional, this season has insights that could genuinely shift how you think about our profession.

Let's explore what's ahead—and why you won't want to miss these sessions.

We're kicking off on October the 16th with Lem Chin Kok, CEO of AiRTS in Singapore. Now, Lem's journey is fascinating—he started as a police officer responding to emergency calls, moved into white-collar crime investigation, then spent 23 years building KPMG's forensic practice across Asia Pacific. Today, he's leading an AI-first technology firm.

Here's what caught MY attention: Lem describes a moment about 15 years ago when his team used unsupervised machine learning to analyze tens of millions of transactions. The AI identified ten highly unusual transactions—and nine of them turned out to be actual fraud cases that had been charged in court. He almost fell off his chair.

But Lem's not saying AI will replace accountants. He's arguing we need to learn programming languages the way we learned English—as tools to achieve what we want to achieve. He's passionate about accountants developing what he calls a "third language" to work effectively in our data-driven world.

This session covers both the predictive AI models that can identify patterns humans simply cannot see, and the generative AI tools that can free us from manual tasks. If you've been wondering how to stay relevant as technology advances, this conversation offers a roadmap.

October the 23rd brings us Ken Croarkin, a partner at EisnerAmper in New York. Ken's story illustrates something powerful about our qualification—he describes the Chartered Accountant designation as a genuine passport to global opportunities.

Ken started in Glasgow, moved to London, worked on projects in Poland, and has now spent 27 years building a career in the United States. He specializes in insurance audit and leads EisnerAmper's insurance industry practice. But here's what makes his perspective valuable: he had to navigate obtaining his CPA license as an international accountant, dealing with different state requirements and reciprocity agreements.

Ken also discusses something we don't talk about enough—how EisnerAmper was among the first firms to secure private equity investment. He offers insights into how that's accelerated growth while maintaining audit quality, and shares his surprisingly optimistic view on AI in the profession.

His message to anyone considering an international move? Say yes to unexpected opportunities. Industry specialization can accelerate your career. And the global Chartered Accountancy community remains incredibly valuable for international members.

On October the 30th the series addresses a topic that affects far more of us than most people realize. Mark Scully, founder of Braver and a member of Chartered Accountants Ireland, shares his journey from training at KPMG to receiving an autism diagnosis in 2021.

Mark excelled academically—law degree, barrister qualification, chartered accountant. But he struggled with the unwritten rules of workplace culture. His coping mechanism was saying yes to everything and working longer hours, which led to burnout. The diagnosis didn't just give him a label—it gave him self-awareness and permission to work differently.

Here's his key insight: there's no challenge wholly unique to neurodivergent people. Many of us struggle with similar issues. What matters is creating workplaces that move from rigid process-focused management to flexible, outcome-focused approaches. Mark argues that accommodations for neurodivergent employees actually benefits everyone.

He also makes a powerful call to senior leaders who may be neurodivergent: your visibility matters profoundly. Seeing representation can change someone's entire trajectory.

This conversation is essential for managers, HR leaders, and anyone who wants to build truly inclusive workplaces.

Our first episode in November, which airs on the 6th, features Nicola Ellam, Managing Principal of CLA's New York and New Jersey operations. CLA ranks eighth among US accounting firms, and they're making a half-billion-dollar investment in what they call their Solutions Masterplan.

Nicola's message is bold: "AI will take your job to a whole new level." She's not issuing a warning—she's making a promise.

CLA is democratizing AI, bringing enterprise-level tools to small and middle-market businesses that couldn't otherwise afford them. But what's really interesting is how they're rethinking training from day one. Entry-level accountants now start by reviewing AI-prepared work rather than doing data entry. They're using sandboxes and simulations through their CLA Academy programs.

And they created a Chief People Officer role as one of their first moves in their AI journey. Why? Because as Nicola emphasizes, "we're not a technology firm—we're a people firm."

The conversation covers work-life balance in the AI era, supporting experienced professionals through change, and why this transformation is actually great news for accountants at every career stage.

November the 13th brings us Carla Vijayan, Principal at the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants. Carla's journey from Malaysian scholarship student to international ethics standard-setter offers a unique perspective.

She describes audit training as providing "permission to be curious"—and that professional skepticism becomes an invaluable lens for viewing business and the world. But the conversation goes deeper, exploring how ethics standards don't block innovation—they provide the credibility that builds trust.

Carla draws fascinating connections between contemporary challenges like carbon storage projects and debt-for-policy swaps, and the critical need for ethical frameworks. She also addresses AI directly, explaining IESBA's principle-based guidelines and why accountants must maintain professional judgment even as technology advances.

Her takeaways? Curiosity as a discipline. Courage over convenience. And consistency—purpose with patience, because real progress takes time.

And finally, we're closing the season on November 20th with something crucial—a follow-up conversation about wellbeing and resilience in our profession.

Back in January 2025, Dee France from Chartered Accountants Ireland, along with Brad Hook and Declan Scott from the Resilience Institute, unveiled findings from a groundbreaking global wellbeing report. Nearly 700 chartered accountants shared their experiences, revealing both remarkable strengths and critical challenges facing our profession.

Now, ten months later, they're returning to ask: what's changed? What's stayed the same?

This isn't just another wellbeing discussion. It's a progress check on our profession's response to real data about burnout, workplace pressures, and mental health. The session will explore how firms have implemented resilience strategies, what new pressures emerged in 2025, and evidence-based approaches that are actually working.

Here's why this matters: the accountancy profession continues navigating unprecedented change. From evolving workplace dynamics to mounting complexity in client demands, understanding where we are on the resilience journey is crucial—not just for individual practitioners, but for the profession's future.

Whether you attended the January session or are joining this conversation for the first time, this webinar offers practical strategies for building sustainable wellbeing in your workplace. Because as we've seen throughout this season—from Lem's AI insights to Nicola's transformation strategies to Mark's neurodiversity advocacy—our profession's future depends on creating environments where people can genuinely thrive.

Six episodes. Six critical conversations. Six perspectives on building a profession that works for everyone.

From October 16th through November 20th, these webinars will challenge assumptions, offer practical strategies, and showcase chartered accountants who are genuinely making a difference.

All sessions are free to attend. Recordings will be available afterward as podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and other platforms.

Register now at charteredaccountantsworldwide.com. And if you haven't explored previous seasons of Difference Makers Discuss, there's a wealth of inspiring conversations waiting for you.

Thanks for listening to the Chartered Accountants Global Update. Until next time, stay connected, stay curious, and remember—wellbeing isn't a luxury. It's fundamental to everything else we're trying to achieve.