CIMA history

It took many steps to reach CIMA’s centenary. Here are some of the key ones:

1919: The Institute of Cost and Works Accountants (ICWA) is founded, with 37 members by the end of 1919. Entrepreneur Lord Leverhulme becomes the Institute's first president in December 1919.

1920: The first examination is held in December.

1921: The first female member, Miriam Neale, is admitted to the Institute.

1936: The number of active members reaches 1,000.

1937: "Costing Terminology", which established the science of cost accounting until the mid-1970s, is published in The Cost Accountant, the Institute's journal.

1942: First Institute exams sat by British servicemen being held in Germany's prisoner-of-war camps.

1955: First international office opens in South Africa.

1969: The Institute appoints an Overseas Affairs Committee to advise on its development "as an international body".

1972: The Institute changes its name to the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants.

1975: The Institute is granted a Royal Charter.

1986: The Institute changes its name to the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

1995: CIMA members are given the right to use the title Chartered Management Accountant.

1999: The number of active members reaches 50,000.

2003: The Institute elects its first female president, Claire Ighodaro.

2012: The Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) designation is introduced in partnership with the American Institute of CPAs.

2014: The CGMA Competency Framework is published.

2014: The Global Management Accounting Principles are launched.

2015: Examinations move to computer and on demand.

2015: The number of active members reaches 100,000.

2017: The Association of International Certified Professional Accountants is formed on 1 January with more than 650,000 members in 177 countries.

2019: The 2019 CIMA Professional Qualification Syllabus and updated CGMA Competency Framework are launched.