INTHEBLACK February / March 2026 - Magazine - Page 9
“Compliance can come down to three basic principles, even in a changing world:
transparency, accountability and consistency. If you follow those principles, you’re
well on your way to meeting the expectations of your stakeholders — including us.”
SIMONE CONSTANT, COMMISSIONER OF AUSTRALIA’S CORPORATE, MARKETS, FINANCIAL SERVICES AND CONSUMER CREDIT
REGULATOR ASIC, SPEAKING AT FINSIA’S THE REGULATORS EVENT IN SEPTEMBER 2025.
SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE
Are small business owners in Australia overlooking
their achievements? Research from Xero shows only
51 per cent of small business owners report achieving a
business milestone in 2025, and almost a third say that
they have not reached one in more than three years.
The report notes that although almost 60 per cent of
owners recognise the importance of celebrating wins,
just 21 per cent take the time to celebrate these
moments. This is despite many reporting that doing so
can lead to improved employee wellbeing (80 per cent),
performance (79 per cent), morale (78 per cent) and
team happiness (67 per cent).
“We know small business owners are often stretched
for time to the point that they’re not stopping to
recognise their achievements,” says Angad Soin, Xero’s
managing director ANZ and global chief strategy
officer. “However, capitalising on those ‘made-it
moments’ is not only enjoyable, it is good for business.”
Read the research
CEOS PREPARE FOR AGENTIC AI
The world of artificial intelligence (AI) is evolving
rapidly, and 57 per cent of CEOs expect agentic
AI — the advanced form of AI focused on autonomous
decision-making and action — to have a significant
impact on their organisation, alongside generative AI.
That is a key finding from KPMG’s 2025 Global CEO
Outlook survey, which shows that expectations for AI
investment returns have accelerated. Most leaders now
predict results within one to three years, which is far
sooner than the three to five years projected in 2024.
However, the speed of change is also creating
challenges, with CEOs identifying three key issues
to navigate:
• ethical challenges 59 per cent
• data readiness 52 per cent
• lack of regulation 50 per cent
Read the survey
intheblack.cpaaustralia.com.au 9
