Beyond Accounting Bitesize

Foreign trusts are where some of the most expensive surprises in cross-border tax live. A trust quietly settled overseas — sometimes years before anyone in the family imagined moving to the United States — can trigger deemed realization events , punitive throwback taxes , and reporting obligations that catch families completely off guard. In the final episode of Navigating the Expatriate Tax Maze,...

The US gift and estate tax is one of the most misunderstood areas of cross-border planning — partly because "resident" means something completely different here than it does for income tax. You can be a US income tax resident and still not be domiciled in the US for estate tax purposes, and that distinction can be worth millions of dollars. In part 4 of Navigating the Expatriate Tax Maze...

Giving up US citizenship or handing back a long-held green card sounds like a clean break — but the US tax system has other ideas. Since the HEART Act of 2008, expatriating Americans and long-term green card holders can be hit with a mark-to-market exit tax that treats nearly everything they own as if it had been sold the day before departure. In part 3 of Navigating the Expatriate Tax Maze, Dave...

The US tax system can feel less like a framework and more like a minefield — especially if you're a foreign national living and working in the United States, or an employer responsible for international talent. In this opening episode of our 5-part series, Navigating the Expatriate Tax Maze, host David Powell introduces your guides: Dave Zydek , Tax Managing Director in BDO's Private Cli...

If you're a foreign national living in the United States and you hold a mutual fund, hedge fund, or private equity interest outside the US, there's a very good chance you own what the IRS calls a Passive Foreign Investment Company — or PFIC . The rules around PFICs are among the harshest in the entire US tax code, and getting them wrong can be enormously expensive. In part 2 of Navigatin...

What are today’s biggest human skill blind spots? In the final episode, we explore findings from 2,700+ data points analyzing Gen Z professional development — revealing: Decision-making as a strength Leadership as a weakness Emotional intelligence declining with age Feedback avoidance as a critical barrier

Are human skills really measurable — or are they just personality traits? In this episode, we explore the research behind Livre’s 31-skill human skills framework and how it groups communication, emotional intelligence, leadership, self-management, and more into quantifiable components. Key insights include: Why soft skills feel “fluffy” — and how to demystify them The seven core skill categories T...

Why are technically brilliant professionals struggling in the workplace? In this episode, Bartek shares the moment that triggered his mission: high-performing audit trainees being removed from client engagements — not for lack of intelligence, but for lack of communication and interpersonal skills. Drawing on research from Deloitte, Oxford, and global workforce studies, we explore: Why “soft skill...

Career Conversations | Chartered Accountants Worldwide Network USA What happens when a Chartered Accountant decides to swap the audit file for a sales pitch? In the latest episode of our Career Conversations series, Nancy Chakabuda sits down with Breiffni O'Donnell CA — VP of Commercial, Legal & Accounting Solutions at Propylon — for a candid, energising conversation about an unconvention...

Greenwashing. ESG ratings inconsistencies. Assurance gaps.  This final episode tackles the credibility challenge facing sustainability reporting. What must change for ESG disclosures to achieve the rigor of financial reporting? And how will the accounting profession evolve in response? Slide packs and further information are available at: https://cawnetworkusa.com/webinar/beyond-accounting-sustain...

What happens when sustainability reporting moves beyond compliance?  In this panel discussion, industry leaders share real-world examples of how ESG drives operational improvements, procurement strategy, innovation, and value creation. From green bond financing to infrastructure resilience, this is sustainability in action. Slide packs and further information are available at: https://cawnetworkus...

Sustainability reporting is no longer optional — but what does it actually mean?  In this episode, we break down the difference between sustainability and ESG, explore the evolution of reporting standards, and examine the frameworks shaping global disclosure. From GRI to IFRS Sustainability Standards, this is your foundation for understanding where reporting is heading. Slide packs and further inf...

