Giving back, moving forwards
ICAS introduced the new Community and Social Value category for CA Rising Stars 2026 to celebrate members using their CA qualification to drive positive change beyond the bottom line, whether at work or in their spare time. Ryan Herman speaks to some of the top 35 about the difference they’re making in areas ranging from ESG to social mobility
Giving back, moving forwards
ICAS introduced the new Community and Social Value category for CA Rising Stars 2026 to celebrate members using their CA qualification to drive positive change beyond the bottom line, whether at work or in their spare time. Ryan Herman speaks to some of the top 35 about the difference they’re making in areas ranging from ESG to social mobility
‘We identify opportunities in finance for people from disadvantaged backgrounds’
Junaid Shah CA, IMAP UK
Co-founder, Almalia Foundation; volunteer, Citizens Advice Bureau
There are 69 council wards in Birmingham, and I grew up in Sparkbrook & Balsall Heath East, the most deprived of them all. But it’s an area rich in potential.
Sparkbrook isn’t poor because it lacks talent. The challenge is an awareness and opportunity gap. Do you know somebody from a similar background who also works in finance, say? When I was growing up, there weren’t many.
Five years ago, I co-founded the social mobility non-profit Almalia Foundation. I had friends involved in similar projects, aimed at creating opportunities for people from disadvantaged backgrounds in and around our community.
We focus on people aiming for a career in finance and identify opportunities for them. If somebody is looking for something that doesn’t fit our area of expertise, we’ll put them in touch with someone better suited. For example, if I knew someone who wanted to work in private equity, that’s not what I do day to day – but I know partners working for PE firms who they can talk to.
We have a group chat with around 200 people in it. So if somebody needs advice on a specific topic, they can always drop it in there. If there’s a job going somewhere, we’ll put that in the group, and so on. It’s about giving people access to the information they need to take a step forward.
It’s all done through word of mouth. Cohort number six starts in September. We limit the numbers to 20 each year. They get advice and professional contacts as well as that access to job information. If the project hadn’t proved successful with the previous five cohorts, nobody would be interested.
It’s never going to structurally change the world, but we could sit here in 10 years’ time and still be saying, “Why aren’t there more people from our areas or demographics working in finance?” Or we can try to do something about it.
I'm also a trustee with the Birmingham Citizens Advice Bureau, which includes working with the finance manager. An organisation of that size needs more than one finance person, so I provide assistance and a second opinion. I sit on both the finance committee and the wider board of trustees.
The great thing about the CA training and qualification is that it exposes you to a number of different career paths and offers a strong measure of credibility. I started in audit at KPMG, then worked for a family office, and now I specialise in mid-market mergers and acquisitions for IMAP UK. So, the qualification has provided a platform to work across a range of disciplines and companies.
As a CA, you become part of this much bigger network. I was one of 55 ICAS students doing their exams at a similar time, and you build lifelong friendships through that.
And, as we see from CA Rising Stars 2026, a lot of CAs are using those two letters after their name to make positive change.
‘We identify opportunities in finance for people from disadvantaged backgrounds’
Junaid Shah CA, IMAP UK
Co-founder, Almalia Foundation; volunteer, Citizens Advice Bureau
There are 69 council wards in Birmingham, and I grew up in Sparkbrook & Balsall Heath East, the most deprived of them all. But it’s an area rich in potential.
Sparkbrook isn’t poor because it lacks talent. The challenge is an awareness and opportunity gap. Do you know somebody from a similar background who also works in finance, say? When I was growing up, there weren’t many.
Five years ago, I co-founded the social mobility non-profit Almalia Foundation. I had friends involved in similar projects, aimed at creating opportunities for people from disadvantaged backgrounds in and around our community.
We focus on people aiming for a career in finance and identify opportunities for them. If somebody is looking for something that doesn’t fit our area of expertise, we’ll put them in touch with someone better suited. For example, if I knew someone who wanted to work in private equity, that’s not what I do day to day – but I know partners working for PE firms who they can talk to.
We have a group chat with around 200 people in it. So if somebody needs advice on a specific topic, they can always drop it in there. If there’s a job going somewhere, we’ll put that in the group, and so on. It’s about giving people access to the information they need to take a step forward.
