Accountancy Age articles from June 2007

Accountancy Age archives from June 2007

Stressed?
June 1, 2007... Byline: Rachel Watson Stressed? employers have a duty of care to ensure staff do not suffer work-related stress. a wellbeing policy can help them to help themselves, says Rachel Watson The World Health Organisation claims that...

arctic systems battle.(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... Byline: Kevin Reed The House of Lords should today conclude its hearing of the controversial tax battle between Geoff and Diana Jones of Arctic Systems and HM Revenue & Customs (hmrc.gov.uk). Accountancy Age (accountancyage.com) will be...

family guy.
June 13, 2007... Byline: Nicholas Neveling family guy Managing the demands of top-flight career and family is tough. As a husband and father of three, nobody knows this better than Microsoft UK finance director Steve Dunn. Statistics released by...

micro machine.
June 13, 2007... Byline: Nicholas Neveling micro machine On first impressions, Steve Dunn, the finance director of Microsoft in the UK, does not strike one as the global business tycoon type. A family man with three children, Dunn is gently spoken...

stand and deliver.
June 14, 2007... Byline: Michelle Perry stand and deliver Tom Blacksell is one of the originals in the field of consultancy. He has been there from the heady beginnings of the fledgling industry in the 1990s and experienced its vicissitudes,...

ICAS passed finalists 2007.(Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland)(List)
June 14, 2007... ICAS passed finalists 2007 A Acton-Phillips, Michelle, Jersey; Ademoglu, Dominic Edward Metin, Bsc, London; Aird, Iain William, Msci, Glasgow; Alder, Edward Murray, Ma, London; Alibhai, Abbas, Bsc, Birmingham; Allan, Jill, Bsc,...

Culture shock.
June 14, 2007... Byline: Deoborah Allday Culture shock if the 'intangibles' don't fit, Mergers AND acquisitions risk becoming a dangerous liaison, WRITES Deborah Allday British companies have gone on the acquisition trail this year, striking deals...

Pride not prejudice.(women employees)
June 14, 2007... Byline: Andrew Garner moving forward: pride, not prejudice I know this column has seemingly got obsessed recently with women's career management. It's must be an important issue, however, especially among women, given that in a...

accountability and the public sector.
June 14, 2007... Byline: Michell Perry accountability and the public sector After a decade of surging growth in the consultancy industry, a series of major failures brought home to customers that consultants weren't infallible. One error that hit the...

People and moves...(David Sharkey, new financial director of University of Surrey)(Saffery Champness appoints Mark McGarry, Richard Cartwright as partners)(Paul Leary joins Hawsons )(Brief article)
June 14, 2007... Byline: rachael singh People and moves... Job to die for: fD, university of surrey David Sharkey takes to the open water in his new role as director of finance for the University of Surrey which is why he has hooked our gong for...

viagra for the boardroom.
June 14, 2007... viagra for the boardroom Why is it that some board meetings are uplifting and highly effective and others such dreary, frustrating experiences? In private equity and venture capital, we are very fortunate in seeing the whole spectrum of...

Pensions stinker.
June 14, 2007... Byline: Ian Farr, ACA Pensions stinker A major survey by the Association of Consulting Actuaries (ACA) into pension trends in companies of all sizes has found widespread disquiet about the government's reforms to introduce personal...

IVA website defends right to post debtor opinions and comments.
June 14, 2007... Byline: Kevin Reed IVA website defends right to post debtor opinions and comments personal insolvency Kevin Reed Entering into insolvency, be it business or personal, is an emotional process. Therefore outbursts aimed at...

BDO boss brings predatory pricing issue into the open.
June 14, 2007... Byline: Penny Sukhraj BDO boss brings predatory pricing issue into the open audit Penny Sukhraj Jeremy Newman's comments in his online blog over how BDO Stoy Hayward was muscled out of a contract by a Big Four firm have raised...

see the facts.
June 14, 2007... Byline: michelle perry see the facts The 2001 Census showed that the UK today is more culturally diverse than ever before. For a snapshot of geographic distribution and employment trends among the country's non-White backgrounds, see...

