Europe holds a special place for me personally. I lived there for nine years—as a student and as a professional—and it never ceases to amaze me that when we talk about this region, we’re really referring to a collection of many countries with different languages and cultures, not to mention various views on accounting and finance.
The strong member support and engagement for IMA in the Netherlands was very evident, not only during the Board meetings but also at our chapter and other networking and educational events, where, for example, IMA President and CEO Jeff Thomson spoke on the subject of the future of finance and its role in co-driving the business. Similar enthusiasm greeted me in Switzerland, where I attended IMA’s Management Accounting Conference in Zug and discussed the opportunities for accounting and finance professionals in the Digital Age. Students and professionals at our other events in Europe—such as our Women’s Accounting Leadership Series event in Munich and our Student Leadership Conference in Moscow—were also engaged and motivated, especially to pursue CMA® (Certified Management Accountant) certification.
Overall, the trends we’re seeing in Europe reflect broader ones we’re seeing in the United States and elsewhere in the world: namely, the shift of the capabilities and demands of our profession to focus more on data analysis and analytical insights. Members around the world look to IMA to provide leadership in these areas to help them navigate the challenges ahead and better position their organizations—and themselves—for success.
I hope that our members in Europe and other regions around the world will continue to show excitement, interest, and support for management accounting and CMA certification. IMA is there to support you each step of the way.
I welcome your comments on this or any other subject at christian.cuzick@imanet.org.
January 2020
