Accounting for the Future: A BDO Canada Podcast

Episode information

Length: 33 mins

Summary

This week, we welcome Anne-Marie Henson, BDO partner from our Montreal Office. Anne-Marie works with public companies, as well as many technology companies in both the start-up and scale-up stages. We discuss the difference between a scale-up and a start-up, why taking time to think over investment decisions matters, and a few success stories of companies who understood the benefits of investing time in accounting and finance upfront.

Guest information

Anne-Marie Henson, BDO Canada, Partner, Assurance & Accounting

Anne-Marie Henson is a partner at BDO's downtown Montreal office with over 15 years of professional experience. She has managed complex domestic and international client engagements and has extensive experience serving public and private companies that report in accordance with ASPE, IFRS and US GAAP. She routinely offers advice and ideas on accounting and reporting issues as well as internal controls and operating efficiencies. She has also advised and assisted companies in financing, expansion and going public transactions in both Canada and the US.

Episode information

Length: 23 mins

Summary

Sustainability reporting is gaining momentum - and fast! Businesses that aren't already thinking about their ESG strategy are at risk of falling behind their competitors. To unravel some of the details regarding sustainability reporting around the world, in this two-part conversation we welcome BDO partners Andrew Buchanan, BDO Global's Head of IFRS and Corporate Reporting, and Christopher Tower, BDO USA's ESG Strategy and Services Leader. Together they address how sustainability reporting is impacting businesses in Canada, the USA, and Europe.

Guest information

Andrew Buchanan, BDO Global, Global Head of IFRS and Corporate Reporting

Christopher Tower, BDO USA, ESG Strategy and Services Leader

Episode information

Length: 32 mins

Summary

With compliance conversations heating up, sustainability reporting and options for meeting requirements continue to be top priorities for proactive businesses. This is the second part of our conversation with Andrew Buchanan, BDO's Global Head of IFRS and Corporate Reporting, and Christopher Tower, BDO USA's ESG Strategy and Services Leader. Together they explore key sustainability requirements proposed by the Canadian Securities Administrators, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive.

Guest information

Andrew Buchanan, BDO Global, Global Head of IFRS and Corporate Reporting

Christopher Tower, BDO USA, ESG Strategy and Services Leader

Episode information

Length: 34 mins

Summary

This week we welcome Barbara Palmegiani, Partner and CFO Services Leader with BDO Canada, to talk about the significant impact The Great Resignation is having on the already lean finance profession. There is no formula to guarantee employment, but through transformation businesses can keep up with the future of the finance function. Spoiler alert: it's about more than technology.

Guest information

Barbara Palmegiani, BDO Canada, Partner and CFO Services Leader

Barbara is a BDO's CFO Services Leader and Assurance and Accounting Partner based in the GTA. Working closely with many CFOs and controller's from a variety of sectors, company sizes and industries, Barbara has maintained a part-time learning focus, where she teaches CPAs to develop their leadership abilities, human centric skills, and core values that will differentiate the “accountant of the future.”

Barbara has a wide range of business expertise earned over the last 30 years in diverse areas such as management consulting, training and education, retail, CPG, private equity, manufacturing, not-for-profit, real estate, as well as successfully leading finance and operations teams in various public and private companies.

Episode information

Length: 28 mins

Summary

Forward-thinking companies are working toward sustainability and increasing their focus on environment, social, and governance practices. Environmental and social issues are now business issues, but what is the impact of these efforts on financial reporting? In this episode, host Armand Capisciolto and his guest discuss the link between sustainability and financial reporting.

Guest information

Kyle Hulme, Chief Operating Officer, Pulis Investments

Kyle is a BDO Alumni, having worked as a Partner leading BDO's Strategy, Operations & Sustainability practice. With over 15 years of experience, Kyle lead a team of strategy, operations, and sustainability professionals who assisted clients with achieving their growth, performance, and sustainability ambitions. Delivering strategic business planning, operational transformations and ESG programs, Kyle worked across a wide variety of industries, focusing on private sector organizations.

Episode information

Length: 22 mins

Summary

With inflation rates at their highest since the 1980s and unprecedented interest rate increases, companies are left wondering what steps they can take to mitigate the impact of the current economic environment. In this episode, host Armand Capisciolto, BDO's National Accounting Standards Partner and leader of accounting advisory services, is joined by Kevin Meyler, national leader of BDO's Business Restructuring and Turnaround Services for a discussion about managing the current economic environment.

Guest information

Kevin Meyler, BDO Canada, Partner and Business Restructuring and Turnaround Services Leader

Kevin is a partner in BDO's Calgary office. He has more than 15 years of experience providing restructuring, insolvency, and transaction advisory services to both private and public companies on behalf of banks, financial institutions, alternative lenders, and shareholders of businesses.

