18 October 2016

• 8.45AM - 9.20AM
  Registration
  Refreshments available and time to visit the exhibition. 
• 9.20AM - 9.25AM
  Chair's welcome

  Andrew Hind, editor of Charity Finance, introduces the day.

• 9.25AM - 10.00AM
  Opening keynote: State of the sector and interactive Q & A with Rob Wilson
  Rob Wilson, minister of civil society, opens the day
• 10.00AM - 10.05AM
  Stream chairs' welcome

  The day is divided into four streams each chaired by an expert in the field who will open the breakout sessions with a short introduction. 

  Stream A: VAT & Tax Fundementals - Gareth Jones, editor, Charity Finance 

  Stream B: VAT & Tax Focused - David Ainsworth, deputy editor, Charity Finance

  Stream C: Strategy & Risk - Petra Ingram, chief executive, The Brook

  Stream D: Investment - Anrew Hind, non-executive director, Civil Society Media

• 10.05AM - 10.45AM
  1A. Round-up of latest developments and topical issues on gift aid and tax

  This session includes an update on the following: GASDS, HMRC enquiries, and recent developments around trading subsidiaries and gift aid donation exceeding distributable reserves.

  Mark McGarry, direct tax partner, Saffery Champness

• 10.05AM - 10.45AM
  1B. Strategic VAT Planning – reaping the rewards

  This practical session will explore the interaction between the VAT liability of income streams and the ability to deduct VAT incurred on expenditure.

  Luigi Lungarella, director - indirect tax, PKF

• 10.05AM - 10.45AM
  1C. Case study on the impact and finance as drivers of organisational change

  This session will explore how the National Autistic Society is using theory-of-change methodology to prepare for the future.

  Mark Lever, chief executive, National Autistic Society

• 10.05AM - 10.45AM
  1D. Absolute or relative return investing?

  This session will define absolute and relative return, consider the main features of the two approaches, and review the factors to be considered when deciding which approach to adopt.

  Andrew Pitt, head of charities, Rathbones

• 10.45AM - 11.15AM
  Refreshment break
  Opportunity for refreshments, networking and to time to explore the exhibition stands
• 11.15AM - 11.55AM
  2A. Case law and recent developments
  This session will review recent tribunal and court decisions that affect the charity sector. The session will also consider any changes of interpretation to published VAT guidance, together with an update on any areas of VAT that HMRC are currently focusing their attention on
• 11.15AM - 11.55AM
  2B. Property taxes- when can they arise and who pays them?

  Louise Veragoo will cover some of the tax issues, relevant to charities, which may arise in a property transaction. Pitfalls, opportunities, tax charges and reliefs will be covered in this session.

  Louise Veragoo, NFP tax director, haysmacintyre

• 11.15AM - 11.55AM
  2C. Financial governance: Communicating effectively with the board

  This session will explore how finance leaders can help the numbers come to life for finance and nonfinance trustees to ensure that financial performance is central to the organisation’s strategy 

  Kevin Barnes, congregational chief executive, Congregation of the Sisters of Nazareth Generalate and treasurer, CFG

• 11.15AM - 11.55AM
  2D. What is your attitude to risk?

  This session explores what investment managers mean by risk, considers the need for portfolio stress testing, and examines how your attitude to risk can be expressed in a meaningful way.

  George Lagarias, senior investment analyst, Mazars

• 12.00PM - 12.40PM
  3A. VAT & tax on trading & trading subsidiaries

  Using a worked example, this session will consider what constitutes trading, the exemptions for direct tax, and some of the grey areas. It will also cover key considerations regarding the use of a trading subsidiary, financing a subsidiary and issues with distributable reserves.

  Peter Bright, VAT director and Luke Savvas, charity and business tax partner, Buzzacott

• 12.00PM - 12.40PM
  3B. Grants versus contracts

  Geraint will look to provide some clear and practical advice on how to deal with this complex issue, and how best to approach relationships with supporters to obtain the
  desired VAT treatment.

  Geraint Lewis, partner, Kingston Smith

• 12.00PM - 12.40PM
  3C. Cultivating a risk-intelligent culture

  For charities and trustee boards under pressure to balance innovation with risk-taking, this session will consider how to establish and develop an effective risk culture in order to provide both stability and competitive advantage.

  Jonathan Orchard and Kate Sayer, partners, Sayer Vincent

• 12.00PM - 12.40PM
  3D. Thematic investing: Are property benchmarks obsolete?
  Given the pace of change, we question whether benchmarks comprised of properties that may be obsolete in this “new world” are the best measure of performance.
• 12.40PM - 1.50PM
  Lunch
  Opportunity for networking and to visit the exhibition.
• 1.50PM - 2.30PM
  4A. Gift Aid de-mystified

  This session will look at some of the more complex areas of gift aid including donor benefits, admissions, auctions and membership subscriptions and will explore the opportunities and pitfalls that charities need to be aware of.

  Sarah Kelsey, senior manager - corporate tax, PKF

   

• 1.50PM - 2.30PM
  4B. Maximising VAT recovery and understanding charity VAT reliefs

  The session will provide you with practical tips, focusing in particular on when charities can claim relief from VAT on their costs and how interacting with HMRC works in terms of negotiating recovery agreements.

  Alison Hone, director - charity VAT, Saffery Champness

• 1.50PM - 2.30PM
  4C. DB pension schemes: Tackling the legal challenges
  This session will explore the steps you can take to manage this risk and deal with the associated legislative restrictions. 
  
  Clare Grice, partner, Mills & Reeve
• 1.50PM - 2.30PM
  4D. Equities, fixed income or alternatives - where should charities invest right now?

