Caseware CEO David Marquis tells AccountingWEB technology editor Tom Herbert about the company's UK priorities: cloud parity, safer AI, platform consolidation and a shift from compliance to advisory – and why firms shouldn’t sit on their hands when it comes to tech transformation.

For full details see the show notes at: https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/tech/accounting-software/caseware-chief-on-audits-next-tech-leap

HMRC’s Making Tax Digital (MTD) programme director Craig Ogilvie joins the team to share the latest updates on MTD testing and why joining early is the best way to prepare. The team also discusses the exemptions process and who qualifies, with Ogilvie warning listeners not to leave applications until the last minute.

He outlines its benefits, talking about how MTD goes beyond compliance to build a modern, data-driven tax system. With better record keeping and improved accuracy, MTD aims to create a fairer, more efficient and resilient tax environment.

The conversation then turns to multi-agent functionality, software support and HMRC’s efforts to help both agents and unrepresented taxpayers through helplines, targeted communications and regional engagement.

Ogilvie closes with some practical advice: get your Agent Service Account (ASA) ready, sign up clients early and make sure your software and records are in shape because April 2026 will come around fast.

The team had a wonderful evening at the Accounting Excellence Awards (AEA) and we hope everyone who joined did too! They share their highlights, with Richard Hattersley reflecting on how the winners shed light on trends shaping the profession. Focusing on the small, mid-tier and large firm winners, Hattersley talks about private equity, management buyouts and growth. Many of these winners will also be speaking at the Finance, Accounting and Bookkeeping Show at the NEC, Birmingham, on 11-12 March 2026.

Tom Herbert spent the day after the awards at Wolters Kluwer’s CCH Connections User Conference. Herbert shares his experience with Wolters Kluwer’s integrated Making Tax Digital (MTD) solution ahead of the mandation date, what the next six months are going to look like for firms and the mood among attendees as MTD nears.

Matthew Ord concludes the podcast by recalling his chat with ICAEW president, Derek Blair. Appointed in June 2025, Blair outlines the legacy he wants to leave, what his goals are and his focus on a social mobility programme to tap into new talent.

As the first series of The Progressive Firm Podcast comes to an end, we profile the rise of Wilson Partners and how it navigated recruitment, M&A, branding and tech to become the multi-office operation it is today.

Richard Hattersley recalls his chats with Dan Heelan, director at Heelan Associates, and Ria-Jaine Lincoln, the founder of the Beauty Accountant, who have both found themselves having to correct AI-generated misinformation brought in by clients. The AccountingWEB team of two discuss the risks of relying on AI for advice and how accountants can get ahead of this issue when trust is on the line.

Tom Herbert looks ahead to 31 January 2026 as the first self assessment season where most taxpayers will use AI. With a survey from Taxfix showing 59% expect to turn to AI before the deadline, they explore why people are using it, how firms are applying it and why accountants remain irreplaceable.

A date has finally been announced for the Autumn Budget – 26 November. Richard Hattersley looks at the political kite flying that has happened over the summer and what we can potentially expect from the Budget. With the government’s pledge not to increase national insurance, income tax and VAT, Hattersley shares his conversation with James Quarmby, a partner at Stephenson Haywood, on what he thinks will happen.

From Downing Street to Brisbane, Tom Herbert speaks about Xerocon 2025. He details the big announcements and what caught his attention, namely Xero’s new partnership with OpenAI, the parent company of ChatGPT. Herbert explores what this partnership means, its impact, and concerns over data and accuracy.

Lastly, Matthew Ord recalls his conversations with Grace Hardy, founder of Hardy Accounting, and James Wright, lecturer for accountancy and finance at the University of Chichester, on the next generation’s desire to start their own firm. With 75% of accounting students wanting to start their own business, Ord questions whether this is a wake-up call for the profession to rethink its approach to talent to tackle the skills gap.

On the latest episode of The Progressive Firm Podcast, Emma Reid and Ana Dima of Cottons and Dougie Todd of HaysMac discuss how a rebrand can aid a firm’s growth plans.

With Matthew Ord and Tom Herbert having some well-earned holiday, Richard Hattersley called in some back up for this week’s episode of No Accounting for Taste. He is joined by Wes Rashid, co-founder and CEO of Accountancy Cloud, Nikki Adams, joint managing director at Ad Valorem and Alex Falcon Huerta, CEO and founder of Soaring Falcon.

The panel kicks off with the profession’s big debate: private equity (PE) vs independence. Hattersley recalls his chat with Simon Massey, the managing partner of Menzies, which has recently merged with Beever and Struthers and remains committed to staying independent. With consolidation on the rise, the guests debate whether smaller firms can compete with PE-backed rivals, discussing the pros and cons of each route.

Closely linked to the topic of PE is tech adoption. While firms are now experimenting with artificial intelligence (AI), the panel questions how it’s really being used and whether the profession is falling behind in other areas. They explore the gap between progressive firms pushing for more innovation and smaller practices still catching up with cloud adoption. The risk, they warn, is that some practices could fall so far behind that succession planning becomes much harder

They wrap up by looking at how firms can respond to these pressures. With so much upheaval, collaboration and community are becoming essential. The panel stresses the power of knowledge sharing and peer support, noting how in-person events help practitioners create stronger trust and better client relationships.

Lisa Miles-Heal, CEO of Silverfin, joins AccountingWEB's technology editor Tom Herbert to unpack research showing senior accountants are embracing AI faster than their younger peers. They explore the surprising trend, from access and trust issues to the different roles each generation plays in accounting firms.

After seven years of waiting, audit reform faces yet another delay. Matthew Ord reports that business minister Justin Madders has confirmed the draft Audit Reform and Governance Bill won’t move forward for pre-legislative scrutiny. He shares reactions from Julia Penny, Bruce Cartwright and Iain Wright, as the team wonders when reform will finally happen.

Tom Herbert then rewinds 30 years to look back on how we have used accounting software. What started as a menu-based, point-and-click system is shifting toward AI-driven free text boxes, but is this really the future? Herbert questions how effective this will be and whether firms are ready to embrace it.

Looking ahead, Richard Hattersley turns to growing Budget speculation. With the National Institute for Economic and Social Research warning of a £41.2bn gap, he discusses the potential fallout for businesses, the likelihood of broken manifesto promises and what moves the government might make.