ACCA Cymru/Wales marked St David’s Day by bringing together the business community in Wales to celebrate the contribution business makes to the community and to celebrate Wales’ national day.
At a breakfast event held at the Hilton Hotel in Cardiff, supported by Menzies and University of South Wales, over 180 attendees heard from guest speaker Bernie Davies who went from university dropout to UN-accredited leader, TEDx speaker, bestselling author, and multi-award winner.
At the breakfast she shared her story of how she’s navigated challenges, led pioneering initiatives in Wales, and inspired others along the way.
Taking inspiration from St David’s famous quote ‘find joy in doing the little things’, her address to the breakfast focused on her journey from a young woman in Jamaica to a daughter of Wales and the leadership lessons that have shaped her career.
Bernie said: “It is important to know yourself in life and in business. Business is all about people, about individuals. We all leave a unique imprint behind whether on purpose or by default. To lead, we need to take time to understand the people in our organisations, listen to what has been said and not said, and lead with the heart not the head.
“In the little things we do, we see the bigger picture and the ripple effect they can have.”
Menai Owen-Jones, chief executive officer of Welsh children’s cancer charity, Latch, spoke about the work of the organisation. Menai, an award-winning chief executive, spoke about how the charity supports families affected by childhood cancer in Wales, providing bespoke emotional, practical and financial support.
ACCA’s global president Melanie Proffitt emphasised the changing role of accountants and finance professionals, much of it driven by technological change. Melanie told the audience that: “Accountants are called on to master new, different skills – they are more likely to serve in strategic roles, in leadership roles, where they can bring their all-round vision of business activity, their experience and intuition, and apply their financial expertise on a much wider stage than maybe they have in the past.”
The event brought together the business community, ACCA members, students, stakeholders and community leaders for a morning of networking and a celebration of all that’s great about Wales. ACCA’s global reach was highlighted with attendees from CAANZ, ACCA’s strategic partner in Australia and New Zealand.
Bethan Evans, partner at Menzies, said: “We are delighted to support the Saint David’s Day Breakfast, one of my favourite days of the year, and ACCA’s work in Wales. We have a number of ACCA members and trainees at our Cardiff office and are proud to play our role in supporting Welsh businesses.”
Lloyd Powell, head of ACCA Cymru/Wales, said: “It was an inspiration to hear from Bernie this morning. We were all inspired by her work and contributions to supporting businesses and individuals in south Wales.
“Thank you Bernie, to all our guests and to our partners for taking time to join us to celebrate Dydd Gŵyl Dewi. ACCA has over 6,400 members and students in Wales, working in all parts of the country and in all sectors of the economy. I’m immensely proud of the work that they do to support the private and public sector in Wales.”