  With cash yielding close to zero, equities values rising faster than earnings, bond yields near the floor and many alternative investments failing to perform, this session will explore some of the options available to charities with investable assets.

  Larry Hatheway, group chief economist, GAM

• 2.35PM - 3.15PM
  5A. Printing & VAT on direct mail
  Adrian will review recent developments in this fast-moving area, and comment on
  the latest thinking on how to minimise VAT costs.
  
  Adrian Houstoun, partner, Kingston Smith
• 2.35PM - 3.15PM
  5B. Tax-efficient giving
  This session will discuss recent developments in gift aid and explore some of
  the other forms of tax-efficient giving, such as gifts of shares/securities and property, legacies, business gifts and how charities could benefit from social investment tax relief.
  
  Jon Daley, tax manager, Buzzacott
• 2.35PM - 3.15PM
  5C. The new SORPs – what worked for you and what needs changing?
  With the implementation of the new SORPs fresh in everyone’s mind, the SORP-making body is seeking your views on what works, what doesn’t and the changes you want to see. 
  
  Facilitated by - Nigel Davies, deputy head of accountancy policy, Charity Commission and joint chair, Charities SORP committee
• 2.35PM - 3.15PM
  5D. What do we mean by quality? The power of high-quality global equities in long-term portfolios
  In today’s low- growth environment, identifying  companies with strong cashflows, resilient business models and a policy of returning cash to shareholders can be the key to delivering the sustainable income and growth often required by charities.
  
  Andrew Wheatley Hubbard, director, global equity portfolio manager, BlackRock
• 3.15PM - 3.40PM
  Break
  Networking and refreshment break
• 3.40PM - 4.20PM
  6A. The changing face of employment taxes

  Nick Bustin will be looking at recent developments in respect of employee expenses and benefits, employment tax status as well as the apprenticeship levy which will come into effect from April 2017.

  Nick Bustin, director of employment tax, haysmacintyre

• 3.40PM - 4.20PM
  6B. VAT on fundraising and challenge events
  While there is an exemption available for income generated from fundraising events, it only applies if specific conditions are met. This session will review these conditions and in addition, will also look at challenge events, where different rules apply.
  
  Socrates Socratous, director, SOC VAT Consultants
• 3.40PM - 4.20PM
  6C. Strategy & risk: A perfect marriage
  Hear how by putting risk management centre-stage with strategy, leading health and research organisations have changed the way they work for the better.
  
  Dr Charmaine Griffiths, chief operating officer and Paul Norris, director of finance, the Institute of Cancer Research
• 3.40PM - 4.20PM
  6D. Investing for tomorrow, today
  In this session we will explore the long-term trends that are changing the investment landscape and creating significant growth opportunities.
  
  Peter Michaelis, head of equities, Alliance Trust
• 4.30PM - 4.55PM
  Closing Keynote: Financial leadership - whose job is it anyway?
  This session will consider the role of the finance director in coaching the chief executive to ensure that strategic financial leadership permeates the entire organisation.
  
  Simon Hopkins, chief executive, Turn2Us
• 4.55PM - 5.00PM
  Chair's closing remarks
  Gareth Jones, editor, Charity Finance 
• 5.00PM - 6.00PM
  Drinks reception

  Continue discussing the issues raised throughout the day over drinks and nibbles. 

  Sponsored by Goodman Jones

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• Rob Wilson

  Minister for civil society

  Rob Wilson became minister for civil society in September 2014. Before entering politics he was an entrepreneur and built several small businesses. He began his political career as a local Conservative councillor in Reading and was elected as MP for Reading East in 2005. He served on the Education Select Committee until 2007 when he was appointed shadow minister for higher education. Following David Cameron’s reshuffle in January 2009, he became a whip with responsibility for transport and health. Wilson was appointed as parliamentary private secretary (PPS) to Jeremy Hunt, then-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and in 2012, moved to the Department for Health under Jeremy Hunt. From October 2013 to July 2014 Wilson was parliamentary private secretary to George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer, at the Treasury. The minister for civil society role is his first ministerial post.

• Simon Hopkins

  Finance director

  Simon Hopkins has been CEO of anti-poverty charity Turn2us since 2014. Prior to this he spent 30 years in senior finance and commercial roles in industry, public sector and the voluntary sector. His career has been an eclectic mix of sectors, ranging from commercial television to central government and has covered a range of roles from mainstream finance to related areas like contract compliance, business
  development and financial training. Simon writes and speaks regularly on subjects such as financial leadership and the importance of sustainability and he is an unashamed advocate of finance shedding the “back office” stereotype in favour of a more strategic role in the sector.

  In his current role he attends board of trustee and council meetings and is also chair of the pension fund with the BHF. Simon has a law degree from Corpus Christi College, Oxford and is married with two sons.

Sean Trend

Cancer Research UK

What I liked was how the combination of technical gritty accounting and tax topics was harmoniously combined with strategic topics and the 'bigger picture'

D Markley

Shooting Star Chase

The essential conference for charity finance professionals. The one event that should not be missed

Richard Bray

Finance regulatory tax manager

Cancer Research UK

An event that lets you know what’s new, reminds you about what you should know and lets you share your experience with those in the same position as you

Great ways to save!

1. Small charities: Charities with an annual income of less than £250,000 can save up to £100.00 off the ticket price
2. Be an early bird! Book your place by 2 September to save £50.00 off the ticket price.
3. Attend with your board! Additional charity delegates benefit from an extra £100.00 discount or save even more with a Charity team ticket. Take advantage of these offers to ensure your whole board benefits from a great day's learning. 
    

155 Bishopsgate
Liverpool street
London
EC2M 3YD

Location map and further information