It’s all done through word of mouth. Cohort number six starts in September. We limit the numbers to 20 each year. They get advice and professional contacts as well as that access to job information. If the project hadn’t proved successful with the previous five cohorts, nobody would be interested.
It’s never going to structurally change the world, but we could sit here in 10 years’ time and still be saying, “Why aren’t there more people from our areas or demographics working in finance?” Or we can try to do something about it.
I'm also a trustee with the Birmingham Citizens Advice Bureau, which includes working with the finance manager. An organisation of that size needs more than one finance person, so I provide assistance and a second opinion. I sit on both the finance committee and the wider board of trustees.
The great thing about the CA training and qualification is that it exposes you to a number of different career paths and offers a strong measure of credibility. I started in audit at KPMG, then worked for a family office, and now I specialise in mid-market mergers and acquisitions for IMAP UK. So, the qualification has provided a platform to work across a range of disciplines and companies.
As a CA, you become part of this much bigger network. I was one of 55 ICAS students doing their exams at a similar time, and you build lifelong friendships through that.
And, as we see from CA Rising Stars 2026, a lot of CAs are using those two letters after their name to make positive change.
‘I wanted to be that person who could share her experiences’
Jade Duncan CA, OEG
School, college and university visitor
I didn’t even know I’d been nominated for CA Rising Stars 2026. So I was shocked when my husband sent me a link to a list of this year’s top 35. I saw my friend, an ex-colleague, on there, so after messaging him my congratulations, I texted my husband to say, “That’s so brilliant!” He said, “Erm, I don’t think you’ve checked the list properly.” I’d missed my own name!
I became a CA via the apprenticeship route and did my training with EY. I’m the eldest child. I wanted to fly the nest and had planned to study law. But I enjoyed studying accounts at school and at the last minute I decided to do accounting and finance at college, which is where I discovered there was a route into the profession without first getting a degree.
I now go into schools and universities to give talks about my career journey. Hopefully I manage to dispel a few misconceptions for students who otherwise wouldn’t have considered accounting, or becoming a CA, as a career path.
When I was a student we never had anyone coming into our school to give us firsthand knowledge or advice about their career. So I wanted to give back and be that person that could share her experiences.
Often, unless you know somebody in the profession – maybe one of your parents or a family friend is a CA – you may have preconceived ideas about accounting, perhaps dismissing it as something that isn’t for you. Many students aren’t aware you don’t need a degree to become an accountant.
So talking to a class or lecture room of students allows you to break down those barriers. I’d never done anything like that before, and the first time I stood up in front of the class, I was, like, “Wow – that’s a lot of people!” So I took a deep breath and reminded myself I’m just here to tell my story, and any questions are an indication that someone is genuinely interested and wants to learn more!
The talks for schools are organised between my previous employer, EY, and DYW [Developing the Young Workforce], and we also had a partnership with Robert Gordon University, where I would join a tutorial group and split my time 50-50 between the lecture and my talk.
I explain there are all these different pathways into accounting – you can become a CA via the school leaver or apprenticeship routes, as well as through university – and you can see this world of opportunity open up in front of them.
My job is Global Financial Reporting Manager at OEG, which provides critical infrastructure assets and technical solutions in the offshore energy sector worldwide. We oversee financial reporting at the group level and across all our operations, and we review the numbers, checking the information is accurate, as well as making and supporting business decisions.
The way I look at accounting is that you’re trying to solve a puzzle. People always ask me if you need to be good at maths. I say not as such, because everything’s in Excel nowadays. But you do need to enjoy numbers. Put that together with the soft skills, then you’ve got a combination that can set you up for a great career.
‘I wanted to be that person who could share her experiences’
Jade Duncan CA, OEG
School, college and university visitor
I didn’t even know I’d been nominated for CA Rising Stars 2026. So I was shocked when my husband sent me a link to a list of this year’s top 35. I saw my friend, an ex-colleague, on there, so after messaging him my congratulations, I texted my husband to say, “That’s so brilliant!” He said, “Erm, I don’t think you’ve checked the list properly.” I’d missed my own name!
I became a CA via the apprenticeship route and did my training with EY. I’m the eldest child. I wanted to fly the nest and had planned to study law. But I enjoyed studying accounts at school and at the last minute I decided to do accounting and finance at college, which is where I discovered there was a route into the profession without first getting a degree.
