Earlier today the International Federation of Accountants released their latest “Point-of-View” (POV): Embracing a People-Centered Profession.

The new publication explores the connection between the people in the accountancy profession, the core components of the profession (education, professional judgment, ethics, values) and the profession’s commitment to the public interest. 

“Our new POV focuses on the human aspect of our profession,” said Kevin Dancey, IFAC CEO. “Through this lens, we address issues such as gender equality, diversity (both of individuals and skills), work-life balance, mental health, and lifelong learning.  While many of the views expressed are not new, IFAC believes it is important to set out a clear message as the global voice of the accountancy profession.”

In the POV, IFAC offers insights and guidance on how firms, organizations and PAOs can better understand and appreciate the benefits and challenges of a profession made up of individuals.

IFAC also examines the relationship between a strong focus on “human capital” and the ability to attract, challenge, and retain talented people throughout their careers. 

“Events like the COVID-19 pandemic remind us that ours is a profession powered by individuals,” Dancey continued, “Individuals with their own talents, backgrounds, aspirations and challenges. Recognizing and appreciating the individual characteristics of professional accountants helps foster an environment where trust and judgment can thrive, and it is fundamental to the continued relevancy of the profession.”

To read the new POV, visit the IFAC Website here.

Brian McEnery is a Partner and Head of Advisory at BDO in Ireland and is International Liaison Partner for the firm and a Past President of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).

Mr. McEnery is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, a member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and holds a master’s in professional accountancy from the University of London.

Mr. McEnery has held a number of public sector director appointments including Ireland's NPL bank and was recently Chairman of Ireland's health and social care regulator.

CA. (Dr.) Debashis Mitra is president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), as well as chairman ICAI Research wing, ICAI Accounting Research Foundation, and XBRL India. He is also on the board of the Indian Institute of Insolvency Professionals of ICAI and represents ICAI on key Indian government and regulatory committees.

Dr. Mitra is also on the board of the South Asian Federation of Accountants and Chartered Accountants Worldwide and has served as a member of the Confederation of Asian Pacific Accountants’ Audit Group. He is a council member of the Value Reporting Foundation and represents ICAI in the board meetings of the Pan African Federation of Accountants and Asian Federation of Accountants. In the past, he has served on various SAFA committees.

Dr. Mitra, a senior practising member, is also a Cost Accountant and Company Secretary; holds a master’s degree in Commerce; and is a Law graduate and a qualified Information Systems Auditor. With keen interest in academic research, he is a Ph.D on the topic "A Critical Study of Select Indian GAAP, US GAAP & IAS/IFRS".

Noemi Di Segni works for Consiglio Nazionale dei Dottori Commercialisti e degli Esperti Contabili, IFAC’s member organization in Italy, overseeing the International Department and as head of the President Secretariate. She has been with CNDCEC since 1998; during her time there, she has participated as a technical advisor on the board and committees for the international organizations CNDCEC works with. This includes organizing events and providing opinions on international developments regarding regulation, education and qualification.

Ms. Di Segni has also collaborated in the organization and provision of trust certification for websites and with the court of Rome for implementation of online judicial sales procedures and, on a volunteer basis, as member of board of directors of various associations and foundations for social and religious beneficiaries.

Ms. Di Segni has dedicated her studies to research on legal aspects of business economy, on trust in civil law countries and legal models of regulation of liberal professions, legal implication of IT applications, gaining a MS degree in E.B.A, a BA degree in law and further specialization in European law in the field of central banking, all with full votes. She has completed the 3-year formal training to become a CPA and statutory auditor in Italy.

Simon Grant has 36 years' experience in finance and accounting, banking and professional membership, beginning
his career as an audit graduate.

He later joined Sanwa Bank and then went on overseas work experience and in 1990 he joined Arab Bank Australia
Limited where he became Australian Head of Credit. His next roles were with Deloitte in Assurance, Advisory and
Corporate Finance.

Mr. Grant joined Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand in 2002 as State Manager Queensland and was
appointed Head of Members for Australia and New Zealand during the merger in 2014 and, in 2018, appointed Group
Executive - Advocacy, Professional Standing and International Development. He leveraged the combined organizations'
strength to build out its international influence.

Mr. Grant's grounding as an auditor and his business career assists in enhancing CA ANZ's influence in the members'
interest and for the public good. He became a Chartered Accountant in 1987 and a Fellow Chartered Accountant in
2004. He is a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and a graduate of the Australian Institute of
Company Directors and is an Asialink Business Leaders Program alumni from 2018.

