By the MIA Strategic Communications Team
The MIA International Accountants Conference 2024 (MIA Conference 2024) turned out to be one of the most successful in the event’s storied history, welcoming close to 3,800 physical and virtual delegates to the KLCC Convention Centre on 11 and 12 June 2024. Notably, delegate registrations to the Conference were sold out as of end-May 2024, the earliest ever in its history. “This achievement attests to the Conference’s continuing relevance and popularity as one of the region’s largest congregations of accountancy professionals,” said Dr Wan Ahmad Rudirman Wan Razak, Chief Executive Officer, MIA in his Conference welcoming remarks.
Strategic collaboration is at the heart of MIA’s value creation, and it is an integral element behind the Conference’s continuing success. Aptly, at the commencement of the Conference, Dr. Wan Ahmad Rudirman thanked all delegates, speakers, partners, supporters and stakeholders for their support and collaborative efforts.
Setting the tone for the Conference with its focus on sustainability and futureproofing of accountancy talents, Dato’ Seri Dr Mohamad Zabidi Ahmad, President, MIA stated in his opening address that “MIA has identified climate change and sustainability as game changers for the global business ecosystem. As such, the profession and accountancy professionals should enhance their future relevance to investors and business by upskilling on ESG and sustainability.”
Attesting to MIA’s stature as the voice of the profession among policymakers and decisionmakers, the Conference was officiated by guest of honour YB Senator Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan, Minister of Finance II. In his keynote address at the Conference Opening Ceremony, Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah touched on the critical role of accountants in sustainable nation-building as envisaged by the Madani government. “As the government continues to pursue systemic reforms to curb corruption, wastages and leakages, accountants play a pivotal role as proponents of good governance and ethical business practices, digital playmakers and ESG enablers,” he said.
In line with the theme of the Conference “Navigating New Frontiers, Embracing Sustainability”, Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah also officiated the launch of the MIA Sustainability Blueprint for the Accountancy Profession during the Conference’s grand opening ceremony. This Blueprint reflects MIA’s commitment to sustainable practices and sets out principles and guidelines to support the aspirations and actions of accountants in embedding sustainability. While congratulating MIA, Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah said that the Blueprint could serve as a useful guide to accountancy professionals on their expanding roles as sustainability gains momentum and organisations come under greater scrutiny.
A major highlight of the Conference was a special session by Ms Asmâa Resmouki, President of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) which represents the perspectives of the global accountancy profession. Focusing on the new frontiers unfolding for the accountancy profession, Asmâa discussed the evolution of assurance to encompass emerging assurance opportunities in ESG, technology, cybersecurity, AI, and anti-money laundering (AML). As the profession stands at the nexus of business and governance, Asmâa also cautioned accountants on the opportunities and ethical challenges that come with AI and the need for accountants to always uphold ethical integrity in all that they do.
Session Highlights
Over the two-day Conference, nearly 80 expert speakers shared their insights across 16 sessions designed to future-proof the profession in a turbulent landscape that is increasingly shaped by sustainability.
Highlights included Plenary One which focused on navigating the profession’s new frontiers, whereby speakers discussed the critical role of accountants in sustainability management and the need to upskill, build capacity and integrate sustainability into business. Plenary Two discussed smart finance, the pros and cons of adopting a cloud hybrid structure and the cost-benefit analysis and governance issues of migrating to cloud. Meanwhile, other sessions examined developments affecting the profession, such as the ethics of sustainability, environmental taxation and what accountants should know about the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), among others.
What’s Next for the MIA Conference 2025
The success of the MIA Conference 2024 will be a tough act to follow. However, G Shanmugam, Conference Director and Executive Director – Strategy & Development, said that MIA welcomes the challenge whilst acknowledging possible future opportunities. For the upcoming MIA Conference 2025, he shared that the team is looking into growing the virtual attendance numbers for the hybrid conference, and attracting more international participants.
G Shan expressed MIA’s appreciation for the overwhelming response and accolades from stakeholders and partners. He also thanked everyone for sharing the Conference widely across social media, which is key to boosting the Conference’s brand and recognition of MIA as the voice of the profession.
For 2025, the Conference will be looking into showcasing a more diverse content offering geared to the evolving needs of accountants and business. “The accountancy profession is highly diverse. To date, MIA’s membership has grown to nearly 40,000 across the membership categories of Professional Accountants in Business (PAIB), public practice, public sector and academia. Therefore, MIA will strive harder to deliver greater value in terms of content and speakers to match the divergent needs of our accountancy talents and ensure that they are future-proof and market relevant,” concluded G Shan.