I now go into schools and universities to give talks about my career journey. Hopefully I manage to dispel a few misconceptions for students who otherwise wouldn’t have considered accounting, or becoming a CA, as a career path.
When I was a student we never had anyone coming into our school to give us firsthand knowledge or advice about their career. So I wanted to give back and be that person that could share her experiences.
Often, unless you know somebody in the profession – maybe one of your parents or a family friend is a CA – you may have preconceived ideas about accounting, perhaps dismissing it as something that isn’t for you. Many students aren’t aware you don’t need a degree to become an accountant.
So talking to a class or lecture room of students allows you to break down those barriers. I’d never done anything like that before, and the first time I stood up in front of the class, I was, like, “Wow – that’s a lot of people!” So I took a deep breath and reminded myself I’m just here to tell my story, and any questions are an indication that someone is genuinely interested and wants to learn more!
The talks for schools are organised between my previous employer, EY, and DYW [Developing the Young Workforce], and we also had a partnership with Robert Gordon University, where I would join a tutorial group and split my time 50-50 between the lecture and my talk.
I explain there are all these different pathways into accounting – you can become a CA via the school leaver or apprenticeship routes, as well as through university – and you can see this world of opportunity open up in front of them.
My job is Global Financial Reporting Manager at OEG, which provides critical infrastructure assets and technical solutions in the offshore energy sector worldwide. We oversee financial reporting at the group level and across all our operations, and we review the numbers, checking the information is accurate, as well as making and supporting business decisions.
The way I look at accounting is that you’re trying to solve a puzzle. People always ask me if you need to be good at maths. I say not as such, because everything’s in Excel nowadays. But you do need to enjoy numbers. Put that together with the soft skills, then you’ve got a combination that can set you up for a great career.
‘Being a CA comes with a responsibility to give something back’
Elliott Duke CA, DLA Piper
Volunteer with the Samaritans; trustee of Brian Murtagh Charitable Trust
I began volunteering with a charity during my first year studying at the University of York. I had some free time and wanted to put it to good use. So I joined Nightline, an active listening service run by students for students who want somebody to talk to, for whatever reason.
It turned out to be one of the most important things I did at university, and it was through a friend at Nightline that I heard about the Brian Murtagh Charitable Trust. The trust helps small charities (with an income of less than £300,000) that support children in the areas of physical and learning disabilities, social disadvantage, education, poverty, sickness and trauma. Often, it is those smaller charities, focused on a very specific group or community, that can have a big impact on a child’s life.
The trust was looking for an experienced, finance-trained trustee. I thought this would be a brilliant opportunity to give back by using my CA skills to help people outside of my day job. Being a CA comes with a responsibility to give something back. The qualification opens doors and provides opportunities that many people do not have. Whether that’s supporting charities, volunteering our time or using our skills to help community organisations, I believe we should use that privilege to make a positive difference wherever we can.
The CA qualification gives me the skills to look beyond the numbers when assessing grant applications. By understanding financial statements and talking directly with charities, I can gain a clear picture of their financial position, the challenges they face and the opportunities for growth. This helps us make informed funding decisions and support charities in achieving even greater impact. It also enables me to prepare our accounts, work effectively with auditors and understand our investment performance so that we can maximise the funding available for charitable giving.
I also volunteer with the Samaritans. I see it as an extraordinary privilege that callers trust me enough to share what they are going through, often at one of the darkest and most emotionally challenging times in their lives. Simply being there to listen can make a real difference, and the impact of those conversations is impossible to put into words.
I became a CA more by chance than by design. I was planning to study French at college before switching to economics just before I started. I really enjoyed learning about how businesses and the wider economy work, which led me to study economics and finance at the University of York. However, as I progressed through my degree, I realised I was more interested in applying ideas in a business environment than in the more theoretical side of economics, which ultimately led me towards a career in accountancy.
During my second year at university, I applied for graduate schemes. I’d done some research and knew the CA qualification was both highly regarded and could set you up for a career across a broad range of business roles.
I spent eight years at EY, then last October I moved to the law firm DLA Piper, where my role is to act as a bridge between the finance teams and the partners. I work with the senior leaders in my practice group to help them set the finance strategy, understand the risks and opportunities, and link those senior leaders with the relevant finance teams.
