CIMA roundup: Global talent development in focus

Three recent announcements highlight global collaboration related to the development of finance talent and recognition of the CGMA designation.

The AICPA and CIMA, along with the Sri Lanka Institute of Directors (SLID), signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen finance, governance, and board-leadership capabilities among Sri Lanka’s business and finance community over the next three years.

“Through a series of joint workshops and tailored events, the partnership will equip finance and business professionals at all levels with finance and corporate governance tools and insights needed to navigate today’s complex digital landscape,” a news release said.

Additionally, through the agreement, CIMA members can take an expedited path to SLID membership through SLID’s Board Leadership Director Certification Programme.

Conversely, SLID members will be eligible to access the Global C-Suite Business and Finance Programme to become CGMA designation holders and CIMA members, the release said.

“This collaboration will empower both CIMA and SLID members — from C-suite leaders to emerging professionals — with the skills and competencies needed to thrive in a rapidly changing environment,” Tharindu Wijewardana, ACMA, CGMA, country manager–Sri Lanka at the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, said in the release.

To access those programmes, members of both organisations must still meet their respective professional body’s membership requirements.

CIMA renews collaboration with University of Cape Coast

CIMA and Ghana’s University of Cape Coast (UCC) have extended their collaboration by three years to enable new cohorts of finance and accounting students to access the CGMA Finance Leadership Program.

In addition to the renewed collaboration, the organisations continue to champion initiatives that empower UCC students to become agile and forward-thinking finance leaders, the release said.

“Through the CGMA Finance Leadership Program, we empower UCC students to build the skills needed to embrace innovation, manage disruption, and drive sustainable growth in Ghana and the African continent,” Paul Aninakwah, ACMA, CGMA, country director–Ghana at the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, said in the release.

CGMA designation formally recognised in Hainan Province, China

Hainan Province in China launched a programme to develop high-level finance talent, supporting its broader Free Trade Port strategy and ambition to build globally competitive capabilities, a news release said.

The CGMA designation has been “formally recognised as meeting the programme’s professional requirements, providing holders with a direct pathway to participate”, the release said. “This marks another milestone in the expanding recognition of the CGMA designation across China — particularly at the city and regional level — as local authorities continue to align talent frameworks with international standards.”

According to the release, Hainan’s two-year programme is designed to develop management-focused finance professionals with strong strategic thinking and value-creation capabilities. Its curriculum includes strategic financial management, finance digital transformation, and the application of management accounting.

— To comment on this article or to suggest an idea for another article, contact Steph Brown at Stephanie.Brown@aicpa-cima.com.

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