Reflecting on the BOKS International 2026 EMEA Regional Meeting in Munich

Recently, Marie Pegram and I had the pleasure of travelling to Munich to attend BOKS International’s 2026 EMEA Regional Meeting – an event that provided valuable insight, challenge, and reaffirmation of why TC Group continues to invest heavily in international collaboration and leadership development.

As the founding and largest member of BOKS International, TC Group’s been involved since the very beginning. From inception, our goal was clear: to help create a genuinely collaborative international alliance of like-minded professional firms that share high standards, strong values, and a commitment to supporting ambitious businesses while developing the next generation of leaders.

What is BOKS?

BOKS International is a global alliance of progressive accountancy and legal firms, working together to share best practice, innovation, and expertise across borders. The alliance currently spans more than 120 members in 70+ countries and brings together trusted advisors who collaborate openly across both accountancy and legal disciplines.

Crucially, BOKS is not simply a peer network – it has real, tangible benefits for clients. Through BOKS, TC Group is able to:

• Connect our clients with trusted accountants and legal advisors across the world, supporting them as they expand internationally
• Ensure clients receive consistent, high‑quality advice aligned with UK expectations, whilst reflecting local regulatory and commercial realities
• Receive referrals from international firms whose clients require UK accountancy or legal services, enabling those clients to access expert, locally‑grounded advice with confidence

This two‑way flow of knowledge and referrals makes BOKS a powerful platform – both for professional development and for supporting international business growth.

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Why BOKS Matters to TC Group

For TC Group, BOKS reinforces our belief that the future of the profession lies in collaboration rather than isolation. The discussions in Munich highlighted the value created when firms are open, engaged and prepared to learn from one another across borders and disciplines.

Being part of an international accountancy and legal alliance gives us broader perspective, faster learning, and access to ideas and expertise well beyond the UK market. That thinking feeds directly back into how we support our clients, particularly those with complex or international ambitions, and how we continue to evolve as a firm.

It also creates meaningful opportunities for our people, offering exposure to international peers, alternative approaches and best‑in‑class thinking on leadership, advisory services and firm governance.

Day One: Leadership Development and TC Aspire

Ahead of the main conference, we spent the first day with Gary Vickrey, widely recognised as one of the leading leadership development trainers for accountants in the United States.

The session focused on leadership behaviours, people strategy and long‑term succession within professional services firms, and provided an excellent opportunity to explore TC Aspire — our leadership development programme designed to support the next generation of TC Group leaders.

Gary was particularly struck by how closely Aspire aligns with global best practice in leadership development:

“I was genuinely amazed at how closely TC Aspire aligns with the leadership development work I deliver with firms across the US. What stood out even more was that this programme was conceived and driven by an accountant — it speaks volumes about TC Group’s commitment to developing leaders in the right way.”

The discussion offered valuable external validation, as well as challenge and refinement, ensuring TC Aspire continues to evolve in line with the needs of modern professional services firms. It reinforced a belief we hold strongly at TC Group: technical excellence alone is no longer enough. Sustainable, future‑ready firms are built by confident, self‑aware leaders who can navigate change, inspire teams and build lasting client relationships.

Looking Ahead

The BOKS European Conference in Munich was a timely reminder of why TC Group continues to invest in BOKS International. The quality of discussion, the openness of members, and the shared ambition across both accountancy and legal disciplines make it a genuinely valuable alliance.

We return with stronger international relationships, fresh perspectives, and renewed confidence that our founding role within BOKS, alongside our continued focus on leadership development through initiatives such as TC Aspire, will directly benefit our people and our clients, both in the UK and internationally.

For a flavour of the event itself, you can also watch the BOKS European Conference video below: