ACCA’s panels are a way for members to spread the word about professional interests and advocate for the topics they feel strongly about, and diversity, continuity and renewal are critical elements of how they deliver effectively.
AB talks to four panel members who this year complete the maximum nine years’ service allowed under ACCA rules. As they step down, they actively encourage the next generation to see real opportunity in these influential roles.
Big benefits
For Fiona MacNamara FCCA, joining the panel of the ACCA practitioners’ network was illuminating on many fronts; it was, she says, ‘a great introduction to the varied careers of practitioners, different size firms, different specialisms, differing attitudes and ambitions’.
‘I have made some great friendships and professional contacts along the way’
Participation also brought some benefits in terms of soft skills. ‘It helped me develop my communication skills, both through working with panel members and at larger events. I have also made some great friendships and professional contacts along the way.’
Key to her continued involvement over nine years was the strong sense of rapport she felt with those around her. ‘Both ACCA and my fellow practitioners have been great supports. For a lot of SMPs, the sense of support from fellow practitioners – as we saw especially in the Covid years – is invaluable.’
‘Knowing that my contributions could shape policies that benefit members made it worthwhile’
While she admits to missing ‘in-person meetings and the social interaction they brought’, online meetings are a good fit with busy schedules. ‘They require only an hour rather than half a day. It’s not a huge commitment and I can say from experience that you will benefit greatly from it’.
Real change
A desire to contribute to the local business community and raise awareness of the ACCA qualification motivated Yan Barry FCCA to join the Leinster members’ network in 2016. ‘The panel is a fantastic platform for meaningful engagement and influence. I’ve seen firsthand how discussions translate into real change, from policy adjustments to new initiatives that benefit members. Knowing that my contributions could shape policies and services that directly benefit members made it worthwhile,’ Barry says.
A highlight was the CPD topic selection discussions, which ‘play a key role in shaping professional development opportunities’, she says.
Over the years, Barry has seen significant change in how panels operate, with a greater emphasis on digital engagement and broadening focus that includes topics such as sustainability, artificial intelligence and the future of work.
Her advice to new panel members is ‘be prepared to listen, contribute and collaborate. The more you put in, the more you’ll gain from the experience.’
Invaluable experience
Michael Kenny FCCA recalls being inspired in his student years by ACCA lecturers whose ‘view of the financial and management world impressed me’. Out of that came the desire to contribute at thought leadership level, too. Joining ACCA Connacht members’ network ‘allowed me to meet likeminded people, which broadened my outlook and added to my technical knowledge and experience’.
‘It has made me a more rounded, reflective practitioner’
The experience has brought benefits on many levels, he says. ‘It has made me a more rounded, reflective practitioner. The contacts I have made from networking events have also been invaluable’.
As he steps down, Kenny says he ‘will miss meeting my panel colleagues and the many insightful discussions we had’. His advice to the next generation is to ‘get involved. You can gain new insights, both technical and practical, while expanding your network and contacts’.
Find your tribe
Eilis Quinlan FCCA joined the panel of the ACCA practitioners’ network with the challenges facing her peers in mind. ‘I wanted to highlight the difficulties that practitioners encounter on a daily basis, especially SMPs. As a sole trader in practice, it can be very lonely. The buck stops with you,’ she says.
‘Some of the opportunities that the panel afforded me were inspiring’
Taking up a role at panel level provided practical opportunities to address this, in particular by guiding the CPD programme to topical concerns. Participation also helped her to better understand the global structure of ACCA, she says, and ‘to realise that there actually is a huge swathe of resources out there, dedicated to more individual national issues.’
Over the years, ‘some of the ideas that were shared by the panel, and some of the opportunities that the panel afforded me, were inspiring,’ Quinlan adds. Attending her first international assembly a number of years ago, she saw ‘at first hand, the geographical spread of ACCA. It was humbling to be part of such a vibrant community.’
Being a member of an ACCA panel, she reflects, ‘often made me feel that I had found my tribe’.
Summing up the role, Lloyd Meredith, ACCA’s member engagement manager – Ireland, says: ‘ACCA Ireland’s member network panels are vital to our activities in the market. I am always eager to hear from members interested in getting more involved as member advocates and sharing their knowledge - email Lloyd.Meredith@accaglobal.com.
‘Our panel members from all across the country help to identify sector challenges, build employer relationships, support ACCA research, and engage with students in schools and universities, talking to them about ACCA and a career in accounting.’
