Share this:
The accounting profession is attracting greater numbers of women, according to statistics released today by Australia’s peak accounting body, CPA Australia.
CPA Australia CEO Alex Malley said the ratio of women to men in the accounting profession had moved towards parity over the past decade or so – a trend that was reflected in CPA Australia’s membership figures.
The figures show 57 per cent of new entrants into the CPA program for 2010 were women and women now accounted for 43 per cent of CPA Australia’s 129,000 members.
In 2000, CPA Australia’s membership included just over 27,000 females. This figure has now reached 55,000 compared with nearly 74,000 men.
“An increasing number of highly qualified and skilled female finance professionals are working as general manager’s, CFOs and CEOs in large companies across the globe and ultimately, we expect this trend to transpire into more women occupying a seat at the boardroom table,” Alex Malley said.
Christina Foo, a board director at CPA Australia and managing director of Priority One Consulting Services in Malaysia, said female finance managers who combined their technical, interpersonal and leadership skills were leading businesses with great success.
“Accounting skills have given many women the opportunity to have a flexible and portable career in business and finance in whichever industry they choose,” she said.
“Females worldwide are recognising that successful businesses are constantly looking for highly skilled decision makers with the right technical skills.”
According to Alex Malley, the business community needs passionate individuals – regardless of their gender – who can lead organisations through future challenges.
“Women and men with an understanding of global conditions who make a positive contribution and take a strategic view will always succeed,” he said.