Statement from the Board 9 October 2020

1. President's message

Watch a video of President and Chairman, Merran Kelsall, offering a message to members.

Following last week's announcement of Director appointments, it is an honour to be elected as President and Chairman of CPA Australia and to represent more than 166,000 members around the world. Together with Deputy Presidents Ric De Santi FCPA and Professor Dale Pinto FCPA, CPA Australia's Board of Directors will continue to engage with members to deliver the services you value and enhance the reputation of the CPA designation.

2. CPA Member Connect launches

As part of our commitment to provide members with personalised and engaging experiences, CPA Australia last month launched CPA Member Connect - our new online communication channel that enables members to connect with each other and share ideas in a professional network. The topics and conversations on CPA Member Connect are driven by members and we are pleased to see the community grow quickly with more than 4,000 members engaging with the platform in the first few weeks. Find out more on the website.

3. Divisional Council Elections underway

Elections for Divisional Councillor positions are currently underway in 10 of CPA Australia's 13 Divisions: Australian Capital Territory, Europe, New South Wales, New Zealand, Northern Territory, Queensland, Singapore, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia. Voting is open until Monday 19 October and the Board encourages all eligible members to participate.

4. Member Engagement Survey

CPA Australia places great value on the views of members. Each year we invite you to provide feedback on our performance via the member engagement survey. The survey is conducted by our independent research partner, Forethought, and will be sent to members from next week. We hope you will take the time to complete the survey and offer your views. All responses are anonymous, and the results will help CPA Australia improve the service and value we deliver to members

5. CPA Virtual Congress 2020 and Public Practice Conference

Health and safety concerns surrounding COVID-19 prevent us from coming together in person at present, but we know that members value the chance to connect with each other. We have therefore transitioned our major conference events online in 2020. The virtual Public Practice Conference was held yesterday with close to 700 participants joining us in a program that looked at how to "Build the Firm of the Future."

CPA Virtual Congress will also be an interactive online experience held over three days from 10-12 November. The theme is "Taking Care of Business" which reflects the vital role people in the accounting and finance industry are playing to support businesses through the pandemic and on the road to recovery. This year's program features a range of renowned speakers, including Amal Clooney, Barrister and International Human Rights Lawyer, and Dr. Ben Bernanke, former Chairman of the US Federal Reserve Bank. Registrations and program details are available on the website.

6. Investing in systems

Previously we have communicated with members about the need for us to invest in our underpinning systems to enhance the way we interact with members. This month the Board approved investment in the Member Management and Finance System that will improve the services we deliver to members, and the development of a new website that will provide a more personalised experience for users. Members will see the initial release of the new website by the end of Q1, 2021.

7. Certificate Presentations ceremonies 

After postponing all Certificate Presentation ceremonies in semester 1 due to COVID-19 restrictions, planning is now underway for semester 2 with the nature of the event to depend on the restrictions in the respective Divisions. In Queensland we will trial our first Virtual Recognition Ceremony on 17 November. Members will receive their certificate or pin by mail and will be invited to attend a Virtual Recognition Ceremony to acknowledge the achievements of nearly 800 Queensland-based members from semester 1 and 2 who are advancing to CPA or FCPA status or celebrating a major membership milestone.

Merran Kelsall FCPA

President and Chairman
On behalf of CPA Australia's Board of Directors