By MIA Strategic Communications & Branding Team and Nazatul Izma
The Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA) recently charted a new milestone—the election of Puan Saniza Said as its first woman President by the MIA Council on 8 December 2025.
While her election is a benchmark for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and a hallmark of sustainability, her role is the same as any other MIA President—to serve on the MIA Council and help drive the Institute’s mandate to regulate and develop the accountancy profession for future relevance.
Puan Saniza has been an MIA member since 2000. She was elected as an MIA Council Member on 26 September 2022 and elevated to Vice President on 1 December 2023 making her familiar with the Institute’s collaborative leadership approach and advocacy for nation building. In her new role, she will continue to serve and inspire progress towards the profession’s transformation, leveraging MIA’s sustainability agenda and continuing digital adoption efforts, while strictly upholding ethics in the public interest.
Practical Insights for Long-Term Adaptability
Drawing on her long experience, she brings to the table many insights relevant to MIA’s members, especially SMPs. In her day job, she is the founder and Audit Partner of Saniza & Co., with over 26 years of experience in public practice and business consultancy. She began her career in 1997 as an audit associate at a small firm in Kuala Lumpur, upon graduating with a Bachelor of Accountancy from Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Shah Alam.
“Accounting appealed to me because it is practical and impactful. Starting my own firm was about building something aligned with my values — integrity, professionalism, and trust”, she stated. She is mindful that accountancy practitioners as business advisors are able to have tremendous influence and impact on businesses, their decision-making and outcomes, and the livelihoods and well-being of people in these organisations and the public at large. “While technical excellence matters, it is judgment, ethics, and people skills that truly differentiate sound accountancy leadership”, she added.
Strategically, Puan Saniza also acquired a Master of Business Administration from University Sains Malaysia (USM) to support her firm’s diversification into business advisory. “I saw opportunities, particularly among SMEs, who needed trusted advisors rather than purely compliance support.”
Having weathered almost three decades in the Small & Medium Practices (SMP) space, Puan Saniza noted that: “The profession has changed tremendously, and adaptability has been key.” For example, she has strategically focused on carving out a niche in premium services—prioritising quality over quantity—to enable her firm to thrive sustainably. Puan Saniza also explained that she is highly selective in taking on clients, which has helped her firm in upholding audit quality, auditor independence and professional standards. She is also keen to share her lessons learned with members, especially SMPs – recently she delivered a session on best practices at the MIA Public Practice Programme 2026.
A key factor in adaptability has been applying the insights gained through MIA professional development programmes and access to resources, such as digital tools and Artificial Intelligence (AI) adoption tailored for SMPs, while minimising risks. “AI allows accountants to move beyond routine work into advisory and strategic roles. The challenge is ensuring professional judgment and ethics remain central. Technology enhances our work, but accountability always rests with the professional,” she said.
She encourages members to step outside comfort zones and take on difficult challenges for long-term growth. Personally, she thanks her family for insisting on enrolling her in a Chinese primary school in Perlis before it was in vogue, where she became fluent in Mandarin. As an arts stream student in secondary school, she struggled with accountancy studies at university, having to study twice as hard as her peers. Mid-career, she chose to establish her then-sole practitioner firm in Penang, an unknown market where she lacked networks and solid support.
Key Priorities: Enhancing Value, Developing Talent
The role of MIA President is yet another challenge, albeit unexpected. “Being elected as MIA’s first woman President is deeply humbling. When I began my career, I was focused on learning, surviving deadlines, and doing my work well — I never imagined becoming ‘the first woman’ in this role” she said.
Nevertheless, her role as MIA’s first woman President brings greater visibility and representation for women accountancy professionals, in an evolving profession that now comprises more than 60% women. Her election also signals that the Malaysian economy is increasingly welcoming women leaders, reaffirming their leadership and potential based on capability, credentials and experience.
Like her predecessors, she will continue to focus on upholding MIA’s priorities and advocacy as the regulator and developer of the profession. Two key priorities are enhancing the value proposition of the profession and talent development for sustainable nation building.
“With regards to enhancing the value proposition, we have made encouraging progress across several targeted initiatives to enhance member engagement, capability, and long-term sustainability,” explained Puan Saniza. Initiatives for enhancing value and well-being include committing RM1.1 million from MIA reserves for FY2025/2026 to programmes that directly benefit MIA members and strengthen professional capacity and resilience. Members will also benefit from the Member Bereavement Assistance Programme, which is now fully operational, while the proposed Insurance Benefit has been approved in principle and is moving towards finalisation.
Communicating the value proposition of the profession is equally important to ensure that members are aware and able to access and benefit from these programmes, said Puan Saniza. On top of existing engagement sessions such as the Town Halls, MIA has commenced nationwide members’ networking sessions, starting in Johor Bahru, with more sessions rolling out across the country.
Talent development is especially close to her heart, and she is keen to give back to society. She has served as Academic Advisor to Polytechnics in the Northern Region since 2010, and strives to groom and nurture talent through her firm. “Seeing team members grow into confident professionals and leaders’ gives me the greatest satisfaction. Challenges were inevitable — regulatory shifts, technological change, and periods of uncertainty — but they reinforced the importance of resilience and continuous learning”, she elaborated. A testament to her training efforts is the number of former staff who have been recruited by the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) and Royal Malaysian Customs for their financial expertise.
Leading with Integrity to Protect the Public Interest
Puan Saniza emphasised that ethics, integrity and accountability are the foundation of the profession’s value proposition, underscoring its contributions to nation building.
“Public trust is our license to operate—the profession must act ethically, exercising professional judgment and upholding integrity and accountability to maintain trust and our reputation”, underscored Pn Saniza.
“Looking ahead, MIA’s direction is clear. We will continue to work to strengthen ethics and governance, advance sustainability and digital transformation, empower our members, and invest in the profession’s future”, she stressed.
She reminded members that their participation is vital to ensure that the profession remains responsive, relevant and trusted. “Collectively and by collaborating strategically, we can uphold the values of integrity, excellence and service — for sustainable nation building and a future-relevant profession.”