Throughout his career, Kevin has provided services to clients in a wide range of industries, including real estate, restaurant and hospitality, oil field services, manufacturing, printing, agriculture, technology, and retail.

Episode information

Length: 29 mins

Summary

An impressive number of companies have gone public in recent years, but the benefits of being a public company are not always available to certain companies during a period of economic uncertainty. Does it make more sense to take a public company private? In this episode of Accounting for the Future, host Armand Capisciolto, BDO's National Accounting Standards Partner and leader of Accounting Advisory Services, is joined by Georges Dubé, Partner at McMillan, Capital Markets & Securities team. Together they discuss the benefits, mechanisms, and considerations of taking a public company private.

Guest information

Georges Dubé, McMillan, Partner, Capital Markets & Securities

Georges Dubé is recognized as a leading corporate finance and securities lawyer with a business law practice focused on capital markets and corporate governance. He has extensive experience in public and private securities offerings, as well as takeover bids and mergers and acquisitions, both in the Canadian and cross-border context.

With extensive transactional experience in industries including mining, technology, cannabis and life sciences, Georges helps startups and established companies achieve their goals while safeguarding their interests in the marketplace.

Episode information

Length: 18 mins

Summary

Despite the pandemic, 2020 and 2021 were extremely busy years in the active capital markets with a host of companies going public and successful funds raised. So far, 2022 has presented a slowdown in the public markets, but what does that mean for early-stage companies that are looking to raise money now? In this episode of Accounting for the Future, host Armand Capisciolto, BDO's National Accounting Standards Partner and Accounting Advisory Services Leader, sits down with Jeffrey Stanger, President of ITB Solutions, Inc. Jeffrey shares his insights into what it takes to raise money in today's tough market.

Guest information

Jeffrey Stanger, President, ITB Solutions Incorporated

ITB Solutions Incorporated is a Toronto based management consulting firm that is focused specifically on the capital markets ecosystem. Their focus, for the past 18 years as Going Public Management Consultants, is on creating and managing the going public plan and deal team with C-level management for a successful listing.

The President, Jeffrey Stanger, has worked in the capital markets for 28 years, with 16 of them in listings development positions for two recognized Canadian stock exchanges.

Episode information

Length: 29 mins

Summary

Following the right Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) provides a communication and deal-making tool to help move your business plans forward. Opportunities in today's volatile marketplace come and go quickly, and those who have put in the work of advanced planning will be prepared to seize opportunities as they arise.

Guest information

Mikaela Taylor, BDO Canada, Assurance and Accounting Partner

Based out of BDO's Vancouver office, Mikaela specializes in Public Companies and is responsible for developing quality procedures and standards, ensuring firm-wide compliance, organizing training initiatives, assessing client requirements, monitoring performance, and assisting BDO teams globally. She has 20 years of audit experience in aerospace, biotech software, natural resources, real estate, life sciences, and technology sectors.

Mikaela is knowledgeable about publicly listed companies and U.S. GAAP accounting standards, having worked with both TSX listed entities and SEC registrants.

Dave Rasmussen, BDO Canada, Assurance and Accounting Partner

With over 20 years of experience in the accounting and audit practice, Dave provides consultation in complex accounting, auditing and financial reporting matters and ensures that quality standards and regulations are applied to a wide variety of assurance and related services.

Dave has experience with many sizes and types of entities including privately held businesses, public companies and not-for-profit organizations. Dave's industry experience is varied and includes real estate, manufacturing, natural resources, professional services entities and consumer business.

Episode information

Length: 33 mins

Summary

With lingering uncertainty in a post-pandemic market and increases in both supply and demand, worldwide M&A opportunities have reached trillions of dollars. To highlight issues that companies are facing both before and after acquiring a business, host Armand Capisciolto is joined by two BDO advisors: Jamie Windle and Ziad Akkaoui. Together they discuss how some decisions made before a deal can cause the greatest hurdles after a deal closes.

Guest information

Jamie Windle, BDO Canada, Managing Director, M&A and Capital Markets

Jamie is a Partner and Managing Director in the M&A and Capital Markets team, based in BDO's Toronto office. He specializes in transaction support, buy-side and sell-side diligence assistance and deal advisory, and he has significant experience in identifying and resolving critical deal issues. Jamie provides transaction services in the Manufacturing, Information Technology, Distribution, Mining, Consumer Products and Business Services industries.

