18 must-see sessions at the 2026 Accounting & Business Expo Australia | Karbon Magazine
18 must-see sessions at the 2026 Accounting & Business Expo Australia
120+ speakers and 140+ sessions—here’s a curated list of must-see talks at the 2026 Accounting & Business Expo Australia.
It’s nearly time to head to the International Convention & Exhibition Centre in Sydney (Gadigal Country) for two jam-packed days at the Accounting & Business Expo Australia 2026.
With 120+ speakers presenting across 140+ sessions, there’s a lot to keep track of. So here’s a curated list of 18 must-see sessions to help you make the most of your time.
Day 1: Wednesday, 18 March
The transformed accounting firm: How AI will redefine how you work
Presenter: Mary Delaney, Karbon
Time: 11.30am
Location: Practice Management Theatre
What does an AI-enabled accounting firm look like? How will work, roles, and client relationships evolve? Mary will explore a ‘day in the life’ of a transformed, AI-empowered firm, sharing practical steps you can take today to modernise and stay ahead of the game.
Selling your bookkeeping business: The practical and emotional journey
Take a behind-the-scenes look at what actually happens when a bookkeeping business is sold. You’ll learn what truly drives value, how to choose the right buyer, practical advice for preparing to sell, the emotional realities of selling your business, and life after the transaction.
Presenter: Natalie Lennon, Two Sides Accounting and Two Sides Academy
Time: 12.30pm
Location: Practice Management Theatre
If you’re building a firm, leading a team, or quietly dreaming about something bigger, this session is for you. Natalie will share her story—the messy parts, lessons, pivots, and the exact moment she decided to take control of her career. She’ll explore how to stop asking for permission, back yourself, take control, and make decisions that your future self will thank you for.
Rethinking repricing
Presenters:
Tish Bhagwandeen, InFinance Solutions
Trent Yesberg, Regional Business Services
Time: 1pm
Location: Practice Management Theatre
If you haven’t factored the cost of your clients’ tech stack into your pricing model, it might be eroding your margins. This session will delve into how to structure your pricing to absorb these costs, including transparency with clients, pricing reviews, and the best way to bill clients for tech (line item vs. part of the package vs. a separate monthly charge).
Top 10 cyber essentials for any size accounting firm
This session will explore the cyber threat landscape and its risk factors, equipping you with top cybersecurity practices for protecting sensitive data, securing authentication, managing passwords effectively, and implementing cybersecurity awareness firm-wide.
Thriving as an independent accountant
Presenter: Catarina Santini, Latitude Accountants
Time: 1pm
Location: SME Leaders Theatre
Running your own firm can be incredibly rewarding—but it can also be lonely. In this candid session, Catarina will share her journey from self-practitioner to small-firm leader, and how she found strength in connection and collaboration. You’ll learn how to build community, protect your energy, and evolve your firm without losing what makes it yours.
Scaling finance: Managing planning and financial close as complexity grows
As organisations scale, finance teams often outgrow manual, spreadsheet-based processes. Close cycles lengthen, transaction volumes rise, and error risk increases. Adding headcount offers temporary relief, but modern close, consolidation, and planning platforms drive sustainable change. Chee-Hoe will explore scalable, insight-led finance models that reduce risk, improve data integrity, and prevent burnout.
Build a second brain to make room for what matters
Presenter: Heather Smith, ANISE Consulting
Time: 2.30pm
Location: Digital Transformation Theatre
Heather is obsessed with clean data and clever workflows. Her focus on automation and integration has helped hundreds of businesses improve decision-making through better financial management. She will share her practical guide for accountants and bookkeepers to capture, organise, and leverage knowledge in the digital age.
The proactive accountant: Turning data and automation into better client outcomes
Presenters:
Stan Corner, ATOmate
Amanda Gascoigne, The Balanced Firm & Amanda Gascoigne Consulting
David Cowling, Roberts Cowling
Time: 3pm
Location: Tax Theatre
This session will explore what it truly means to be a proactive accountant and how leveraging automation, client communication tools, and real-time ATO data can create smarter workflows and stronger client relationships.
