XeroCon London 2026: Beyond the AI Conversation
A personal reflection on the Maple Review and the opportunity for ATAINZ
Steven Perich, ATAINZ Board Member, PTBA
I had the joy of attending XeroCon London 2026 - striking for the saturation of artificial intelligence throughout the conference experience. AI was prominent in the products, presentations and conversations about the future of accounting. That attention is understandable: the technology is developing quickly and is already reshaping the way accounting practices operate and the services they provide. However...my strongest takeaway was not actually about AI. Instead, it was about the broader opportunity for our profession to help small businesses develop the confidence, capability and connections they need to succeed.
I stumbled on a short webinar-style panel discussion on how the UK Maple Review provided an important counterpoint to the technology narrative. It prompted a wider question: what enables people to establish, manage and grow successful businesses, particularly when they lack the time, expertise or resources available to larger organisations? The discussion drew attention to barriers around business skills, access to finance and advice, business confidence, mentoring and the complexity of navigating available support. These themes deserve consideration in New Zealand, and give me much to think about in our Kiwi context.
New Zealand’s micro and small businesses operate in a demanding environment. Owners are expected to manage cashflow, tax, employment, digital systems, risk, investment and succession, frequently without specialist management teams. Government agencies, banks, mentors, lawyers, technology providers and business organisations all offer valuable support, but that support can be difficult for an owner to identify,
interpret and coordinate. AI and tech may improve productivity, but it does not eliminate the need for judgement, relationships or practical business capability.
This is where ATAINZ is particularly well placed. As a membership organisation for accounting and tax professionals who work closely with owner-operated and SME businesses, ATAINZ has a practical connection to the day-to-day realities of the market. Its existing mission is “Empowering and resourcing Members to be recognised as Trusted Advisors in the business community.” Its strategic pillars—Voice & Visibility, Connection & Collegiality, Partnerships, and Education & Standards—already provide the framework for developing that contribution. We do not need to invent a new strategy or create another business support agency. We are here already.
I call this opportunity Connecting Capability. ATAINZ members can provide the continuing professional relationship beneath the SME business: helping owners understand performance, recognise risks, make decisions and reach the right government programmes or commercial specialists when needed. ATAINZ can equip those members, build partnerships, encourage professional standards and bring informed SME experience into public discussion. This is broader than AI and broader than compliance, while remaining firmly grounded in the accounting and tax profession.
My proposition is simple: Trusted Advisors connect capability. Connected capability strengthens SMEs. Stronger SMEs strengthen New Zealand. The Maple Review conversation at XeroCon offers a timely prompt for ATAINZ to explore how its existing strategy can make that proposition practical, collaborative and visible.
Steven Perich, ATAINZ Board Member, PTBA
