RSM, the leading global network of audit, tax and consulting firms focused on the middle market, has announced the launch of its Festival of Reimagination, the network’s first virtual RSM World Conference. The event, which will be held on 1-3 December 2020, will be open to all RSM’s 43,000 team members from across 120 countries.

The 2020 World Conference has been designed to bring RSM colleagues together across the network to reimagine RSM’s business in a post-COVID world and to provide direction around how it is enhancing client solutions during this pivotal period of change. The “reimagination” themed event will showcase a variety of high-profile celebrities, experts and thought leaders from outside RSM, alongside RSM’s leaders and technical specialists from around the world.

Jean Stephens, Chief Executive Officer at RSM International said:

“Over the course of 2020, I have been exceptionally proud of the way in which RSM Member Firms have adapted in the face of so many new challenges. Across the network, I have seen countless examples of innovation, collaboration and empathy, which have brought firms closer together with their middle-market clients, in order to support them through the pandemic.

“Now it is vital that we maintain the momentum we have built. This year’s World Conference will be unlike any virtual event we have facilitated before. We understand the importance of connecting our people from every part of the organisation and harnessing their perspectives to help shape the future of RSM, for the benefit of our middle market clients and for our communities.”

High-profile guests who will be speaking at The Festival of Reimagination include former UK Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Tony Blair, six-time Olympic gold medallist, Sir Chris Hoy MBE, internationally renowned perfumier, Jo Malone CBE, and Disney’s former Head of Innovation & Creativity, Duncan Wardle.

Jean continued: “For RSM, our culture and sense of community is critical for the well-being of our colleagues and instrumental in delivering against our global strategy. When the pandemic hit, it was important that we remained connected and continued to facilitate our rich events agenda while considering what would engage our teams, encourage collaboration, and create relevant and valuable learning and development experiences.

“In times of disruption, speed of response and innovative thinking can be the difference between companies that thrive and those that get left behind. I am pleased to say that our team moved quickly to create a festival-themed, custom built website and event platform for delegates to navigate through “stages” and “tents” across three different time zones to accommodate our people from all over the world. This, combined with an exciting speaker agenda and three days of innovative and bespoke content has shaped the format for our most ambitious and, hopefully, most successful World Conference yet.”

Spread across a main stage for headline acts and an array of supporting  stages for on demand content, set within a virtual festival environment, the conference’s rich agenda will provide a platform for exciting discussions on themes such as the accelerated rise of e-commerce and its impact on real estate, the power of robotic process automation, the potential of data analytics to unlock value and the growing importance of diversity, inclusion and collaboration in business.

The virtual World Conference format RSM has created allows for an inclusive team event, open to all RSM team members wherever they are in the world. It demonstrates RSM's determination, in the face of a rapidly evolving working world, to maximise the opportunities change presents and harness the benefits digital technology and enhanced communication channels present.