Keynote Sessions - 2026 Aprio Alliance Forum

The Growth Imperative — What Separates Firms That Scale from Firms That Stall
Tuesday, October 26 @ 9:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.

The accounting profession is splitting into two groups. A small number of firms are moving ahead of the rest, not simply because they are larger, but because they are more intentional. They are making clear choices about how they price their work, develop their people, use AI, and build the relationships that drive growth. Other firms are still waiting to see how the market evolves.

Stuart Ferguson has spent 15 years evaluating professional services firms from the outside, advising acquirers, PE-backed platforms, and strategic buyers on what separates firms worth investing in from those that stall. Across more than 50 transactions, he has seen the same patterns repeat: the decisions that create lasting competitive advantage and the decisions that quietly erode it.

In this opening keynote, he brings that outside perspective directly to the firms in this room, sharing data, practical insight, and a direct challenge about the choices that will define the next decade.

You will leave this session with a clear understanding of where the gap exists and what it will take to close it.

AI, Leadership, and the Firms That Win — What the Next Decade Demands
Tuesday, October 26 @ 1:00 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.

Most firms are still talking about AI as if it is a technology project. The firms pulling ahead are treating it as something much bigger: a defining leadership challenge. AI will not simply change how work gets done. It will reshape how firms compete, how partners make decisions, how teams develop, and how clients experience value. The real question is no longer which platform to choose. It is whether firm leaders are ready to align around a vision, move with discipline, and build an organization capable of turning AI from a promising tool into a lasting advantage.

This session will push leaders to look beyond adoption and confront the decisions that determine whether AI creates real business transformation or becomes another underused initiative. The discussion will explore what it takes to build the infrastructure, mindset, governance, and talent strategy needed to use AI responsibly, effectively, and competitively. It will also examine how firms can avoid narrowing AI to a cost-cutting exercise and instead use it to strengthen judgment, elevate service delivery, and unlock new ways of creating value.

The session will also set the stage for the role-specific AI conversations that follow, helping attendees enter those discussions with better questions, clearer priorities, and a stronger understanding of what AI readiness really requires.

Alliance State of the Union + Collaboration Tool Launch — Growing Together
Wednesday, October 27 @ 9:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.

The greatest advantage of the Alliance is the opportunity it creates for member firms to do more together than they could alone. When firms know how to find the right expertise, build trusted relationships, and move quickly, a simple introduction can become a major client opportunity, a cross-border need can become a seamless solution, and a specialized project can come together faster than expected. That kind of collaboration does not happen by chance. It happens when firms are connected, intentional, and ready to act.

Wednesday morning begins with a clear look at where the Alliance stands today, what member firms are building together, and where the Alliance is headed next. Attendees will learn about Aprio Global and how this new initiative will be integrated into the broader Alliance ecosystem to strengthen collaboration, expand opportunities, and create greater value for firms around the world. The session will also introduce a new collaboration tool created specifically for Alliance member firms, shown live through a real example from a firm already using it. This is more than an update. It is a practical look at how firms can turn Alliance membership into more referrals, stronger client solutions, and faster growth. Attendees will leave with access to the tool, a clear understanding of how to use it, and a specific opportunity to act on before the conference ends.

The Future of the Profession — Positioning for What Comes Next
Wednesday, October 27 @ 1:00 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.

The profession is being reshaped in real time. Consolidation, AI, and rising client expectations are changing which firms lead, which firms fall behind, and what it will take to stay competitive. The firms that navigate this moment well will not be the ones waiting for the dust to settle. They will be the ones paying attention now, asking harder questions, and making clear choices about the kind of firm they want to become.

This closing panel brings together respected voices from across the accounting profession to look at where the industry is headed and what firm leaders should be watching next. The conversation will explore the forces shaping the profession in North America and beyond, including regulatory expectations, global market shifts, talent pressure, client demands, and the changing role of technology. This will not be a surface-level discussion or a series of prepared remarks. It will be a candid, high-value conversation designed to help leaders step back, see the bigger picture, and leave with a clearer sense of what their firms need to be ready for next.

From Forum to Forward: Commitments, Connections, and the Work Ahead
Wednesday, October 27 @ 4:15 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Dean Sengstock, National Leader of Aprio Alliance at Aprio Advisory Group LLC

Three days of sessions, conversations, and peer exchanges don't matter unless something changes when you get home. This closing session is designed to make sure something does. We'll surface the themes that emerged across the Forum, share commitments from the room, and give every attendee a clear and specific charge. This is a send-off and the moment where insight becomes intention and Forum energy carries forward into firm life.