BDO and C5 Alliance present a Future Vision of Technology

Tuesday 31 July 2018

Clients and industry leaders have heard from BDO and C5 Alliance about the pressing need for businesses to accelerate their digital transformation, as they delivered their vision of technology at a ‘Future of C5’ event.

The event, held recently at the Duke of Richmond hotel, follows the successful acquisition of C5 by BDO Jersey earlier this year, which now sees the unified firm providing strategy, consulting, digital, technology and managed services.

Senior members of C5 and BDO reflected on C5’s progress to date and highlights from 2017 which included the company’s growth to over 200 employees.

Marc Lainé, Managing Director of C5 Alliance Guernsey, said: “This event gave us an opportunity to explain to business leaders how their organisation could benefit from the acquisition; our partnership not only provides our staff with further opportunities to develop, but clients have access to a wider range of high quality end-to-end professional and managed services.”

Chief Technology Officer, Scott Nursten, discussed the hype that surrounds technology and cautioned against getting easily caught up in it. “Blockchain, artificial intelligence, smart bots, augmented reality, quantum computing, human augmentation and the ubiquitous autonomous vehicle all vie for our attention. But how do you know which technology is going to succeed in the future?” he asked.

Mr Nursten explained that there are many factors which influence technology strategy planning and reflecting on past trends helps make sense of current ‘hype’.

“Some technology seemingly never arrives, some just dies, it can arrive at the wrong time or the technology itself arrives at right time but the hype for it has moved on. Our business is focused on planning usable technology strategies, which solve the business issues of the day and meet clients’ needs.”

Deputy Chief Operating Officer, Simon Tidd and Director of Professional Services, John Gamble discussed three specific areas: data, security and cloud services; through which the organisation is uniquely placed to deliver leading client solutions to Channel Island businesses.

Matthew Corbin, CEO of BDO Group in Jersey, concluded the event by confirming the strategic rationale for bringing the two businesses together.

“Our clients are increasingly seeking advice and support through the key areas of strategy, risk and technology. So, in bringing together a leading accountancy firm and developing our advisory and technology services, we are becoming an integrated professional services firm that is uniquely positioned; firstly to combine a local presence and global outlook; and secondly, to blend best-of-breed consultants in the areas of business change, local and global tax, financial services regulation, risk and, of course, with C5 technology. This will enable us to provide unparalleled, integrated thinking to support our clients’ aims and ambitions.”