Registration Time: 09:00
Sessions Time: 09:15 - 12:30  including a 15-minute break
Speakers: Mr John Debattista, Mr Neville Saliba & Mr Thomas Zammit
Venue:   Online Webinar

Participation Fees 
MIA Members: €40.00
Non-MIA Members: €75.00
Retired Members: €20.00
Students: €30.00

*Group bookings for 3 or more participants available.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

IAS 38 defines an intangible asset as an identifiable, non-monetary asset without physical substance. An asset is considered identifiable if it is either:

• Separable - capable of being sold, transferred, licensed, or otherwise exchanged independently from the entity; 

• Arising from contractual or legal rights - regardless of whether those rights are transferable or separable from the entity or other rights and obligations.

For an intangible asset to be recognised, it must be controlled by the entity as a result of past events and must be expected to generate future economic benefits.Intangible assets may be acquired or internally generated, with differing accounting treatments. Internally generated intangible assets, particularly those from development activities, pose significant recognition challenges. Key considerations include:

• Establishing existence of the intangible asset;

• Assessing the likelihood that the asset will generate future economic benefits; 

• Determining whether the cost of the asset can be measured reliably.

These criteria often require significant judgement, especially in early-stage development phases. Due to the level of judgment involved, areas such as technical feasibility, management bias and economic viability require scrutiny. As a result, auditors must apply heightened professional scepticism and perform additional audit procedures whilst collecting robust supporting documentation. This is essential to test the accuracy, completeness, and appropriateness of related capitalisation and expense treatments.

SPECIFIC TOPICS TO BE COVERED DURING THE SESSION

• Objectives of the Standard

• Key definitions

• Recognition and Measurement

• Audit Procedures involved

• Special considerations for complex example

Why is the session of relevance to our members?

The session is relevant because of the complexities involved in determining whether an internally generated intangible asset qualifies for recognition, and the uncertainties that arise during the audit of such matters.

This CPE is designed for upcoming students, industry professionals, accounting practitioners as well as practicing auditors.

Speakers's Profiles

John Debattista is a Certified Public Accountant and Registered Auditor with over 20 years of experience in audit and assurance. Following a decade in a mid-tier audit firm, he co-founded Zampa Debattista, where he led the Audit and Assurance function as well as the Corporate Reporting Advisory team. John has extensive teaching experience, delivering lectures on audit and financial reporting for final stages of ACCA and ACA qualifications through the ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales). He has taught the ACCA Diploma in IFRS (DipIFR) and frequently speaks at audit and financial reporting seminars organized by various institutes in Malta. John also served as MLRO (Money Laundering Reporting Officer) in his previous firm, with a focus on AML compliance and risk management. His expertise spans the financial services, gaming, and hospitality sectors. He has worked internationally on specialized assignments in cities such as Zurich, Bucharest, Vienna, and London. In 2024, John joined Deloitte’s audit function to further his impact in the field.

Neville Saliba graduated from the University of Malta in 2020 after the completion of the Master in Accountancy Degree. He joined the Accounting Advisory department at Zampa Debattista in 2022, prior to which he gained experience in client accounting at one of the big-four firms. In 2023, Neville has taken up the role of a Financial Reporting Team Leader at Zampa Debattista allowing him to specialise further in IFRS, Consolidations, Conversions between different financial reporting frameworks, GAPSME and ESG reporting. During his career Neville has lectured the Financial Reporting module for ACCA as well as actively delivers several lectures on his areas of specialisation.

Thomas Zammit began his journey with Deloitte in 2014 as a student in the Deloitte Pathway Programme. Following the completion of his Master’s degree in Accountancy from the University of Malta, he transitioned into Deloitte Malta’s Audit service line. During this time, he gained invaluable experience leading audit engagements across the financial services sector, including insurance, asset management, and pensions.
Building on this foundation, Thomas advanced into the role of technical IFRS specialist within Deloitte’s Assurance service line. In this capacity, he has provided advice on complex transactions under IFRS and GAPSME, authored in-depth technical memos and, more recently, has worked closely with C-suite executives on insurance undertakings to facilitate their transition to IFRS 17. His expertise also extends to the preparation of financial statements that ensure compliance with IFRS, GAPSME, and the requirements of IFRS 17 for insurance entities.

EVeNT CPE COMPETENCies

3  Core

WEBINARS TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Terms and conditions  apply

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