CA Sri Lanka produces 318 new Chartered Accountants to steer the corporate world

Member Relations Committee Chairman Heshana Kuruppu delivering the welcome speech

CA Sri Lanka President Manil Jayesinghe addressing the new Associate and Fellow members

Chief Guest Phoenix Ventures Chairman and a Fellow Member of CA Sri Lanka Aslam Omar, delivering his speech

Aslam Omar conferring the ACA designation to a new Chartered Accountant

Manil Jayesinghe presenting the FCA status to an existing Associate Member of CA Sri Lanka

• 294 members conferred with the prestigious Fellow status at annual convocation

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (CA Sri Lanka) on Thursday conferred the distinguished Associate Chartered Accountants (ACA) designation to 318 new Chartered Accountants, who will now utilise their unique and versatile skills to steer the dynamic corporate world. 

The new ACAs received their membership at the annual convocation held on 2 December, under the patronage of Phoenix Ventures Ltd. Chairman and a Fellow Member of CA Sri Lanka Aslam Omar, who was the Chief Guest, while CA Sri Lanka President Manil Jayesinghe, CA Sri Lanka Vice President Sanjaya Bandara, Member Relations Committee Chairman Heshana Kuruppu and CA Sri Lanka Chief Executive Officer Dulani Fernando, also graced the occasion at BMICH. 

At the convocation, 294 existing Associate members of CA Sri Lanka, were conferred the prestigious Fellow Chartered Accountant (FCA) status, elevating them to the highest stratum in their professional careers. 

Omar elaborated on how, when the country is at an important moment of economic revival following COVID, new Chartered Accountants are produced at a vital time. “Each one of you, in the capacity of qualified and proficient professionals has a paramount role to play in this backdrop,” he said. 

He also urged the new and existing members of CA Sri Lanka to take on an active role in making a valuable contribution in their respective professional roles, combining innovation in thinking and adoption of new technologies, which he said would in turn contribute towards Sri Lanka’s overall economic development and sustainability.

Jayesinghe said that Chartered Accountants possessed the ability to become anything they wanted, including the Governor of Central Bank and/or a Chief Executive Officer. “The CA Sri Lanka qualification has no limits. If you work hard, continue to upgrade your skills, and can think out of the box, the sky is indeed the limit,” he said. 

Jayesinghe maintained that for Chartered Accountants, immaterial as to whether they were a fellow or associate member, CPD, also known as Continuing Professional Development, was a mandatory requirement. “Apart from the fact that CPD is a commitment to continuously improve yourself professionally, the core benefit of CPD is improving public trust, especially because we are known to play an important role in helping safeguard trust within society. Thus, CPD plays an important role as it is aimed at enhancing public confidence by continuously raising professional standards,” he said. 

He also urged the new and existing Chartered Accountants to continue to evolve in the professional realm, while maintaining the integrity and ethics of the profession.  

Kuruppu congratulated the new Chartered Accountants for overcoming the numerous pandemic-related challenges and obtaining membership from the prestigious institute. “Apart from the conventional challenges, the last two years have been extremely difficult due to COVID with various hiccoughs along the way, where many of you including us were compelled to adapt to the new normal. So well done on overcoming the numerous pandemic related challenges and complexities,” he said. 

He added that new and existing Chartered Accountants must continue their thirst for knowledge and develop themselves professionally with the assistance of the CPD programs CA Sri Lanka offers. 

Pix by Ruwan Walpola

A section of the new Associate and Fellow members