ONLINE.
June 14, 2007... Byline: Kevin Reed ONLINE This week's top stories on accountancyage.com/sector leeds blames hmrc The collapse of Leeds United and its slide into administration was the fault of HM Revenue & Customs, according to the...

Accountants prepare to board UN gravy train.
June 14, 2007... Byline: Keith Nuthall Accountants prepare to board UN gravy train Keith Nuthall reports on the hugely complex -- and expensive -- accounting reform at the United Nations There can be few larger accountancy jobs than a complete...

Private equity enemies target execs in new assault on industry.
June 14, 2007... Byline: Nicholas Neveling Private equity enemies target execs in new assault on industry tax Nicholas Neveling The enemies of private equity have renewed their assault on the industry, redirecting their attack away from tax...

Diversity's dividend.
June 14, 2007... Byline: Alan Christie, CRE Diversity's dividend The UK's accountancy industry is going from strength to strength, with the Big Four earning a very healthy [pounds sterling]6.35bn between them this year. But for black or Asian...

big shoes to fill.
June 14, 2007... Byline: David Jetuah big shoes to fill Jon Symonds joined pharmaceutical company Zeneca in 1997 as CFO after 17 years at KPMG. Within months of joining, he was involved in the merger negotiations with Swedish pharmaceutical company,...

On the money with Gavin Hinks.(finance executive bonuses)(Brief article)
June 14, 2007... Byline: Gavin Hinks on the money with Gavin Hinks It's bonus time. The annual reports are pouring out and it looks like a bumper time for FDs. In fact, if you're sharp, know how to run your department and the...

what's the big icas secret?(Brief article)
June 14, 2007... Byline: Alex Hawkes what's the big icas secret? I've been thinking about it for a few weeks, and I still don't understand why ICAS wants to keep its tribunals private. The Scottish body has defied moves by others towards open...

Telecoms giants leave [pounds sterling]40bn debt off balance sheet.
June 14, 2007... Byline: David Jetuah Telecoms giants leave [pounds sterling]40bn debt off balance sheet David Jetuah A credit ratings group has added e61bn ([pounds sterling]41.4bn) to the e250bn reported as debt by Europe's seven largest telecom...

the ifrs 8 row is still ringing in our ears Not since Jacques Chirac exchanged words with Gerhard Schroeder over the infamous IAS 39 has an accounting standard caused such a stink. The segmental reporting standard (IFRS 8) has prompted tension between in.
June 14, 2007... Byline: Accountancy Age the ifrs 8 row is still ringing in our ears Not since Jacques Chirac exchanged words with Gerhard Schroeder over the infamous IAS 39 has an accounting standard caused such a stink. The segmental reporting...

Good, bad and costly.(Brief article)
June 14, 2007... Byline: TS Good, bad and costly TS has dished out some (justified) stick to ACCA and the ICAEW over their new logos, particularly because of the tens of thousands of pounds they both cost. But compared with London's 2012 Olympic effort...

Newman is wrong.
June 14, 2007... Byline: TS Mr Pot, say hello to Mr Kettle. TS believes that you're both of the ebony persuasion. Apparently, BDO Stoy Hayward top bod Jeremy Newman has taken umbrage after Accountancy Age described some of his comments on Big Four and...

Now you see it, now you don't.(Brief article)
June 14, 2007... Byline: TS Now you see it, now you don't What an odd bunch those European Commissioners can be sometimes. Last week, they posted responses to the group's consultation on auditor liability, to which TS was alerted by a top industry...

ICAEW blog goes public.
June 14, 2007... Byline: TS TS was delighted to hear ICAEW president Richard Dyson's acceptance speech -- six months after taking the job. This was, of course, due to certain issues surrounding the 'aborted' appointment of Graham Durgan into the role. The...

