Words by Cameron Cooper.

CA ANZ’s new strategic plan will support members to navigate a challenging business era. Coming into effect on 1 July 2025, it builds on a 2020 strategy that cemented CA ANZ’s position as the region’s peak accounting body for the profession.

Ainslie van Onselen, CEO of CA ANZ, says the FY2026–2030 blueprint was developed with extensive member consultation, including a survey with more than 3500 members, the ideas of 34 focus groups and interviews with more than 30 key stakeholders, including regulators.

“The accounting profession is facing many challenges, including demographic shifts, technological changes, economic pressures, increased legal and regulatory burdens, sustainability and ESG compliance, and talent shortages,” she says. “Our new strategy will sustain the high-level strategic intent of the previous five-year strategy and support new areas of vital importance to our members.”

Targeted deadlines

Lee Whitney, CA ANZ group executive, CFO and strategy, explains why the strategy is described as being a three-to five-year plan.

“While our aspirations are set across a five-year span, there are 14 strategic initiatives that are framed within a shorter three-year time period to reflect the pace of change, particularly associated with developments such as AI,” says Whitney.

He adds that the “outcomes-focused” strategy will strengthen CA ANZ’s long-term commitment to advancing the profession through high ethical standards, world-class services and education, and advocating for the public good.

Embracing AI

Van Onselen says a key focus is equipping members with the tools, resources and educational opportunities to harness and embrace the power of AI.

“Despite what some may say, while AI may impact the work of accountants, AI will never replace accountants,” she says.

“Rather, AI will liberate our members, sharpening their focus and creating more space and time to serve their communities, businesses and economies.

“We will also launch a resource hub with practical and implementable advice and toolkits aimed at smaller practices in particular, which may not have as much support or scale to confidently embrace AI,” she says.

“We will also use AI to enhance CA ANZ’s world-leading educational program, transforming learning and higher education in a way that is ethical, responsible and empowering for our CA candidates.”

Simon Hann, CA ANZ group executive, education and marketing, believes members will welcome enhancements to the CA Program and CPD, especially around building AI capability.

“We’re also looking to allow people to engage with a learning style that suits them,” Hann says. “That’s going to be transformational.”

Sustainability reporting

CA ANZ also is committed to helping members lead the way in sustainability reporting. “As reporting frameworks and legislative requirements change, we will equip our members, so they can lead the way in sustainability reporting with best-practice tools, resources and thought leadership, backed by new credentials, so they can lead by example,” van Onselen says.

CA ANZ sustainability and business reform leader Karen McWilliams FCA explains that this will occur through delivery of exceptional resources and thought leadership, backed by new credentials. “We’ve got assurance standards that are now dedicated towards sustainability reporting and we expect more momentum in this space,” she says.

Building the talent pipeline

Another goal of the FY2026–2030 strategic plan is to transform accounting into an irresistible career choice for the next generation by engaging new audiences from non-traditional markets.

One example is a trial enabling high-school leavers to be placed in accounting firms, even if they do not have a university degree. “This is a really compelling pathway into the profession that we haven’t had before,” Hann says.

Plus, the AI transformation of accounting work makes joining the profession an even more exciting option for young people looking to make their mark on the world.

“With more time and space for our members to make a real difference, we will make the profession a magnet for diverse talent for purpose-led younger generations, gen Z and gen alpha,” says van Onselen.

“Our new strategy will also build on our recent groundbreaking work to attract the next generation of talent to the profession. Through the ‘four Ps of attraction’ – perceptions, pathways, policies and pipeline – we will continue to engage gen Z and gen alpha, and encourage them to consider a career in accounting, while expanding our engagement with parents and career advisers. We’ll also expand our partnerships to reach more students and business educators, plus grow resources such as digital tools and membership programs.”

First 12 months

At the time of writing, the CA ANZ board approved CA ANZ’s business plan for FY2026 which will focus on delivering the first 12 months of the strategy, including work to build a new enterprise website.

“While the new website is planned to launch in full in FY2027, we will release some new functionality to members in FY2026, including intuitive search, an AI-powered chat assistant and significant improvements to the ‘Find a CA’ tool. You will also see us commence deploying AI within our education offerings,” says van Onselen.

“We will also step up our efforts to support our members to lead in sustainability reporting, which I think will create exciting new opportunities for our members to advance their careers and businesses, and will also significantly enhance the attractiveness of the profession.”

At the same time, van Onselen says the organisation will not lose sight of the vital, always-on work it does for members.

“I want to reassure our members that while we lift our gaze to ready ourselves for emerging opportunities and threats, we will also remain steadfastly focused on core educational and advocacy areas such as taxation, audit, business proficiency and ethics.

“This year in particular, we need to focus on auditor liability reform in New Zealand and the introduction of AML in Australia. We will also advocate for accounting to be classified as a STEM degree and introduced into high school curricula,” van Onselen says.

Solid foundations: achievements from the FY2020–2025 strategy

CA ANZ’s FY2020–2025 strategy set five pillars for the organisation, across a sustainable profession, member experience, bold, visible advocacy and brand influence, digital and data transformation and culture. Below and on the following page, we’ve highlighted just 12 of the achievements from the last five-year plan.

Take away

Find out more about CA ANZ’s strategy

The new strategy was launched on 28 May 2025 and is in effect on 1 July 2025. For all the details, visit