Accountants’ body is being formed
02 Nov 1983ARRANGEMENTS are going ahead for the setting up of a new professional association for accountants in the Middle East, the Arab Society of Certified Accountants, headed by an accountant in Oman, Mr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh.
A total of 28 prominent accountants from all over the Arab world met recently at the headquarters of the Association of Certified Accountants at Lincoln’s Inn Fields in London to discuss the idea.
Drawn from leading local and international firms operating in the Arab countries, but acting in their personal capacity, they laid down the principles on which the society will operate and elected a first council, which will be charged with drawing up a constitution for the new body.
Although the idea of a pan Arab professional accountancy body is not new, the impetus for this development came following a visit to the Middle East earlier this year by Professor John R. Small, then president of the association of Certified Accountants. Following discussions with practitioners and government representatives in a number of countries, Professor Small offered the association’s assistance. The result was the meeting, which was chaired by association deputy president Frederick Bleasdale.
The society will be the first accountancy body in the Arab world with an examining function. Previous attempts to set up professional bodies have foundered through lack of such a capability.
First president of the society will be Talal Abu-Ghazaleh of Talal Abu-Ghazaleh International, one of the leading Arab accountancy firms in the Middle East, who is based in Oman.
Mr. Abu-Ghazaleh, a graduate of the American University of Beirut, said after the meeting: “This is a historic day for the Arab profession. Our ambition is to develop a professional body which will qualify Arab accountants to serve the economies of the Arab world. We are grateful to the association for its support, and will work closely with it in order to ensure that the technical and ethical standards of the society are as high as those of professional bodies in the developed world.”
A total of 28 prominent accountants from all over the Arab world met recently at the headquarters of the Association of Certified Accountants at Lincoln’s Inn Fields in London to discuss the idea.
Drawn from leading local and international firms operating in the Arab countries, but acting in their personal capacity, they laid down the principles on which the society will operate and elected a first council, which will be charged with drawing up a constitution for the new body.
Although the idea of a pan Arab professional accountancy body is not new, the impetus for this development came following a visit to the Middle East earlier this year by Professor John R. Small, then president of the association of Certified Accountants. Following discussions with practitioners and government representatives in a number of countries, Professor Small offered the association’s assistance. The result was the meeting, which was chaired by association deputy president Frederick Bleasdale.
The society will be the first accountancy body in the Arab world with an examining function. Previous attempts to set up professional bodies have foundered through lack of such a capability.
First president of the society will be Talal Abu-Ghazaleh of Talal Abu-Ghazaleh International, one of the leading Arab accountancy firms in the Middle East, who is based in Oman.
Mr. Abu-Ghazaleh, a graduate of the American University of Beirut, said after the meeting: “This is a historic day for the Arab profession. Our ambition is to develop a professional body which will qualify Arab accountants to serve the economies of the Arab world. We are grateful to the association for its support, and will work closely with it in order to ensure that the technical and ethical standards of the society are as high as those of professional bodies in the developed world.”
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