Sarah Beale is the CEO of AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians), the leading professional body for accounting technicians. She gained AAT membership at the start of her working life, then qualified as a Certified Chartered Accountant (ACCA) before coming full circle nearly 30 years later to become CEO of AAT in 2021.

Prior to AAT, Ms. Beale worked in several industries, holding finance and leadership roles. Most recently, as Chief Executive of CITB, the Construction Industry Training Board. For many years, her career activity has focused on helping talent from all backgrounds to secure rewarding careers and supporting the promotion and development of skills and qualifications that make businesses and economies thrive.

Ms. Beale served as a non-executive Director and Chair of the Audit and Risk Board for Building Research Establishment (BRE), a ‘profit-for-purpose' global business, raising the standards of the built environment. She has also been appointed to various government task forces, mainly to respond to skills issues.

Ms. Beale is a MAAT and FCCA.

As of October 2021, 256 Japanese companies have either adopted or decided to adopt IFRS, and the number of adopters is increasing. With regard to Japanese GAAP, standards also continues to be developed in a way consistent with IFRS and other international accounting standards, for example in the areas of leases and impairment of financial instruments.

IFAC welcomes the opportunity to comment on the FATF’s review of Recommendation 24 relating to beneficial ownership transparency. IFAC—and the global accountancy profession that we represent—strongly supports the work of the FATF and others in advancing the fight against money laundering, terrorism financing and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

The International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) is pleased to announce new board appointments and reappointments to take effect on January 1, 2022.

The five new Board Members are:

• Mark Babington (Executive Director, Regulatory Standards, Financial Reporting Council, UK)
• Christelle Martin (Former Group Director, ENGIE Group, France)
• Felicien Muvunyi (Managing Partner, Garnet Partners, Rwanda)
• Luigi Nisoli (Partner, Deloitte, Italy)
• Channa Wijesinghe (Chief Executive Officer, Accounting Professional & Ethical Standards Board, Australia)

The following two current Board Members will continue their service for another term:

• Sanjiv Chaudhary (Senior Advisor - Policy & Regulations, KPMG, India)
• Andrew Mintzer (Principle, Hemming Morse, USA)

"I warmly welcome such a strong group of diverse and experienced professionals to the IESBA,” said Stavros Thomadakis, IESBA Chairman. “These are critical times for the profession as the global economy emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic and faces new challenges of sustainability. I am confident these individuals, along with the existing Board members, will serve the public interest with conviction in advancing high-quality ethics standards for the global accountancy profession.”

The IESBA also announces the reappointment of Caroline Lee as its deputy chair for 2022.

“I am very pleased that Caroline will continue serving as IESBA deputy chair in 2022," said Dr. Thomadakis. “As my term expires, I am confident that she will provide a steady voice as the Board transitions to welcoming our new chairwoman, Ms. Gabriela Figueiredo Dias, and that she will continue to serve as a strong advocate for IESBA across the globe.”