From AI to Rapid Rapport: First Speakers Revealed for Accountex London 

Accountex London and the first-ever co-located FD Show are taking place at Excel on the 13-14 May 2026.  

The seminar programme is taking shape and will launch in the next few weeks. 

The CPD-accredited seminar programme boasts 250+ seminars across 13 theatres and features 400+ speakers over two days. 

Designed to address the real challenges professionals face daily, the programme spans critical topics including sales, AI and leadership – ensuring attendees leave equipped with actionable insights to take back to the office. 

Here are some programme highlights to look forward to… 

Talking all things AI will be Ben Avery, the Audit AI Research Lead at Grant Thornton UK’s Audit & AI Lab and a founding member of their Digital Audit Team. Not only is Ben a chartered accountant, but he also completed a master’s degree in Machine Learning and Data Science at Imperial College London. The session ‘Taming the mess with bespoke AI’ introduces the lab and presents their AI’s spooky ability to find missing transactions in a general ledger. 

Drawing on 30 years as a professional comedian and 7x Emmy Award-winning comedy writer, Beth Sherman teaches teams the principles entertainers use to create emotional connection quickly, and how to apply those same principles to build clarity, trust, and momentum in sales, marketing, and leadership. Don’t miss ‘Accelerate influence and outcomes with really really rapid rapport (really!)’ to learn practical techniques for opening stronger, earning trust quickly, and creating the kind of human connection that reduces friction, accelerates influence, and drives better commercial outcomes. 

Robyn Riedlinger is a speaker and business strategist who helps leaders turn their expertise into influence through the power of values-driven communication. During the session ‘How soft skills shape confident communicators’, Robyn will break down the essential soft skills that every leader must develop from active listening and emotional awareness to presence, tone, and message delivery. This is the foundation of leadership and the first step toward commanding any room, whether it’s a team huddle or on center stage. 

Sam Wai MICB, is the founder of Immersif, a LUCA award-winning bookkeeping practice named New Practice of the Year 2025. A former escape room owner turned bookkeeper and business mentor, Sam built Immersif by focusing on a clear niche rather than serving everyone, growing a specialist practice through clear positioning. Sam will be using his expertise to deliver the seminar ‘How to niche: Sell more by selling to less’. Many bookkeepers believe niching will limit their opportunities, yet the opposite is often true. This session explores how selling to a more specific audience can strengthen your practice, improve pricing, simplify operations, and attract better-fit clients. 

Sales expert and Director of ThinkGrowSales.com, Saroj Bains has over two decades of experience in tech and sales, Saroj has driven innovative technology solutions for private and public sector organisations, generating millions in revenue. Saroj will be taking to the stage for ‘Sales Mastery: What the top 1% do differently’ which will reveal how top-performing professionals and advisory teams consistently attract, win, and retain ideal clients without relying on outdated tactics. Attendees will learn the core habits, mindset shifts, and proven sales fundamentals elite professionals use to create trust, lead value-based conversations, and position their firm as the clear choice.  

Accountex London and the FD Show are taking place at Excel on the 13-14 May 2026. You can register for your free ticket here.

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