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Olivia Kirtley, IFAC president, with Carlos Martin Tornero, editor of The Accountant, and Vincent Huck, editor of the International Accounting Bulletin, after accepting the "lifetime achievement" award at a ceremony organised by the publications in London.
IFAC, and its chief operating officer Alta Prinsloo, won the title of “accounting capacity building champion of the year” at a conference and awards ceremony hosted by The Accountant and International Accounting Bulletin publications in London last night.
The federation’s PAO capacity building programme addresses the global need to develop the accountancy profession by organisations linked to it all over the world.
The programme leverages partnerships with aid and development bodies, international donors such as the UK’s Department for International Development, regional accountancy organisations and long-established accountancy organisations, including CIPFA.
One project that sprang from the initiative aimed to build public sector accounting capacity in Zimbabwe through a partnership with the country’s institute of chartered accountants (ICAZ).
Supported by DFID funding, CIPFA, ICAZ and Zimbabwe’s Public Accountants and Auditors Board established a project stakeholder advisory group in May and set about developing a capacity building plan and working to improve transparency and accountability.
Overall, IFAC’s PAO capacity building programme won the award because it demonstrated a strong commitment to developing the profession in emerging economies.
A member of the judging panel said: “Most of the capacity building that other people take credit for started with [IFAC].
“How could you not give this award to them?”
IFAC CEO Fayez Choudhury said the federation was “honoured” to win the award “on behalf” of PAOs in emerging economies.
“[Their] passion to grow and support national economies – and become sustainable, self-supporting PAOs – is an inspiration,” he said.
“Our capacity building work is made possible by their enthusiasm, visionary funding provided by DFID, and our delivery partners – PAOs like CIPFA, ICAEW, ACCA, ICAS, ICPAK [of Kenya] and CPA Ireland – whose experience on the ground makes them invaluable to growing our global profession.”
IFAC’s president, Olivia Kirtley, won the “lifetime achievement” award for a long, successful career that began in a what was then a male-dominated, big eight firm – EY – in the 1970s.
