Growing up in the Philippines, Zernan Diaz ACCA didn’t plan on his career taking him overseas, but the opportunity to move to Michigan in the US was too good to miss. Now settled in the Midwestern state, Diaz oversees a department of an internal audit firm carrying out financial audits and assurance for the myriad organisations run by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Diaz says finance is at the core of any entity, including faith-based bodies, and resources need to be handled with due care across the church’s extensive operations – from hospitals to food factories – so it can fulfil its mission.
A surge in listings last year has helped South-East Asia’s capital markets regain momentum as a major destination for businesses going public. Although fewer companies are coming to market, those that do are larger and more complex, putting finance teams in the spotlight as they take on a role that goes beyond technical compliance. Our CPD article considers the opportunities for businesses looking to be IPO-ready.
This month, our columnist considers the need for organisations and individuals to be AI-proficient, as Hong Kong SAR seeks to become a pacesetter by earmarking funding to embed AI into every layer of business, the economy, and society. But with a cross-industry talent shortage, that ambition comes with challenges. So what next?
As we celebrate Earth Day in April, we find out what it means to be a sustainable business, with insights from a new report from ACCA on how today’s corporate landscape has evolved and the tools needed to inform decisions and bring value to multiple stakeholders. We also have advice for practitioners on how to be ISSA 5000-ready, as the new sustainability assurance standard requires careful professional judgment.
Finally, our careers section offers two practical articles for those in the midst of a career shift. Our short feature on coping with job ghosting has advice for when communications with a potential employer go silent, and we also find out why AI-enabled interviews are on the rise and what that means for hiring decisions.
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