Our main interview this month is with Alia Saleh FCCA, CFO at construction specialist ISG Middle East. Born in Dubai, she talks about carving a career as a finance leader in a famously male-dominated industry and the satisfaction to be found in having a direct influence on the future of the business. She also discusses her experiences as co-founder of the ACCA Middle East Super-connected Women’s Community: ‘I wanted more for the women accountants in the region.’
We also hear from Hassan Mohamed FCCA who, with his brothers, co-founded Crowe Maldives. He talks with pride of how the firm has grown alongside the island archipelago’s accounting profession, a process in which he has also played a leading role: ‘We lobbied the government to establish an independent body and set accounting and auditing standards,’ he recalls. ‘In 2020, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Maldives was born.’
We take a look, too, at what is playing on the minds of CEOs. Uppermost – surprise, surprise – is the adoption of artificial intelligence. According to PwC’s CEO Survey, 42% of CEOs globally believe that their companies will not be viable beyond the next 10 years without reinvention. Find out more on this but also about their concerns around skills shortages, inflation and other potential threats to business.
In practice news, the International Standard on Sustainability Assurance (ISSA 5000) was published this month with the aim of establishing a global baseline for ethics and independence in sustainability assurance engagements. We look at the key requirements.
Finally, in our careers section, we look at the recruitment outlook in the Gulf. We also have advice on how to self-manage your career to make sure you seek out the best opportunities for professional development. And if you are looking to get ahead on your learning, our CPD section has a wealth of articles, including one on cryptocurrencies and regulation.
