ICAEW’s new president for 2020/21, David Matthews, wants to help mobilise the profession to build economies fit for the future.
Speaking as he took office, David said: “Chartered accountants have a fundamental role to play in creating strong and sustainable businesses, and therefore strong and stable economies.
“Societies and governments want businesses to deliver more than just short-term profits, and by identifying risks and providing insights to support sustainable decision-making, chartered accountants can help organisations provide more meaningful information to achieve broader policy goals, such as net zero emissions. This is particularly important now, given the post-pandemic focus on economic restart and recovery.”
David hopes that tackling the climate emergency, and aiding global economic recovery post COVID-19, will inspire public confidence in the profession – another key focus for ICAEW during and beyond David’s year as President.
He added: “Our profession is changing, and so are the expectations which are placed on it by society. We have a responsibility to meet these expectations but also those that will arise from reforms currently being considered, particularly with regards to audit.”
David became an ICAEW Council member in 2010, and served as a member of the Professional Standards Board and as Chair of the Technical Strategy Board.
Michael Armstrong, FCA and ICAEW Regional Director for the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA), said: “I would like to congratulate David on his new role as ICAEW President. As governments across the Middle East press ahead with restarting their economies, the accountancy profession must step up to its responsibility to serve the public interest, demonstrate our relevance and help businesses return to growth.
I know that as President, David will help ensure that the accountancy profession is ready to face the future and help build ICAEW’s vision of a world of strong economies.”
David graduated from the London School of Economics in 1982 and qualified as a chartered accountant in 1985 with KPMG. He became a partner in 1996 and held various management roles at the company before retiring last month. He is a magistrate, and a Court Assistant at the Worshipful Company of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
David succeeds Fiona Wilkinson, a technical consultant in the South West of England, as ICAEW President. He will serve a one-year term as ICAEW President until June 2021, when he will hand over to Will Brooks.
Will is Managing Director at Eximus Capital, providing business planning, corporate finance advisory and fund management services under FSA regulation. He established the consulting firm in 1991 after a successful career in the City and has been an active member of ICAEW for over 20 years.