Newly elected chairman of Dubai Chapter reveals his tenure plans

James Matthew, chairman of ICAI - Dubai Chapter

“THE DUBAI Chapter of ICAI has come a long way to earn the recognition of the business community, mainly because of the hard work exhibited by its more than 1,750 strong members.

Since its inception, the Institute’s affiliates have worked relentlessly to overcome challenges in the pursuit of establishing ICAI as a global brand. It has been an unforgettable journey for me and we are all delighted that our chapter is expanding from strength to strength and it’s now ranked as the largest overseas chapter of the main ICAI body.

Besides representing the interests of its members to government, industry, academia and the general public, the Chapter is actively involved in enhancing and updating the professional knowledge of its members through organising seminars under the Continuing Professional Education (CPE) programme. The body also carries out various activities for the community and facilitates the training of students who are undergoing training for the Chartered Accountancy (CA) course.

During the recent election where new members of the board took office, there were renewed calls to further enhance the standing of the Chapter as the largest overseas Chapter of the ICAI and to convene regular training programmes, workshops and seminars that would be of significant importance to members and students in the country.

Key initiatives and action plans
My heart fills with pride when acknowledging the efforts, passion, enthusiasm and the perseverance of those who have always been committed to the progress of the Chapter. We will continue with this determination to make this chapter a success and a mark of professional triumph.

In the very first week of assuming office as the 15th chairman of the Chapter, I had the opportunity to interact with the newly elected members of the managing committee and we agreed on key initiatives and action plans, which we believe will help steer the Institute to new heights. These include;

  • Upgrading facilities at our new campus at the Knowledge Village to undertake more courses with visiting faculty from India and other countries. One of the areas we would like to focus on is technology, and in particular social media and how we could utilise this medium to enhance our members’ professional development.
  • Our CSR initiatives are also growing year-on-year and the momentum will continue this financial year as well.
  • We are in the process of initiating a joint task force comprising representations from ACCA, ICAEW, UAE Auditors and Accountants Association, ICAI, ICAP. The idea here is to represent our members strongly in the presence of the various authorities.
  • With regards to our brand building exercise, we have initiated the ICAI Middle East Awards. We would like to recognise CAs not just from the Dubai Chapter but also from all over this region.
  • Finally, with the Chapter largely focusing on leading the profession by promoting the Chartered Accountant brand, we aim to be at the forefront in setting the benchmark for the highest ethical and educational standards.