Taking Stock - Have the English ICA and ICAS crossed swords?

Aftershocks can strike long after the initial tremors, and so it might be following the clash of the titans last week between the English and Scottish institutes. They can hardly be on speaking terms after Ernst & Young quit the former to join the latter in a high-profile move which cast a rather dark cloud over the future of the accountancy body south of the border. But on Monday, key players from both bodies could have been in the same city at the same time. In fact speculation has it that their paths could have crossed. Brian Chiplin, executive director of education and training at the rejected and dejected English ICA, is known to be on a tour of head men at the Big Five firms, probably in order to nip any more defections in the bud. But the chilling prospect was that he might bump into Ian Marrian, acting chief executive of the Scots ICA, who was in London from his Edinburgh base to visit unknown persons and institutions. What a terrible sight it would have been if the two redoubtable figures should have bumped into each other, one on the way in and one on the way out of Stonecutter Court, Embankment Place or Salisbury Square. A crossing of swords indeed. TS hoped that passers-by stood well back.