One of our starting points is also the human touch that we will always be taking care of the client…That is our number one priority.
– Alvin Chia, Senior Business Development Manager at OFX
Heather Smith reports from the Accounting & Business Show Asia 2025 in Singapore, sharing floor interviews and key highlights. With strong Australian representation, she reflects on rapid regional digital transformation, cultural insights, and inspiring thought leadership.
Main Topics:
- Singapore’s digital drive: e-invoicing mandates and cheque phase-out
- Government-backed AI innovation via AI Singapore
- Roundtable on burnout, boundaries, and micro business sustainability
- TikTok insights and media habits reshaping communication
- Panel on women on boards and leadership pathways
Interviews Include:
- Alvin Chia (OFX) – Cross-border payments with human-first support
- Marvin Galang (Jaz AI) – AI-native accounting software for Southeast Asia
- Bryan Sng (Simple AI) – AI agents automating accounting ops
- Kelvin Koh (Idently) – Face-key file security tech for sensitive documents
- Andrew Paton-Smith (Jazoodle) – 60-second forecasts & valuation KPIs
Key Takeaways:
- The future of advisory is now
- AI is more than a buzzword in Singapore – it’s a government initiative
- Accountants must embrace tech and set strong boundaries
- Social platforms like TikTok can’t be ignored
- Representation, integrity, and courage are crucial for boardroom progress
Contact details:
- Sponsor Offers: Here
- Xero http://xero.com/
- Koren Wines https://www.linkedin.com/in/koren-wines/
- Sarah Foo https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-foo-fca/
- Alvin Chia https://www.linkedin.com/in/alvin-chia-a15a6b65/
- OFX https://www.ofx.com/
- Marvin Galang https://www.linkedin.com/in/galangmr/
- JAZ https://www.jaz.ai/
- Bryan Sng https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryansng/
- SimpleAi https://simpleaiworks.com/
- Kelvin Koh https://www.linkedin.com/in/nivlekoh/
- Identi.ly https://identi.ly/
- Andrew Paton-Smith https://www.linkedin.com/in/apatonsmith/
- Jazoodle https://jazoodle.com/
Live from the Accounting & Business Show Asia 2025, Heather explores AI, e-invoicing, TikTok trends, and the evolving accountants’ roles in Asia.
Episode Transcript
- Introduction and Setup 0:03
- Heather Smith introduces herself and the podcast, mentioning her excitement about the Accounting and Business Show Asia 2025 in Singapore.
- She thanks Laura Tims and Raymond Fan for making the event enjoyable and informative.
- Heather mentions a new setup in her office with more shelving and asks listeners to provide feedback on the audio quality.
- She shares a personal story about winning a trivia contest in 2024, which provided travel money to visit Singapore, and thanks Xero for their support.
- Meetings with Xero Leaders and Digital Transformation in Singapore 6:28
- Heather discusses a meeting with Corin Wines, Managing Director of Xero APAC, and Sarah Foo, Head of Sales for Asia, where they shared insights on digital transformation in Singapore and other Asian countries.
- The Infocom Media Development Authority and Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore are pushing for e-invoicing, which is driving digital adoption.
- The Monetary Authority of Singapore and the Association of Banks in Singapore are phasing out corporate checks, with banks stopping issuing chequebooks to corporate customers by July 2025 and no longer accepting them by January 2027.
- Singapore is fully embracing AI, with the government providing support for AI projects through AI Singapore’s implementation framework.
- Xero’s 10th Anniversary and Heather’s Reflections on Singapore 12:45
- Heather mentions Xero’s 10-year anniversary in Singapore on March 24, 2026, and reflects on the rapid pace of transformation in Singapore.
- She notes the lack of country-specific demo platforms or solutions for many Asian countries, but mentions Xero’s country-specific version for Singapore.
- Heather thanks Corin and Sarah for their time and the informative meeting before the show.
- She highlights the large contingent of Australians attending the show, including Sarah Lawrence, Carly Baxter, Emma Lateef, Carla Hurrigan, Emma Fabrio, and Denise Twigger.
- Experiences at the Accounting and Business Show 19:14
- Heather describes the vibrant culture and activities in Singapore, including watching the Saturday by the Bay event and the light shows.
- She attended Corin Wines’ keynote at the Accounting and Business Show, where she heard the phrase “compliance is the floor, advisory is the sky.”
- Heather ran a roundtable session on growing sustainably as a micro-business, emphasising the importance of setting boundaries and avoiding burnout.
- She attended a session by Marcus Yao from TikTok, learning that users in the 18-44 age group spend more time on TikTok than watching TV.
- Sessions and Insights from the Accounting and Business Show 24:15
- Heather attended a session by Sarah Lawrence on women on boards, closing the leadership gap, which included insights on playing to strengths, being courageous, and maintaining integrity.
- She highlights the importance of representation and mentoring women in leadership roles.
- Heather encourages listeners to connect with her on LinkedIn and subscribe to her newsletter for more updates.
- She mentions the various interviews she conducted on the floor, including with Alvin Chai from OFX, Marvin Galang from Jazz, and Bryan Sng from Simple AI.
- Interviews with OFX, Jazz, and Simple AI 29:27
- Alvin Chai from OFX discusses their cross-border payment solutions, emphasising the importance of human touch and competitive rates.
- Marvin Galang from Jazz talks about their AI-first accounting software, designed for the Philippine market and expanding to other Southeast Asian countries.
- Bryan Sng from Simple AI explains their AI agent solution for automating accounting operations, integrating with QuickBooks and Xero.
- Each interviewee provides details on their solutions, integration with accounting software, and how their products can benefit accountants and bookkeepers.
- Identity’s Biometric Document Sharing Solution 33:56
- Kelvin Koh from Identity introduces their solution for securely sharing sensitive documents using biometric data, specifically face or OTPs.
- The solution encrypts files using proprietary face key technology, ensuring secure transmission and decryption by the intended recipient.
- Kelvin explains that the recipient does not need to pre-register, as the system creates a face key upon the first scan.
- The solution is designed to be seamless and requires no additional setup time for businesses.
- Jazoodle’s Business Valuation and Forecasting Tool 38:08
- Andrew Paton-Smith from Jazoodle discusses their integration with QuickBooks, Xero, and MYOB, providing business valuation and forecasting in 60 seconds.
- The tool transforms data into 30+ KPIs and provides base forecasts for scenarios such as new hires or capex approvals.
- Andrew shares the history of Jazoodle, starting 10 years ago and relaunching last December after significant development.
- The tool is available worldwide and designed to be quick and easy to set up for accountants and bookkeepers.
