“We have always tried to pull together an agenda for the summit that will help businesses understand their business environment and at the same time provide ideas for handling the challenges and taking up the opportunities on offer,” McDiarmid said.

“Thanks to the disruption and uncertainty of the past year caused by the pandemic, what attendees take away from this summit, our fifth, matters more than ever.”

Speakers at the 26 May summit, called Survive, Revive & Thrive, include Finance Minister Grant Robertson, ANZ Bank Chief Economist Sharon Zollner and Young New Zealander of the Year nominee Sarah Colcord, Founder of Chooice, New Zealand’s largest Facebook Group. Robertson will be speaking after his 2021 Budget delivered on 20 May.

Speakers and panellists will look at the major trends and disruptive forces impacting business and accounting profession, including rapid technological change and continuing global economic uncertainty due to COVID-19.

McDiarmid said “the past year forced businesses to rethink how they operate, to readjust and adapt.

“The new business landscape is creating opportunity and through change we have learned a lot to be able to help businesses thrive.”