I’m delighted to announce that this issue features the launch of CA Rising Stars 2025. This is our new annual event for highlighting and celebrating the most talented CAs aged 35 and under from across the world.

A CA who is 35 or under can nominate themself or be nominated by a colleague; a CA over 35 can nominate a younger CA, but cannot themself be nominated. We wholeheartedly encourage you to enter, should you be eligible, because receiving recognition from one’s peers can act as a springboard for the next stage of your career.

You may remember our previous iterations of this competition – including Top 35 CAs Under 35 and One Young CA. Making it to the final judges’ selection is a great achievement to add to your CV or LinkedIn profile. It means you’re among the best of the best. You can read more about this year’s CA Rising Stars – including how to enter and how to nominate someone else – here.

The judges will also select the one standout CA to represent ICAS at the One Young World Summit this year in Munich. Past winners of One Young CA make for an impressive roll of honour, including Indy Singh Hothi CA, who won in 2015 and went on to became ICAS President, while Jonny Jacobs CA was our overall winner in 2016 and has just been elected as our Vice-President.

One of countless CAs who have gone on to enjoy a stellar career is Colin Crosby CA, Chair of Audit Scotland. He is interviewed in this issue alongside Auditor General Stephen Boyle, talking about their mission to “make a difference to the people of Scotland”. Stephen will also be one of the panellists for our Scotland's Fiscal Future event in June.

This issue seems the publication of the results of our CA Careers Survey, which reveals what our members think about their careers and the issues they will face over the next five years.

No prizes for guessing that AI features prominently there, but anyone who thinks new tech is an existential threat to the profession should read CEO Bruce Cartwright CA’s column, which builds on his recent open letter to former Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt.

Finally, we speak to Alex Bond Burnett, who is the keynote speaker at this year’s Practice Conference in Glasgow on 11 June. You can read about her remarkable career journey here.

Sarah Speirs, ICAS Executive Director of Member Engagement and Communications
linkedin.com/in/sarah-speirs-1b9ba529  

Enter yourself or someone else for CA Rising Stars 2025

 

I’m delighted to announce that this issue features the launch of CA Rising Stars 2025. This is our new annual event for highlighting and celebrating the most talented CAs aged 35 and under from across the world.

A CA who is 35 or under can nominate themself or be nominated by a colleague; a CA over 35 can nominate a younger CA, but cannot themself be nominated. We wholeheartedly encourage you to enter, should you be eligible, because receiving recognition from one’s peers can act as a springboard for the next stage of your career.

You may remember our previous iterations of this competition – including Top 35 CAs Under 35 and One Young CA. Making it to the final judges’ selection is a great achievement to add to your CV or LinkedIn profile. It means you’re among the best of the best. You can read more about this year’s CA Rising Stars – including how to enter and how to nominate someone else – here.

The judges will also select the one standout CA to represent ICAS at the One Young World Summit this year in Munich. Past winners of One Young CA make for an impressive roll of honour, including Indy Singh Hothi CA, who won in 2015 and went on to became ICAS President, while Jonny Jacobs CA was our overall winner in 2016 and has just been elected as our Vice-President.

One of countless CAs who have gone on to enjoy a stellar career is Colin Crosby CA, Chair of Audit Scotland. He is interviewed in this issue alongside Auditor General Stephen Boyle, talking about their mission to “make a difference to the people of Scotland”. Stephen will also be one of the panellists for our Scotland's Fiscal Future event in June.

This issue seems the publication of the results of our CA Careers Survey, which reveals what our members think about their careers and the issues they will face over the next five years.

No prizes for guessing that AI features prominently there, but anyone who thinks new tech is an existential threat to the profession should read CEO Bruce Cartwright CA’s column, which builds on his recent open letter to former Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt.

Finally, we speak to Alex Bond Burnett, who is the keynote speaker at this year’s Practice Conference in Glasgow on 11 June. You can read about her remarkable career journey here.

Sarah Speirs, ICAS Executive Director of Member Engagement and Communications
sspeirs@icas.com 

Enter yourself or someone else for CA Rising Stars 2025

 

CONTENTS

Time to shine
Introducing ICAS’ new hunt to find the top 35 CAs aged 35 or under – as well as the one standout who will represent us at the annual One Young World gala. Find out how to nominate a colleague – or yourself

Time to shine
Introducing ICAS’ new hunt to find the top 35 CAs aged 35 or under – as well as the one standout who will represent us at the annual One Young World gala. Find out how to nominate a colleague – or yourself

Audit Scotland

Is Scotland getting value for money?
Stephen Boyle and Colin Crosby CA of the national auditor on their mission to ‘make a difference to the people of Scotland’

Audit Scotland

Is Scotland getting value for money?
Stephen Boyle and Colin Crosby CA of the national auditor on their mission to ‘make a difference to the people of Scotland’

