Practice Conference

Welcome and Introduction

 Gavin Leake, Mercia Group

This session examines how UK public practice firms are operating in an environment of sustained regulatory, commercial and technological change. It explores the increasing role of professional judgement, the impact of technology and capacity constraints and the leadership decisions that shape audit quality, culture and sustainability. The session challenges firms to move from reactive coping to intentionally and strategically aligned approaches to growth, people management, and long-term resilience, while maintaining public trust. 

John Toon, HLB

Refreshment Break

Jez Filley, Blick Rothenberg

This session will cover:

• What private equities are looking for
• How to make your business transaction ready
• What the first 6-12 months post-acquisition may look and feel like

Jenny Faulkner, Mercia Group

In today’s competitive international landscape, scaling your practice is crucial for sustained success across diverse markets. Rapid expansion can strain your processes, personnel, and systems, increasing risks if not managed effectively.

This session will examine potential quality issues that may arise during business growth and discuss essential strategies for maintaining control:

• Strategic vision and leadership 
• Talent and culture 
• Technology and innovation 
• Client service and brand 
• Regulatory compliance 
• Emerging trends 

Lunch Break

Richard Lane and Andrew Runicles, Affinia

Operating with an overseas audit team. How to build an effective and operational function overseas that supports and complements a mid-tier UK audit firm. Covering all key aspects, including culture, training and client delivery.

Refreshment Break

Kerry Round FCG, Round Governance Services Limited

This session equips accountants with the practical governance insight they need to confidently support private company clients, especially those new to director roles. It demystifies the company secretarial landscape, clarifies where accountants add the most value and provides clear, actionable guidance that strengthens client relationships and reduces compliance risk.

What we cover: 

• The essentials: What ‘good’ looks like in private‑company governance and why it matters commercially, not just legally. 
• Directors new to the role: How to guide first‑time directors through their core duties, decision‑making expectations, and Companies House requirements. 
• The accountant’s role: Where accountants naturally fit into the CoSec ecosystem - and where boundaries should be set. 
• Key processes and pitfalls: Annual compliance, statutory registers, resolutions, and filings. 
• Practical tools: Templates, checklists, and conversation prompts to help accountants deliver clear, confident guidance. 
• Real‑world scenarios: How to handle messy governance situations, late filings, shareholder tensions and ‘I didn’t know I had to do that’ moments.

CPD Hours: 6

Gavin is Mercia’s Audit, Accounting and Assurance lecturer, as well as performing file reviews and compliance reviews. Gavin spent 25 years with Deloitte (New Zealand, Croatia and Saudi Arabia) as an audit partner specialising in Banking and financial institutions, Telcos, Manufacturing and Retail. 

He was the Executive Advisor to the CEO of one of the larger Banks in Saudi Arabia. Gavin’s areas of expertise are Practice Management, Financial Reporting, Auditing (Internal and External), Corporate Governance and Strategic Planning and Execution. 

John Toon, HLB

Jez is Head of Audit, Accounting and UK outsourcing for Blick Rothenberg. 

He trained and spent 16 years at Deloitte in the Thames Valley and London. He followed this with 10 years at RSM in a number of leadership roles, with 5 years as London region managing partner and a member of the leadership team and Board. He has spent the last 4 years as Head of Audit and Accounting, and member of the leadership team, of Blick Rothenberg – a £120m revenue London-based Multi-disciplinary practice focused on fast-growing, internationally active corporates and high net worth individuals backed by Private Equity for the last 8 years.

Jenny is Head of Mercia’s A&A and Compliance division and oversees our file review service, technical queries, manuals and all our A&A training. Jenny is passionate about quality and ensures all our A&A and Compliance products and services are technically sound and fit for purpose. Jenny has worked for Mercia for over 15 years and has held many positions within the A&A team, including, Head of Manuals, Team Lead File Reviews and lecturer.

Jenny sits on the ICAEW ISA Panel, which closely tracks and provides input to IAASB developments and its work programme. It focuses on the development of new and proposed revisions to auditing and assurance standards and contributes to the development of ICAEW policy on relevant audit and assurance matters. To stay practical at Mercia, Jenny performs file reviews and occasionally lectures.

Richard Lane is a Director at Affinia, having joined the firm in 2011 following a career at top-50 London practices. A Chartered Accountant, Richard oversees the firm’s Audit service line, specialising in the growth and compliance of SME owner-managed businesses.
 
Richard played a pivotal role in establishing and overseeing Affinia’s dedicated team in South Africa, providing him with unique, hands-on experience in global resource integration. At our conference, he joins Andrew Runicles to share practical insights into building and managing overseas teams to successfully enhance firm capacity and service delivery.
 

Andrew Runicles is a Director at Affinia, having joined the firm in 2023 following a career trained at KPMG. With over a decade of experience, Andrew advises a diverse range of UK and international businesses, from small owner-managed entities to large PE-backed and listed groups. A specialist in FRS 102 and IFRS, he also sits on Affinia’s Audit Board, focusing on statutory audit quality.
 
At the Mercia Practice Conference, Andrew joins Richard Lane to share his expertise on working effectively with overseas teams, drawing on his extensive international audit and advisory background.

Founding Director of Round Governance Services Limited, Director of the Chartered Governance Institute UK and Ireland.

Kerry is a public practitioner, Chartered Secretary and Fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute, and the Founding Director of Round Governance Services Limited. Known for a hands‑on, approachable style, she supports listed, large private, and small private companies — as well as charities and sports bodies — with governance that goes far beyond box‑ticking. Her work focuses on practical, outcome‑driven improvements that strengthen organisational effectiveness and build confidence at board level.

She serves on the Board of the Chartered Governance Institute and is an Associate Director on the MSc Governance programme at the University of Lincoln, where she helps shape the next generation of governance professionals.