Yes, you need to understand the numbers to work in accountancy, but it’s also about building relationships. So it’s very much a people role. The numbers give you the framework for a story, but our job as CAs, especially those moving into leadership roles, is to be able to tell that story. I once heard an analogy that it’s not just about counting the beans; it’s understanding which beans to plant, which to nurture and which to throw away.
I don’t think I fully appreciated being named a CA Rising Star 2026 until I went to the awards ceremony. My friends know that I don’t like to celebrate myself, so I had to be dragged along! But it was great to receive that recognition from my peers.
‘Being a CA comes with a responsibility to give something back’
Elliott Duke CA, DLA Piper
Volunteer with the Samaritans; trustee of Brian Murtagh Charitable Trust
I began volunteering with a charity during my first year studying at the University of York. I had some free time and wanted to put it to good use. So I joined Nightline, an active listening service run by students for students who want somebody to talk to, for whatever reason.
It turned out to be one of the most important things I did at university, and it was through a friend at Nightline that I heard about the Brian Murtagh Charitable Trust. The trust helps small charities (with an income of less than £300,000) that support children in the areas of physical and learning disabilities, social disadvantage, education, poverty, sickness and trauma. Often, it is those smaller charities, focused on a very specific group or community, that can have a big impact on a child’s life.
The trust was looking for an experienced, finance-trained trustee. I thought this would be a brilliant opportunity to give back by using my CA skills to help people outside of my day job. Being a CA comes with a responsibility to give something back. The qualification opens doors and provides opportunities that many people do not have. Whether that’s supporting charities, volunteering our time or using our skills to help community organisations, I believe we should use that privilege to make a positive difference wherever we can.
The CA qualification gives me the skills to look beyond the numbers when assessing grant applications. By understanding financial statements and talking directly with charities, I can gain a clear picture of their financial position, the challenges they face and the opportunities for growth. This helps us make informed funding decisions and support charities in achieving even greater impact. It also enables me to prepare our accounts, work effectively with auditors and understand our investment performance so that we can maximise the funding available for charitable giving.
I also volunteer with the Samaritans. I see it as an extraordinary privilege that callers trust me enough to share what they are going through, often at one of the darkest and most emotionally challenging times in their lives. Simply being there to listen can make a real difference, and the impact of those conversations is impossible to put into words.
I became a CA more by chance than by design. I was planning to study French at college before switching to economics just before I started. I really enjoyed learning about how businesses and the wider economy work, which led me to study economics and finance at the University of York. However, as I progressed through my degree, I realised I was more interested in applying ideas in a business environment than in the more theoretical side of economics, which ultimately led me towards a career in accountancy.
During my second year at university, I applied for graduate schemes. I’d done some research and knew the CA qualification was both highly regarded and could set you up for a career across a broad range of business roles.
I spent eight years at EY, then last October I moved to the law firm DLA Piper, where my role is to act as a bridge between the finance teams and the partners. I work with the senior leaders in my practice group to help them set the finance strategy, understand the risks and opportunities, and link those senior leaders with the relevant finance teams.
Yes, you need to understand the numbers to work in accountancy, but it’s also about building relationships. So it’s very much a people role. The numbers give you the framework for a story, but our job as CAs, especially those moving into leadership roles, is to be able to tell that story. I once heard an analogy that it’s not just about counting the beans; it’s understanding which beans to plant, which to nurture and which to throw away.
I don’t think I fully appreciated being named a CA Rising Star 2026 until I went to the awards ceremony. My friends know that I don’t like to celebrate myself, so I had to be dragged along! But it was great to receive that recognition from my peers.
‘The CA qualification can be applied to so many different roles’
Samantha Banfield CA, Latham & Watkins
ESG Specialist
I'm passionate about sustainability. While reading chemistry, I learnt about green energy, and we touched on sustainability when I studied to become a CA. Working with audit clients five or six years ago, we were already looking at the connectivity of their financial statements and sustainability reports.
Now, at Latham & Watkins, I’m involved in tracking ESG [environmental, social and governance] regulatory updates, sharing news items, drafting thought leadership and working on presentations. I wanted to work in this field as it combines my financial experience with an interest in sustainability, considering the impact that ESG issues and associated risks may have on a business.
Latham & Watkins partners with the Legal Sustainability Alliance, which is a not-for-profit that provides education and training, bringing together sustainability working groups across different law firms. Last year it launched the LSA Academy, for people with an interest in sustainability at all different career stages.
