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FRS 102 Revised Seminar Brings South Yorkshire Finance Leaders Together

In collaboration with Shorts Chartered Accountants, we recently hosted a seminar for senior finance professionals from across the region.The event brought together a number of Finance Directors, Financial Controllers and senior leaders from across the region for a morning of insight, discussion and networking over breakfast. It was a pleasure to welcome so many familiar faces, alongside new contacts, reflecting the strength and depth of the Yorkshire finance community. The seminar was presented by Howard Freeman, Audit & Accounts Partner, and Andy Ryder, Corporate Finance Partner at Shorts. We are extremely grateful to both speakers for sharing their time and expertise, and for delivering a clear, practical overview of the forthcoming changes to FRS 102, which came into effect on 1 January 2026 and are expected to impact a significant number of UK businesses. The session explored what is changing and why, particularly in relation to lease accounting and revenue recognition, and considered what the updates mean in practice for finance teams and business leaders. The speakers also addressed the new reporting requirements under FRS 102, the potential impact on EBITDA and valuation methodologies, and the key considerations for organisations as they prepare for implementation. Rather than focusing purely on technical detail, the seminar encouraged broader discussion around readiness, communication with stakeholders and the commercial implications of the changes. This led to a highly engaged Q&A session, with attendees sharing perspectives and experiences from their own organisations. At Sharp Consultancy, we are committed to supporting the finance community beyond recruitment alone. Events such as this form part of our ongoing effort to create opportunities for connection, knowledge-sharing and professional development among senior finance professionals. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Shorts for partnering with us on this event, and in particular to Howard and Andy for delivering such an informative and thought-provoking session. We are also grateful to everyone who attended and contributed to the discussion. We look forward to hosting further events in the coming months and continuing to work closely with our network of finance leaders across the region.If you would like to discuss how these changes may impact your finance team, or if you are considering strengthening your leadership function, please contact us for a confidential conversation.

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I have an interview coming up and whilst I’m confident when it comes to discussing my career history and what I can bring to the role, I dread the end of the interview when I’m asked if I have any questions; my mind just goes blank! What questions should I be asking?

This is a very common stumbling block and can throw even the most confident interviewee off course. The key lies very much in your ability to prepare well in advance and be ready when the time comes for the interviewer to be the interviewee.

You have been so determined to deliver clear and concise answers throughout the interview which demonstrate your skills and ability for the role that is can be tricky to then change your focus and consider if there is anything more about the company or the position that you would like to know.

However, by approaching this potential question with same consideration and preparation as you have done for the rest of the interview you will be able to cement your future employer’s opinion that you are the ideal candidate for the job.

It is probably very likely that there are dozens of questions running through your mind which you are keen to find out the answers to – “what would my holiday entitlement be?” or “is there a bonus scheme? – but try and put yourself in the shoes of the interviewer and ask yourself how you would react if faced with these types of questions as a candidate.

Employers could possibly look less favourably upon candidates who appear to be more interested in the pay and benefits associated with the role rather than displaying an enthusiasm about the company or the position itself.

Instead, you should look to ask insightful questions; you want to be asking something which demonstrates that you have done your research into the role beforehand, allows you a further opportunity to show you have valuable skills and experience or perhaps gives the impression that you are starting to picture how you would fit into the company structure should you be successful in landing the job.

Of course, there are many areas that could have already been covered during the interview itself you do have to remain nimble so that you don’t ask a question about something which has already been discussed in depth. If is worth having a few well-prepared questions ready that you can call upon, particularly if they can then lead to a further discussion or possible opportunity for you to give another insight into why you are the best candidate for the role; some examples include:

1.What do you enjoy about working here?

2.What is the company looking to achieve over the coming year / in the next five years?

3.What would a typical day be like for the person you appoint to the role?

4.What is the biggest challenge currently facing the company?

5.What can you tell me about the team / department that I would be joining?

Sharp Consultancy specialises in the recruitment of temporary, interim and permanent finance and accountancy professionals across the full spectrum of roles. With offices in Leeds and Sheffield our highly experienced team of consultants recruit for positions throughout Yorkshire and beyond. CONTACT US today for expert advice on your next career move.

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