Ziad Akkaoui, BDO Canada, Partner, Risk Advisory Services

Ziad is a Partner in BDO's Risk Advisory practice based in Toronto and has over 16 years of experience providing advisory services to clients from coast-to-coast. He has successfully assisted a number of clients with corporate governance, risk management, and compliance monitoring. Ziad has participated in several consulting mandates working with publicly listed companies, large private companies, and the public sector in a range of industries including financial services, technology and life sciences, energy and natural resources, cannabis, and real estate.

Episode information

Length: 27 mins

Summary

Whenever you have down markets in a recessionary environment, you are likely to see an increase in litigation, particularly in the M&A space. What are the key moves that companies can make now to avoid surprises — and potential litigation — when preparing for M&A?

In this episode of Accounting for the Future, host Armand is joined by Robert Brush, Partner at Crawley MacKewen Brush LLP, specializing in corporate and securities litigation, and Michael Morrow, a BDO Partner specializing in Capital Markets and M&A. Together they discuss tactics for avoiding litigation in mergers and acquisitions.

Guest information

Robert Brush, Crawley MacKewn Brush LLP, Founding Partner

Robert is a founding partner of Crawley MacKewn Brush LLP, one of Canada's top corporate commercial and securities litigation firms. Robert is ranked nationally as a leader in the fields of corporate commercial and securities litigation. He is recognized by Lexpert as one of the Top 500 Lawyers in Canada and is featured in the Lexpert Special Edition on Canada's Leading Litigation Lawyers. He is also recognized as a leading corporate commercial and securities litigator by Best Lawyers in Canada.

Robert's wide-ranging commercial litigation practice includes disputes arising out of mergers and acquisitions, breach of contract suits, director and officer liability claims, oppression remedy matters, business tort claims, fraud and cyber-fraud investigations and claims, wrongful dismissal actions, and professional negligence suits. Robert's securities litigation practice includes class actions, proceedings before securities regulators, shareholder and corporate governance disputes, takeover bid litigation, negligence claims against investment advisors and dealers, cyber-fraud investigations and claims in the financial sector, and wrongful dismissal suits against investment firms.

Michael Morrow, BDO Canada, Managing Director, M&A and Capital Markets

Michael Morrow is a Partner and Managing Director in BDO's Toronto office, and is the National M&A and Capital Markets Leader, with over 15 years of professional experience providing mergers and acquisition (M&A), and capital raising services to private and publicly traded middle market companies in Canada.

Michael has successfully closed over one hundred transactions representing more than $2 billion in transaction value.

Michael is a member of BDO's Financial Services team, as well as the firm's Private Equity Initiative. He has also presented at several events focusing on business succession, M&A and capital raising.

Episode information

Length: 27 mins

Summary

Around the world, companies are working to achieve net-zero, and BDO is no different. But why is this an accounting issue? This week, we welcome Mary Matthews and Braham Moondi, both Partners in BDO's Accounting Advisory practice. Together, they discuss the role that accountants play in moving companies toward net-zero and best practices for approaching specific considerations along the way.

Guest information

Mary Mathews, BDO Canada, Accounting Advisory Partner

Mary Mathews is a Partner in the Accounting Advisory practice and National Accounting Standards Group. She provides IFRS and US GAAP accounting advice to clients in technology, infrastructure, cannabis, and manufacturing, as well as financial institutions in Canada, the US, and the UK.

With her dual role in Accounting Advisory and the National Accounting Standards Group, Mary has significant experience advising clients on complex accounting topics, both during transactions and implementation projects, driven by changes in accounting standards. She also leads pre- and post-deal reporting engagements such as the preparation of financial statements, GAAP conversions, and post-deal integration.

Braham Moondi, BDO Canada, Accounting Advisory Partner

Braham Moondi is a Partner in BDO's Toronto office and a member of the Accounting Advisory Services, Technology and Life Sciences, and Public Company groups. She has more than a decade of experience in public practice providing accounting and assurance services to large private and public companies in automotive/dealership, technology and media, leasing and financial services, and energy/utility industries.

Braham has significant IFRS and US GAAP consulting experience and has assisted clients with transitioning their financial statements to these frameworks. Additionally, she provides advisory services regarding the impacts of new and upcoming accounting standards.

Episode information

Length: 42 mins

Summary

Climate risk management is a hot topic in boardrooms today. Organizations around the world are actively talking about climate change risk management and what that looks like in their governance structure, strategic plans and financial reporting.

In this episode of Accounting for the Future, host Armand Capisciolto, BDO's National Accounting Standards Partner and Accounting Advisory Services Leader, is joined by Kristyn Annis, a corporate commercial lawyer at BLG specializing in energy and climate change. Together they discuss director responsibility for climate risk management, regardless of mandatory climate risk disclosures, and the impact it can have on an organization - and the world.

