Update from Ciaran Phelan, Head of Ireland
Welcome to our latest edition of Members Plus.
As we approach Winter, we do so with some trepidation given the rising number of cases of Covid 19 within the Island and the worry of whether restrictions will need to tighten in the future moving to though the levels of 4 and 5.
On top of this we have the Presidential election in the USA and Brexit, all of which will have an impact on our nation and member businesses. Certainty is certainly not something we are going to enjoy for many months. Businesses will be ever more dependent on our members as the management accountant will have to manage cashflows, scenario plan and manage risks brought about by all these unique challenges. Business has in many instances moved online and although it has meant survival it is not without risk. Our Townhall series moderated by Newstalk’s Bobby Kerr, with a panel of experts within our membership, are designed to offer information and learnings that you can utilise as you navigate these choppy waters.
CIMA Ireland is also enhancing our product offerings and we are introducing several new access routes to our qualifications. We have already launched our Government Accelerator programme that allows public servants access the qualification at the OCS based on relevant experience. This has been well received with students already signing up. Our CFO programme is designed to recognise experience at a very senior level in finance and allows participants after a virtual series of workshops enter the qualification at the Strategic Case Study level.
Finally, our Financial Leadership Programme will allow new students undertake the qualification through a combination of assessment and examination. Unlike the Professional Qualification students will only be required to undertake 3 formal examinations, the case study at Operational, Management and Strategic to qualify. This method should prove particularly attractive to more senior people within organisations who have been out of the formal education and examination process for a long period of time. There will be more information on this exciting new route in the coming months, but we are confident it will prove a game changer for many students and employers.
It is CIMA Ireland's plan to be very busy supporting our members and students this Winter.
Please stay safe.
Ciaran
New Chair of the Members in Practice Ireland panel has been appointed
CIMA Ireland is pleased to announce that Eric Rochford has recently been appointed as the Chair of the Members in Practice Ireland panel. Eric has been a CIMA fellow member since 2006 and has held various finance and senior management/director roles over the past number of years.
Find out what Eric has to share with you!
CIMA highlights
Most watched virtual past events:
Update on Budget 2021
On Tuesday, 13 October 2020, Budget 2021 was delivered by the Finance Minister. CIMA Ireland hosted a webinar on the subject, which was presented by Brendan Twohig AITI CTA, Tax Director, MK Brazil, Chartered Accountants.
Brendan provided an overview on past, pre and Covid-19 budgeting; and on the main points of the total budget package for Ireland.
Watch it now!
Town Hall: Business Resilience - the challenges posed by Brexit to the economy
In our first virtual town hall meeting, CIMA Ireland was joined by Bobby Kerr, Broadcaster, Entrepreneur and Former Chairman of Insomnia Coffee Company; and an expert panel, Micheál Briody, FCMA, CGMA & Managing Director at Silver Hill Duck, Simon MacAllister, FCMA, CGMA & Strategy and Transactions Partner at EY, David Roberts, Strategic Policy Manager at Invest NI, and John Finn, Managing Director at Treasury Solutions Ltd.; who discussed Brexit, Business resilience, and the issues facing businesses in this challenging environment.
Click here to hear the experts advise and opinions
Reimagine Recovery — the opportunity for financial leadership: Ireland
Learn how finance professionals can help reimagine and rebuild the global economy. CIMA President Nick Jackson, FCMA, CGMA and Andrew Harding, FCMA, CGMA, Chief Executive - Management Accounting, discussed how we are helping our members and students, and how CIMA is addressing the many challenges and opportunities facing the profession in these difficult times. They were joined by Sinead Dillon, FCMA, CGMA, Chair of the CIMA Ireland Panel, who provided a regional perspective on the issues and opportunities ahead.
Watch it here
CIMA Ireland Virtual Events
Keep on track with your CPD goals! CIMA Ireland have been organizing a full range of webinars just for you, so you can join us from the safety of your own home. Remember to bookmark this webpage on your browser to be in the know about important local events and webinars. CIMA Ireland Events
What is coming up:
The True Cost of Returns, in a world of On-line Sales
CIMA Ireland would like to invite you to the second webinar in our Town Hall series, scheduled for Thursday 19 November 2020. Join us for this virtual event, for what is shaping up to be a very interesting discussion on a subject that many management accountants are increasingly being effected by.
Find out more
View Past Events/Webinars
You can catch up with all the previous webinars now. These are available to you online to view or to listen to in podcast format at a time that is convenient to you!
Check them here
The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants launches new online ethics tool on Global Ethics Day
CIMA has launched a new online ethics decision-making tool designed to help accounting and finance professionals make ethically sound decisions in tough situations. The tool’s launch is part of the Institute’s month-long campaign celebrating the UN Sustainable Development Goals, culminating today on Global Ethics Day.
Find out more
Sustainability and business - The call to action: build back better
The AICPA and CIMA have just launched a new sustainability report - Sustainability and business - The call to action: build back better.
Organisations are increasingly being judged based on non-financial performance; environment, social and governance (ESG) factors are of increasing importance. Focusing on sustainability is key to building resilient organisations.
This report is the first in a series of briefs exploring sustainability, business and the role of finance professionals.
Read now
FM magazine
The October issue has been released and you can read it online - click here
You can read the full issue in pdf as well - click here to read it
Find all the issues available online
Deloitte’s 2020 Global Millennial Survey reveals top concerns for younger workers.
According to Deloitte’s report on its 2020 Global Millennial Survey, a third of Millennials and 38% of Gen Zs said their employment or income status had been unaffected by the coronavirus. Despite this, the same survey also showed an eight-point fall in anxiety levels for both groups compared with the main survey, which had indicated that around half (48%) of Gen Z and 44% of Millennials were stressed all or most of the time.
“Working from home can lead to working longer hours as there is less separation between work and home life. I believe everyone needs to set themselves some boundaries on working hours, especially when operating with teams in different time zones,” says Christopher Devaney, CIMA Ireland Member & Senior Finance Analyst at Intel Corporation.
Read on
Go Beyond Disruption Podcasts
Cybersecurity Month. Securing the Shadows of IT.
October is Cybersecurity Month in the EU and the USA, so all month AICPA & CIMA are sharing episodes about IT risks, threat-mitigation and security strategies. The founder and CEO of NMGI, our guest Randy Johnston is recognised as a Top 25 thought-leader in accounting and technology. Hosted by Kacee Johnson, Strategic Advisor at CPA.com (the business and technology arm of the AICPA), this conversation with Randy introduces the concept of 'shadow IT'.
Listen to it now
CGMA® Future Mindset - Get the mindset to rise through disruption.Hand-picked resources to help you adapt to the new normal.
2020 Digital Mindset Pack2020 Digital Mindset is a pack that includes more than six hours of learning on hot topics with a future focus on what's driving change in the accounting and finance world. It introduces the technologies and skills that are essential to making informed decisions. Successful completion earns a digital badge.Available to CIMA members and students free of charge.
You can find all the information here
CIMA Members Benefits
Explore the range of benefits and services available to CGMAs, to keep you at the forefront of your profession – click here
Global Career Hub
Find a range of useful articles and advice for your career and job hunting
Fintech-focused startup accelerator seeks applicants for 2021 programme
The Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (the Association), the global accounting organisation formed by CIMA and the AICPA, and CPA.com are seeking applicants for their 2021 startup accelerator programme, which specialises in accounting, finance and regulatory technology.
Launched in 2017, the accelerator is open to early-stage companies across the globe.
Find out more
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