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Teach Your Children Well: Teaching Young Accountants the Importance of Ethics

Anton Colella  | 

Interview with ICAS Chief Executive Anton Colella on the need for young accountants to be taught the importance of being ethical as a cornerstone of the accountancy profession—and to do so with traditional training materials as well as through stories and examples from senior members of the profession.

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Anton Colella

Anton Colella was the chief executive of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Scotland (ICAS) from 2006 to 2018. Previously he was the chief executive of the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), from December 2003 to October 2006, following a period as director of qualifications.

Mr. Colella was elected chair of the Global Accounting Alliance in November 2011. He is a Council member of the Confederation of British Industry Scotland and a trustee of Columba 1400, an award-winning social enterprise and charity to help young people realize their potential. Mr. Colella is also chair of the Scottish Council of Independent Schools, an independent educational charity representing over 70 member schools in Scotland.

Mr. Colella received an honorary doctorate from BPP University in 2014, became an honorary professor of education at the University of Glasgow in 2012, and joined the University’s Adam Smith Business School Strategic Advisory Board in 2011.

A graduate of the University of Stirling, Mr. Colella’s career began as a teacher of religious education. Before joining the SQA, he was depute head teacher at St. Margaret Mary’s Secondary School in Glasgow.