Guest information

Kristyn Annis, BLG, Counsel

Kristyn is a corporate commercial lawyer specializing in energy and climate change. She works closely with clients to help them structure and build resilient energy and infrastructure businesses, and transition to a low-carbon future.

Kristyn's practice focuses on commercial matters and M&A, both generally and in the energy sector specifically. She has more than a decade of experience advising clients on all aspects of renewable energy development, transmission build-out, distributed energy resources and energy storage. She has worked at the top levels of government, advising both the Minister of Energy and the Premier of Ontario on energy, emissions trading, climate change, economic development and Indigenous affairs. Her policy experience in these areas provides value to her clients seeking to accelerate their energy transition, since government policy drives much of it and involves advocating on behalf of her clients with various levels of government.

Episode information

Length: 31 mins

Summary

Many private companies consider going public as the finish line, when in reality, it is simply the starting line for an entirely new life with deadlines, board members, investors, and regulations that have to be answered to.

In this episode of Accounting for the Future, discover the life of a public company - what it is, what it isn't, who needs to be on a successful team, and the proactive steps companies can take now to avoid problems in the future.

Guest information

Alex Lalka, Partner

Alexander has a corporate law practice focusing on mergers and acquisitions and securities law. His practice includes public and private acquisitions, public offerings, private placements, venture capital transactions, business combinations, and general corporate and commercial matters. He works with his Miller Thomson colleagues practicing in business law, national securities, capital markets, and mergers and acquisitions.

Alexander routinely advises public companies on corporate governance and executive compensation matters, continuous disclosure requirements, and other obligations under securities laws and stock exchange policies. He also often provides strategic advice to private companies in various industries when they are proceeding with a going-public transaction.

Anne-Marie Henson, Partner, BDO Canada

Anne-Marie is a partner at BDO's downtown Montreal office with over 15 years of professional experience. She has managed complex domestic and international client engagements and has extensive experience serving public and private companies that report in accordance with ASPE, IFRS and US GAAP. She routinely offers advice and ideas on accounting and reporting issues as well as internal controls and operating efficiencies. She has also advised and assisted companies in financing, expansion and going public transactions in both Canada and the US.

Episode information

Length: 25 mins

Summary

This episode features a conversation from BD's recent internal Assurance Conference. At this conference, Armand Capisciolto, BDO's National Accounting Standards Partner and Accounting Advisory Services Leader, met with BDO Assurance partner Ian MacDonell, and BDO Valuations partner Amanda Tso. Together they discussed the ways that private equity is impacting businesses today, including preparing for a sale, how to increase a company's appeal, and the importance of preparing financial reports in advance.

Guest information

Amanda Tso, Partner, BDO Canada

Amanda has more than 15 years of professional experience providing private investment valuations, fairness opinions, and financial modelling services. She has prepared small, medium, and large-scale valuations for deal pricing, asset management, risk management, litigation, financial reporting, and tax purposes.

She provides advisory services to clients in a wide range of industries, including financial services, infrastructure, private equity, technology and life sciences, retail and consumer business, pensions and benefit plans, and asset and portfolio management.

Ian MacDonell, Partner, BDO Canada

Ian has over 10 years of public accounting experience working with owner-managed businesses in strategic planning, Canadian and International taxation, wealth management, valuation and business transition. He also works with clients in the not-for-profit sectors, including First Nations, health care and municipal.

His areas of expertise include: accounting, assurance, taxation, wealth management, valuations and business transitions.

Episode information

Length: 36 mins

Summary

Financial statements are more than just a compliance document, they're also a communication tool. But what message are you communicating with hard to understand, vague, or overly complicated financial statements?

Host Armand Capisciolto, BDO's National Accounting Standards Partner and Accounting Advisory Services Leader, is joined by Anthony Scilipoti, Founder, President and CEO of Veritas Investment Research for a conversation about the value of preparing financial statements that tell the company's story clearly.

Together they discuss the do's and don'ts of creating exceptional financial statements so that investors can make informed decisions and help move a company forward.

Guest information

Anthony Scilipoti - Founder, President & CEO of Veritas Investment Research

Anthony and his partners founded Veritas Investment Research in 2000. He is a Fellow Chartered Public Accountant, a Fellow Chartered Accountant, a Certified Public Accountant (Illinois) and a member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. He is a licensed portfolio manager. Anthony has been very active in accounting standard-setting since 2003.

Anthony also has served as a member of the Ontario Securities Commission's Continuous Disclosure Advisory Committee since 2006. In 2019, Anthony was appointed to the Board of the Capital Markets Advisory Committee of the International Accounting Standards Board. He is a former member of the Canadian Accounting Standards Board, the CICA's Emerging Issues Committee, and was the Chair of CPA Canada's Users Advisory Committee.