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According to Helen Brand, chief executive of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), India’s expanding corporate sector and increasing global integration are driving demand for internationally trained finance professionals, with employers looking for more ACCA-qualified accountants than the market can currently supply.
Underscoring the strong employment prospects for students pursuing global accounting qualifications, Brand said during his visit to India, “There are more jobs advertised demanding ACCA-qualified professionals than we can currently supply.”
India is one of ACCA’s largest and fastest growing markets, and the brand’s journey is focused on high-level engagement with policy makers, employers and industry bodies. At a time when the accounting profession is changing rapidly, he said it is important to understand what skills Indian businesses will need in the coming decade.
AI is changing roles, not replacing accountants
Addressing concerns about artificial intelligence disrupting finance-related jobs, Brand said that routine tasks may be automated, but the importance of professional judgment, ethics and strategic insight is increasing. “You can’t be a professional accountant today without being technically competent,” he said. He said future roles will include analyzing much broader data sets, including metrics related to sustainability and people.
Rather than being threatened by the technology, young professionals see AI as an opportunity to move away from repetitive work toward more meaningful and value-driven roles, the brand said.
Ethics and trust in an AI-led world
As AI becomes embedded in business decision making, ethical oversight will become important, Brand said. He said professional accountants will play a central role in ensuring trust, governance and responsible use of technology within organisations. This ethical lens will separate human professionals from automated systems, he said.
Sustainability reporting will soon be mandatory
The brand also highlighted the increasing regulatory pressure around sustainability reporting. With the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) setting a global baseline under the IFRS foundation, sustainability disclosures will not remain voluntary for long.
“Businesses that plan ahead and integrate sustainability into their reporting frameworks will be in a far better position than those that wait for compliance to be implemented,” he said, adding that accountants will be key in preventing greenwashing and ensuring credibility.
Why does ACCA’s global model matter?
On career paths, Brand said ACCA’s edge lies in its global orientation and strong emphasis on commercial acumen. Based on international accounting standards since 1996, the qualification prepares professionals not only for accounting roles but for leadership positions in all sectors.
ACCA works with over 150 Indian universities and closely with employers and industry bodies such as ASSOCHAM and CII to ensure that its qualifications reflect market needs rather than academic theory.
Skills that will define future careers
Looking ahead, the brand said communication, leadership and teamwork will become even more important as technology advances. “It is these human skills that will separate professionals from machines,” he said.
They hope that by 2030 finance professionals will be technology-enabled, ethically-based and sustainability-literate, working at the center of business decision making and creating value that goes beyond financial performance to encompass people, planet and prosperity.
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