Agenda | PE Summit

As private equity interest in accounting firms accelerates, the path from initial outreach to a successful deal is proving more nuanced than many expect. From sourcing and valuation to partner alignment, governance, and post-deal integration, acquiring an accounting firm requires a deep understanding of both the business model and the people behind it.

5:00 pm

Welcome Reception for PE Summit

1 hr

Wright Foyer

The accounting profession is undergoing one of the most significant transformations in its history. Join accounting firm leaders, investors, advisors, and solution providers as we kick off PE Summit 2026 with an evening of networking and conversation. This reception provides an opportunity to connect with peers, share perspectives, and begin exploring the trends, opportunities, and challenges that will define the discussions throughout the summit.

Wednesday, November 18, 2026

7:00 am

Networking Breakfast

1 hr

Wright Foyer

Registration Opens

1 hr

Wright Foyer

8:00 am

Welcome & Opening Remarks

10 min

Wright Ballroom 1-3

Global Managing Principal, Accounting & Consulting Industries

As we transition from CPA Insights to the PE Summit, we move from exploring the profession’s many strategic paths to a deeper examination of private equity. We’ll frame the day’s discussions around what happens before, during, and after a deal—from investor priorities and transaction mechanics to the impact on firm strategy, brand, culture, technology investment, client relationships, and the realities of working with new capital partners.

8:10 am

Research The State of Private Equity in Accounting

30 min

Wright Ballroom 1-3

Tom Koehler

Moderator

Private equity continues to reshape the accounting profession, but where does the market stand today—and where is it headed next? In this opening fireside chat, Accounting Today and Intapp will share new data on firm sentiment, capital needs, technology investment, and the evolving role of private equity in accounting.

8:45 am

Keynote Celebrating PE and the Accounting Profession’s 5-year Anniversary – Past, Present, and Future

50 min

Wright Ballroom 1-3

CPE Eligible

Allan D. Koltin

Managing Partner Emeritus; Partner in Charge of M&A

For the past five years, Allan Koltin has been at the center of many of the accounting profession’s most significant private equity transactions.

9:35 am

Presentation A Dynamic Landscape: Market Evolution Amid Disruption and How Firms Can Respond

25 min

Wright Ballroom 1-3

Stuart Ferguson

President-Strategy

Stout

Private capital injections and ever advancing technology has impacts from the broad CPA market landscape to the individual CPA partner. In this session, Stuart Ferguson shares his perspective on impacts of the market disruption, including increased competition and wider spreads of organic growth outcomes, and how firms should be adapting to position themselves for success.

10:10 am

Networking Break

30 min

Wright Foyer

10:40 am

Panel Before The Deal: Culture, Strategy, and Economics

50 min

Wright Ballroom 1-3

CPE Eligible

Bowers Advisors & Accountants

Moderator

A successful private equity transaction involves far more than valuation. Before firms move forward with a deal, they must determine whether a potential partner is the right fit culturally, strategically, and economically. In this panel, accounting firm leaders who have partnered with outside capital will discuss the key conversations, evaluations, and decision points that occur before a transaction is completed.

11:35 am

Panel Deal Mechanics – How PE Transactions Actually Work (From LOI to Due Diligence)

50 min

Wright Ballroom 1-3

CPE Eligible

Moderator

Private equity transactions are far more complex than traditional accounting firm mergers. For many firm leaders, the process can be unfamiliar, time-consuming, and filled with unexpected twists.

12:30 pm

Networking Lunch

1 hr

Wright Foyer

1:30 pm

Panel Life After the Deal – Operating Under PE ownership

50 min

Wright Ballroom 1-3

CPE Eligible

Chief Executive Officer

Moderator

Signing the deal is only the beginning. Once a firm takes on private equity investment, leaders must navigate new expectations around growth, accountability, governance, and performance—while continuing to serve clients and maintain firm culture.In this panel, firm leaders will share what life really looks like after the transaction closes. What changes for partners and staff? How do budgeting, reporting, and decision-making evolve? What role does the investor play in strategy and governance? And what aspects of the firm’s culture, client relationships, and day-to-day operations remain largely unchanged?Join firms that have already made the transition for a candid discussion on the realities, challenges, and opportunities of operating under private equity ownership.

2:25 pm

Panel Does Private Equity Actually Accelerate Innovation?

