Next week, ICAS hosts the latest of our Meet the President events in London. But for this one, President David Cruickshank CA will kindly share top billing with the announcement of our category winners and our overall winner of CA Rising Stars 2026. That person will go on to represent ICAS at the One Young World Summit in Cape Town. 

In this issue, David sets out his five key areas of focus for his presidential term. One of them is social mobility, and if there is one profession that’s working tirelessly to attract new people from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds, it’s accountancy. 

But it’s not just the institutes and firms which champion social mobility, it’s also our members. One of the most impressive features of our CA Rising Stars 2026 is how many of them work with charities and projects that promote greater social inclusion. 

These young professionals demonstrate how the CA qualification provides a gateway into whichever field or sector most appeals. On which note, our newest office bearer, Elizabeth Gammie CA, recounts her career journey, explaining how she was able to retool a successful career in finance as the bedrock to pursue her passion for education. 

Meanwhile, you may be aware that there is a football tournament starting shortly. We speak to four CAs, all of whom have gone on to enjoy influential roles in the game, including helping to bring two of Scotland’s biggest clubs, Aberdeen and Celtic, back from the brink of financial disaster. 

They discuss the financial impact of competing in the World Cup finals. You may be surprised to learn how much every country receives for taking part, and how much goes straight out again in costs.

If June is all about the World Cup (for some), then May was all about the elections that took place across the UK, which resulted in the election of the youngest and most university-educated cohort of MSPs ever seen in Holyrood. I’ve highlighted some of the changes in the chamber, despite the unprecedented return of the SNP for a fifth term in office.

Elsewhere in this issue, our CEO Gail Boag writes about the ways ICAS is harnessing technology to enhance the service we provide to our students, members and firms . 

As an institute we are firmly focused on the future, but we also have an extraordinary history dating back to 1854. Here we reveal how one of Sir Winston Churchill’s paintings came into ICAS’ possession – thanks to the CA who worked for him for four decades. The piece is part of a major new exhibition of our most celebrated Prime Minister’s art – and you can see it first in these pages . 

I hope you enjoy the issue.

Sarah Chisnall, Editor in Chief
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ICAS is having a special drinks reception for the Winston Churchill: The Painter exhibition at the Wallace Collection on 3 September. Places are limited so register now