I’m currently training to become a sustainability practitioner through an apprenticeship programme, which is run by LSA in collaboration with LDN Apprenticeships and ISEP [the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals].
Sustainability is such a rapidly evolving area. So having structured time for learning and development that leads to a recognised qualification has been hugely beneficial, as is meeting other people across the apprenticeship who are working in law and adjacent fields.
I’ve also been collaborating with our community engagement team, helping to organise sustainability-related volunteering events. I’ve been helping our pro bono leadership team coordinate environmental sustainability matters, and I’ve worked with our catering operations team on things like packaging, so that we move towards more sustainable solutions, such as paper-based and biodegradable packaging.
Although I studied chemistry at university, I already knew before I’d graduated that I wanted to do something different as a career. So, after my second year, I did an internship with EY Newcastle over summer and really enjoyed it.
From there I joined EY’s graduate scheme, and relocated to Bristol to begin my CA training. I wasn’t 100% sure of my career goals at that point, but I felt becoming a CA would provide a great foundation for whatever came next.
You develop skills that help you throughout your career. Collaboration was really important, working with various stakeholders, different audit teams, internal and external clients, and all different levels of seniority. Now I work with a smaller internal-facing team, but those skills are still valuable in terms of engaging with people of different levels and backgrounds.
Then there are other skills, such as professional scepticism, which is particularly important in ESG work.
Making the CA Rising Stars 2026 list means a lot to me, especially as I moved from what was a more traditional accounting role with EY. It’s great to get that personal recognition, and I hope it helps to prove the CA qualification can be applied to so many different roles across different sectors.
‘The CA qualification can be applied to so many different roles’
Samantha Banfield CA, Latham & Watkins
ESG Specialist
I'm passionate about sustainability. While reading chemistry, I learnt about green energy, and we touched on sustainability when I studied to become a CA. Working with audit clients five or six years ago, we were already looking at the connectivity of their financial statements and sustainability reports.
Now, at Latham & Watkins, I’m involved in tracking ESG [environmental, social and governance] regulatory updates, sharing news items, drafting thought leadership and working on presentations. I wanted to work in this field as it combines my financial experience with an interest in sustainability, considering the impact that ESG issues and associated risks may have on a business.
Latham & Watkins partners with the Legal Sustainability Alliance, which is a not-for-profit that provides education and training, bringing together sustainability working groups across different law firms. Last year it launched the LSA Academy, for people with an interest in sustainability at all different career stages.
I’m currently training to become a sustainability practitioner through an apprenticeship programme, which is run by LSA in collaboration with LDN Apprenticeships and ISEP [the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals].
Sustainability is such a rapidly evolving area. So having structured time for learning and development that leads to a recognised qualification has been hugely beneficial, as is meeting other people across the apprenticeship who are working in law and adjacent fields.
I’ve also been collaborating with our community engagement team, helping to organise sustainability-related volunteering events. I’ve been helping our pro bono leadership team coordinate environmental sustainability matters, and I’ve worked with our catering operations team on things like packaging, so that we move towards more sustainable solutions, such as paper-based and biodegradable packaging.
Although I studied chemistry at university, I already knew before I’d graduated that I wanted to do something different as a career. So, after my second year, I did an internship with EY Newcastle over summer and really enjoyed it.
From there I joined EY’s graduate scheme, and relocated to Bristol to begin my CA training. I wasn’t 100% sure of my career goals at that point, but I felt becoming a CA would provide a great foundation for whatever came next.
You develop skills that help you throughout your career. Collaboration was really important, working with various stakeholders, different audit teams, internal and external clients, and all different levels of seniority. Now I work with a smaller internal-facing team, but those skills are still valuable in terms of engaging with people of different levels and backgrounds.
Then there are other skills, such as professional scepticism, which is particularly important in ESG work.
Making the CA Rising Stars 2026 list means a lot to me, especially as I moved from what was a more traditional accounting role with EY. It’s great to get that personal recognition, and I hope it helps to prove the CA qualification can be applied to so many different roles across different sectors.
Read the full profiles of the 35 CA Rising Stars 2026
Find volunteering opportunities through ICAS
Read the full profiles of the 35 CA Rising Stars 2026
Find volunteering opportunities through ICAS
ADVERTISEMENT
Built with Shorthand