CPA Australia CEO Chris Freeland answers 5 key questions

1. Accounting is a global profession that can be affected by broad macroeconomic and technological changes. How valued is the professional accountant role in today’s world?

There is a lot going on in the world and there is a growing sense of uncertainty in the profession, which is heightened by scepticism around data and how it is being interpreted. Artificial intelligence (AI), social media and geopolitics all contribute to this uncertainty.

What is needed now is independent, verifiable financial information, provided by ethical professionals. There’s never been a more important time for accountants, especially those with our globally recognised CPA designation.

2. How is CPA Australia planning to engage and attract more people into the global accounting profession for the next generation?

Ask AI to give you a picture of an accountant and it is likely to come back with an older man with glasses, in a suit, sitting behind a desk. The reality is more varied than this stereotype, which we are doing a lot to counter. In Australia, for example, an accountant is more typically a woman in her 40s.

Our brand campaign launched in December 2024 with the tagline “three letters to limitless”. It utilises members’ stories to showcase the diversity of roles available to accountants and finance professionals, including forensic accountancy, entrepreneurship, digital transformation consultancy and cybersecurity analytics.

 

"What is needed now is independent, verifiable financial information, provided by ethical professionals. There’s never been a more important time for accountants."

 

The campaign appears on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok, and it has been viewed by over 32 million unique users worldwide. That more energetic — and indeed happy — image of the profession is especially important in helping us change perceptions among younger generations.

We are also connecting with the next generation through our schools outreach program and high-school exhibitions.

3. You have been quoted as saying: “For accountants, new technology has been a friend much more than an enemy”. How can accountants befriend AI?

There is no question that AI will be a game changer for the profession. It allows accountants to focus on adding value and doing less of the “grunt work”.

To truly take advantage of AI, accountants need to understand what it means and how to use it. That is critical for the profession, and we are supporting our members with training.

4. What accounting and finance skills are central to how the business world evolves over the next decade?

There are new sectors emerging, but core skills are still key. An example is environmental accounting, which makes use of accountants’ core reporting and analytical skills. As a new stream of accounting, it plays to the interests of younger people who, in general, are much more concerned about climate change.

Something that combines a broader societal purpose with a profession is a great opportunity for the next generation.

5. Since becoming CEO, you have engaged with members in different parts of the world. What has surprised you most?

What I love about the role is meeting with members and hearing their stories. I was surprised by the breadth of roles that our members have — whether it is in public practice, the public service or in commerce, where I’ve met CFOs and finance directors from every industry imaginable.

I have connected with members who are entrepreneurs that have started small and built extensive businesses.

Then there are the CPAs who work in not-for-profits. In London, I met a member working for a charity serving women’s health in Africa, who told me stories about crossing borders in quite hazardous situations.

The diversity of roles in this industry is incredible.