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CGMA shapes strategic finance talent to navigate change and growth
AICPA and CIMA Vice President for Asia Pacific Venkkat Ramanan — Pic by Lasantha Kumara By Charumini de Silva As the role of finance continues to expand beyond traditional accounting functions, the demand for professionals who can combine technical expertise with strategic insight, digital fluency, and leadership has never been greater. Against a backdrop of rapid technological change and persistent economic uncertainty, the CGMA qualification, offered by the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (AICPA and CIMA) is positioning itself as a critical enabler of this new breed of finance professionals. AICPA and CIMA Vice President for Asia Pacific Venkkat Ramanan, in an exclusive interview with the Daily FT, highlighted the evolution of the qualification, and the CGMA pathway designed to equip professionals to navigate complexity with resilience to guide strategy, manage risk, and drive sustainable growth. Below are excerpts of the interview: Q: CIMA has evolved over time. How has the CGMA qualification changed, and what makes it different from traditional accounting qualifications? A: The CGMA qualification has always been built differently, it is not a recent shift. If we look back over the past 20 to 30 years, there have been multiple waves of transformation. Technology-led change is not new; what we are seeing today with AI is simply an acceleration, a force multiplier. What sets the CGMA qualification apart is its consistent focus on employability and value creation. Continuous improvement is embedded in our DNA. The syllabus evolves constantly to reflect what businesses need, ensuring that members bring relevant and forward-looking skills. In the past, finance professionals were primarily assessed on technical capabilities, such as knowledge of accounting standards, preparing financial statements, or handling reconciliations. While these remain important, they are no longer sufficient. Today, the qualification develops what we call “T-shaped professionals.” Previously, the emphasis was on deep technical expertise, the vertical part of the “T.” Now, the horizontal dimension has expanded significantly. CGMA professionals combine three foundational pillars: digital and AI capability, strong technical grounding, and, most importantly, trust. The trust dimension is what differentiates the profession, as finance professionals provide assurance and credibility to stakeholders. Beyond this, the qualification builds broader competencie...
Finance Leaders' Outlook 2026: Managing Talent, Tax, Capital & Risk
CFOs are moving through 2026 with renewed confidence—and a significantly expanded job description. Deloitte's Q4 2025 CFO Signals survey found the CFO Confidence Score climbed to 6.6, its highest level since late 2021, with 59% of finance chiefs saying now is a good time to take greater risk. But confidence without preparation is just optimism. Across talent, tax, capital, and cybersecurity, the landscape has shifted, and the finance leaders who benchmark their priorities against peers will be the ones who avoid getting blindsided. Here’s what’s on the table right now, and what the data says about where to focus. The Accounting Talent Pipeline Is Still Broken The accounting profession's pipeline problem is not new, but it’s getting harder to ignore. The AICPA's 2025 Trends report found that U.S. schools awarded just 55,152 bachelor's and master's degrees in accounting in the 2023–2024 academic year, a 6.6% decline from the prior year. Master's degrees in accounting alone dropped. First-time CPA exam candidates fell from 48,004 in 2016 to 28,082 in 2024, and the accounting and auditing workforce has shrunk by over 17% since 2020, with more than 300,000 professionals exiting the field. The downstream effects are real. Finance roles requiring CPA credentials now take an average of 73 days to fill—significantly longer than comparable positions without the designation. At least 23 states have responded by creating alternative CPA licensure pathways, and enrollment in accounting programs has risen. But the gap between supply and demand will persist well into 2026. Deloitte's research confirms that CFOs know this. Nearly half cited automating processes to free employees for higher-value work as their top talent priority, and many plan to increase technical skills within their finance function over the next two fiscal years. The message is clear: you cannot hire your way out of this. You have to build and automate simultaneously. Tax Complexity Is Accelerating The One Big Beautiful Bill Act extended most expiring provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act but also introduced dozens of new, narrow tax breaks. The corporate rate remains at 21%, but the bill adds layers of complexity for CFOs, particularly around the expanded standard deduction, child tax credits, and the phase-down of bonus depreciation, which will be fully eliminated by 2027. Internationally, the picture is even more layered. The OECD's Pillar Two global minimum tax is now live in dozens of juri...
Online expansion becoming talent pipeline for employers
The report, based on a survey of 3,650 HR of fi cials worldwide, showed firms are increasingly expanding internationally to address hiring gaps. Remote said the average white-collar company now employs talent in four or more countries, with expectations of further growth in 2026 as businesses enter new markets.
Talent Acquisition Trends 2026: Goals, Strategies & AI Insights
Discover the top talent acquisition trends for 2026, from AI-driven hiring to smart recruiter goals and skills-based strategies. Improve hiring outcomes and hit your recruitment goals faster.
