For immediate release: 12:00 hours GMT, Monday 26 April 2004
GRAHAM WARD APPOINTED DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF ACCOUNTANTS
Graham Ward, former CCAB Chairman and President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales from 2000-2001, has been congratulated by the Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies (CCAB) on being appointed Deputy President of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) (Monday 26 April). He will become President of IFAC in November 2004, when current IFAC President René Ricol concludes his term.
IFAC is the global organisation for the accountancy profession, setting ethics, auditing and assurance, education and public sector accounting standards. It works with 158 professional accountancy bodies (including the six CCAB bodies in the UK and Ireland) in 118 countries to protect the public interest. IFAC members represent 2.5 million accountants.
CCAB Chairman and current ICAEW President David Illingworth, said of Graham Ward’s appointment: “I am very pleased that Graham has been appointed to this position. Whilst he was CCAB Chairman and ICAEW President, Graham was highly influential in promoting the adoption of International Accounting Standards and the importance of integrity in financial reporting. His firm commitment to the need for high quality global standards for the profession will help ensure that IFAC’s leadership and standard-setting role is strengthened.”
Commenting on his appointment Graham Ward said: “I am delighted that IFAC has chosen me. I will take office at a crucial juncture for the profession. The financial needs of emerging economies and the international convergence of global capital markets make it imperative that the profession strives to be truly global. My priorities going forward are to do all I can to help consolidate and strengthen international standards of accountancy practice and corporate governance, ensuring excellence and integrity in all that we do.
- MORE -
2/GRAHAM WARD APPOINTED…
“Above all we must build public trust in the quality of financial information. This will be achieved by IFAC continuing to work with governments, regulators and the new Public Interest Oversight Board, as well as with those who are a part of us, such as IFAC member bodies, committees, regional organisations and the Forum of Firms.”
Graham Ward’s career in the accountancy profession spans 30 years, including numerous national and international leadership positions, closely working with governments and regulators both in the UK and internationally. He is currently a senior partner within the Global Energy and Utilities Group at PricewaterhouseCoopers in the UK.
He is also a member and former Deputy Chairman of the Financial Reporting Council, Vice Chairman of the Auditing Practices Board and a former member of the City Panel on Take-overs and Mergers, all in the UK.
Since May 2000, Graham Ward has been a member of the IFAC Board. He was instrumental in the creation of the Task Force on Rebuilding Public Confidence in Financial Reporting and in developing its final report issued in August 2003. He has been a member of IFAC’s Medium-Term Strategy and Action Plan Review Group, Regulatory Liaison Group, and Quality Control Group, and participated in IFAC’s successful efforts to achieve reforms of its regulatory and standard-setting responsibilities.
- ENDS -
Notes to Editors:
1. CCAB comprises the six major accountancy bodies in the UK and Ireland:
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS)
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland (ICAI)
The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA).
2. CCAB provides a forum for co-ordinating views on a wide range of issues of interest to the accountancy profession as a whole.
Media enquiries:
Melissa Compton-Edwards, Head of Media Relations, ICAEW, on 020 7920 8515 or at