Accountex London celebrates welcoming eleven thousand attendees 

Accountex London made its annual return to ExCeL on 15-16 May 2024 and welcomed over eleven thousand attendees from across the UK and has far as Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.  

This year’s show is officially the largest show in Accountex history, after a 7% increase on last year’s record-breaking numbers.  

‘The atmosphere was electric; it was inspiring to see the community so active’ 

Portfolio Director, Caroline Hobden was ecstatic about the success “To be totally honest, we weren’t expecting to smash last year’s record numbers, so this is a testament to the amazing speakers and exhibitors that make the show a worthwhile visit every year.”  

Caroline continued: “We’ve had fantastic feedback from across the industry with 72% of exhibitors having already rebooking their stands for next year, with many booking even bigger spaces. 

It wouldn’t have been Accountex without some new elements thrown in, including the Sustainability Zone, BSL interpreters and Titan the Robot! We can’t wait to deliver an even better show next year!” 

‘The meetings I had with suppliers are going to propel my business forward!’ 

With more exhibitors than ever, visitors had the opportunity to meet over three hundred service providers, from industry giants to start-ups, including FreeAgent, Intuit QuickBooks, IRIS, Sage, TaxCalc, Dext, Wolters Kluwer and Xero.

Exhibitors covered everything from professional training and cash flow forecasting to cybersecurity and outsourcing. Having these services in one room meant attendees could catch up with their current suppliers and source new services, reducing their overall time and costs. 

“We had a fab couple of days meeting great customers and exploring potential opportunities, there was a real buzz at our stand.” Commented long time exhibitor June Jackson, from NOW: Pensions. 

‘I can’t wait to integrate these new ideas into my career’ 

The CPD accredited seminar programme was made up of 250+ seminars delivered by 200+ expert speakers across 13 Theatres.

The programme was curated to incorporate everything that affects accounting, finance and bookkeeping professionals inside and outside of the office. Topics included carbon accounting, practice growth, AI and ESG. 

Sarah Wheatley, Accounts Manager at ACE Scaffolding Contractors Ltd said: “The sessions were great and were delivered by some really professional, inspirational speakers that I would have paid good money to see, but at Accountex they’re all free!” 

For the first time, all seminars were recorded, so for a limited period visitors will be able to watch back sessions from the days they attended (Sponsored by Moneypenny).  

First time speaker Mhairi Aitken commented: “My session went really well, there was a big audience, that seemed very engaged, and there were lots of questions! It’s important to attend Accountex as it brings people together from across the industry to exchange ideas and think about different ways of working.” 

‘Buzzy, busy, friendly AND a lot of business being done!’ 

Beyond the exhibition and seminars, Accountex hosted a range of new features.  

The Quiet Zone was geared towards those who needed time to decompress from overstimulation at the show, with Accountex’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion partner ‘Watch This Sp_ce’ on hand to help.

A big theme across Accountex was sustainability. Based at the front of the show, the Sustainability Zone not only included an escape room to test Net Zero knowledge but was a space for visitors to educate themselves on their environmental impact and journey.  

Another huge moment at Accountex was having British Sign Language interpretation across three of the stages. The interpreters are part of a new collaboration with AAT, who were also named as Accountex’s first-ever ‘Accessibility Partner’. 

“As Accountex draws near I start thinking that I’m too busy to go, but I know it will be worth it for the knowledge and contacts gained, and most of all for the energy and positivity I take back to the practice with me.” Commented visitor Susan Keane, Director at Fuller Spurling.

Accountex Summit Manchester returns for its sixth year 

Accountex Summit Manchester is returning on 17 September 2024 to Manchester Central. The event will include 120+ fintech suppliers and a free CPD accredited seminar programme, as well as a post-show networking event.   

You can find out more and register your interest here: www.accountexmanchester.com 

Mark your calendar for Accountex London 2025   

Accountex London is back at ExCeL London on 14-15 May 2025. To find out more information about the event and to join the mailing list, please visit: www.accountex.co.uk/london 

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