The first-ever Asian women, Melanie Janine Kanaka, has been elected CIMA President and co-chair of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants.
She becomes CIMA’s 89th president, and for her year in office she has promised to put a strong emphasis on inspiring younger generations to join the dynamic profession, advancing the profession’s digital skills and capabilities, and the importance of fostering diversity, equity and inclusion.
Kanaka has been an active member of CIMA for over three decades and has held several volunteer positions both in Sri Lanka, her home country, and internationally.
On her appointment she said: “It is a true privilege to have been chosen by my peers to serve our members and students around the world, and represent our profession on the global stage”.
“Now is the time for the profession to lean in and take the next step forward. We must make sure that we continue to deliver innovative solutions to create value, build trust, seize new opportunities and help deliver prosperity for individuals, organisations, economies and society as whole.”