In this episode, we’re joined by leadership coach and former reinsurance executive Brian Jones . Drawing on more than 25 years of global leadership experience, Brian talks through the core areas leaders must master — from building strong teams and setting priorities to understanding customers, markets and culture. He also explores common failure modes and what effective leaders do differently

Finance executive Nikki Mamedova breaks down what it truly takes to build and sustain high-performing teams — far beyond corporate slogans. She opens with the essentials: clear goals, open communication, trust, and an active effort to avoid favoritism. Nikki also explores the power of simple appreciation, how leaders can advocate for their teams, and why opportunities for growth matter more than p...

Global leader Nancy Chakabuda delivers a thoughtful and practical session on cultural leadership in multinational teams. Nancy breaks down why culture is “a shadow of its leader” and outlines the communication differences, value conflicts, stereotypes, and societal influences that make global leadership uniquely complex. She introduces cultural intelligence and cultural adaptability as essential c...

In this episode, we hear from assurance leader Shane Rogers , who draws on experience in internal audit, public accounting, sales, strategy, and risk management to explore what leadership really looks like in assurance functions. Shane unpacks the importance of challenge, trust, informal influence, communication, and how assurance teams can become catalysts for positive change across the business.

In this live Q&A session, moderator Shane Rogers brings together leadership coach Brian Jones and finance executive Nikki Mamedova for an engaging, candid conversation about the realities of modern leadership. The discussion covers the value of coaching, why culture “eats strategy for breakfast,” and how leaders can reset disengaged or underperforming teams. The panel also dives into the evolv...

This extended panel tackles the human side of AI: skills mid-career accountants need to let go of, how to train teams to think critically about AI-generated outputs, and what it means to trust (but verify) machine reasoning. You’ll hear about failures in finance transformation, strategies for AI adoption in legacy systems, and how emotional intelligence remains irreplaceable — even in an automated...

EY’s Myles Corson introduces a compelling insight: many finance leaders say they want to create value, but most of their work still centers on protecting or optimizing it. Nikita Clawson (CFO, Mount Logan Capital) joins in to explore how AI can bridge that gap — especially through predictive analytics, smarter hiring, and finance-front office collaboration. The conversation shifts the lens from op...

In this opening episode, John Munnelly from Chartered Accountants Ireland takes us on a journey through the technological revolutions that have shaped accountancy — from spreadsheets and ERP systems to RPA and blockchain. We hear how the profession has always adapted, and why AI presents a unique moment of transformation. John outlines the Institute’s research and educational approach to future-pr...

Ian Browne shares how Chartered Accountants Ireland is using adaptive learning and generative AI to personalise and scale accountancy education. We learn about their partnership with Area9 and how AI helps maintain optimal learning “flow,” increase retention, and provide real-time insights to both students and training firms. Ian also discusses the role of subject matter experts in this new AI-enh...

Chris Easton walks us through the development of a vertical AI solution for the airline industry — a domain-specific, reasoning AI that transforms how flight networks are planned and optimized. While not accounting-specific, this case study offers crucial insights into how similar models can be applied to audit, tax, and financial reporting. Chris demystifies the architecture behind multi-agent AI...

In this thought-provoking panel, the speakers tackle the complex human dimensions of AI adoption: ethics, trust, regulatory concerns, and change management. How can accountants be sure AI is safe and accurate? What’s the role of regulators, and when will they catch up? The panel shares perspectives on human-in-the-loop systems, education reform, and the future role of the accountant as both tech u...

Nicola Bain (CLA) outlines her firm’s half-billion-dollar AI transformation plan, with insights on digital scaling, workforce development, and client enablement. Ariel Finkelstein follows with a strategic “reality check,” stressing that AI should be grounded in your business mission — not adopted for novelty’s sake. He discusses optimal workforce design, AI skill gaps, and the evolving future of t...

This first episode in the series 'The Era of Energy Disruption'  introduces the concept of the “polycrisis” — the interlocking challenges of climate change, inflation, energy disruption, and geopolitical instability. Learn how CPAs can interpret this moment of change and why risk literacy is becoming essential in the boardroom and beyond.