Qi “Susie” Duong is IMA’s senior director of research and thought leadership. She began her journey at IMA as a director of research, conducting research for the betterment of the accounting and finance profession. In her current leadership role, Susie oversees IMA’s research agenda, focusing on delivering cutting-edge thought leadership research and developing actionable solutions for the profession. She has taken on other roles at IMA, such as managing editor of the IMA Educational Case Journal (IECJ^®) and liaison to the IMA Research Foundation and the IMA Committee on Academic Relations. Prior to joining IMA, Susie has served as an accounting professor in the United States and Singapore. Additionally, she has accumulated experience in public accounting and in the professional education sector.

Susie holds a Ph.D. in accounting from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, an M.Phil. in accounting from the University of Hong Kong, and a BBA in accounting from Fudan University, China. She is also a CMA, a CPA, a CIA (Certified Internal Auditor), and an EA (Enrolled Agent).

8:00 NYC / 14:00 Casablanca / 24:00 Sydney March 10

Ahmed Abdul Rahman, the General Manager of the Oman Association of Chartered Public Accountants (OACPA) since April 2021. He plays a crucial role in overseeing the Association operations and ensuring compliance with  standards and regulations.

His responsibilities  include coordinating professional development programs, and fostering collaboration among members of the association, being one of the team  for the enactment  national occupational standers of accountancy & Auditing in Oman,  Ahmed focused on quality education, well-defined regulations. He played a significant role in OACPA to try to get IFAC membership.  He played a significant role sign Strategic Partnership  with ACCA.

In addition, he has experience of more than 5 years of working with international Financial Services in Oman As technical analyst for stock market

In his role as Regional Head of Partnerships for ACCA Middle East, Malek Sarieddine is responsible for leading the organisation’s public sector strategy in the region, working closely with both public and private sectors to lobby governments and associations.

ACCA is the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and upholds a mission to promote accountancy as a cornerstone profession, developing individuals from diverse backgrounds to grow and flourish their careers as ACCA-certified professionals.

With a dynamic career spanning more than 19 years, 15 of which have been within the education space, between academic and professional institutions. Malek’s professional mandate is to create awareness and strengthen the profile of ACCA in the region. Reporting directly to the head of ACCA Middle East, he is responsible for facilitating dialogue on key industry issues with government entities and educational institutions.

A skilled and strategic manager, Malek supports government entities and national accountancy bodies across the Middle East with upskilling nationals in the area of accounting, finance and ethics at the same time developing and shaping the accounting profession in line with regional nationalization agendas.

Through Malek’s collaboration with governments, employers and the international donor community such as the World Bank Group and USAID, he works on a broad range of capacity-building projects to strengthen accountancy skills and infrastructure to ensure accountants across the Middle East are working to the same high international standards.

Alongside this, Malek’s proven ability to identify, nurture and develop key relationships and partnerships is reflected in his reputation as a trusted and highly sought-after expert. Committed to raising the standards of accountancy in both private and public sectors, he is committed to ACCA’s mandate to support professional development through promoting its educational and professional learning programmes and certificates that shape and develop the next generation of accounting and finance professionals.

As Head of Partnerships for ACCA in the Middle East, Malek is responsible for leading business development and public sector agenda in 11 countries, engaging and supporting ACCA stakeholders; more than 20,000 students, affiliates and members across the region, who work in all sectors and all levels of business across the Middle East.

Managing and building strategic relationships with regulators, policy makers, business leaders, partners and the ACCA Middle East stakeholder network to influence debate and conversation around key issues that impact the ongoing economic development of the region. Alongside linking up the challenges within the accounting world in the Middle East and shining a light on global topics such as sustainability, the audit regulatory environment, digital innovation with the profession.

ACCA believes that accountancy is a cornerstone profession of society that supports both public and private sectors. That’s why we’re committed to the development of a strong global accountancy profession and the many benefits that this brings to society and individuals and why Malek acts as a conversation starter raising awareness around the integral role that accountants and finance professionals play to businesses and economies particularly within the Middle East using adoption of IFRS, VAT, public sector moving from cash to accrual-based accounting, business sustainability during this current pandemic as validation, given the professions lead on this areas.

