January
CAMBODIA
Raksmei Kampuchea Daily carried five articles mentioning ACCA in its weekly Accounting and Finance matters. These looked at tuition at ACCA's tuition provider CAMED, an interview with Mr Ngi Tayi, Undersecretary of State of Economy and Finance on Cambodian taxation on companies who mentioned ACCA as a benchmark to train Cambodian accountants, an ACCA survey on the strategic role of departmental manager in companies, the award of medals to 18 students, and an interview with a Cambodian ACCA student who is currently taking ACCA courses after completing his Master of Economics in France.
CTN (Cambodia Television Network) In its programme, Sunday Talk, there was an interview with H.E. Mr Ngy Tayi, Chairman of the National Accounting Council and Undersecretary of State for Economy and Finance. He discussed accountancy development in Cambodia and mentioned ACCA as an internationally-recognised qualification. He mentioned a Cambodian ACCA member who is now working in Australia.
The announcement of ACCA's new qualification, with its focus on professional ethics, including quotes from Clare Minchington were carried in national newspaper Raksmei Kampuchea Daily.
CHINA
The results of a survey on work stress of accountants and financial professionals, jointly conducted by ACCA and the Shanghai National Accounting Institute website, appeared in Finance and Accounting magazine.
The China Financial and Economic News,Sina website/CCIDnet website/CPA View website/China Financial and Economic News reported that an ACCA survey revealed that NED fees at smaller end of company market have remained static over the last two years.
The January issue of Accounting Learning reported that ACCA had appointed a new Asia Pacific Regional Director, Tan Jee Say.
The launch of ACCA's new Approved Employer Scheme in Shanghai was covered in the Shanghai Morning Post, Shanghai Daily, Wen Hui Daily, Lao Dong Daily, China Business News Radio, China Business News TV and Sina website. More than 120 companies in the city were accredited as the first batch of approved employers by ACCA. Joseph Chen is quoted, saying: "We are taking strict selection and assessment steps to ensure only employers who really care about their staff's personal development can be accredited."
The launch of ACCA's new qualification, with it focus on ethics , received considerable coverage including in the Sina website , Shanghai Evening Post, Jie Fang Daily , Sohu website, International Finance News, Ta Kung Pao and CPA View website -12 January – reports on the launch of the new ACCA qualification, which it says includes professional ethics.
The CICPA website reported that an ACCA delegation led by Iain McCusker, Managing Director – Strategy and Development, visited CICPA and met CICPA secretary general Dr. Chen Yugui and Deputy Mr. Dong Xingang to discuss training for trainers and co-operation between medium and small size accounting firms.
The news that ACCA will be the lead sponsor for the 17th World Congress of Accountants to be held in Istanbul in November 2006 was carried on the CPA View website and zgedu.net.
CYPRUS
‘Mahi', ‘Alithia' and Phileleftheros newspapers reported that ACCA's new qualification places emphasis on professionalism and ethics'
ETHIOPIA
Leading Ethiopian newspaper Capital carried an extensive report on the launch of the new ACCA qualification, with comments from Hikmet Abdella, Manager of ACCA Ethiopia, and Clare Minchington, managing director of education, training and development at ACCA.
EUROPE
An article carried by Reuters which said that the Committee of European Securities Regulators (CESR) has warned investors to be sure they were comparing like with like when analysing the first annual reports issued under the new IFRS regime, carried comments from Richard Martin, ACCA's Head of Financial reporting. He advised that despite the advent of common standards under IFRS, there were still degrees of choices and flexibility open to management so investors should be aware of this.
The EU Reporter newspaper carried an extensive article by Chas Roy-Chowdhury, ACCA's head of tax, which looks at the issues surrounding flat tax and whether it could be successfully introduced across the EU.
HONG KONG
ACCA's SME Accounting Management Excellence Award Seminar series was reported in the Hong Kong Economic Times. The subject of the seminars were: “Excellent accounting management facilitates effective operations”, “Corruption prevention and business ethics for SMEs”, “Corporate Governance” and “Effective Use of Accounting Information”.
ACCA HK's recommendations for the 2006-07 Budget were carried in the Hong Kong Economic Journal prior to the Financial Secretary delivering the 2006-07 Budget speech at the Legislative Council on 22 February.
South China Morning Post, Wen Wei Po and Sing Tao Daily reported that the University of Hong Kong School of Professional and Continuing Education has entered into a strategic alliance with ACCA Hong Kong. One of the first joint initiatives will be the launch of a series of programmes in the mainland. Three courses are scheduled for a March launch in Beijing: an executive diploma in international financial reporting, an advanced professional diploma in professional accounting studies, and a postgraduate diploma in accounting studies.
