Austin hosts successful first in-person conference

Last week Morison Global held our first in-person event of over two years, our North America conference in Austin, Texas. With all North America firms in attendance, alongside those from outside the region, there was plenty of opportunity for members to reconnect with friends and meet new colleagues.

We were delighted to welcome keynote speakers, Matthew Hartnett, Senior Vice President, and Jonathan Kozy, Senior Macro Strategy Analyst, of Merrill Lynch, who kick-started the two-day event with an excellent session ‘Journey Along the Great Separation’ and ‘Navigating Macro Disruption’. Matthew and Jonathan shared their outlook on the economy and what we could anticipate for our firms and our clients during these tumultuous times.

Other insightful sessions included one led by Stephen Yoss, Partner and CEO of Devmatics LLC, who explored the state of technology in the accounting profession, and what is in store for the future. Michelle Carthen, Director of Human Resources at Calibre CPA Group led discussions in challenges and opportunities with retention and recruitment. There were some fantastic opportunities for members to engage with each other through these discussions and via polls on the Morison Global conference app.

The second day offered further chances to network and share experiences, with Jeff Kramer, EVP of Digital Transformation and Cybersecurity Advisory Services at Aprio offering insights into cybersecurity and the current threat landscape. We were also fortunate enough to have our own Morison Global North America Board round off the conference by leading conversations around firm management under the current macroeconomic environment.

We would like to thank BKM Sowan Horan LLP, our host firm in Austin for their excellent organisational and logistical support, and of course to our incredible speakers who made the conference a lively, insightful and engaging event.

We would also like to thank Sandra Ataman, Chair of Morison Global North America (Partner of McCarney Group LLP) and the rest of the North America Board (Yelena Epova, Aprio; James Gomes, Calibre CPA Group, PLLC; Trey Kennedy, BKM Sowan Horan LLP and Evan Stephens, Sensiba San Filippo LLP) for their contribution and support in organising this event.

Lastly, thanks to all members that joined us in Austin, it was fantastic to see you in-person after such a long time.

Our next conference is the International and European Conference taking place from 15-18 September 2022 in Vienna, Austria. All members are welcome and can register here.