Malek works closely with many educational and academic institutions and across the region to encourage new generations to not only understand the importance of the almost pandemic proof profession, but the significant role a professionally qualified accountant plays in building economies, thus encouraging the next generation to consider and undertake a career in accountancy and finance, whilst raising the importance of the financial literacy agenda being embedded at an early age.

Malek ensures that through his role in the Middle East, ACCA is seen as a force for public good and remains true to its core values of building a sustainable global profession by re-investing surplus to deliver member value by leveraging our research and professional insights continue to answer today’s questions that prepares us for tomorrow, actively encourages continued professional development and continues to shape and develop the accounting and finance profession for the next generation.

Experienced in consultancy, strategic partnership management and market development, Malek draws on an extensive and established network across the Middle East and has worked with prestigious regional and international entities including ICDL Arabia, Direct English, Mediaglass Middle East, ICDL GCC Foundation and Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University.

His roles prior to ACCA included key positions with Dubai Government’s E-Learning Academic Institution, as well as the European Computer Driving License (ECDL) the official international awarding and accreditation body for computer literacy in the Middle East.
Malek holds a BSc in Management Information Systems from the American University of Science and Technology in Beirut and live in Dubai with his wife and daughters.

Mark de Lat sees it as his calling to realize a better world with better business models. He does this in the roles of researcher, speaker, author, and team coach. Mark is associated with the B Corp certified Eshuis Accountants and Advisors, conducts PhD research at Nyenrode Business University, builds impact communities together with Saxion University of Applied Sciences and coaches boards and management teams in realizing impact business models. For Mark, it is a 'choice from the heart' to challenge organizations to work on impact entrepreneurship. Because he deeply believes that meaningful entrepreneurship leads to positive impact and an excellent business models.

Fermín del Valle is a Public Accountant. He is Director of the Accounting Career in Universidad de San Andrés in Buenos Aires, Argentina and former President of IFAC. He is a retired partner at Deloitte Argentina.

Nathalie joined the IAASB in January 2024 and is supporting various key projects, including fraud and going concern.

Prior to her role at IAASB, Nathalie worked in KPMG France in Paris as an audit partner for both listed and middle market companies. She was also involved in audit quality projects for the firm. Between 2018 and 2023, Nathalie was seconded to KPMG International based in the United States within global methodology and global learning and development teams. Her role involved developing audit methodology, tools and guidance, and developing learning sessions.

Nathalie is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) in France.

Follow Nathalie on LinkedIn.

Professional accountants in business (PAIB) play a vital role within various sectors such as commerce, industry, financial services, education, and the public and non-profit sectors. IFAC’s PAIB Advisory Group, established in 1977, is a global forum of finance and business leaders advising the global accountancy profession and its members on critical areas such as sustainability and digital transitions so that PAIBs are well prepared to meet the evolving needs of both business and the public sector in the future.

The newest PAIB Advisory Group members are:

• Mike Driver, Past President, CIPFA & Independent Non-Executive Director (United Kingdom)
• Ruth Gardiner Forbes, President and CEO, Fortis TCI Ltd (Turks and Caicos Islands)
• Lisa Kelley, Managing Director, Floating Interest Corporation (United States of America)
• Josephine Okui Ossiya, CEO, Capital Markets Authority of Uganda (Uganda)
• Aniket Sunil Talati, Senior Partner, Management Consultancy Services and Advisory, Talati & Talati LLP (India)
• Charles Xuereb, CEO, Trident Estates Plc (Malta)

With these additions, the PAIB Advisory Group has achieved gender parity. Sanjay Rughani remains Chair and Sharon Ditchburn has been appointed Deputy Chair.

"Every member brings a distinctive and valuable viewpoint on the contributions of professional accountants in business and finance leadership,” said Sanjay Rughani, Chair, IFAC PAIB Advisory Group. “We are privileged to welcome these new members who will share their diverse experiences and offer strategic insights on the profession, expanding its contribution to sustainable economic development worldwide and serve as global champions for the profession.”  

