Page Kirk at the Accelerate Annual Conference 2025: Strengthening Connections, Culture and Client Value

This June, a team of Page Kirk partners and managers travelled to York to take part in the 2025 Accelerate Annual Members Conference, hosted this year by fellow member firm HPH Chartered Accountants.

The three-day event brought together accountancy professionals from across the UK to explore the theme “Fortifying the Firm,” a deep dive into building resilient, purpose-driven practices in a rapidly changing world.

For Page Kirk, this conference wasn't just another networking event, it was a chance to connect, learn, and bring back fresh ideas to benefit our team and clients.

Sonja, Liam, John, Neil, Jonathan and James
attending the Accelerate Annual Members Conference.

What is Accelerate and why does it matter to clients?

For those unfamiliar, Accelerate is a UK-wide community of forward-thinking independent accountancy firms. It allows members to share insights, collaborate on best practices, and invest in professional development with like-minded firms across the country.

Accelerate is not just UK centric but a business associate of Crowe Global, one of the world's largest international accounting networks, with member firms in over 130 countries. This gives Page Kirk access to global expertise.

The benefit for clients? You get the personalised support of a local firm in Nottingham, combined with the wider knowledge, sector expertise, and international reach of a much larger network. This combination is a key part of our value proposition and a real differentiator in the accountancy world.

Liam and James attending the networking dinner
at National Railway Museum, York.

Reflections from the Page Kirk team

The conference offered a balance of practical sessions, inspirational talks, and opportunities to connect with peers from across the UK.

Sacha Romanovitch OBE, CEO of Fair4All Finance and former CEO of Grant Thornton, gave a standout keynote on creating inclusive workplace cultures and aligning business values with global issues, something our team felt was especially timely and relevant.

Lord Mark Price, former Managing Director of Waitrose and UK Minister for Trade and Investment, shared his six steps to creating a happy workplace, drawing on his wealth of experience to show how employee engagement can drive business success. His practical advice resonated strongly with the Page Kirk team and reinforced the importance of putting people at the heart of business strategy.

Motivational speaker David Smith MBE delivered a powerful message on resilience, balance, and valuing our time, a reminder to build lives, not just careers.

Sessions on topics such as client communication, staff engagement, and emerging technology were packed with practical takeaways.

As John Wallis, Page Kirk's senior partner shared:

“Sacha Romanovitch really drove home the importance of inclusive leadership and the need to root our culture in what's happening outside the firm, from economic pressures to climate change. Lord Mark Price's insights on building a happy and engaged workforce really struck a chord that creating the right environment for our people is key to long-term success. David Smith's session also left a strong impression, a powerful reminder to appreciate our time and the people we share it with.”

Accounts Manager Liam Peltell echoed the value of the experience, both professionally and personally:

“This was my first Accelerate conference, and I was apprehensive at first. But the warmth and openness of the network, especially people like Dawn from Crowe Isle of Man, made it easy to settle in. I left feeling energised and inspired, particularly by the idea of corporate volunteering, which I'd love our team to explore further.”

Neil Moon, Tax Partner, saw the conference as a reminder of the bigger picture behind technical work:

“It's easy in tax to get lost in compliance and deadlines, but what stood out to me was the focus on how culture and purpose impact everything we do. Including how we deliver advice to clients. The talks really reinforced the value of empathy and clarity in how we communicate technical subjects.”

James Haywood, Page Kirk Audit Partner, appreciated the chance to see how other firms are evolving:

“Accelerate gives us an opportunity to lift our heads from the day-to-day and see how firms across the UK are adapting. Whether it's through team engagement, digital transformation, or rethinking client service. These conversations help us keep Page Kirk at the forefront. One of the most powerful takeaways for me came from David Smith's motivational session. He reminded us that we have around 4,000 weeks on this planet if we live to 80, and at least half of that time should be spent enjoying ourselves. Otherwise, what's the point? That really put things into perspective for me.”

Jonathan Newman, Senior Manager, came away inspired by the sense of collaboration:

“What struck me was the openness of the conversations, people were genuinely sharing challenges and ideas, not just successes. Whether it was around recruitment, managing change, or building stronger teams, the honesty in the room was refreshing. It reminded me how valuable the Accelerate network really is.”

Sonja Dengler, Page Kirk Audit Manager, took away practical insights:

“There were really useful discussions around how to have difficult conversations with clients and colleagues, in a way that's constructive, not harmful. And the keynote on firm culture reminded us how global events shape the internal culture of a business, something that's easy to overlook in day-to-day routines.”

Sonja's connection to the Accelerate network goes beyond this year's conference. In 2023, she took part in Page Kirk's international exchange programme, spending time at a CPAmerica firm in the United States. An opportunity made possible through the Crowe Global network.

You can read more about her experience in our article, An American Adventure.

City of York from the conference.

Making memories in York

Alongside the packed programme of discussions and speakers, the conference also offered some brilliant opportunities to unwind and connect informally. A treasure hunt around the city helped delegates explores York. even if some teams admitted to getting a little lost following the clues!

The social highlight was undoubtedly the dinner at the National Railway Museum, held in the awe-inspiring Great Hall among historic trains. With great food and good company, it was a chance to reflect on the day and strengthen ties across the network. It was also announced that next year's annual conference will mark 50 years of the Accelerate network, so expectations are high! Details are set to be released soon, and we're looking forward to what promises to be a memorable celebration.

John and Neil on the first
evening of the conference.

Why we go

For us at Page Kirk it's about building a stronger practice, staying at the forefront of change, and ensuring we continue to deliver exceptional value to our clients now and in the future.

Being part of Accelerate allows us to bring national and global insight to local businesses whether you're an established firm, a, owner managed business, a charity, a doctors surgery, a firm of solicitors or an internationally active company.

Interested in how Page Kirk can help your business navigate what's next?

Get in touch today, we'd love to talk. Call 0115 955 5500 or email enquiries@pagekirk.co.uk

Interested in joining a firm of the future? Check out our jobs board for openings such as Tax Adviser and Tax Consultant. Find out more here.

James Jonathan and Neil networking at the conference.