The International Federation of Accountants^® (IFAC^®), the global organization for the accountancy profession with members and associates in 130 countries, presented its Sempier Award to Ndung’u Gathinji of Kenya, during the World Congress of Accountants (WCOA) Closing Ceremony in Rome, Italy. Presented by IFAC President Olivia Kirtley, the award recognizes outstanding contributions to the accountancy profession by an individual over of a period of many years.

“Mr. Gathinji has worked tirelessly to promote the accountancy profession in Kenya and Africa,” Ms. Kirtley said. “His pioneering efforts to launch the Pan African Federation of Accountants, Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya, and the former Eastern, Central, and Southern African Federation of Accountants have ensured that the value of the profession has been understood and embraced in Africa in a way that would have been otherwise impossible. Mr. Gathinji is a recognized leader in and passionate activist for the profession and I am both honored and delighted to present him with this award.”

Mr. Gathinji served IFAC for 23 years in many different capacities. He instilled in IFAC, the donor community, and other stakeholders, the principle of working together to support the growth of PAOs in developing and emerging markets. As a chair of the Developing Nations Task Force, his commitment to the importance of accountancy and PAOs in emerging and developing economies helped to ensure continued global attention and the establishment of the permanent Developing Nations Committee (now the PAO Development Committee), which he chaired. Mr. Gathinji also served as a member of the IFAC Board and a member of the Nominating Committee.

In addition, Mr. Gathinji helped establish the African Federation of Stock Exchanges Association in 1993 and has served as its Honorable Secretary since. He was a member of the Standards Advisory Council of the International Accounting Standards Committee and an observer representing Africa at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting. Mr. Gathinji is the Chairman of Drummond Investment Bank Limited and a former Chairman of the Nairobi Securities Exchange Ltd.

About the IFAC Robert Sempier Award
The IFAC Robert Sempier Award was created by the IFAC Council in 1991 to honor the contributions of Robert Sempier, IFAC’s first executive director. It is intended to recognize outstanding contributions to the accountancy profession by an individual over a period of many years, and is presented at the World Congress of Accountants, now held every four years. Previous award recipients have been Bob Sempier (1992), Gordon H. Cowperthwaite (1997), Sir Bryan Carsberg (2002), Marilyn Pendergast (2006), and Robert Mednick (2010).

About the World Congress of Accountants (WCOA)
Sponsored by of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), the WCOA is the foremost international event for the profession, bringing together thousands of delegates from around the world to discuss, share, and debate ideas and global solutions to the issues affecting the profession in the interest of the world’s citizens, investors and businesses. It has been held every five years since 1977 and every four years since 2002, and attended by professionals and prominent business leaders, including professional accountants, international regulators, standard setters, government officials, and corporate leaders.

WCOA 2014, hosted by the Consiglio Nazionale dei Dottori Commercialisti e degli Esperti Contabili (CNDCEC), takes place November 10-13 in Rome’s Auditorium Parco della Musica. The theme—2020 Vision: Learning from the Past, Building the Future—explores the pivotal role of accounting amid rapid economic, political, and social change. The Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) designation is the imperial sponsor.

About IFAC
IFAC is the global organization for the accountancy profession dedicated to serving the public interest by strengthening the profession and contributing to the development of strong international economies. Founded in 1977, it is comprised of over 175 members and associates in 130 countries and jurisdictions, representing approximately 2.5 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

Note: Deadline extended until December 22, 2014. 

The International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), the global organization for the accountancy profession, has launched its 2014 IFAC Global SMP Survey (www.surveygizmo.com/s3/1800424/IFAC-GLOBAL-SMP-SURVEY-2014) to investigate current opportunities and challenges faced by small- and medium-sized practices (SMPs) in the accounting profession worldwide. Available in 21 languages, the survey is open through December 15, 2014, and takes less than 10 minutes to complete.

Conducted annually, the survey tracks prominent trends and developments and generates an overview of the financial health of SMPs in the industry. This year, survey questions were designed with the assistance of several academics and lead researchers at the University of Dayton in the US.

Results from the survey, which will be published by IFAC in early 2015, will help IFAC to better understand the country-specific and industry-wide needs and challenges of SMPs, and shape future programs and initiatives. 

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.