“The accountancy profession has a fantastic story to tell – but we’ve never been particularly good at telling it.” That’s the opinion of Helen Brand, chief executive at the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), which offers the almost-universally recognised Chartered Certified Accountant qualification. It’s a wry acknowledgment of an industry that quietly keeps the world’s businesses in check, yet rarely steps into the spotlight to claim credit.
Accountants are often underestimated, reduced to number-crunching while their wider contributions to strategy and governance go overlooked. Accountancy therefore is sometimes perceived to be dull and outdated. But Brand says, in reality, the profession is anything but. “This narrow view fails to capture the diverse roles accountants play across the public sector, commerce and non-profit organisations.”
Brand has helmed ACCA since 2008. At that time, accountants did not have as much influence as they do today, but the global financial crisis, the pandemic and successive geopolitical upheavals have transformed the profession, thrusting accountants into roles of greater strategic importance and visibility. And the ACCA community has grown considerably since then, with global membership in 2025 exceeding 250,000.
But now, says Brand, the profession is undergoing “its most significant transformation yet”, combining traditional finance duties with broader responsibility for business strategy and purpose-driven initiatives.
Changing talent expectations
ACCA’s 2025 Talent Trends survey reveals a significant shift among young accounting talent. More than half (52%) of respondents want to one day start their own business, a stark contrast to previous generations, Brand says.
The number of accountancy, bookkeeping and auditing companies operating in the UK declined 3% in the past year, and almost 8% over the past five years, according to analysis from the Global Payroll Association (GPA). For a field typically perceived to be steady and stable, the preferences of future finance professionals have proved destabilising. The ACCA findings offer some reassurance, however: young people are still interested in accountancy, just not necessarily in its traditional forms.
Completing your qualification used to be enough, but those days are over
Rather than pursuing the standard audit-to-partner trajectory, the next wave of entrants is treating the profession as a launchpad, Brand says. “They see the qualification as a way to gain credibility, financial literacy and strategic insight that can later be applied to running their own ventures.”
Startups, side hustles and the creator economy have glamorised entrepreneurship for younger generations. Many gen-Zers and millennials are inspired by stories of founders and want to follow a similar path, Brand explains. “Young professionals value independence and want to shape their careers around personal purpose, impact and flexibility – something entrepreneurship promises more than traditional corporate ladders.”
Brand notes that ACCA members today are equipped with broader skills than ever before. No longer confined to number-crunching, they are trained in strategy, governance, technology and risk management. “This wider expertise positions them as business leaders in their own right and gives young accountants the confidence to launch and run companies of their own,” she says.
Accountants’ newfound entrepreneurial spirit could reshape finance teams in other ways, too, says Brand. “It could lead to more organisations partnering with individual accountants or small practices (SMPs) as third-party providers, rather than solely relying on in-house accounting functions.”
A bridge-building profession
Accounting professionals today are more entrepreneurial and business-minded than ever before and their influence must extend beyond the finance function. They can be invaluable in helping organisations to track progress on initiatives such as carbon reduction, gender equality and AI governance, for instance. “Accountancy is increasingly a bridge-building profession,” Brand says. “Accountants ensure that different areas of the business, and even wider society, are aligned, accountable and moving in the same direction.”
ACCA recently redesigned its qualification to reflect the expanded remit of the profession, covering not only traditional finance but also sustainability, technology and business strategy. The updated qualification, which will be introduced from mid-2027, emphasises cross-functional skills, with mandatory modules in communication, leadership and strategic thinking. “Accountancy is being completely redefined,” Brand says. “These new capabilities will enable accountants to fulfil a much larger role in the organisation.”
Because the fundamentals of the profession are changing so quickly, lifelong learning is now essential, Brand says. “Completing your qualification used to be enough, but those days are over. Continuous professional development is crucial for keeping accountants not just relevant but indispensable to business success.”
Why more boardrooms need accountants
Amid mounting regulatory pressures, intense corporate scrutiny and ambitious ESG targets, boards cannot afford to side-line accountants in strategic decision-making, Brand argues.
The accountancy profession has a fantastic story to tell – but we’ve never been particularly good at telling it
Organisations have historically restricted finance leadership positions to those with a background in accountancy. But they’ve become more open to hiring finance chiefs who lack traditional qualifications, according to an analysis by Leathwaite, an executive-search firm. Of the 31 newly appointed CFOs at FTSE 100 companies in 2023, 13 (42%) had no accountancy qualification. Some believe that opening the profession to those from non-traditional backgrounds will help organisations fill critical skills gaps and enhance innovation and decision-making. But Brand says findings such as Leathwaite’s indicate a glaring blind spot.
“Accountants bring invaluable perspectives to board discussions. Their expertise is vital for strategic decision-making, financial oversight and risk management,” she stresses, adding that accountants challenge organisations to demonstrate how they are achieving their goals, rather than merely stating commitments. “The ability to demand and provide data and evidence for accountability is a critical trait for leaders, especially as the public increasingly holds businesses accountable for their stated policies.”
Recent high-profile accounting scandals and failures are a stark reminder that boards must include technically competent, accounting-literate experts at the decision-making table.
Brand argues that accountancy is the “perfect training ground” for managers and future leaders. Although accountants are not typically viewed as the obvious choice for leadership, she says, their unique skills and insight make them indispensable in the boardroom.
“The accountancy profession has a fantastic story to tell – but we've never been particularly good at telling it.” That's the opinion of Helen Brand, chief executive at the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), which offers the almost-universally recognised Chartered Certified Accountant qualification. It's a wry acknowledgment of an industry that quietly keeps the world’s businesses in check, yet rarely steps into the spotlight to claim credit.
Accountants are often underestimated, reduced to number-crunching while their wider contributions to strategy and governance go overlooked. Accountancy therefore is sometimes perceived to be dull and outdated. But Brand says, in reality, the profession is anything but. “This narrow view fails to capture the diverse roles accountants play across the public sector, commerce and non-profit organisations.”
Brand has helmed ACCA since 2008. At that time, accountants did not have as much influence as they do today, but the global financial crisis, the pandemic and successive geopolitical upheavals have transformed the profession, thrusting accountants into roles of greater strategic importance and visibility. And the ACCA community has grown considerably since then, with global membership in 2025 exceeding 250,000.
