IFAC Council approves its first-ever female-majority Board

• Of IFAC’s 23-member Board, 12 are now women 

The International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) last week announced its first-ever female-majority Board. The approval of eight Board members, including five women, occurred at IFAC’s annual Council meeting in Vancouver. 

• The new IFAC Board members and their nominating member organisations are: 
• Yeong Kyun Ahn, Korean Institute of Certified Public Accountants
• Joan Curry, Chartered Accountants Ireland
• Caroline Gardner, Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy
• Winnie Nyamute, Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya
• Fiona Wilkinson, Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies
• Ismaila Zakari, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria
• Returning members re-appointed for a second term of service to IFAC’s Board are: 
• Tommye Barie, Association of International Certified Professional Accountants
• Idésio da Silva Coelho Jr., Instituto dos Auditores Independentes do Brasil and Conselho Federal de Contabilidade

Over the course of the past decade, IFAC has committed to improving gender balance on its Board and committees. Through dedicated and ongoing outreach to attract a diverse slate of candidates, with a particular focus on gender diversity, 12 of IFAC’s 23-member Board are now women. IFAC President Dr. In-Ki Joo said: “On behalf of IFAC, I congratulate and welcome all of our new and returning Board members. Each of these individuals was nominated and approved on the basis of their leadership qualities, business acumen, and passion for the future of our profession. We are particularly pleased that, as a result of our deliberate focus on gender diversity, the majority of these well-qualified Board members are women.” “I am equally pleased to congratulate the newest members of the IFAC organisation,” Dr. Joo continued. “Joining IFAC demonstrates a serious commitment to the advancement of our profession, and should be recognised and applauded as a significant milestone on the path of continuous growth and improvement.” 

• The following Associates have been approved as IFAC Members: 
• Albanian Institute of Certified Accountants
• Instituto Salvadoreño de Contadores Públicos
• Certified Practising Accountants of Papua New Guinea
• In addition, five professional accountancy organisations have been approved to join IFAC as Associates: 
• Colegio de Contadores Públicos de Pichincha y del Ecuador
• Colegio Hondureño de Profesionales Universitarios en Contaduría Pública
• Lao Chamber of Professional Accountants and Auditors
• Ordem dos Contabilistas e Auditores de Moçambique
• Suriname Chartered Accountants Institute

Collectively, this signifies new representation of IFAC in Ecuador, Laos, Mozambique, and Suriname. “We are committed to representing — and advancing — the global accounting profession. With a majority-female Board and Associates in four new countries, this is a proud moment for IFAC,” said Dr. Joo. The new Board appointments and membership decisions were approved at IFAC’s 2019 Council meeting, held from 13 to 14 November in Vancouver, Canada. IFAC is the global organisation for the accountancy profession dedicated to serving the public interest by strengthening the profession and contributing to the development of strong international economies. IFAC is comprised of more than 175 members and associates in more than 130 countries and jurisdictions, representing almost three million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.