Accounting Refigured: a watershed moment for the region

Habibi, we did it!

On 7th March 2024, the first ever Accounting Refigured event opened its doors to many of the most forward-thinking accounting practices in the Middle East. It was an action-packed day and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

Having had 3 weeks to reflect on what went down that day, here are some of the key takeaways for me:

People really are here for good

It was the title of our first keynote, delivered by the excellent Andrew Van De Beek FCA who joined us all the way from Australia, and the day surely reaffirmed the title.

We saw a group of people come together with a common cause, to further themselves, their accounting firms and the accounting community in the region and propel the industry into a new tech-enabled future with humans at the heart of it.

The positivity in the room was palpable - there was a buzz that I'm yet to see at any other accounting event in the region. The key was to position the event in a different light to any other accounting event the region's seen.

We attracted the key decision-makers from the accounting industry and they were grateful for the opportunity to rub shoulders with their most forward-thinking peers as well as others who have been on the digital practice journey in other markets further afield.

Besides, it takes a certain type of individual to take a gamble on a brand new event that didn't exist just a couple of months before. Those who took the leap will no doubt have benefited from the experience and those with a propensity to take action will surely take an early lead in this tech-powered era that we're in.

The was an overarching sensation that something good was happening, be it the start of a revolution, the reigniting of a flame that perhaps hasn't been burning as bright, or the beginning of a community determined to make a change.

The market is tech-hungry (and karak-thirsty)

The food on the day was on point and the karak tea was as popular as I thought it would be - it still baffles me that the national drink is never served at other conferences! But that's not all that was whetting peoples' appetites.

For years many of the top accounting tech providers have neglected the Middle East market - perhaps out of fear of the unknown or a lack of resources. This has left accountants in the region having to fend for themselves in many cases.

Coupled with a relatively young tax scene, accounting hasn't been near the top of every SME's agendas until recently with the introduction of VAT in 2018 and Corporation Tax in 2023.

There was a sense of relief that we were able to present some of these solutions in front of them and open their eyes to how far the tech has come and the immense value it can bring their accounting practices and their clients.

For Scope Solutions this further cemented the need for us to be here in the market - to bring accounting firms and accounting tech together, helping automate and streamline accounting workflows and add more value to help them stand out from the cloud and become more profitable.

We can't wait till next year

Habibi, don't worry we will be back with Accounting Refigured 2025 (join the waitlist). We also realise that an annual event won't be enough to help the industry get to where it needs to be - as a world leader in the space.

There needs to be more regular touch points with this new community that we're building to keep the momentum going from the event. We at Scope are committed to leading the way here and bring more unforgettable experiences to the region.

Follow me, Scope Solutions Middle East and Accounting Refigured to be the first to hear about the exciting things we'll be doing here. Don't wait till next year to take action.

Our team are here to support you on your digital practice journeys so be sure to get in touch if you want to lead the way.

Until next time habibis!