It is such a privilege and honor to join the panel session on The Caribbean Accountant in a Global Context alongside Patrick Kabuya, Sheree Ebanks, Cert.Hon., David Simpson FCCA, FCA, JP during the annual conference of ICAB BB ICAB in Barbados last week. It was an opportune time to accept the organizer’s invitation to speak as it hosted the meeting of the IFAC Professional Accountancy Organization Development Advisory Group. IFAC CEO, Lee White, was so gracious to join us during the event where we get to hear from him lots of insights and directions. Happy to have gained new friends from ACCA Paula Marcelle-Irish and Julie Missimore who also spoke during the conference.
Bringing the voice of the Philippines and the ASEAN region on the Caribbean stage was a great opportunity for me sharing below take-aways:
đź’ˇWhere we are born shapes our accent, but where we grow professionally shapes our impact. Whether from Philippines or Barbados, our stories converge in one truth, that is, the accountants today are no longer bookkeepers of history; the accountants today are globally-minded professionals who are architects of trust and creators of value.
💡Philippines adopted global standards earlier on not just to comply, but to connect to the world. We learned that global competence is not born in classrooms alone, it’s built through three fundamental pillars: 1. Character (anchor of identity), 2. Adaptability (bridge of relevance), and 3. Ethical grounding (compass of trust). This is the very reason why we, Filipino accountants, thrive in many parts of the world.
đź’ˇAcross ASEAN, we have a very robust cooperation through the ASEAN Mutual Recognition Agreement. The goal of the MRA is to enable a qualified professional in one ASEAN country to have his credentials recognized in another ASEAN country, thus, promoting cross-border services, regional integration, and talent mobility.
đź’ˇPhilippines and ASEAN region recognize three lessons that stand out: 1. Align with global standards to enable trust and mobility, 2. Embrace and sustain a culture of lifelong learning, and 3. Infuse competence with conscience because that is the very reason why we earn respect across borders.
đź’ˇIn this fast changing world, globally-minded accountants must upskill for AI, digital transformation, and sustainability literacy, reskill into emerging advisory and analytical roles, and even deskill from repetitive tasks that automation can now perform.
Thank you IFAC for allowing me to participate in this meaningful conversation. Congratulations ICAB through the leadership of its President Damien Skeete and CEO Lisa Padmore for the very successful hosting!