Anthony Harbinson: “The Africa Congress of Accountants 2015 is hugely important”

The new ACCA President shared his views on the rising importance of the accounting profession in the business world today.

BUSINESSMAG. On behalf of MIPA, congratulations for your election. Can you share your vision as president of ACCA?

I was delighted to have been elected to serve as ACCA president in September last year. It is a great honour to represent our 170,000 members and 436,000 students around the world. I have focused on two key themes. The first of these is the issues of ethics and the role of the accountant. Not only does our profession have a responsibility to behave ethically, but it also has a duty to ensure that the organisations for which finance professionals work have an ethical approach to business and operations. I also want to use my term of office to emphasise the importance of the public sector, the need for it to be effective and efficient and to have the proper financial expertise to achieve this in the short and long term. Ensuring that the public sector can continue to deliver within tight budgets makes it more important than ever to have more fully qualified accountants working in the sector, as well as ensuring that more non accountants have an enhanced financial awareness to support them in their decision making and use of precious resources.

BUSINESSMAG. What are the ambitions of ACCA for Africa?

The key ambition is for us to enable more people to have access to a rewarding and successful career in accounting and finance. We want to continue to work in partnership with employers, learning partners and other professional bodies to develop the accountancy profession. ACCA is also committed to supporting members and students and has 12 offices in Africa which provide a point of contact for all our stakeholders.

BUSINESSMAG. How can a strong accounting profession contribute to economic growth?

A strong accountancy profession is a vital part of economic growth and development. Qualified finance professionals ensure that not only are the numbers right, but that businesses can attract investment can be transparent and accountable and can compete effectively in an increasingly complex and globalised market. Accountants provide valuable advice and support to small and medium sized enterprises – which are the engine room of economic development – enabling them to access finance which will finance growth. In my own sector, finance professionals have a huge role in ensuring that public money is spent wisely and that governments can be accountable to their people

BUSINESSMAG. Mauritius will host the 3rd Africa Congress of Accountants in 2015 in a few weeks. How important is this event for ACCA and its members?

It’s hugely important as it gives the profession an opportunity to join together to discuss a range of critical issues. It will also enable many finance professionals to gain an even better insight into the role Mauritius plays as an investment gateway between Asia and Africa. I am very proud of the work that is undertaken by the 2,700 ACCA finance professionals working in Mauritius to ensure that investment opportunities are maximised for the whole continent. We very much look forward to taking part in the congress and to engaging in important discussions about the challenges and opportunities facing our great profession.