50 min

Wright Ballroom 1-3

CPE Eligible

Tucker Haas

Chief Technology Officer

Current

Sean McLean

Chief Digital Officer

Moderator

Technology has become the single biggest driver of capital demand in accounting, with firms investing heavily in AI, automation, workflow modernization, and tech stack optimization. But does private equity actually accelerate innovation, or simply provide the resources to move faster?

3:15 pm

Networking Break

30 min

Wright Foyer

3:45 pm

Presentation Talent Talks: What Employees from PE-Backed Firms Really Think

30 min

Wright Ballroom 1-3

Dominic Piscopo

Founder

Big 4 Transparency

Private equity investment in accounting isn’t just a bet on firms, client relationships, or growth potential — it’s a bet on people. The success of these deals ultimately depends on whether the talent inside PE-backed firms stays engaged, motivated, and committed for the long term.

4:20 pm

Panel The People Side of Private Equity: Talent, Culture and the Next Generation of Leaders

50 min

Wright Ballroom 1-3

CPE Eligible

Karen Bennett

Chief People & Platform Officer

Former Managing Partner / Former Partner in Charge & Executive Committee Member

Lurie LLP/ EisnerAmper

Moderator

Much of the conversation around private equity in accounting focuses on transactions, growth strategies and financial performance. But some of the most significant changes are happening within the workforce—and for the next generation of firm leaders.

5:15 pm

Closing Remarks: What We’ve Learned — And What Comes Next

Wright Ballroom 1-3

Day One explored the forces driving private equity into the profession. In these closing remarks, we synthesize the key takeaways and preview Day Two’s focus on the second wave — how firms are navigating life after the deal and what the future of ownership in accounting may look like.

5:30 pm

Networking Reception

1 hr

Wright Foyer

Thursday, November 19, 2026

7:30 am

Networking Breakfast

45 min

Wright Foyer

8:15 am

Panel The Second Wave: What Comes Next

30 min

Wright Ballroom 1-3

Moderator

Citrin Cooperman Advisors LLC

The first wave of private equity transformed the accounting profession. The second wave will go further.As accounting firms and investors move beyond their initial transactions, the conversation is shifting from deal-making to value creation, integration, recapitalization, and long-term growth. While the level of interest in CPA firms remains strong, the market is becoming more competitive as growth expectations increase and firms face greater pressure to differentiate themselves.What separates tomorrow’s winners from everyone else? How will ownership structures evolve? What happens when firms pursue a second transaction, a continuation vehicle, a recapitalization, or even a buyback?

8:50 am

Panel The Flip From The Firm’s Side: Deciding What Comes Next

50 min

Wright Ballroom 1-3

CPE Eligible

Alan Badey

Chief Executive Officer

Avani Desai

Schellman Compliance, LLC

Moderator

The second transaction comes with a different set of questions. After experiencing outside investment firsthand, what do firm leaders—and their partners—want from the next chapter? Leaders who have navigated a second transaction share how they approached the decision internally, what concerns emerged, what they wanted to preserve or change, and the role they played in determining what came next and choosing the right capital partner.

9:40 am

Coffee Break

20 min

Wright Foyer

10:00 am

Panel The Partnership After The Deal: Choosing Who Comes Next

1 hr

Wright Ballroom 1-3

Chatham House Rules CPE Eligible

Sean Taylor

Smith + Howard Advisory LLC

Walter Weil

Managing Director

TowerBrook Captial Partners L P

Chief Executive Officer

Eisner Advisory Group LLC

Moderator

When it’s time for the second transaction, firms and investors face a fundamental decision: continue the partnership or chart a new course? Firm leaders and private equity partners will explore why some relationships continue while others change, when those conversations begin, how the next partner is chosen, and how outgoing and incoming investors work with firm leadership to manage the transition and position the firm for its next stage of growth.

11:05 am

Panel What the Accounting Firm of the Future Will Look Like

50 min

Wright Ballroom 1-3

CPE Eligible

Allan D. Koltin

Moderator

Private equity has already reshaped the accounting profession—but what happens next? In this interactive town hall, industry leaders will explore how capital, consolidation, technology, and talent pressures are transforming firm ownership and operations. Will private equity become the dominant ownership model? Can independent firms continue to compete and thrive? And what will the next generation of accounting firms look like five to ten years from now? Join this forward-looking discussion on the forces shaping the future of the profession and what firm leaders should be doing today to prepare for tomorrow.

11:55 am

Closing Remarks

5 min

Wright Ballroom 1-3