Arctic row 'will happen again' in new tax dispute strategy.
June 14, 2007... Byline: Kevin Reed Arctic row 'will happen again' in new tax dispute strategy Kevin Reed The Arctic Systems row will happen again on other issues and with other taxpayers, under the taxman's new litigation strategy, a senior tax...

ICAEW slaps HCW on the wrists.(Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, Horwath Clark Whitehill LLP)(Brief article)
June 14, 2007... Byline: Kevin Reed ICAEW slaps HCW on the wrists Kevin Reed Top 50 firm Horwath Clark Whitehill has been fined [pounds sterling]2,500 by the ICAEW over improper procedures in carrying out a share valuation on behalf of a client....

Europe demands audit liability reform.
June 14, 2007... Byline: Penny Sukhraj Europe demands audit liability reform Penny Sukhraj and Alex Hawkes The European Commission is poised to urge member states to limit the liability of auditors, opening up the prospect of pan-European mergers...

KPMG in court tussle over property deal.(Brief article)
June 14, 2007... Byline: Kevin Reed KPMG in court tussle over property deal Kevin Reed KPMG has reached the high court in its effort to sue a former client for nearly [pounds sterling]1.5m over a refusal to appoint the firm as agents for a sale of...

Brown 'could set CGT threshold' to hit private equity.
June 14, 2007... Byline: Nicholas Neveling Brown 'could set CGT threshold' to hit private equity Nicholas Neveling The Treasury could establish a minimum threshold for 'carried interest' investments to crack down on private equity, advisers are...

makin wins umbro chief's jersey In one of the transfers of the summer, Steve Makin has been launched into the chief exec's seat at Umbro after less than a year at the company as head of finance, replacing Peter McGuigan, writes David Jetuah. Makin joined.(Brief article)
June 14, 2007... Byline: David Jetuah makin wins umbro chief's jersey In one of the transfers of the summer, Steve Makin has been launched into the chief exec's seat at Umbro after less than a year at the company as head of finance, replacing Peter...

EC to meet charities over segments row.
June 14, 2007... Byline: Penny Sukhraj EC to meet charities over segments row Penny Sukhraj The EC is set to meet with a coalition of charities who want companies to report country-by-country. Publish What You Pay, the set-up masterminded by...

Taxman's IT budget soars in wake of e-filing trauma.
June 14, 2007... Byline: Kevin Reed Taxman's IT budget soars in wake of e-filing trauma Kevin Reed Integrating Customs & Excise with the Inland Revenue, plus a push for online tax filing, have pushed the taxman several billion pounds over its IT...

No FTSE gain without pain.(stock market indices)(Brief article)
June 14, 2007... Byline: David Jetuah No FTSE gain without pain David Jetuah Barratt Developments has joined the FTSE 100 index, giving PricewaterhouseCoopers yet another top audit client and realising finance director Mark Pain's ambitious goal....

US 'will follow suit' on liability'.
June 14, 2007... Byline: Alex Hawkes US 'will follow suit' on liability' Alex Hawkes The US could have liability limitations 'by the end of the next administration' following any EU moves on the issue. Peter Wyman, head of professional affairs...

'Youngster' named new CIMA president Gordon Grant, a 44-year old Scotsman from Edinburgh, has been named as the new president of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, following its AGM held at the CafA[c] Royal over the weekend. Grant holds the.
June 14, 2007... Byline: Kevin Reed 'Youngster' named new CIMA president Gordon Grant, a 44-year old Scotsman from Edinburgh, has been named as the new president of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, following its AGM held at the...

Calls for more colourful audits.(Brief article)
June 14, 2007... Byline: Penny Sukhraj Calls for more colourful audits Penny Sukhraj Company owners have called for audit reports with greater detail at a conference on the Quality of Public Company Audits. Speaking as a panel member at the...

International Power joins US Sarbox exodus.(Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002)
June 14, 2007... Byline: David Jetuah International Power joins US Sarbox exodus David Jetuah Three FTSE 100 heavyweights have pulled out of US listings in a seven-day period, as the trickle of exits threatens to become an exodus. Last week,...

