power of love - Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants

Council members
Meet the Council
Members are our
biggest asset
Kicking off a series in which Council
members meet with our readers,
Institute president Susanna Chiu outlines
her vision of the needs of the profession
It has been 18 years since I first started
my service at the Institute, initially as a
volunteer member on one of the committees.
Since then, it has been a wonderful
journey that has blessed me with many
friendships and valuable experiences.
Now that I have been given the honour of
leading the Institute as president, I will dedicate
myself to working with the Council and
management to set our organization in good
stead as we celebrate our 40th year. I’m committed
to building an even stronger Institute
and CPA brand to serve members and the
Hong Kong public in the years to come.
Many have asked me what plans there
are for my year as president. There are
many, including continuing the good work
of the immediate past president, Keith Pogson,
and his predecessors. We will also start
new initiatives, such as the sixth long-range
plan. But if I had to choose a theme, it would
be “diversity,” because it encompasses our
many plans and also represents the diverse
profile and needs of our membership.
We have more than 35,000 members of
all ages. We have one of the most genderequal
professions – with 49 percent women
and 51 percent men – and a young membership,
with more than 45 percent of members
under the age of 40. Practising members
make up 23 percent, while 77 percent of
our members are professional accountants
in business and others. Diversity is an issue
close to my heart, and I am sure the Institute
will continue recognizing this and providing
services that aren’t just administrative,
but that deliver added value to our members
and engage them in a meaningful way.
For our members working in practice, auditor
liability reform is a pressing concern.
There is a need to objectively examine the
current regulatory and liability landscape
and look at how the Institute as the profession’s
leader can manage the transition
smoothly in collaboration with the government
and other stakeholders.
18 February 2013
Meanwhile, as a professional accountant
in business for more than 16 years, I can
see the challenges of members in this field
including the support they need in daily
work and expanding the breadth and depth
of their career horizon. As CPAs, we are
prominent global business executives and
advisers, contributing to the development
of business and finance in Hong Kong and
around the world. Our members are multiskilled
and doing multi-disciplinary work,
and this requires us to evolve our thinking
as a profession and the positioning of our
CPA brand.
We must continue to examine and improve
the services the Institute provides to all
“We will continue
achieving
sustainable
success for our
profession, our
Institute and all
our members.”
Susanna Chiu
President
members throughout their careers as CPAs.
These include education and extending the
mobility and influence of our CPA designation
in the Mainland and internationally.
I have been actively engaging members
to participate in the Institute’s social and
recreational activities throughout the past
few years. I encourage you to take part as
there is good value in it. The camaraderie,
mutual support and pride of being a CPA
– and working together as a profession to
achieve things that we couldn’t do alone –
are important parts of being a member of
the Institute.
The fast-changing world will no doubt
present new challenges to our profession.