Accounting Standards in a Dynamic Environment
How to set and apply standards in a world of fast-paced economic, technological and social change
Accounting standards play a crucial role in the economy, contributing to transparency and clarity in the way organizations communicate financial information.
Today’s rapid pace of economic, technological and social change, however, poses interpretation and application challenges for preparers and users of financial information, as accounting standards often lag behind such transformations.
It is essential to understand how to apply standards in a dynamic environment and to identify resources that can be used to stay on top of how standards are interpreted.
Dominique Hamel (principal, Accounting Standards Board) moderates the discussion featuring experts: Armand Capisciolto (chair, Accounting Standards Board), Fiona Bentham (director of corporate accounting and accounting policy, Telus Corporation) and Chris Kovalchuk (portfolio manager, Claret Asset Management). Smith School of Business associate accounting professor Bertrand Malsch is the webinar host. The 60-minute webinar is co-presented by Smith Business Insight and the CPA Ontario Centre for Corporate Reporting and Professionalism.
Participants learn:
- Best practices to ensure proper application of “old” standards to new types of transactions (involving, for instance, crypto assets, carbon credits or blockchains)
- How to develop and exert professional judgment in a dynamic regulatory environment
- Additional resources, beyond standards, that can help shape interpretation
- How to recognize the challenges posed by rapid economic, technological and social changes to the interpretation and application of accounting standards.
This webinar was recorded on April 25, 2024.
Session Participants
Armand Capisciolto
Armand Capisciolto has served on the Accounting Standards Board (AcSB) since 2015, including as a member, vice-chair, and now, chair. He also chaired the AcSB’s private enterprise advisory committee and membership on the IFRS Accounting Standards Discussion Group. Armand’s work in standard setting goes beyond the private sector, including past roles with the Public Sector Accounting Discussion Group and the Auditing and Assurance Standards Board’s Internal Control over Financial Reporting Task Force. On top of his standard setting experience, Armand was the national accounting standards partner with BDO Canada LLP, where he has spent much of his career.
Fiona Bentham
Fiona Bentham has over 25 years of industry experience. At Telus, she directly leads the team that is committed to ensuring the accuracy and integrity of the financial statements through their involvement in complex accounting transactions, in addition to leading the internal accounting CPD offerings and the development, implementation and oversight of general accounting and financial policies to support the best-in-class corporate financial reporting. Fiona is engaged in the CPA Canada Sustainability Preparers Working Group and participated in AcSB/IASB outreach projects.
Chris Kovalchuk
Chris Kovalchuk is a portfolio manager at Claret Asset Management Corporation, an independent portfolio management firm that manages $2.4 billion in assets. He is dedicated to the investment management of private accounts for high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, corporations and non-profit foundations. Chris is involved in the firm’s independent fundamental research process. He has a keen interest in how changes to accounting standards can impact a company’s financial results, management discussion, disclosures and key performance indicators.
Dominique Hamel
Dominique Hamel works to develop and transform accounting standards to meet society’s evolving needs. Dominique has over 10 years of experience in the financial services industry, most recently as part of the corporate finance team at Intact Financial Corporation. At Intact, she specialized in complex accounting and participated in several acquisitions as well as the implementation of accounting standards, such as IFRS 15 and IFRS 16. She has also worked in audit at National Bank and KPMG.
Dr. Bertrand Malsch
Bertrand Malsch is an Associate Professor & PWC/Tom O'Neill Professor of Accounting at Smith School of Business and the 2020 recipient of the Award for Research Excellence. He is the author of numerous leading articles in international academic journals on the subject of auditing, accounting regulation and governance. His work has been presented in many scholarly and professional conferences around the world. He is a member of the Quebec Bar.