I’m delighted that my professional designations have served me so well over the course of a varied and interesting 30-year career, ever since I was admitted to CIMA membership in 1992. I proudly added the CGMA designatory letters after my name in 2012, when the CGMA designation was created.
The worldwide reach of AICPA & CIMA makes CGMA the only management accounting designation with truly global recognition. That means our qualifications are recognised and respected everywhere by our employers, clients, customers, and regulators. The CGMA designation is a true global passport that leads one to a successful global career.
The reason for this is simple. The aptitude and dedication that are required to acquire CIMA’s CGMA Professional Qualification, which permits use of the CGMA designation, shows that the designation holders are people of good character, are guided by strong ethics, and have a sound grasp of the leading-edge skills required in today’s rapidly evolving business environment.
Members value the CGMA
Since I became CIMA president and co-chair of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants last June, I’ve had the opportunity to meet with members and candidates from around the world, including in Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Canada, and the UK. In all these places I heard how becoming a CGMA designation holder helps start a successful career.
Both new and long-standing CIMA members also share these feelings. Time and time again, they tell me the value that their membership and CGMA designation bring to their careers and how their unique skillset is valued by their organisations. This is why they continue to place their trust in us by remaining a member of the world’s largest body for management accountants.
It is in the interests of all CIMA members to do everything we can to reinforce the power and brand recognition of that designation. CGMA is a differentiator in a confusing market. At the moment, there are many management accounting designations, certificates, and programmes around the world awarded by different organisations, but only appropriately qualified AICPA & CIMA members can call themselves CGMAs, the global standard in management accounting. It is vital that we who have it capitalise on this advantage.
Unlike the current postnominal letters ACMA and FCMA, AICPA & CIMA own the sole rights to use the CGMA designation, which is very important. It means the designation is unique and the value of the designation can be legally defended to protect the interests of the people who hold it. This is not true of ACMA and FCMA, as a number of competing accounting organisations also award ACMA and FCMA to their members. While CIMA’s ACMA and FCMA continue to be awarded and used across the world, CGMA is unique because it is owned and defensible by CIMA and recognised globally.
To prevent confusion and to highlight the value of what we have, we must always ensure that our qualification, and membership of CIMA, stand apart in a crowded marketplace. That is why we renamed the CIMA Professional Qualification as CIMA’s CGMA Professional Qualification and brought about brand consistency through the CGMA Finance Leadership Program and the CGMA Competency Framework, emphasising the CGMA designation’s significance.
Maintaining the CGMA’s status as a distinct, prestigious, legally owned, and defensible designation is central to CIMA’s global leading role. Doing so plays a key role in securing the best possible future for our members, giving them the global opportunities that make our profession such an interesting and rewarding field to work in. I wish you the very best as you continue on your progressive professional journey onward and upward. With my best wishes.
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