1. A presentation by Jim Carulas and Horst Schaffer
Vision of the Future
A presentation by Jim Carulas and Horst Schaffer

2. The 4 principles involved:
Help members better serve their clients
Facilitate member education
Collaboration
Thought leadership and innovation

3. Help members better serve their clients
Global Coverage
Variety of firms and members

4. Global Coverage Current Achievements
International Executive Office involvement on reactive basis with follow up exploratory visits (eg. China, Italy, Taiwan, The Netherlands, UAE).
Regional Membership Development Committees formed.
Regional Co-ordinator – already appointed in one region: Asia Pacific

5. Global Coverage Future Strategies IEO to be more proactive
Identify countries
Mail shots
Visits
Provide funds to three membership Development Committees on smaller regions to undertake more effective follow up work.
Consider a Regional Co-ordinator in place in each of the two remaining regions (South America; West Asia & Africa)– as a specific resource to:
Support current membership
Expand membership
Support client activities and communications
Safeguard that referred work is done well
Consider merger with another accounting organization.

6. Variety of firms and members
Current Achievements
Some niche firms have become members:
Legal (DiG, Spain; BBH, Berlin; Carnelutti, Milan)
Consultants (Just & Fair, UAE; Arab Competencies, Kuwait; SLJ Consultancy, India)
Arbitration (Maqtari, UAE)

7. Variety of firms and members
Future Strategies
As part of new member obtention process, specifically look at niche markets.
Obtain information from current membership on niche services and enquire for other contacts in same niche to build up databases.
Investigate possibility of aligning with other cross border organizations – eg legal, private equity – and brand together.

8. Facilitate member education
Introduce educational programming, professional training and seminars

9. Introduce education programming, professional training and seminars
Current Achievements
Creation and running of the International Committees re Taxation and Accounting and Auditing
Within the North American region, the following is supplied:
Student and partner training
Technical sessions at regional meeting
Sharegroups
Webinars
Outside of North America:
Separate technical sessions - eg IFRS in Europe and WAA
Technical sessions at regional meetings
Subscription to IBFD – Daily Tax News providing current information on worldwide tax changes

10. Introduce education programming, professional training and seminars
Future Strategies
Creation of Accounting & Auditing committees at local regional level to:
Liaise with International A&A committee
Identify and provide training programme requirements, including webinars, re:
IFRS
ISA’s
XBRL
Investigate possibility of holding webinars of technical matters.
Publicise worldwide member firms own in house training sessions

11. Sharing of business issues, concerns, opportunities
Collaboration
Sharing of business issues, concerns, opportunities

12. Sharing of business issues, concerns, opportunities
Current Achievements
Meetings being held: World Congress, Regional, Committee, Same Language, Same Business lines (sharegroups, i2i meetings)
Member Visit Programme
Business development issues (eg PEAT & cross border payroll services in Europe)

13. Sharing of business issues, concerns, opportunities
Future Strategies
Identification of bodies issuing international work and marketing of AGN members thereto:
Development banks
Islamic banks
Regional banks
Cross border charities or not for profit (eg Red Cross)
EU Institutions
Introduction of Member Contact Programme by IEO; regular phone calls to members to discuss:
Current work / local news
AGN Updates
Feedback on AGN

14. Thought leadership and innovation
Forums to:
inform members of latest global accounting trends
Exchange business ideas
Share possible business opportunities
Knowledge sharing

15. Forums Current Achievements
Subscription to World Accounting Intelligence Daily; this provides latest news on events in the accounting world – both organizational and semi-technical
Subscriptions to IFRS publications; this is carried by the IEO and individual members
AGN website data bank
Meetings at all levels to exchange ideas
Sharegroups (North America)
A&A committee – worldwide
Tax committee - worldwide

16. Forums Future Strategies
Consider implementation of sharegroup system outside of NA; with a dedicated resource within the IEO to manage this effectively.
Create more time at regional meetings to discuss business opportunities (eg roundtables)
Ensure Member Visit Programme in the three smaller regions is working effectively.
Introduction and use of blogs on international & regional websites (or in social media) to post opportunities and other business attributes.