Intermediate Members Meeting 2022

BIOGRAPHY

Mark van Rijmenam is The Digital Speaker. He is a future tech strategist who thinks about how technology changes organisations, society and the metaverse. Dr Mark van Rijmenam is an international keynote speaker, 4x author and entrepreneur. He is the founder of Datafloq and the author of the book on the metaverse: Step into the Metaverse: How the Immersive Internet Will Unlock a Trillion-Dollar Social Economy detailing what the metaverse is and how organizations and consumers can benefit from the immersive internet. He is the publisher of the ‘f(x) = e^x‘ newsletter, read by thousands of executives, on the future of work and the organization of tomorrow. 

ABSTRACT

How the Metaverse Will Change Your Business

The future of business revolves around three megatrends: data, decentralisation and automation. Together, these trends will change how we manage organisations and how we run our society. As a consequence, we can state that we are living in exponential times, as due to the convergence of technologies such as big data, blockchain and AI, organisations will become data organisations and industries are becoming data networks. Recently, another major trend is taking the world by storm: the Metaverse. The metaverse is only possible due to the convergence of these technologies and this future version of the internet will have a major impact on the organisation of tomorrow. In this talk, Dr Van Rijmenam, also known as The Digital Speaker, will share his insights on how what the metaverse, iCommerce and NFTs are and share four ways how the metaverse will change accounting and audit firms. 

HIPA (Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency) is a one-stop-shop management consultancy services providing  tailor-made offers and information packages for companies interested to invest in Hungary. HIPA also provides  access to necessary information about available investment sites, incentives, labour market, business environment, local suppliers and more. The agency helps companies to deliver strategic investment decisions by providing accurate information and relevant advice as well as mediate between government and business based on your inputs to ensure our common success

Partner in China Integrated Co, Ltd. since 2006.

Part-time CFO in Cheers Wines from 2016 to 2021; Part time General Manger of Angenstein’s China manufacturing subsidiary for its first year of operation in 2006-2007.

Specialized in Foreign Direct Investment project management, with 20 years experiences in supporting on successful China market entry, operation management and restructuring for around 150 international companies in various business fields including among others, in healthcare. medical devices & pharma, electronics and telecommunications, electrical & mechanical engineering, machinery, printing, software & dotcom, consumer goods, new energies and new materials.

Expert in Chinese laws, with added specialization in finance, tax and HR, among others.

Experience in managing public-private partnership projects (Swiss Centers China), working with government organizations (Swiss and Chinese) (Location Switzerland, and other projects)

Contributed articles to the book  Behind the China Kaleidoscope (2006) – A Guide to China Entry and Operations. Delivered speeches in seminars and events with China business related topics.

BA in Law from Southwest University, Chongqing, China.

China Integrated Switzerland General Manager, working and residing in Neuchatel, since 2021.

ABSTRACT

Growth and Headwinds - New business perspectives for the Chinese Year of the Tiger

Amid the pandemic, China has witnessed its growth by 2.2% in 2020, 8.1% in 2021, and now is expected to reach 4.4% in 2022 according to the IMF (update of end April 2022). At the same time, during the first pandemic year, the world economy shrank by about 3.4%, with a recovery of 6.1% in 2021 and projection of 3.6% for 2022.

China’s development during the pandemic has generated continued considerable business interest, so much that Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) reached an all-time high of USD 179 billion in 2021. In Q1 2022, FDI in China continued to increase (by 25.6% year-on-year) despite extraordinary restrictions on international travel into China.

Yet the economic environment in China will not be less challenging than in the past two years of the pandemic. To maintain a zero-covid policy in the face of the Omicron variant, massive lock-downs are underway in big industrial and commercial cities such as Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou.

Under the circumstances, understanding the sources of China’s continuing growth and development becomes more and more important for identifying opportunities and deciding what investments will be successful in future. And it is as well as important to understand how international firms can do business in today’s China particularly complex environment.

China Integrated looks forward to sharing with INAA members its 30 years of experience in supporting international companies for their business entry and development in China. The presentation will include analysis on China’s growth sectors, solutions as well as opportunities that may be of interest for the clients of INAA’s members and illustrations through concrete projects that China Integrated is handling.

BIOGRAPHY

Noémi Robert has been working for more than ten years at Accountancy Europe, specialising first in audit and assurance, ethics and corporate governance, moving on to sustainability and sustainable finance. Noémi is also the director in charge of the association’s governance, members’ engagement, and business development. From 2015 to 2020, Noémi represented Accountancy Europe on the Consultative Advisory Groups (CAGs) of both international standards boards the IAASB and IESBA. Noémi has extensive experience in auditing, corporate reporting and consolidation in International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), gained while working with Deloitte in Luxembourg, France and Belgium, and with Aliaxis Group in Brussels, Belgium. She is a Certified Public Accountant in France and has an MBA in Audit and Controls from SKEMA Business School of Management, Lille, France.

ABSTRACT

Sustainability and the accountants/auditors Accountancy Europe will provide INAA members with an overview of the main points included in the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive proposal currently under final EU negotiations. We will also debate why the CSRD is important for Europe and how this will impact the accountancy profession.

Creativity, innovative methods, freedom of thought, collaboration, and an atmosphere of trust - these are the common factors of her coaching and facilitation processes. As a trained LEGO® Serious Play® facilitator she uses a method that is proven to be a playfully serious, effective opportunity for organizational development. With the help of her solid HR and psychological background, Dora likes workshops that go deeper than an average training – enhancing self-awareness in the business development-related fields.

Dora used to live in Great Britain, Italy and Germany and took part in international projects during her career. She gained experiences both in the public and private sectors, mainly working with SMSE-s, and also with multinational companies. She believes that the power of cultural diversity serves as a strong base for the collection of fruitful ideas in the field of business development.

BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Olivia Remes has spent the last ten years researching mental health at the University of Cambridge.  Her work has been featured by the BBC and National Public Radio in the US.  Her research areas include mental health in the workplace.  She has developed a system of coping strategies that helps individuals thrive, and leaders to increase the effectiveness of their organisation as a whole.  She is also an executive coach working with individuals to help them reach their goals, and has written a book called The Instant Mood Fix. 

ABSTRACT

No Health without Mental Health

Approximately 15% of employees are affected by symptoms of poor mental health, and there are significant costs tied to this. In fact, employers spend about £33 billion on aspects such as, declined productivity and employee absence due to illness. And mental health is an important component factoring into this.

Poor mental health can lead to increased disability claims, a sicker workforce, and lowered motivation at work. If employees are dissatisfied and feel unsupported in their jobs, then staff turnover and lower commitment to the organisation can follow.

In this talk, Dr. Olivia Remes will share ways to address these factors and tackle mental health in the workplace.