The Malta Independent on Sunday
ICAEW students celebrate graduation in Malta
A graduation event on 2 October in Malta by the Institute of Accountants of England and Wales (ICAEW), which was held at Le Meridien hotel with around 100 guests in attendance, celebrated the achievements of 19 graduates who have completed the prestigious Associate Chartered Accountant (ACA) qualification and become members of the highly respected Institute of Chartered Accountants of England & Wales (ICAEW).
Keynote speeches were given by ICAEW’s Acting Head of Business Opportunities, Kate Holroyd-Smith, Contact member Chris Naudi, 2016 ACA graduate, Bettina Mifsud, Former High Commissioner of Malta to the UK and ICAEW member, Joseph Zammit Tabona, and Maltese Institute of Accountants (MIA) President, William Spiteri Bailey.
The ACA was introduced in Malta in 2012 with support from large international accounting firms (including PwC, KPMG, Deloitte and EY). Following an agreement in 2012, MIA and ICAEW collaborate to offer Maltese qualified accountants increased access to the latest technical developments and thought leadership, and to work on regulatory issues.
Kate Holroyd-Smith began her keynote speech highlighting that this was the second ACA graduation ceremony on the island. She said: “This is only our second graduation event in Malta and sends an important signal to the financial sector - that professional skills of young people are being invested in by the profession, as Malta expands as a financial centre.”
The senior ICAEW official also noted the important role that Chartered Accountants play in Maltese economy. He said: “As a Chartered Accountant, you will be providing a service that society depends upon. You will be helping to build trust between people and businesses, between businesses and businesses, and between businesses and society. We are pleased to see Malta emerge as a growing economy and that the best professional skills are now in demand across the profession and industry, and as a result the profile of ICAEW has been raised. We are delighted our members in Malta are playing an important role in enabling this growth and that many continue to support the next generation of Chartered Accountants.”
ICAEW now has 9 authorised training employers offering ACA training and there is an increasing demand from these organisations to employ more ACA students, which is good indicator of economic growth in Malta for the future. ICAEW’s global growth over the recent years has been significant and ACA training is now offered in 18 countries throughout the world including Vietnam, Indonesia, Czech Republic and Greece. ICAEW members are working in 154 countries worldwide and the ACA qualification continues to be recognised internationally as a leading business qualification.