In his speech, Mr Prada discussed the globalisation of IFRS; he promoted the IASB's heavily-researched jurisdiction profiles and provided insight into the transition to IFRS for several large economies such as Japan and the United States.

Mr Prada expressed his optimism for the eventual globalisation of IFRS, noting that "IFRS has only recently reached its teenage years." He pointed to the benefits of a single set of global accounting standards:

[F]undamentally it is a question of economics rather than accounting. The thing to remember is that differences in accounting standards add no economic value or benefit to anyone, unless you are involved in the business of reconciliation. . . . [E]xperience has shown that far from being a tool of national competitive advantage, different accounting requirements only serve to diminish the attractiveness of a jurisdiction in the global market for capital. . . . [A]ccounting standards are best thought of as a global good, not as a tool for national competitive advantage. They play an essential supporting role, facilitating growth and promoting a sustainable and prosperous global economy.

Mr Prada also discussed the areas of focus for the IFRS Foundation Trustees' third constitution review: (1) discussing the optimum size of the IASB, (2) reviewing the Accounting Standards Advisory Forum (ASAF), and (3) seeking feedback on further enhancements to the activities of the IFRS Foundation.

A transcript of Mr Prada's keynote speech is available on the IASB website. The stakeholder event also included an interactive panel discussion with senior financial reporting stakeholders. See our previous story on the panel discussion of complexity.