This month marks four years since I joined ICAS as Director of Learning and Business Development. That’s hard for me to believe because the time has absolutely flown by. I remember when I applied for the Director of Learning job and was doing my research on ICAS, somebody said to me: “Is ICAS still relevant? And how will you make sure it continues to be?” That is something I’ve never forgotten.

During those four years, under the leadership of my predecessor Bruce Cartwright CA, we’ve redefined learning at ICAS through our digital-first strategy. We have launched Advantage, a virtual learning platform for our students; radically simplified the new logbook, which records our students’ practical experience; overhauled the syllabus to make it reflect the needs of students and employers in today’s world; introduced flexibility in training delivery and the exam process; and broadened the scope of our training offices so that we now have famous brands from industry, as well as accounting firms, from the largest to the smallest, taking on ICAS students as trainees.

We are no longer a body that trades off its heritage alone; we now lead the way in learning with an advanced syllabus and agile delivery model.

I went for the role of CEO because I feel passionately about ICAS and the vital role it can play in a rapidly evolving profession. I’m excited about taking it to the next level, building on the transformation that we started, increasing the pace of change for the benefit of our members and broadening our scope and reach.

Historically, chartered accountancy has been viewed as a profession for people from more affluent backgrounds. That is changing, but the pace of that change needs to accelerate. We must ensure the profession is reflective of the diverse society it serves, and that the wonderful opportunities it brings are accessible to anyone with the necessary talent. Becoming a CA does literally change lives.

Changing the conversation

The ICAS Foundation has done a lot of exceptional work to this end, and we need to consider how better to align ourselves and get that message out. Of course, we don’t look to do this just to tick a box or feel better about ourselves and I will always stress that we never compromise on our standards. However, as well as being a core part of our public interest role, which sits at the heart of our Royal Charter, creating more pathways into the profession is a necessity for the firms, who want their clients to feel their finance professionals truly understand them and their circumstances.

“Being a CA means you can work around the world. You can climb the ladder all the way to the C-suite. And you can make a positive impact in a sector you’re passionate about, be it fashion, sport or sustainability”

We must be honest, however, and admit not too many 17-year-olds today dream of accountancy. So we need to work at changing that perception. We can do that by talking about a qualification that opens doors. Being a CA means you can work around the world. You can climb the ladder all the way to the C-suite. And you can make a positive impact in any sector you’re passionate about, be it fashion, sport or sustainability.

If we can tell those stories, we change the narrative. There are countless other CAs out there doing their dream jobs – as regular readers of this magazine will know. We need to tell those stories – and burst those myths about the profession being one for only certain types of people and certain types of roles.

AI is obviously another area we need to address, not least because there are some who claim that young people training to be accountants are joining a dying profession. We have to embrace the technology – not least because we at ICAS are convinced it brings opportunity.

CAs become even more important in a tech-driven world by adding human judgement, scrutiny and ethical leadership, enhancing what AI does by providing the necessary guardrails. That means a greater emphasis on soft skills. Indeed, as you may have read already, Azets is exploring partnerships with major hotel, pub and restaurant chains to offer secondments for trainee accountants, helping them develop those critical skills.

Here we grow

Although 2026 will be my first year as CEO, and could therefore be considered a period of transition, I think I understand ICAS well, having been here for four years – long enough, hopefully, to hit the ground running.

There are three key areas I want to focus on. The first is growth: growth in student numbers, but also growth in external engagement with firms, growth of our voice in business and government, growth in ethical and thought leadership, and growth in value for our membership.

Second is strategy and transformation. What does AI mean for learning, marking, feedback and adaptive learning, and how we can use it to further enhance our member services and improve our own processes?

​​The last, but most certainly not least, is around our own people. For any business or body to be successful, it needs to have an engaged, ambitious team who are all focused on the same goals. That’s important to us.

People have always said ICAS punches well above its weight, and I believe that’s true. With our Shaping the Profession project, we have an opportunity to position ourselves as thought leaders for the profession. I want us to have no fear in expressing opinions on a wide range of subjects, while also making sure we address issues of importance to our members and firms, from sustainability to audit reform. (On the latter, do read CA View for the very latest on the long-awaited Audit Reform and Corporate Governance Bill – or lack of one).

We’ve already proved that if we put our members, students and firms at the centre of what we do, demonstrating that we are flexible and agile, that we listen to them – becoming client-centric, for want of a better phrase – that puts us in a fantastic position to face the future with confidence.

I believe this makes us quite distinct, because, historically, that’s not how professional bodies have operated. That’s what gives us the advantage, right now, to grow and work with all our stakeholders and partners – firms, members, students, businesses – and to redefine what it means to be a CA in the modern world.

Learn more about Shaping the Profession