About this Event
Join CIMA Scotland in Dundee for a practical, insight-rich conference designed specifically for SME leaders, finance professionals, business owners and decision-makers looking to strengthen their organisations and prepare for the future.
Across a full day of learning, you'll hear from leading practitioners and subject matter experts who will share actionable strategies to help your business embrace innovation, manage risk, access funding and stand out in an increasingly competitive marketplace.
From harnessing AI and strengthening cyber resilience to securing investment and building a distinctive brand, the programme has been carefully designed to address some of the most pressing priorities facing SMEs today.
Theme 1 | Future-proofing SMEs: Harnessing AI
Learn how to assess AI opportunities, build a practical implementation roadmap, manage organisational change, and unlock business value from AI, even with limited resources.
Theme 2 | The SME cyber security journey
Discover the essential steps to strengthen your organisation's cyber resilience, prioritise investments, and create a clear, achievable cyber security roadmap.
Theme 3 | Becoming investment ready
Understand what investors, lenders and funding bodies look for, and how to position your business for sustainable growth and successful access to finance.
Theme 4 | Standing out in an AI-driven world
Explore how to build a distinctive brand, maintain authenticity, and use AI strategically while preserving the human insight, creativity and trust that set your business apart.
Ticket options
- 'Super Early Bird' rate: Available until 30 November 2026. Book early and enjoy our lowest available ticket price.
- 'Early Bird' rate: Available from 1 December to 31 December 2026, offering a discounted rate ahead of general release pricing.
- Standard rate: Applies from 1 January 2027.
- 'Group of 5' rate: Designed for teams wishing to attend together. Available to CIMA members, students and non-members, making it easy to bring colleagues and maximise the value of the day through shared learning.
Supporting partners
We are grateful to and for their support of this conference. Both organisations share our commitment to supporting business success, professional development and sustainable growth across Scotland.
CJM Lumina
At CJM Lumina, we're expanding our focus to encompass not only financial services but also a broader range of business consultancy support.
Scottish Growth Labs
Our mission is to unlock potential, back ambition and create second chances, helping people and businesses grow stronger, build confidence, create jobs and shape thriving communities across Scotland.
Easy to reach. Worth the journey.
Located in the heart of Dundee, our conference venue is just a short walk from both Dundee Railway Station and Dundee Bus Station, making attendance straightforward whether you're travelling from Aberdeen, Inverness, Perth, Edinburgh, Glasgow or anywhere else across Scotland.
With direct rail connections, regular coach services and convenient road access, Dundee is one of Scotland's most accessible business destinations. If you're travelling by car, there are several car parks located nearby, such as Shore Terrace Car Park (2min walk to venue), Yeaman Shore Car Park (3min walk to venue) & the Overgate Centre Car Park (8min walk to venue).
Join us
If you're looking to harness AI, strengthen business resilience, access new funding opportunities and position your organisation for long-term success, this is a conference you won't want to miss.
Agenda
Harnessing AI: Strategic Implementation Framework (90min)
Host: Dr Marcel Lukas
Info: AI offers significant opportunities for businesses, but successful adoption requires more than choosing the right technology. This session will explore how organisations can identify where AI can create genuine business value, assess their readiness for implementation, and prioritise opportunities that align with their strategic objectives. Drawing on real-world examples from SMEs, attendees will examine both the successes and pitfalls of AI adoption, gaining practical insight into the challenges, barriers and decisions that can determine whether an AI initiative delivers meaningful results or fails to gain traction.
Harnessing AI: Implementation planning (90min)
Host: Dr Marcel Lukas
Info: Moving from AI ambition to AI action requires careful planning, strong leadership and a willingness to rethink how people and technology work together. This session will explore how organisations can build the capabilities, culture and change programmes needed to support successful AI adoption. Attendees will consider how to create an effective AI roadmap, encourage productive human-AI collaboration, and identify the investments most likely to deliver early value, particularly when working with limited resources and competing priorities.
The SME Cyber Security Journey (60min)
Host: Lisa Dargan, CEO, URM Consulting
Info: Cyber threats continue to evolve, yet many organisations remain unsure where to begin when it comes to protecting their business. This session will provide a practical introduction to building a cyber security strategy, helping attendees understand the key risks facing SMEs and the steps needed to strengthen their organisation's resilience. From identifying vulnerabilities and prioritising actions to developing a clear roadmap for improvement, the session will focus on practical measures that can help businesses establish a strong foundation for long-term cyber security.
Becoming investment ready (60min)
Host: Colin McNally
Info: Access to funding can be a powerful catalyst for growth, but securing investment requires more than simply having a strong business idea. This session will explore what investors, lenders and funders look for when assessing opportunities, and how businesses can position themselves to attract financial support. Covering a range of funding routes, from traditional banking and public-sector support to private investment and alternative finance, the session will help attendees understand the changes, preparations and evidence needed to demonstrate that their business is ready for investment and future growth.
Standing out in an increasingly AI-driven world (60min)
Host: altar
Info: As AI makes it quicker and easier for businesses to create content, there's arguably an even greater need to understand what makes your business distinctive, how you communicate that consistently, and how you avoid blending into a sea of increasingly similar AI-generated content. The session will explore how businesses can use AI without losing their individuality, and why human insight, judgement and creativity remain central to building brands people notice, understand and trust.
Event venue & nearby stays
Malmaison Dundee, 44 Whitehall Crescent, Dundee, United Kingdom
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