Attracting and retaining young accountants: Dispelling myths and removing barriers
Presenters:
Joanna Perry, Firm Ready
Ryan Grant, Altus Financial
Nick Holloway, Baker Tilly
Zoe Keck, Canva
Time: 4.30pm
Location: Bookkeeping Theatre
Discover the evolving needs of the next generation of accountants and dispel outdated stereotypes so you can attract, engage, and retain young talent in a competitive market. This panel will cover common misconceptions about young professionals in accounting, and strategies to create a more inclusive and engaging workplace culture.
Day 2: Thursday, 19 March
How to fix your staffing shortage with offshore teams (and avoid common mistakes)
Presenter: Jonathan Ryall, Frontline Accounting
Time: 11am
Location: Outsourcing & Offshoring Theatre
While offshoring is now one solution to the accounting industry’s staffing challenges, many firms struggle because they misunderstand how offshore teams work. In this session, Jonathan shares a practical, real-world view of offshore hiring based on more than a decade of experience helping firms build dedicated offshore teams that become a genuine extension of their practice.
Winning the talent war: Empowering the next generation through just-in-time learning
Presenter: Joyce Ong, Tax Nuggets Academy
Time: 11am
Location: HR & Payroll Theatre
Forcing staff to consume content they won’t use for months has become a productivity bottleneck. By 2030, Millennials and Gen Z will represent nearly 60% of the workforce. To lead them effectively, firms must pivot from mandatory attendance to Just-in-Time (JIT) Learning. Join Joyce Ong as she explores how on-demand agency transforms CPD from a compliance chore into a strategic asset.
Adapt or be automated: ESG, AI, and the next accounting revolution
Presenter: Sarah Lawrance, Hot Toast
Time: 12.30pm
Location: SME Advisory Theatre
Sarah will deep-dive into how AI in accounting and automation will erase low-value work, how purpose will amplify high-value impact, and why firms that fuse intelligence, speed, and intent will dominate the next decade.
Country, culture & cashflow: Indigenous storytelling for accountants
Presenter: Jolene Kawak, Karlaya Accounting & Business Advisory
Time: 1.30pm
Location: SME Advisory Theatre
Indigenous storytelling teaches us that knowledge becomes powerful when it is shared with context, connection, and purpose. Modern accounting has the same responsibility: not just to report numbers, but to help people understand their implications. Jolene will demonstrate how accountants can use storytelling principles rooted in Aboriginal knowledge systems to communicate clearly, build trust, and guide organisations with confidence.
From trust professional to boardroom contributor
Presenter: Lisa Yen, HyVu Advisory
Time: 2pm
Location: SME Advisory Theatre
Are you a trusted professional with years of experience, but unsure how to make the leap into the boardroom? In this session, Lisa will share practical insights and a clear framework for moving from expertise to strategic boardroom impact. You’ll learn why talented professionals often stall before they reach the boardroom and the deliberate steps to get clear on your value, build governance skills, and create board opportunities.
Double your talent pool
Presenters:
Michelle Kvello, Lantern Partners
Shaye Thyer, Pallas
Time: 2pm
Location: HR & Payroll Theatre
Discover what’s actually driving your talent crisis—and how to fix it. It’s not just about hiring faster or throwing money at the problem. It’s about identifying the silent systems that are draining your talent pool from within. You’ll learn why retention is breaking down at the mid-career level, fresh strategies to tap into a massive pool of underutilised talent already within reach, and practical steps to stop the talent leak once and for all.
Branding and marketing for your SMSF practice
Presenter: Susan O’Connor, Susan O’Connor Accounting
Time: 2.30pm
Location: SME Advisory Theatre
Uncover the benefits of developing your own branding and marketing program, including how to define your brand, how your brand should attract your ideal clients, the four foundations of a successful brand, TikTok, AI and how smart business owners are leaving a digital footprint.
The AI tools useful right now for accounting firms
Presenters:
Heather Smith, ANISE Consulting
Chris Wheatley, Scope Accounting
Tim Garth, CATS Accountants
Kyelie Baxter, IQ Accountants
Liam Hindle, MYOB
Time: 3pm
Location: SME Advisory Theatre
This panel will discuss how to evaluate technology stacks that align with client needs, your business model, and advisory service goals, plus the role of automation, AI and data analytics in streamlining workflows and free-up capacity for higher-value advisory.
Don’t forget to say hi to the Karbon team
Stop by stand D33 and say hello to Karbonites visiting from across Australia and the world
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Presenter: Mary Delaney, Karbon
Time: 11.30am
Location: Practice Management Theatre
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