Lessons in Leadership: What It Takes to Be a

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.

Read article

Last Thursday we had the pleasure of hosting an insightful and inspirational Future CFO-focused event, where we explored their experiences and journeys.

All attendees had the privilege of hearing from three fantastic senior finance leaders - Nick Shaw, Kayleigh Wright and James Wenninger, each bringing a unique perspective shaped by their own career journeys — with the consensus across all speakers and fo

cus of: driving meaningful, strategic value across their organisations.

Future CFOs seated at a table in a Victoria in Kelham Island, engaged in listening to speeches from current CFOs during our Future CFO's Networking event.

Each leader shared personal experiences of navigating challenges, leading transformation, and elevating the role of finance from a back-office function to a true business partner and value creator.

Each speaker offered valuable perspectives, and several key takeaways stood out:

Build a team that compliments you : Great leadership means recognising and embracing the skills you don’t have. All three CFOs emphasised the strength of surrounding themselves with good people and team members whose strengths contrast their own — creating well-rounded, agile finance functions.
Embrace the unknown with confidence: Whether navigating new industries, acquisitions, or rapid change, one message was clear: lean into the uncertainty and trust your ability to adapt. Growth doesn’t happen in comfort zones.
Blend experience from big & small companies : The synergy of experience from both large-scale corporations and nimble, fast-paced environments is invaluable. The ability to scale thinking and apply structured processes in leaner settings was a recurring theme.
Identify and align with key business needs : Strategic finance leaders go beyond numbers. They seek out synergies and align with business-specific needs — from systems integration to cultural alignment — to ensure long-term value add.
Own your decisions…fully! : True ownership means standing by your decisions and being accountable for their outcomes. Openly discussed and demonstrated how conviction and responsibility can elevate leadership and trust across the organisation with a wider impact!

A group of accounting professionals networking at a long table during a late evening event for future CFOs.

A huge thank you again to Nick Shaw, Kayleigh Wright & James Wenninger who were incredible speakers and all who contributed to making this event a success. It was a timely reminder of the evolving, multi-dimensional role of today’s Finance leaders.

Huge thanks as well to all attendees for bringing openness in their points / questions , and energy to the room. Looking forward already to next year!

To hear about future events, contact Jack Curtis!

Lessons in Leadership: What It Takes to Be a Future CFO

View our Latest Blogs.