All Roads Lead to Rome: Schneider Downs Helps Build Global Bridges

Schneider Downs’ own Dan Desko and Mary Richter recently returned from Prime Global’s World Conference 2019 in Rome, where they were joined by nearly 200 delegates from other firms around the globe. Both presented at various sessions during the conference; Dan hosted a working group that discussed cybersecurity, while Mary sponsored the international tax session and convened a transfer pricing group discussion.

Against the scenic backdrop of this infinitely historic location, conference highlights included presentations from notable speakers on a number of business topics, including trade and multilateralism, artificial intelligence in the business world and motivating employees. Featured speaker Natalia Cohen recounted a tale of resilience and perseverance in recapping her experience as part of the first all-female team to row across the Pacific. Attendees also got a glimpse of tomorrow, as futurist Magnus Lindkvist highlighted the theme of this year’s conference – Building Bridges – by noting the dichotomy between innovation and creativity and analyzing how many businesses actually function. His advice: be different. Great success comes from taking risks and doing something unconventional and unusual, postulates Lindqvist.

Perhaps it is the story of Rome itself, a place from which so many inventions emerged, that continues to teach us that we can indeed impact society and history by creating new ways to approach existing problems and opportunities.

Prime Global is one of the world’s largest accounting associations with over 285 member firms in almost 100 countries.