Radio Television of Hong Kong (morning programme), Sing Tao Daily, Ming Pao Daily, Oriental Daily, Apple Daily, Sing Pao, Metro Daily and Wen Wei Po reproted that the 9th ACCA Charity Fun Day was successfully held on Sunday, 22 January 2006 at the Chater Road Sunday Pedestrian Zone in Central. Nearly HK$800,000 was been raised for Harmony House, Hong Kong PHAB Association, and The Spastic Association of Hong Kong for their projects that aim to help battered women and children to regain self-esteem, and the disabled to enhance their living standards and social networks.
IRELAND
An article on reforms in corporate governance in the Sunday Business Post mentions research by Paul Moxey, Head of Corporate Governance and Risk Management at ACCA, which indicates that companies are implementing the provisions reluctantly and are generally unconvinced that they add value to their business.
The news that ACCA will be lead sponsor for the 17th World Congress of Accountants in Istanbul in November appeared in the Irish Examiner.
MALAYSIA
A series personal finance articles on budgeting, financing childrens' education and the value of safe deposit boxes, provided by ACCA appeared in the Sunday Mail and Jelita magazine.
POLAND
A 12 page supplement called Kadry Finansowe (Finance Management), which includes interviews with ACCA Polish Members (key players within the Polish economy), employers endorsements, statements of local and foreign recruitment companies and an extensive interview with Malgorzata Sawicka, ACCA Country Representative appeared in Rzeczpospolita the Polish equivalent of the Financial Times
RUSSIA
Russia's IFRS Magazine ran an interview with ACCA members and Diploma holders on how obtaining ACCA qualifications affected their careers.
SINGAPORE
The latest edition of Singapore Accountant carried an article on Tan Jee Say's appointment as Regional Director - Asia Pacific. It detailed what he will be doing and also mentioned his previous roles prior to ACCA. The same issue also mentions ACCA President Christopher Forster's visit to Singapore and him personally presenting the certificates to the 4 Singapore Students who were worldwide ACCA Prizewinners for their respective papers.
Smart Investor also carried details of Tan Jee Say's appointment as ACCA's regional director. It mentioned his previous employment and also cited Jee Say's intention to work closely with various corporate partners and stakeholders including the government and their regulatory bodies to “build an accounting profession that meets the needs of the region in the 21st century”.
SRI LANKA
The Sunday Times – Educational Supplement and the Sunday Leader carried extensive details of the qualifications offered by ACCA in conjunction with a major educational fair, EDEX.
UNITED KINGDOM
The Daily Telegraph carried comments from Chas Roy-Chowdhury, ACCA's Head of Tax, on the fact that HM Revenue & Customs wrote off more than £827 million of tax debts in 2005, more than half as much again as the previous year.
John Davies, ACCA's Head of Business Law, highlights the loophole in the Civil Partnership Act which enables two people of the same sex to enter into a partnership to take advantage of pension rights, life assurance and inheritance transfers. In the article in the Financial Times, ACCA is referred to as “the UK's main accountancy body”.
Chas Roy-Chowdhury, head of tax at ACCA, commented in the Mail on Sunday on the need for small businesses to be prepared for HM Revenue & Customs to subject their business documents to closer scrutiny, and urged companies to keep good books and records.
The Financial Times carried comments from Chas Roy-Chowdhury , ACCA head of tax, said that companies have been left in a “state of confusion” over filing their accounts by the end of January following the decision by HM Revenue & Customs to appeal against the Arctic Systems tax case ruling by the Court of Appeal, which overturned a High Court on the use of dividends by the married couple running Arctic Systems.
The Daily Telegraph reported that Chas Roy-Chowdhury had commented on the fact that taxpayers who completed shortened tax returns, may pay smaller tax bills than those who completed the longer form. This is because the shortened forms, do not call for detailed breakdowns of foreign dividend income unlike the longer versions.
ZAMBIA
ACCA has placed emphasis on professionalism, ethics and workplace competence for its new international accountancy qualification, said the Zambia Daily Mail.
The Times of Zambia and Zambia Daily Mail reported a speech by Bank of Zambia Governor, Dr Caleb Fundanga, who warned that errors in business and financial reporting by local journalists can adversely affect investment growth. Speaking during the fourth annual business reporters awards sponsored by ACCA Zambia held at the Taj Pamodzi Hotel on Wednesday evening, Dr Fundanga said the nation was focused on transforming its economy through private and public sector investment which required that stakeholders have accurate and correct information about the economy which journalists were responsible for disseminating.