The continuing PAIB Advisory Group members are:  

• Sanjay Rughani, Chair, CEO, Standard Chartered Bank Uganda (Uganda)
• Sharon Ditchburn, Deputy Chair, & Managing Director/Founder, Capital Advantage Consultants (Australia)
• Zia-Ul-Mustafa Awan, CFO and Business Administrator, Pakistan Expo Centres Private Limited (Pakistan)
• Anastasija Boljević, Secretary General, Institute of Certified Accountants of Montenegro (Republic of Montenegro)
• Esther Bosch, Director Risk & Audit, Royal Schiphol Group (Netherlands) 
• Ibrahim (Murat) Çağlar, Chief Financial Officer, Sanovel (Türkiye)
• Eric Freudenreich, Independent Non-Executive Director (France)
• Lindawati Gani, Professor in Management Accounting, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Indonesia (Indonesia) 
• Tim Herrod, Vice President, Global Procurement, Albemarle Corporation (Canada)
• Margaret Muinde, Financial Controller, Kenya Roads Board (Kenya)
• Maria del Dado Alonso Sanchez, Group CFO, Berlin Brands Group (Spain) 
• Milton Segal, Executive Director: Standards, South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (South Africa)
• Muhammad Samiullah Siddiqui, CFO, Oxford University Press Pakistan (Pakistan) 
• Nancy Sau Ling Tse, JP, Independent Non-Executive Director [Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region of China)]
• Ichiro Waki, Group CEO, JBA Group (Japan)
• Gloria Zvaravanhu, Managing Director, Old Mutual Insurance Company (Zimbabwe)

Member expertise is drawn upon to deliver timely reports, articles, and case studies relevant to professional accountants in business across the globe. Explore their latest insights. 

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. IFAC is comprised of 180 members and associates in 135 countries and jurisdictions, representing more than 3 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce. 

About the Professional Accountants in Business (PAIB) Advisory Group 
Professional accountants in business comprise a significant part of the profession working in commerce, industry, financial services, education, and the public and not-for-profit sectors. The Professional Accountants in Business (PAIB) Advisory Group focuses on ensuring these accountants meet the future needs of business and the public sector. 

Ana joined the IAASB in January 2024, after more than a decade working in firms that service the middle market. Having been involved in the development and implementation of global audit methodologies in two firms, she brings a practical multifocal lens to her role.

Ana regularly designed and delivered technical learning content to a range of audiences and presented at international and national conferences on matters of audit and assurance quality.

Ana is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales (ICAEW) and is currently finishing an MSc in psychology.

Follow Ana on LinkedIn

Alan Johnson was appointed the inaugural Chair of the Stakeholder Advisory Council by the Public Interest Oversight Board in May 2023. The Stakeholder Advisory Council (SAC) is a newly created body that provides strategic advice to the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) and the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB). The SAC will commence its work in April 2024.

Previously, Mr. Johnson was President of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) from November 2020 to November 2022, having previously served as Deputy President from 2018-2020 and a board member since November 2015. He was nominated to the IFAC board by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).

Mr. Johnson is a non-executive director and member of the Audit and the People & Governance Committees of Imperial Brands plc and a non-executive director and member of the Audit, Remuneration and Nomination Committees of DS Smith plc, both FTSE 100 companies in the UK. He is also a non-executive director and chair of the Audit Committee of William Grant & Sons Ltd, a family business based in Scotland. He is the current chair the Good Governance Academy.

Mr. Johnson is a former non-executive Director of Jerónimo Martins SGPS, S.A., a food retailer with operations in Portugal, Poland, and Colombia, having completed his board mandate in 2016, and is the independent chairman of the company's Internal Control Committee since 2014. Previously he was Chief Financial Officer of Jerónimo Martins from 2012 to 2014. Between 2005 and 2011 he was the Chief Audit Executive for the Unilever Group. Mr. Johnson also served as Chief Financial Officer of Unilever's Global Foods businesses, and worked for Unilever for 35 years in various finance positions in Africa, Europe and Latin America.

Mr. Johnson was a member of IFAC’s Professional Accountants in Business Committee between 2011 and 2015, a member of the ACCA's Market Oversight Committee between 2006 and 2012 and chair of the Accountants for Business Global Forum until 2018. He was a member of the board of Gildat Strauss Israel between 2003 and 2004. Mr. Johnson is the past chair of the board of governors of St. Julian’s School in Portugal and chairs its Finance & Bursaries Committees. In October 2016 he was appointed to the Board of Trustees of the International Valuation Standards Council and chairs its audit committee. Between July 2018 and September 2020 he was a non-executive director of the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and chaired its Audit & Risk Assurance Committee.