Kohei Kan became an IFAC Board member in November 2020, and was nominated by the Japanese Institute of Certified Public Accountants (JICPA).

Mr. Kan was formerly a board member of Deloitte Japan (2013-2015), CEO of Deloitte Japan - Audit and Assurance entity (2015-2018), and the Audit & Assurance Leader of Deloitte Asia Pacific (2018-2019).

Mr. Kan holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Yokohama National University and is a Japanese CPA.

CA. Atul Kumar Gupta, is serving on the Board of IFAC since November 2020 Nominated by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, he has served the Accountancy Profession for more than two decades, widely respected for his strong organisational skills and deep insight in the affairs of profession.

He has vast experience in SMP Practice, specializing in Management Consultancy, Taxation especially GST, ITES, Audit.

During his association with the ICAI as Council Member since 2013, he served as the President of ICAI (2020-21) and as Vice President (2019-2020).  

His experience at ICAI spans through education, examination, CPD, research, I&D and system development with strong focus towards IT architecture. Under his stewardship at Board of Studies, the New Scheme of Education and Training of ICAI that was benchmarked with the revised International Education Standards, was launched in 2017.Through ICAI-ARF, he is credited for the project of preparation of accrual-based financial statements of the Indian Railways (third largest Railway of world).

He remained the chairman of CPD Committee of SAFA, Member of PFM Committee of CAPA, Member of IRDAI, SEBI Primary Advisory Committee and GASAB. He served XBRL India, Accounting Research Foundation and Registered Valuers Organisation, Indian Institute of Insolvency of ICAI as Chairman.

Being thoroughly conversant with the professional concerns and demands of his times, CA. Gupta has authored many relevant books and has published numerous articles in leading newspapers, magazines and professional newsletters, and delivered lectures in about 1500 seminars and conferences.

Presently he is also on Board of XBRL International and many other reputed organisation in India.

Taryn Rulton, FCA, joined the IFAC Board in November 2020 having been nominated by Chartered Accountants
Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ). 

Ms. Rulton is the Chief Commercial Officer at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia. She commenced her career in
the UK private sector and, since moving to Australia, has held CFO and other senior executive positions in several public
sector agencies and organizations. Ms. Rulton has held non-executive director and other governance appointments with
organizations in the health, human services and integrity space. She brings experience in standard setting, having
served as a board member at the Australian Accounting Standards Board from 2014-2019.

Ms. Rulton has been an active member of CAANZ for more than 15 years and has chaired its Victorian Regional
Council. She currently provides support to CAANZ's ethics and integrity framework through membership of the
Chartered Accountants Advisory Group and Professional Conduct Oversight Committee.

Chiara Mio joined the IFAC Board in November 2020; she was nominated by the Consiglio Nazionale dei Dottori
Commercialisti e degli Esperti Contabili.

Ms. Mio is a CPA and statutory auditor in Pordenone (Venice) and chairs the National Working Group on Social Reporting,
CNDCEC's Sustainability and Corporate Reporting Working Group, and the ESG task force of the Sustainability Group at
Accountancy Europe. 

Ms. Mio is Full Professor at Ca' Foscari State University of Venezia, teaching corporate reporting, management control,
strategic planning and sustainability management and contributes to the sustainability strategy of Ca' Foscari from 2009 to
2014. She is also director of an innovative master degree on management of strategic social innovation, member of the
association of accounting and management professors (SIDREA), the association of history of accounting studies
(SISR), of the Academy of Business Studies (AIEA), the Editorial board, and a reviewer for several national and
international journals.

Ms. Mio is the author of articles and books about integrated reporting, social responsibility, performance measurement
and sustainability as a strategic perspective in value creation. In her professional life she serves on the board of directors
of different listed companies, chairs the sustainability committees of important groups and, in 2014, was appointed as
Chair of Crédit Agricole Italia Group, the first woman in this role in Italy.

Across the world, governments face the unprecedented impact of major simultaneous public health and economic crises. The on-going pandemic and looming economic recession require government interventions, which will likely impact public finances for years.

World Bank Group Governance Global Practice Middle East and Northern Africa (MENA), IFAC, and the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB) invite you to join a world-wide webinar to support strong public financial management during and after the global pandemic.