Wood grilled.(Neil Wood of the London Organising Committee of the Olympics Games )(Brief article)
June 14, 2007... Byline: Staff Web Sight: wood-grilled Neil Wood, FD of the London Organising Committee of the Olympics Games (main.london2012.com/en/), faced IOC (olympic.org/uk/organisation/ioc/ index_ uk.asp) mandarins this week in a bid to...

SECRETS OF a successful M&A.(mergers and acquisition)(Brief article)
June 14, 2007... Byline: Deborah Allday SECRETS OF a successful M&A l Conduct an up-front audit to evaluate the intangible assets of the firms to be brought together and develop the merger strategy accordingly. l Clarify and align top teams around...

Our funny friends up North.(It's Grin up North joke book)(Brief article)
June 14, 2007... Byline: TS Our funny friends up North Why are accountants good lovers? Answer: Because they are great with figures! Did it make you chuckle? Fancy hearing a few more accountancy-related jokes? Well, this is your lucky month...

In the classroom: Softly softly approach.
June 21, 2007... Byline: Bob Hawken In the classroom: Softly, softly Approach For financial services professionals wanting to develop their careers, just focusing on technical qualifications is no longer enough. Professionals at all...

every picture tells a story.
June 21, 2007... Byline: jane davison every picture tells a story using images in your corporate report will tell a story that goes beyond the bottom line, writes Jane Davison The corporate annual report is a kaleidoscopic mosaic: an ever-changing...

uptight and personal.
June 21, 2007... Byline: richard coates uptight and personal accountants are 'realists' and 'risk-Takers' when it comes to coping with the stresses of life, writes richard coates We hear it every day -- life is getting harder, house prices and...

the perfect fit.
June 21, 2007... Byline: Gareth English the perfect fit It used to be the case that potential new recruits were judged according to their CV and how well they came across at interview. These factors are still important, but more and more businesses now...

jack of all trades.
June 21, 2007... Byline: Penny Sukhraj jack of all trades Should one depreciate the costumes of Mickey and Minnie Mouse, and if so over what time period? Claire Hafner once had occasion to discuss this very issue in a job at Euro Disney. But as finance...

Trial separation.
June 21, 2007... Byline: David Jetuah Trial separation Q Could you talk us through the key numbers for the Group? A Again, a very, very strong performance this year. Just to point out, in the numbers MF Global will be considered a discontinued...

Annual report of the week.
June 21, 2007... Byline: Staff HBOS PLC Line of business: Provision of banking and other financial services Listing status FTSE 100 Period end: 31/12/06 31/12/05 Publication date: 26/03/07 28/02/06 Net assets ([pounds...

Small firm of the year.
June 21, 2007... Byline: Accountancy Age Small firm of the year Among our practice awards the greatest pool of competitors is for our Small Firm of the Year award. That's what makes it so challenging and why, when it's won, it is such an achievement....

key recommendations.(Brief article)
June 21, 2007... key recommendations l Discretionary words and pictures should be taken as seriously by policy makers as graphs; l Accountants' training should include issues of communication and presentation,and they should be aware of the ways in...

Rhodes safety.(Alliance and Leicester PLC appoints Chris Rhodes and David Bennett )
June 21, 2007... Byline: David Jetuah Rhodes safety prospects: Chris Rhodes expected to steer smooth course for A&L, writes david jetuah If you want to be chief executive of a FTSE100 company, join Alliance & Leicester. The bank continued the most...

taking responsibility.
June 21, 2007... Byline: Damian Wild taking responsibility Business Ethics may have always been on A board's agenda, but now just talking about it is not enough Haven't boards always had ethical obligations? Simon Webley, research director,...

Face the facts.(technology)(Brief article)
June 21, 2007... Byline: Hugh Thompason FACE THE FACTS l 91% of business leaders felt that new technologies would be important drivers of organisational change l 88% saw technology as an opportunity not a threat l 60% felt that the workplace...

