FASB announces free webcast on global accounting

The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) has announced the launch of a series of periodic webcasts focusing on topics of importance to its constituents. The first FASB webcast, entitled Towards a Global Reporting System: Where Are We and Where Are We Going?, is scheduled for Tuesday, January 8, 2008, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. (EST), and will feature a panel of experts discussing international convergence of accounting standards.

Panelists Robert Herz, Peter Bridgman, Greg Jonas, and Sam Ranzilla will discuss the implications of moving the U.S. toward adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Moderated by Wall Street Journal reporter David Reilly, the panel will cover topics that include steps necessary to ensure a successful transition to IFRS; how this transition will provide better information to investors; and progress made by the FASB and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) to create a common set of high-quality global accounting standards. Robert Herz is Chairman of the FASB; Peter Bridgman is Senior Vice President and Controller of PepsiCo; Greg Jonas is Managing Director of Moody's Investors Service, and Sam Ranzilla is a Partner at KPMG LLP.

The live webcast is offered free of charge. Viewers will have the opportunity to e-mail questions to panelists during the event. The webcast will be archived on the FASB website for access by the public. You can register [1] to attend the live and/or archived webcast.