Joseph Owolabi appointed global president of ACCA

Joseph Owolabi has been elected president of ACCA

Joseph grew up and studied in Nigeria, has lived and worked in Africa, North America and the UK, and now is an adoptive Australian. He will bring his knowledge of being a global citizen to his time as ACCA president and will draw on his experience of finding a home and a family with ACCA wherever he has lived and worked.

He became an ACCA member in 2011 and has served on ACCA’s International Assembly 2014-2015 and has been an ACCA Council member since 2015.

Joseph said: ‘If you had told me as a child growing up that I would one day be the first African leading the largest, truly global accounting body, I would not have believed you. ACCA is an inclusive open and global community for members, future members and partners. Wherever in the world I have found myself, ACCA has given me a home and a family.

‘I am passionate about connecting our community and inspiring the accountants of tomorrow. Great things happen when we collaborate across jurisdictions and national divides.

‘The challenges of today and the complexities of tomorrow will demand continuous learning, courage, sound judgment and a resolve to stay ahead of the curve. The accountancy profession has a key role to play in creating a better world.’

Joseph brings a wealth of experience to the role. He is founder of Rubicola which works in Australia, Africa and North America advising clients on risk, non-financial reporting and sustainable business strategies. His previous experience includes roles at Deloitte, EY and PwC.

As well as his FCCA qualification, Joseph has completed an executive leadership program at Harvard Business School and an environmental, sustainability leadership program at The Wharton School.

Joseph was confirmed in his new role at the annual Council meeting after ACCA’s AGM on 10 November 2022. Ronnie Patton, formerly senior lecturer at Ulster University, Northern Ireland, was appointed deputy president and Ayla Majid from Pakistan, founder and CEO of Planetive – a company advocating sustainability – became vice president. 

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About ACCA
ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) is the global body for professional accountants.

We’re a thriving global community of 241,000 members and 542,000 future members based in 178 countries and regions, who work across a wide range of sectors and industries. We uphold the highest professional and ethical values.

We offer everyone everywhere the opportunity to experience a rewarding career in accountancy, finance and management. Our qualifications and learning opportunities develop strategic business leaders, forward-thinking professionals with the financial, business and digital expertise essential for the creation of sustainable organisations and flourishing societies.

Since 1904, being a force for public good has been embedded in our purpose. In December 2020, we made commitments to the UN Sustainable Development Goals which we are measuring and will report on in our annual integrated report.

We believe that accountancy is a cornerstone profession of society and is vital helping economies, organisations and individuals to grow and prosper. It does this by creating robust trusted financial and business management, combating corruption, ensuring organisations are managed ethically, driving sustainability, and providing rewarding career opportunities.

And through our cutting-edge research, we lead the profession by answering today’s questions and preparing for the future. We’re a not-for-profit organisation. Find out more at accaglobal.com

 

"I am passionate about connecting our community and inspiring the accountants of tomorrow. Great things happen when we collaborate."

Joseph Owolabi