This year’s Reporting Talks by SwissHoldings were entirely dedicated to IFRS 18 – the new accounting standard that will fundamentally change the presentation of financial results as of 2027. The well-attended conference offered experts from member companies the opportunity to gain insights into the planned changes, exchange experiences, and discuss them with external stakeholders such as auditors and analysts. It became clear that the new standard requires a shift in mindset, while at the same time offering an opportunity to make financial communication with capital markets more transparent.
The event began with a comprehensive overview of current trends in international accounting, presented from the perspective of the Global Preparers Forum – an association of globally active companies – as well as the IFRS Interpretations Committee, which deals with detailed questions of international accounting. This was followed by two keynotes on the new IFRS 18 standard: UBS highlighted the impact from the analysts’ perspective, while Deloitte added the viewpoint of the audit profession. The event concluded with a panel discussion featuring contributions from SwissHoldings member companies Nestlé, Novartis, Roche and Swisscom, in which the implementation of IFRS 18 was examined in a differentiated and practical manner from various perspectives.
Nadine Kusche (Deloitte) holds one of the keynotes.
IFRS 18 – A Paradigm Shift with Far-Reaching Consequences
IFRS 18 introduces profound changes in the presentation and disclosure of financial results. The most significant innovation concerns the income statement, which will in future be divided into three clearly defined categories: Operating, Investing, and Financing. The new standard also introduces mandatory subtotals such as operating profit, which must be clearly separated from company-specific performance measures. Such management performance measures will in future have to be disclosed in the notes, explained, and reconciled with IFRS figures. The aim is to achieve greater transparency, comparability, and clarity – across industries and countries. For companies, the transition may require significant adjustments: processes, IT systems, and internal coordination will need to be rethought and aligned. At the same time, IFRS 18 creates the opportunity to communicate financial results to the capital market more clearly and consistently.
From left to right: Ian Bishop (Roche), Jane Fulford (Novartis) and François Andreoli (Nestlé) discuss the topic on the podium.
SwissHoldings Brings the Perspective of Its Members into Global Accounting
For more than 20 years, SwissHoldings has been committed to practical and workable international financial reporting. The association is one of the few organizations in Switzerland that not only closely follows regulatory developments but also actively contributes to shaping them – for example, through coordinated submissions by its member companies to international standard setters such as the IASB in London. A particular strength lies in the close network of member firms, which – due to their global footprint – rely heavily on reliable access to international capital markets. Accordingly, there is strong interest in comparable, reliable, and workable standards. In addition, experts from SwissHoldings member companies are represented in key international bodies. This direct involvement makes it possible to identify relevant developments at an early stage, assess them in a practical context, and effectively represent the interests of Swiss companies.
Contact
Denise Laufer | Member of the Executive Committee | +41 (0)76 407 02 48
Dustin Rosenfeld | Economic Policy Manager | +41 (0)31 351 90 72
