The CEO of CA ANZ, Ainslie van Onselen, has been named as the next chair of Chartered Accountants Worldwide, making her the global body’s first female leader and the first chair from CA ANZ.
CAW represents a global network of 15 accounting bodies and Ms van Onselen will succeed chair and CEO of the Institute of Chartered Accountants England and Wales Michael Izza in November.
CAW said Mr Izza, who would step down in November after six years at the helm, welcomed her appointment.
“I know the organisation is in safe and dynamic hands and Ainslie will build on what we have already achieved and continue to promote the vital role that chartered accountants play around the world,” he said.
Ms van Onselen called her two-year appointment a “great honour” and pledged to improve the profession’s standing amid the current “spotlight” on accountants’ ethics and integrity.
“Accountants have a vital role to play in driving sustainable business transformation,” she said.
“Social, cultural and environmental values stand right next to economic value. For a business, and the profession, to be truly sustainable in the long-term, they must show value creation across these areas.”
Ms van Onselen was appointed as CA ANZ chief in 2020 after a six-year tenure as an executive at Westpac.
As CEO, she has overseen a professional conduct review after the KPMG cheating scandal and an investigation into PwC’s tax leaks.
In 2021, CA ANZ also committed to a net-zero emissions target alongside CPA Australia and 11 other accounting bodies around the world.
“Whether it’s opportunities in ESG, sustainability or AI, or working towards a more attractive profession and an even stronger ethical standing – we gain so much from working together,” Ms van Onselen said.
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