Top Key Takeaways from CwX London 2025

Top Key Takeaways from CwX London 2025 

This year’s CwX London 2025 brought together accounting and assurance leaders, innovators and industry experts to explore how technology, people and purpose are reshaping the future of the profession. Across the sessions, one message came through loud and clear: Caseware’s evolution is not just about software, it is about powering trust in the global economy. 

From platform innovation to culture-led transformation, here are the top takeaways from this year’s event and what they mean for forward-thinking firms. 

1. Powering Trust in the Global Economy 

CEO David Marquis opened CwX London 2025 by reaffirming Caseware’s mission: to power trust in the global economy. 

In his keynote, Marquis reminded the audience that while technology continues to reshape the profession, its foundation remains grounded in ethics, independence and professional judgement. 

He described Caseware’s role as a trusted partner helping firms strengthen that foundation through innovation, from AI-driven assurance tools to transparent and compliant cloud platforms. “When quality and integrity come together,” he said, “something powerful happens — you earn trust.” 

It was a fitting message to begin a conference focused on the next era of trust, transparency and transformation. 

2. Automation Across the Entire Audit Workflow 

Automation was showcased not as a single feature but as a firm-wide philosophy. Caseware’s latest developments now embed automation across every stage of the audit process, from planning and documentation to roll-forwards and compliance. 

Live demonstrations showed how tools such as Caseware Extractly  and Caseware Validate can cut hours of manual work by extracting and verifying data in seconds. By standardising repetitive tasks, firms can reduce human error, improve quality and redirect time to analysis and client service. 

As speakers noted, audit automation is no longer a “nice to have”; it is a fundamental part of modern assurance workflows. 

3. A Unified Cloud Ecosystem 

Caseware’s vision for a connected cloud environment came into sharper focus at CwX London. 

Built on a scalable, AI-powered platform, this ecosystem allows firms to collaborate in real time, access consistent data across engagements and integrate seamlessly with third-party tools. 

With all applications operating within Caseware Cloud, teams gain a single source of truth for their audit and accounting processes. This strengthens data integrity while improving security and transparency. As firms expand internationally, this unified approach is becoming essential to managing complexity and maintaining trust. 

4. AI-Powered Tools That Deliver Results 

The event brought innovation to life with demonstrations of several transformative AI solutions, including: 

• Caseware Extractly reads and extracts data from PDFs and scanned documents directly into working papers. 

• Caseware Validate automates financial statement checks, flagging inconsistencies through an intelligent red/amber/green review system. 

• LeaseJava simplifies complex lease accounting and supports compliance with evolving standards. 

Together, these tools help firms accelerate reviews, minimise errors and improve audit quality while maintaining full control and transparency. Real-world success stories from customers such as MHA  and Baker Tilly showed measurable gains in both efficiency and audit confidence. 

5. Customer Success: Guiding Firms Confidently into the Cloud 

Migrating to the Caseware Cloud Ecosystem can feel like a major step, but Caseware’s Customer Success and Education and Media teams ensure that firms receive expert guidance at every stage. 

Caseware’s Chief Customer Success Officer, Mike Jahoda, and Migrations Director, David Stansell, explained how tailored onboarding, structured migration plans and continuous training make transitions smooth and risk-free. 

Enhanced security measures, including multi-factor authentication, SSO and CloudBridge for secure data transfer, mean firms can trust that client data remains fully protected. 

Caseware’s focus is on partnership — helping firms adopt cloud technology with confidence and realise the benefits of speed, scalability and security. 

6. Stronger Integrations and Smarter Connections 

Connectivity was a standout theme, particularly in the session led by Simon Warren and Don van der Zeit, who highlighted how Caseware’s integration framework continues to expand. 

With more than 50 direct integrations already available, including CRM and ERP systems such as NetSuite and Microsoft Dynamics, firms can now operate in a truly interconnected environment. 

Through Sherlock and CRM APIs, Caseware’s open architecture enables seamless data exchange between platforms, breaking down silos and unlocking richer insights across audit, accounts and advisory services. The result is an ecosystem where information flows securely and intelligently, driving better collaboration and decision-making. 

7. Built for Global Growth 

As firms increasingly operate across borders and through mergers, scalability has become a defining capability. Caseware’s cloud-first architecture equips firms to manage multi-entity audits, consolidated reporting and complex group structures with ease. 

With enterprise-grade performance and flexible data models, firms can expand internationally without sacrificing control or compliance. For those navigating rapid growth or private equity-backed consolidation, Caseware’s platform provides the infrastructure to integrate systems, teams and insights, supporting truly global operations. 

8. AI + HI: Culture as a Measurable Strategy for Human-Driven Intelligence 

Rachel Harris’s session at CwX London 2025 explored how artificial intelligence and human intelligence can work together to elevate the accounting profession. Her central message was clear: the future lies not in AI replacing people but in AI empowering them. 

She explained that automation should amplify, not substitute, human judgement. By removing repetitive manual work, technology frees accountants to focus on strategic thinking, relationship building and advisory excellence — the work that truly drives trust and value. 

Harris also reframed workplace culture as a measurable business strategy rather than a soft concept. She highlighted how firms can track both employee NPS (ENPS) and client NPS, linking these directly to profitability and retention. By aligning values with KPIs such as billable output, client satisfaction and quality metrics, firms can create cultures that strengthen performance while attracting and retaining top talent. 

Her session demonstrated that when human insight and intelligent automation work in harmony, firms achieve higher quality, stronger engagement and sustainable growth. 

9. Navigating the New FRS 102: Preparing for the Next Wave of Change 

A major technical focus at CwX London 2025 was the upcoming FRS 102 amendments, which align UK GAAP more closely with IFRS 15 (Revenue) and IFRS 16 (Leases). 

Effective from 1 January 2026, these changes will reshape how firms account for leases, recognise revenue and present financial results. 

The new lease model introduces right-of-use assets and lease liabilities for lessees, bringing most leases onto the balance sheet. This shift will affect EBITDA, profit measures and covenant calculations, requiring firms to review their systems and stakeholder communications. 

The revised five-step revenue model places new emphasis on contracts, performance obligations and transaction price allocation, demanding stronger documentation, data integrity and timing of recognition. 

As Hermione Bonthuys, Partner – Accounting Advisory at Forvis Mazars, and Mike Cheng, National Practice Partner at Frazier & Deeter LLC, explained, the key to success lies in early preparation — updating internal controls, retraining teams and embedding automation into reporting workflows. These are not just accounting updates; they represent a redefinition of how firms capture and communicate value in a more transparent, connected economy. 

Final Thoughts 

CwX London 2025 was more than an event; it was a reflection of how the profession is evolving at pace. Across every session, one theme stood out: meaningful progress happens when innovation and integrity move forward together. 

From the unveiling of Caseware’s Trust Operating System to the success stories shared by firms embracing cloud and AI-powered solutions, the conference showcased a profession in transformation. Technology has become a strategic driver, shaping how firms deliver quality, manage risk and strengthen client relationships. 

Speakers throughout the event emphasised that people, purpose and technology must advance in harmony. Caseware’s leaders challenged firms to think beyond software – to view trust not as an outcome, but as the foundation of everything they deliver. 

CwX London 2025 offered a clear view of what the next decade of assurance could look like: a profession defined by intelligent automation, connected ecosystems and measurable culture, all underpinned by ethics and human insight. Firms that embrace this shift will not only remain competitive but will play a central role in shaping a more transparent, trusted and transformative global economy.