This month, Shellyann Jackson FCCA tells us how she balances the dual roles of CFO and chief risk officer at consumer and pharmaceutical distributor Lasco, while also finding time to work with Jamaica’s Auditor General. The Jamaican finance professional, who also lectures at the University of the West Indies, still manages to find time for the beach; find out how she does it.
As debt markets reopen after a tariff-imposed freeze, CFOs now face a refinancing dilemma: should they go to the markets now while there is a window of opportunity before the next round of tariffs hit the headlines, or should they wait for lower interest rates, which the markets expect later in the year? It is of course not a one-off tactical decision; it is a constant process, but CFOs have the ability to be flexible and agile if needs be. Find out if the time is right.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere now, embedding itself into business operations. But, equally, auditors now need to understand and address the regulatory, reputational and business risks that this new technology poses. Without adequate controls, organisations that adopt AI and generative AI could be exposed to risks such as bias, a lack of transparency, explanation or accountability, and a failure to comply with existing laws. Read how AI in all its forms is reshaping the audit profession.
Moves in Europe could see a reduced sustainability reporting burden introduced for SMEs in the EU trading bloc. While the debate continues to rage over the Omnibus revisions to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, smaller, non-listed companies are set to benefit from a voluntary set of standards that will radically reduce the number of data points required for sustainability reports, while maintaining consistency and comparability. Read about the voluntary standard [Link to come].
Finally, we hear how a poor Scottish immigrant moved to the US, created a steel empire that made him a multi-millionaire, but then handed over his fortune to establish more than 2,500 libraries. Andrew Carnegie and his modern parallel Bill Gates show the power of philanthropic sharing rather than hoarding, and the importance of making a difference.
