The strength of our membership is the power of our collective voice. And this year I will be working to ensure this collective voice is, in fact, powerful and amplified.

Having recently mastered the skill of operating a portable podcast kit to use during my term as president, I have been recording a range of genuine and thought-provoking conversations with members on the topics that matter most to them.

This includes how to embrace technology, the importance of ethics in the modern age and how we can set up our younger members to succeed as the next generation of business leaders.

From garnering insights on the current landscape to predictions on the future of the profession, this podcast series and my various other opportunities to catch up with members are all feeding into a platform I hope to create, where members feel heard and can learn from one another.

This is an extension of the collaboration and feedback we are already seeing in arenas such as our online community MyCA and our Member Insights Panel.

I am also eager that Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand continues to be a voice that leads and shapes the profession.

As I take part in Regional Council meetings, I am in awe of the passion and the strategic way in which we advocate on several levels on many significant matters for our members – whether it be tax, audit or the licensing of financial advisers.

The future of audit, in particular, is a topic that has been workshopped with members and stakeholders at roundtables in almost every state and region in Australia and New Zealand. The result of this year-long engagement was a fully developed and informed 15-point plan on the future of audit.

Members’ input is the compass that guides our contribution to the debate and our support to the profession. So whether it is on LinkedIn or over the phone, I look forward to hearing from you.

“Members’ input is the compass that guides our contribution to the debate.”

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