Leaders from Wolters Kluwer, Microsoft, Salesforce, and McKinsey challenge accounting firms to make one AI move in the next 90 days
CCH Connections 2026 main-stage panel explored agentic AI, talent development, trust, and the priorities firm leaders should set for the next year
ORLANDO, Fla., October 30, 2026--Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting brought together leaders from Microsoft, Salesforce, McKinsey, and Sandra Wiley Strategies at CCH Connections 2026 with a clear message for accounting firms: as AI agents move from recommending actions to taking them, the time to decide how work gets done, how trust is earned, and how people build expertise is now. The main-stage panel, The New Blueprint: Building the Future-Ready Firm, moderated by Matt Linderman, Partner at McKinsey, drew on what each leader has learned from adopting and scaling AI.
On Wednesday, panelists urged firms not to wait for a perfect firmwide AI strategy. Start with one workflow, secure the data behind it, and build agentic workflows with the governance and controls to deliver the intended outcomes. The session closed with a challenge for every firm leader: set priorities for the next 12 months and choose one practical move to make in the next 90 days.
"The future-ready firm will not be defined by technology alone. It will be defined by how leaders combine technology with trusted expertise, sound judgment, strong relationships, and a clear understanding of the outcomes their clients need," said Jason Marx, CEO, Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting. "Bringing technology, business transformation, and firm leadership perspectives together helps professionals make informed decisions about where to act now and how to prepare for what comes next."
Key themes from the discussion:
AI is a business transformation opportunity, not simply a productivity tool. Panelists challenged firms to define the client outcomes and operating models they will need in the years ahead, then determine where AI can best enable them, instead of using the technology to simply automate today's processes.
Successful transformation requires changes in how firms develop people and organize work. As AI takes on more foundational tasks, firms need to consider how newer professionals will build expertise and judgment, and how training, supervision, team structures, and incentives should evolve.
Trust and governance will determine how far and how quickly AI can advance. As AI takes on more autonomous work, organizations need clear standards for evidence, accountability, and human oversight, including an understanding of when an AI agent should stop and defer to professional judgment. "Building an agent isn't the challenge. The challenge is integrating agents into business workflows with the right context, governance, and human judgment," said Lara Rubbelke, CTO and Vice President, Frontier Industry Advisory, Microsoft.
Firms should start small, measure results, and learn quickly. Value starts with deciding what outcome to drive, such as customer experience, employee productivity, or faster ROI. Anu Saha, SVP and COO, Agentforce, Salesforce urged firms to begin with one workflow and secure the data within it, noting that data transformation doesn't have to start with all of a firm's data at one time. Rather than waiting for every aspect of AI transformation to be resolved, panelists encouraged leaders to establish a small team, define how success will be measured, and use those lessons to guide where and how to scale.
New ways of working require a plan, and the investment to back it. Sandra Wiley, CEO, Sandra Wiley Strategies, emphasized that AI adoption must be built into a firm's strategic planning and budget, with every investment tied back to the firm's strategy rather than the latest tool.