Ask the experts.
June 21, 2007... Mike Conroy Senior manager, HSBC Stuart has the advantage of an attractive proposition as most businesses would like to reduce their telephone bills. His challenge is that there are many companies offering the same thing. The email...

anytime, anywhere.
June 21, 2007... Byline: Lesley Meall anytime, anywhere never mind the numbers, small business owners have their hands full with the day-to-day running of their company. but online bookkeeping can give them the flexibility to do their accounts anytime,...

Smokey -- don't be a bandit.(smoking ban)
June 21, 2007... smokey -- don't be a bandit smoking in public places will be banned from 1 july. yvonne gallagher addresses any concerns your clients might have about their obligations to staff who can't give up Q I run a small company. At the office...

clark kent need not apply.
June 21, 2007... Byline: C Jenkins clark kent need not apply There is no such thing as the superhero employee, says christopher jenkins If you placed all the books written on how to be successful in business on top of one another, the pile would...

Easy like sunday morning.
June 21, 2007... Byline: Parson easy like sunday morning mergers and acquisitions can prove a disruptive experience for all parties involved. Andrew Lentin offers advice on ensuring a smooth process With high levels of funding available for...

Present and correct.
June 21, 2007... Byline: Lynda Purse present and correct The most effective consultants and advisers are those who position themselves as long-term partners, central to the clients they serve, writes Lynda Purser A remarkable thing has happened in...

almighty Lords.(United Kingdom. Parliament. House of Lords)(Brief article)
June 21, 2007... Byline: Rachel Fielding almighty Lords Actress Billie Piper and DJ Chris Evans were recently granted a divorce, nearly three years after their separation. Despite the significant wealth of her ex-husband, Piper insisted she would not...

emotional intelligence.(Brief article)
June 21, 2007... Byline: Rachel Fielding emotional intelligence No one ever said that accountancy was going to be an easy career path, but for those who opt to follow the insolvency route, the statement is particularly true. Not only is there technical...

n Maintaining cashflow n Finding new business n Managing clients while finding the time to follow up on new leads n Growing the business at a satisfactory pace n Ability to deliver huge savings and cost-cutting.
June 21, 2007... n Maintaining cashflow n Finding new business n Managing clients while finding the time to follow up on new leads n Growing the business at a satisfactory pace n Ability to deliver huge savings and cost-cutting

day to day.(Brief article)
June 21, 2007... day to day Piling additional work requirements on to a busy finance team will result in shortfalls -- either in terms of deal preparation or the day-to-day business. Investors won't be impressed by first month projections that have already...

THREE cheers, three choices.(Brief article)
June 21, 2007... THREE cheers, three choices BETTER THE DEVIL -- 'I'm a sole trader and have been doing my accounts using spreadsheets for the past five years,' says Sam Allington. 'My accountant wanted me to swap over to an accounting package, so I gave...

Ready to rumble.(accounting firms, mergers)
June 21, 2007... Byline: Phil Shohet ready to rumble With M&A activity, preparation and transparency are vital There can hardly be an accountant in practice who has not noticed the merger mania that seems to be gripping the profession. A great many...

Thrown in the deep end.(accounting firms)
June 21, 2007... thrown in the deep end Few people admit their weaknesses; fewer still ever realise they have any. When the biggest sign of strength is an ability to admit to one's flaws, there is always a remedy As a firm, we had always operated as a...

The entrepreneurial mind.
June 21, 2007... Byline: Julie Meyer the entrepreneurial mind julie meyer Something new is happening, not only in the way that the internet is shaping our lives, but also in how new technology innovations are getting bedded down in industry. ...

Key UK indicators, April 2007.(Brief article)(Statistical data)
June 21, 2007... Key UK indicators, april 2007 Activity GDP Q1 2.8 Service sector output Q1 3.5 Manufacturing output Q1 1.4 Manufacturing productivity Q4 3.8 Retail sales volumes 3M to Apr 1.2 Whole economy investment Q4 7.2 ...

Top 50.
June 21, 2007... Byline: Rachel Fielding TOP 50 From movers and shakers to runners and riders, check out the latest rankings of the UK's biggest accountancy firms. www.accountancyage.com/top 50 SMOKE FREE This site offers useful tips on...

Expert PDF5 software.
June 21, 2007... EXPERT PDF5 UTILITY SOFTWARE Create, edit and manage PDFs with this alternative to Adobe Acrobat Price: [pounds sterling]40 www.avanquest.co.uk Expert PDF5 from Avanquest allows you to create your own Pdfs, edit existing...

Salt of the earth.
June 21, 2007... Byline: Liz Loxton salt of the earth As partner in the business recovery services department at Vantis and council member and vice president at R3, Nick O'Reilly's greatest attributes are his humility and ability to show empathy...

secrets of success.(Brief article)
June 21, 2007... secrets of success n So much insolvency work involves dealing with people who may be facing the hardest times of their lives. O'Reilly knows everyone has adversity in their life -- be it sickness, death, money problems. For some, those...

top tips.(Brief article)
June 21, 2007... top tips n Employ intelligent, likeable people. Talented, competent staff who are also personable and good at team working tend to enhance the workplace, making the office more dynamic and pleasant. n Treat people respectfully and...

Consultancy.
June 21, 2007... consultancy Name of firm ([pounds sterling]m) % change on 2006 UHY Hacker Young 1.5 139.0 Price Bailey 0.8 100.0 Chantrey Vellacott DFK 1.2 50.0 Rothman Pantall & Co 0.4 45.0 Moore Stephens 15.0 33.0 HW Group...

Accountancy Age Top 50.
June 21, 2007... Accountancy age top 50 Name of firm Rank UK fee 2007 income ([pounds sterling]m) PricewaterhouseCoopers 1 1,980.0 Deloitte 2 1,790.0 KPMG LLP 3 1,454.0 Ernst & Young 4 1,130.0 Grant Thornton 5 387.1 ...

Tax.(Brief article)(List)
June 21, 2007... tax Name of firm ([pounds sterling]m) % change on 2006 Bentley Jennison 13.0 30.0 Grant Thornton 96.8 27.0 Saffery Champness 12.0 24.1 CLB Littlejohn Frazer 3.6 23.5 Berg Kaprow Lewis 2.3 23.0 DTE Group 1.2...

Corporate finance.
June 21, 2007... Corporate finance Name of firm ([pounds sterling]m) % change on 2006 Duncan & Toplis 0.9 104.5 Mercer & Hole 0.0 83.1 Bentley Jennison 4.0 80.0 HW Group 2.7 80.0 DTE Group 0.8 60.0 Rothman Pantall & Co 0.3 50.0...

Audit/accounting.
June 21, 2007... Audit/accounting Name of firm ([pounds sterling]m) % change on 2006 Grant Thornton 131.6 50.0 Vantis - 29.0 Mazars 48.3 24.0 DTE Group 3.8 22.6 Francis Clark 6.4 20.1 Haslers 3.3 17.5 Berg Kaprow Lewis 4.2...

Fees per partner.(Brief article)(List)
June 21, 2007... fees per partner Name of firm ([pounds sterling]m) Wenham Major 2.4 DTE Group 1.6 BDO Stoy Hayward6 1.5 Baker Tilly 1.5 PKF 1.4 Target Chartered Accountants 1.4 Grant Thornton 1.2 Streets 1.0 Smith...

Insolvency.(Brief article)(List)
June 21, 2007... insolvency Name of firm ([pounds sterling]m) % change on 2006 Shipleys 0.2 100.0 Haslers13 0.7 26.3 Berg Kaprow Lewis 1.6 26.0 BDO Stoy Hayward6 40.0 25.0 DTE Group 9.7 22.8 Francis Clark 0.5 16.6 Mercer &...

You're so macho.(behind the numbers)
June 28, 2007... Byline: Damian Wild Behind the numbers: You're so MAcho Forgive me. As you read this I'll be on holiday. I wouldn't normally admit that. It's not something that will endear me to readers. I'm only making it clear as what I'm...