Mr. Vinod Rai did his post-graduation from the Delhi School of Economics, Delhi University, and later acquired a master’s degree in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University. He joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1972. He has held many important positions in government and was Secretary of Financial Services.  He served on the board of Directors of the State Bank of India, the Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India Bank, the Life Insurance Corporation of India, and the Infrastructure Development Finance Company.

Rai was appointed the 11th Comptroller and Auditor General of India and served on the board of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions, the Chair of the Asian Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions, and the Chair of the United Nations (UN) panel of external auditors. He was also a member of the Independent Audit Committee of the UN. He demitted office in 2013. In January 2018, he joined the Trustees Board of the International Financial Reporting Standards Foundation and served for two terms till December 2023.

The Supreme Court of India appointed Rai as the Chairman of the Committee of Administrators of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, to undertake reforms in its administration. In recognition of his services, Rai has been decorated with the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award in India.

Utilizing his four decades of experience in the Indian Civil Services, Rai has been striving to develop an architecture for an effective and transparent governance set-up. He believes that such governance structures must allow complete autonomy to accountability institutions such as offices of the auditor general, the election commission, and the information commission.

He has authored three books: “Rethinking Good Governance-Holding to Account India’s Public Institutions,” “Transforming the Steel Frame-promise and Paradox of Civil Service Reform,” and “Not Just an Accountant.” 

He co-edited: “Seven Decades of Independent India’ and ‘India and the Future of G20”. Rai also authored “Not Just a Night Watchman”- a book dealing with reforms in Indian cricket.

Rai continues to pursue research in the fields of public administration and financial sector reforms at the Institute of South Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore, where he serves as a distinguished visiting research fellow.

The Independent International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB) Chair Search Committee

The primary purpose of the Independent IPSASB Chair Search Committee (Search Committee) is to select the next IPSASB Chair for the initial 2026-2028 term of service. The Search Committee is composed of five members, including the Independent Chair, ensuring diversity in terms of gender, geographic representation, and professional backgrounds. Two members are nominated by the Public Interest Committee (PIC), and two members are nominated by IFAC.

Yuri Dolidze is the Board Member for SARAS, also the EU and World Bank consultant dedicated to accounting and sustainability reforms implementation in Georgia, Ukraine and Armenia. 

Yuri founded and managed two local leading SMPs in Georgia, worked as a local contractor for Deloitte and Ernst & Young, initiated opening of PwC Georgia branch in 2005, acting as its Assurance and Advisory Services Director and Academy Leader for 9 years. Yuri also participated as ICAEW consultant in the ADB’s Audit Quality Assurance Technical Assistance Project in Armenia.

Yuri was significantly involved in developing professional society in his country. He was one of the founders of IFAC member Georgian Federation of Professional Accountants and Auditors (GFPAA), presented in its Board and various committees for 15 years. 

In 2016, the Prime-Minister of Georgian assigned Yuri to the position of the Head of Service for Accounting, Reporting and Auditing Supervision (SARAS) where upon term expiration he represents business societies in its Board. 

As the World Bank and EU/DAI consultant, Yuri continues supporting accounting and auditing reform with regional coverage including Georgia, Ukraine and Armenia. His mandate as consultant recently also included the sustainability reporting and assurance matters.

His Excellency Saif bin Abed Al Muhairi has strategically repositioned the Emirates Association of Accountants and Auditors (EAAA) as a pivotal force in the evolution of the accounting and auditing profession in the UAE.

Under his leadership, EAAA has been instrumental in spreading financial knowledge and building competence in emerging areas of the UAE financial sector, such as tax implementation and public-private partnerships (PPP). Al Muhairi’s efforts were key in launching the UAE Chartered Accountant (UAECA) certification, which aligns with prestigious international qualifications like ACCA, enhancing both local and global recognition.

His strategic vision also led to EAAA’s full membership in the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), broadening its global influence and facilitating valuable partnerships with key global players, including the World Bank and significant regional entities.

Additionally, Al Muhairi has championed initiatives to attract and develop local Emirati talent in the profession. Programs such as the “Emiratis in Accounting, Auditing, and Financial Management” and the “100 Emirati Chartered Accountants Initiative” have successfully elevated the profession and bolstered the UAE’s economic development. These initiatives underscore EAAA’s role as a catalyst for innovation and excellence, fostering the growth of Emirati professionals and advancing the UAE’s financial sector.”

Olga Akimova is the Managing Partner of Lynceus Management Consulting, a consultancy practice based in the United Arab Emirates, leading the firm’s work with the public sector, professional accountancy organizations and education institutions.

Olga has over a decade of experience with a Big4 accountancy firm in Eurasia working in external audit and governance, internal audit, risk and compliance services with a focus on developing and implementing international best practice and tailored governance frameworks. She has also worked as Head of Education and Policy with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) leading initiatives in developing the finance profession in Eurasia through accountancy education and collaboration with regulators and professional accountancy organizations on establishing sound legal frameworks and infrastructure for professional accountancy education.

Full Event Recording

In December 2023 the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) published the