15 September 2025 | Lisbon, Portugal | In-Person and Virtual Participation
In several major jurisdictions, we are witnessing a pushback against regulation. Competitiveness has risen to the top of political agendas, driving calls for simplification, reduced oversight, and lighter regulation, against a backdrop of growing geopolitical tensions.
At the same time, organizations are facing growing pressure from other directions. Technology is advancing faster than regulatory frameworks can keep up. Public expectations around transparency and accountability continue to evolve. In areas like sustainability reporting, but not only there, regulatory delays and divergence are placing more responsibility on firms and professionals to uphold trust, ensure integrity, and manage risk in less certain conditions.
In this environment, ethics and independence remain essential anchors. They provide a foundation for trust, a compass for responsible innovation, and a stabilizing force amid regulatory fragmentation. The 2025 IESBA Ethics & Independence Conference will explore how ethics, as a principle, a practice, and a culture, can strengthen resilience, support long-term growth, and reinforce public confidence in a world of accelerating change.
The conference features a distinguished group of already confirmed speakers, listed below in alphabetical order:
Neil Acres (MSCI) | Maria Luís Albuquerque (European Commission) | João Duque (ISEG – Lisbon School of Economics and Management) | Gabriela Figueiredo Dias (IESBA) | Paula Franco (OCC) | Alan Johnson (IESBA and IAASB SAC) | Gilly Lord (PwC) | Virgílio Macedo (OROC) | Maggie McGhee (ACCA) | Joaquim Miranda Sarmento (Government of Portugal) | Jens Poll (Accountancy Europe) | Panos Prodromides (CEAOB) | José Ranito (European Public Prosecutor’s Office) | Pascal Saint-Amans (University of Lausanne) | Tom Seidenstein (IAASB) | Jean-Paul Servais (IOSCO) | Nandini Sukumar (WFE) | Lee White (IFAC) | Megan Zietsman (Deloitte)
We are continuing to confirm speakers. Please check back for updates.
Preliminary Event Schedule (Lisbon Local Time, GMT +1):
9:00–9:45 | Opening Session
9:45–10:15 | Keynote Speaker
10:20–11:10 | Ethics in a World of Regulatory Shifts and Market Transformation
As social, economic, and regulatory expectations evolve, organizations and decision-makers face growing complexity. In sustainability reporting and beyond, fragmented approaches, exemptions, and political pushback are increasing around the globe. Similar trends are emerging in tax transparency, corporate disclosure, and the regulation of new technologies. This panel will explore how these shifts affect the financial system and the accounting profession, and how ethics and professional judgment can act as stabilizing forces, supporting innovation, public trust, and alignment with the public interest.
11:10–11:30 | Fireside Chat: Trends and Opportunities for the Accounting Profession
- Break -
12:00–12:50 | Ethical Culture and Governance – Reinforcing Resilience and Public Trust in Accounting Firms
Trust in financial and non-financial information is the lifeblood of businesses and markets, and it depends heavily on the ethical culture and governance structures of the firms responsible for preparing and auditing it. This panel will explore how firms can embed ethics at their core through leadership, incentives, oversight, and accountability. Moving beyond checklists and compliance, panelists will examine how a strong ethical culture can be a strategic asset, reinforcing trust, strengthening resilience, and enabling firms to thrive under growing scrutiny.
- Break -
14:00–14:50 | Ethics vs. Innovation? The Future of Technology in Audit and Accounting
Technology, and AI in particular, is transforming how the profession gathers, analyzes, and assures information. But as capabilities grow, so do the ethical stakes. This panel will explore how firms can balance innovation with transparency, accountability, and trust. From algorithm explainability to the evolving nature of professional judgment, panelists will examine how ethical leadership can ensure technology strengthens the integrity of the profession, and whether ethics can keep pace with innovation or risks being sidelined in the race for progress.
- Break -
15:20–16:10 | Accountants at a Crossroads – Ethics and the Fight Against Financial Crime
From Panama to Pandora, Glencore to Wirecard, recent scandals have exposed the role professional services can play, knowingly or not, in enabling illicit activity. With an estimated 2–5% of global GDP laundered annually and enforcement fragmented across jurisdictions, the accountancy profession faces a pivotal question: will accountants remain passive participants, or will they assert themselves as ethical gatekeepers of financial integrity? This panel explores how firms and professionals can confront legal grey zones, align incentives with the public interest, and foster cultures that support transparency, accountability, and the courage to speak up.
16:10–16:50 | Keynote Speaker and Closing
