Helen Brand is chief executive of ACCA, the global body for professional accountants. Since taking up the role in 2008, Helen has led ACCA through a period of global growth which has seen its membership double to more than quarter of a million. ACCA’s diverse and inclusive community has expanded to cover 180 countries, and also includes more than half a million future members.
Helen is a passionate advocate of the role of accountants in driving an ethical, sustainable and inclusive approach to business and the public sector, and is a frequent speaker on these issues. She has widened ACCA’s role in advancing the profession and contributing to the public good, for example through its pioneering work to support the development of the profession in emerging economies and its leadership in developing the skills needed for sustainability reporting and assurance.
She was a founding member of the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) and played a role in its successor organisations.
Helen is also a member of the UK government’s Professional and Business Services Council, and has participated in a number of trade advisory forums and university advisory boards. In 2022, under India’s leadership, she was a member of the B20 Task Force on the future of Work, Skills and Mobility and in June 2023 she joined the Board of the UK-ASEAN Business Council (UKABC).
Helen was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in June 2011 for services to accountancy and received an honorary doctorate from the University of Exeter in December 2017.