Alex Bond Burnett

Science of storytelling
The behavioural scientist, executive coach and accountancy entrepreneur on culture, communication and better conversations

Alex Bond Burnett

Science of storytelling
The behavioural scientist, executive coach and accountancy entrepreneur on culture, communication and better conversations

CA View

Doing the right thing
Mary Campbell CA says that without good governance even great institutions such as the Post Office can be floored by self-interest and cowardice

CA View

Doing the right thing
Mary Campbell CA says that without good governance even great institutions such as the Post Office can be floored by self-interest and cowardice

2025 Careers Survey


From work-life balance to personal ambitions to the looming gamechanger that is AI, how our members feel about the profession

2025 Careers Survey

From work-life balance to personal ambitions to the looming gamechanger that is AI, how our members feel about the profession

News and Comment

The Account

Business news, including the birth of the financial thriller, a black-owned British unicorn and UK Overshoot Day

Bruce Cartwright CA

Dear Jeremy, we’re not just number-crunchers – this is what accountants do…

President’s View

Alison Cornwell CA looks back on a presidential year of AI, ATOs and a major first for ICAS

People

My life in numbers

Emily Kennedy CA, founder of KPMG’s Neurodiversity Network, on finding her own way to get things done

People

My life in numbers

Emily Kennedy CA, founder of KPMG’s Neurodiversity Network, on finding her own way to get things done

Inside ICAS

For the Record

Member information, events and updates, including the new office bearer team

Learning & Development

Technical Update for Accountants in Business – regulation, tax and financial reporting

Courses

A range of ICAS courses to enhance your skills and fulfil your CPD

Partnerships

We spotlight our partners, showing some of the benefits of ICAS membership

Obituaries

In memoriam

Disciplinary

Regulatory notice

Inside ICAS

For the Record

Member information, events and updates, including the new office bearer team

Learning & Development

Technical Update for Accountants in Business – regulation, tax and financial reporting

Courses

A range of ICAS courses to enhance your skills and fulfil your CPD

Partnerships

We spotlight our partners, showing some of the benefits of ICAS membership

Obituaries

In memoriam

Disciplinary

Regulatory notice

Fraser Mackay CA

Finance Manager, FP&A, Luton Airport

What attracted to your current role?
I have always been excited by aviation, so the opportunity to join this dynamic industry was impossible to decline. No two days are ever the same here. My key responsibility is managing the operating budgets, so it is very hands-on with the operation, which I absolutely love. I also value the opportunity to develop skills that support my future career ambitions, such as line management and expanding my FP&A [financial planning and analysis] knowledge. In any role continuous learning is essential – not only does it keep things fresh, but it allows for faster career progression. 

Which part of your ICAS training has helped you most to date?
Working in industry, those classic TPE [Test of Professional Expertise] exam scenarios seem to occur on a near daily basis. The most helpful aspect for me has been the ability to step back and look at the bigger picture when making important decisions. I’ve found that good decision making is the most important thing a CA does. Thanks to my training, I can understand how any business works, enabling me to make more informed decisions. ICAS helped me develop that critical way of thinking. I expect that to become increasingly valuable as I progress in my career.

What do you hope to achieve over the next year or so?
I hope to take on more corporate finance responsibilities. After three years training in audit, and four working in FP&A post-qualification, I am eager to continue expanding my practical knowledge and branch out into other areas of finance. My ultimate goal is to become a CFO, and to achieve that I need to ensure my experience covers all bases. Corporate finance is one obvious gap in my CV, so gaining exposure there would keep me engaged and help me progress, too.

What do you enjoy most about working for your company?
It’s a cliche, I know, but it has to be the people I work with. Having a great team around you not only makes coming to work genuinely enjoyable, but also makes life easier because you can rely on their support and expertise. Company culture is a key factor for me when choosing any role. We spend so much of our lives at work, if it isn’t enjoyable, it becomes unsustainable in the long term. Great companies understand this, and I feel lucky to work for one of them.

What would you say to anyone else thinking about studying to become a CA?
The CA qualification provides an incredible number of opportunities, and having options is always valuable. Since qualifying, my life has completely transformed for the better – so many doors have opened that I never even knew existed, and I now have the flexibility to live and work almost anywhere in the world. I’ve also met so many incredible individuals through my work. I can’t imagine where I would be without my CA, but I am certain I would not be where I am today.

If you are interested in business and have the desire to learn, then I could not recommend ICAS enough. Even if you decide that audit or tax is not right for you long term, the qualification provides so many alternative career options that you’ll thank yourself for pursuing it – I certainly have.

Are you a recently qualified CA, interested in appearing in this column? Email us at camagazine@therivergroup.co.uk

Editor in Chief Sarah Speirs
Head of Communications Stevie Brown
Content and Communication Manager Hilde Oesterkloeft
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