Ali Pejman, CA - Institute of Chartered Accountants of BC

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For the Profession By Richard Rees, CA CEO, Institute of Chartered Accountants of BC This issue of Beyond Numbers focuses on the impact changing technology is having on the CA profession. It is also changing the way we work at the Institute. On the one hand, our environment is becoming increasing complex and expensive – making it increasingly difficult to deliver relevant services at a reasonable cost. On the other hand, new technology is creating opportunities for the Institute to rationalize and deliver programs and services in a more economical manner. In B.C., we are doing everything we can to harness the opportunities presented by technology to maximize member value. The B.C. Institute has a long track record of taking advantage of economies of scale. We have been keen participants in the move to a consistent database program that allows sharing of information interprovincially and with CICA. We have also joined with other western provinces to economize on the delivery of education with the new CA School of Business. These moves to greater coordination have been strongly endorsed by Council – and they await with interest further opportunities to collaborate to keep costs down and enhance service to members. Their desire for increased cooperation is being aided by a new national initiative focussing on member value maximization. The first step in this process is the commissioning of an independent study to review the plans and budgets of all Institutes in Canada to identify areas for enhanced cooperation and coordination through delivery of common services. The study is rooted in the evolving governance model in Canada, which promotes greater formal and informal information sharing, and takes advantage of emerging Internetbased delivery options. The project is being managed by a committee composed of four Presidents, each representing a region of Canada, and by representatives of the CICA and provincial Institute staff. I am pleased to tell you that I am the provincial Institute representative. The project is just getting underway, but will include: • Identifying common activities, priorities, and processes; • Comparing and evaluating resource requirements; • Identifying opportunities to improve efficiency and effectiveness; and • Identifying alternative service delivery approaches. The results of the project will help to increase efficiency and will address changing member needs as firms globalize, members and students become more mobile, and the need for instant information becomes more the norm. It is never easy to harmonize 13 independent entities – particularly when they offer different services, operate on varied systems, and have diverse regulatory environments. However, there are substantial commonalities between the Institutes and a strong resolve from the volunteer leadership to pursue common solutions. B.C. is playing a strong role in promoting this cooperative spirit and ensuring that it results in bottom-line savings for members in the province. I hope to report significant progress in maximizing your member value in the months ahead. 4 Beyond Numbers / September 2000
President’s Notes By Chuck Chandler, FCA, President, Chartered Accountants of BC “Change has considerable psychological impact on the human mind. To the fearful it is threatening because it means that things may get worse. To the hopeful it is encouraging because things may get better. To the confident it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better. – K. Whitney as quoted by the Wall Street Journal. Globalization – It’s as easy as XYZ It’s amazing how much business has been impacted by technology, especially the Internet, over the past few years. And the pace of change is increasing still. A few years ago I would have thought that global business meant big business. Today, we are all very much connected to events and transactions around the world. As CAs, we’re in the front lines of this change, whether it’s preparing financial statements that include US GAAP for the burgeoning US equity markets, or establishing e-commerce for global business transactions. In this issue of Beyond Numbers, you will find profiles of how technology has changed the life of eight CAs in B.C. Even in my own firm of 22 people, we have 2 CPAs who have attempted and passed the reciprocity exams. A third has headed off to California to pursue her dreams — part of the “brain drain” that officially doesn’t exist. In keeping with these real life trends, the CICA is working with other national accounting organizations to develop a global professional business designation (as yet unnamed – “XYZ” for now). The designation is intended to reflect all the services that members currently provide and all of the high-opportunity work that the profession identified in the Vision process. Benefits are intended to accrue to designation holders, employers, and buyers of services. Negotiations on the specifics of the designation and entrance requirements are ongoing. The CICA is keeping the BC Institute abreast of the changes, and we’ll keep our members informed as events unfold. Creating the Vision CA – Taking on the Challenges of Business in the New Millennium At our last full Council meeting in May, I asked our Council members what was the most pressing issue facing our profession. Virtually everyone put attractiveness of the profession at or near the top of the list. A survey of recent literature and statistics points us in the same direction. One major executive recruiter commented that she “fears the CA firms are losing out on recruiting young people out of university because so many do not want to spend their entire articling period auditing.” Interestingly, 80% of the searches for senior personnel at this recruiting firm are for CAs because of their perceived integrity and the credibility. The next issue of Beyond Numbers will be dedicated to young CAs – the challenges they face in becoming CAs, the opportunities available to them when they have their designation, and the ways the B.C. Institute is responding to these issues. The CICA’s 1996 Vision Report recognized the issues, and the need for business advisors who are forward thinking and strategically motivated in a global economy. The Education Re-Engineering Task Force built recommended a framework for competency based learning. That would strengthen the link between CA formal education and the candidate’s on the job performance. A “core plus focus” model was recommended to accommodate the expanded training in other areas such as IT and finance. Together with our fellow western provincial and territorial Institutes, the BC Institute has embraced the ERTF model and this Fall will be recruiting students to our new CA School of Business. This year, when recruiters speak to students, they can offer them a professional career that provides choice, the ability to select a focus or specialization down the road, and even the ability to complete part of their training outside of public practice. Students who may have been leaning towards an MBA or a finance degree are now going to have to take a hard look at the CA option as being the best business degree available. Will it be just as tough to get a CA? You bet. But the rewards for people wishing to enter our profession will be far more favourable. I invite you to check out the new CASB website at www.calearn.com. My thanks and best wishes to past president John Dawson FCA (chair of CASB board) and Dr. Don Carter FCA who, together with CASB board member Tom Kirstein, CA and new board member Roger Wolff (Dean of Business at Uvic) are leading the way as BC’s representatives on CASB. More on Your New Council. In my last column I welcomed three of our four new council members. I neglected to welcome Margaret Parkinson, CA. My apologies! Margaret is a long-time volunteer with the Institute and I’m looking forward to working with her on Council. My thanks to “the big guy” As you saw in last month’s Beyond Numbers, the Institute’s former Director of Ethics, Brian Gardiner, CA has hung up his Institute skates to pursue exciting opportunities in the field of governance and advocacy with HLB Cinnamon Jang Willoughby. Welcome back to timesheets there, big guy. You’ve left a legacy of hard work that has kept our profession in BC ahead of the rest in public perceptions of maintaining high standards of ethical and professional conduct. Best wishes to you. I encourage you to e-mail president@ica.bc.ca with your comments at any time. September 2000 / Beyond Numbers 5
Page 1: The Galloping Impact of Technology
Page 6 and 7: Cover Story The Galloping Impact of
Page 8 and 9: As the technology partner with the
Page 10 and 11: grasped the importance of technolog
Page 12 and 13: Firms Like Wolrige Mahon Get a Head
Page 14 and 15: High-tech leader launches BC Busine
Page 16 and 17: 16 Beyond Numbers / September 2000
Page 18 and 19: Under New Management By Deborah Fol
Page 20 and 21: Member Recognition Procedures for E
Page 22 and 23: Member Profile CA Brand Emphasizes
Page 24 and 25: Communications Director Moves to IC
Page 26 and 27: Employment Tax Traps & Opportunitie
Page 28 and 29: Employment Opportunities 28 Beyond
Page 30 and 31: At Your Service Warren L. Dueck, CA

Ali Pejman, CA - Institute of Chartered Accountants of BC

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