Breakthroughs only appear to happen spontaneously.
These “sudden and significant advances in knowledge” build up over time, before suddenly surfacing in the right conditions.
TOAcon 2025, the growth summit for the TOA Global client community, was planned with those conditions in mind:
- World-class inspirational speakers.
- Great company from accounting practice leaders.
- Beautiful surroundings that let us step back from the everyday.
Unlike any other accounting conferences
This year, TOAcon took place from November 30 to December 2 at the Shangri-la Boracay Resort and Spa in the Philippines.
Getting there was not a short trip. It took an overseas flight, a domestic flight from Manila or Clark in the Philippines to Caticlan, a short drive, and a scenic speedboat ride. But we are delighted to report it was, by all accounts, worth it.
As the All-Aussie Accounting Adventures Podcast pointed out: “Forget ‘just another event’. This one was:
- Beachside chats instead of beige conference rooms.
- Deep convos on leadership, offshoring, and sustainable growth.
- Community over competition.”
At the conference, we were honored to spotlight five firms’ achievements in service excellence, leadership, building a people-first culture, and overall growth and community impact, in the first ever Golden Abacus Awards.
Inspirational speakers with practical leadership advice
By design, TOAcon doesn’t dwell on technical updates.
Instead, the brief for world-class speakers is to help participants break free from their everyday routines and challenges, and to focus on their own growth as leaders.
This year, their insights included:
- How to shift our mindsets, because how we see ourselves determines how skillfully we lead others.
- How to go after what we want in life, instead of just drifting.
- How to keep our successful experiences from weighing us down when the world changes.
“The hospitality in Boracay was something else, but it was the people who made it truly special,” wrote our speaker Olly Bridge.
“The conversations, the honesty, the energy, and the willingness to lean into small shifts that can create big change…that’s what I’ll remember 💬💡”
Grateful for our TOAcon 2025 partners
As so many changes reshape the industry, accounting practice leaders need to connect with other leaders who’ve faced similar challenges and found a way through them.
We are grateful for the consistent support of our TOAcon partners, who help accountants deliver at their best and stay ahead of rapid change.
“There is a unique magic in the Philippines—the beauty, the warmth, and above all, the people. That spirit wove through every conversation, every shared meal, every moment on the sand, and under the sun,” wrote Mareta Akari, TOA Global’s Country Manager for Australia and New Zealand.
“What we created together didn’t feel like a conference. It felt like community.”