Tomorrow's business starts today.
There's real energy in the market right now, the kind that's been missing for a couple of years. Deals are moving again. AI costs have gone from a casual experiment to a significant financial statement line item. Leadership teams are making bigger, more confident calls than they were twelve months ago. This issue is a snapshot of it: what's driving it, what it actually looks like up close, and where we're seeing it play out with our own clients.
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Adam Olsen
National Head of Practices, Embark
| IN THIS EDITION AI pulse: Is your data, and your accounting, ready for what's next? Deal readiness: What it takes to build tomorrow's business. On our radar: FASB's stablecoin clarity, Europe sustainability rules take shape, and SEC's new Accounting Fraud Unit. CHRO brief: Open enrollment prep starts now. |
AI RESOURCES
AI is everywhere. Are your data and your books ready for it?
Every executive is thinking about AI right now, whether it's how to increase adoption, how to govern it, or how to explain it to the board. The conversation has moved fast, and staying current is its own job. This month, we're looking at two sides of it: getting your data ready for AI, and getting your books ready to defend it.
EXIT READINESS
Building tomorrow's business starts today.
You have a vision for what’s next: a merger that reshapes what’s possible, a sale that rewards years of work, an IPO that opens a new chapter. Whatever the move, it starts with readiness built long before the deal.
And right now, readiness matters. SPACs are back with greater institutional discipline. More PE-backed companies are pursuing dual-track exits. Regulators are rethinking the cost of being public. The market is open. Now’s the time to get ready for it.
ON OUR RADAR
FASB's stablecoin clarity, Europe's sustainability rules take shape, and SEC’s new Accounting Fraud Unit
FASB proposes clarifying when digital assets count as cash: FASB proposed amendments on August 19 clarifying when digital assets like stablecoins can qualify as cash equivalents. To qualify, assets would need an on-demand redemption right with the issuer for known cash amounts, backed one-to-one by segregated reserves in short-term, liquid assets—a bar most stablecoins don't currently meet. The proposal would also require all entities presenting cash equivalents to disclose their significant components and amounts annually. Comments are due November 19.
Europe's non-EU sustainability standard takes shape—US parents, take note: EFRAG published a draft of ESRS-40a on July 23, outlining sustainability reporting requirements for roughly 1,200 non-EU groups expected to fall under the CSRD—with US parent companies representing the largest share. Reporting would begin for FY2028, with first reports due in 2029. Companies with an EU subsidiary or branch above €200 million in turnover have time, but now is the window to map governance structures and data gaps. Public consultation runs through October 31.
SEC creates a dedicated Accounting Fraud Unit: The SEC established a Financial Reporting and Accounting Unit within its Enforcement Division in August, bringing attorneys and accountants together to focus on financial reporting, accounting, and auditor misconduct. While accounting fraud is already an enforcement priority, dedicated resources signal sharper scrutiny ahead. Companies should expect greater attention on financial statement quality and internal controls.
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