Outgoing president's address.
| Author | Jeans, Mike |
| Position | Chartered Institute of Management Accountants President Peter Layhe |
Mike Jeans looks at CIMA's progress over the year
Just under two years ago, the then recently elected president, Peter Layhe, stated that CIMA was "confident, strong and growing". At last year's AGM, the outgoing president, David Melvill, invited CIMA to "step over the threshold". Peter Layhe's statement was absolutely true and during his year we welcomed our 50,000th member. Just 21 months later we reached 55,000 members. David Melvill's invitation was enticing and I believe we have accepted it -- both in terms of being about to step into our new premises in Chapter Street, Pimlico, and in stepping out to tell the world about the value of the CIMA qualification.
But I also wanted to mention my two immediate predecessors for another reason. Presidents come and go -- perhaps to the relief of both members and themselves -- but CIMA continues. One year's presidency is but a brief moment in the history and future of the institute. It would be foolish, indeed arrogant, to believe that new initiatives may be instigated and fulfilled in such a brief period.
Under David's presidency I believe that a new model was adopted, that of an agenda being taken forward by a team of honorary officers working with council and staff. I hope that I have continued in that vein and reinforced it. I cannot emphasise enough how grateful I am for the support received from all of these officers as we have faced and met the challenges ahead.
As my term of presidency drew near, many people talked about the number of "hospital passes" that I was receiving. I did not regard them as such, but rather as a series of initiatives that needed to be brought to fruition. We had run out of suitable space at Portland Place some time ago; our computer systems were creaking; our syllabus needed to be revised; our journal was becoming tired; our logo was ready for refreshment; our student recruitment needed to be more focused; our global ambitions had to begin to be truly global.
We have moved a long way towards meeting these challenges and I hope that my year may be remembered for, if nothing else, "biting some bullets" (although I hope none of these were aimed at me personally). But more remains for Bruce, Harry and Claire, who I congratulate most warmly upon her nomination as vice-president.
If we are to become truly global then, in my opinion, we have two key challenges:
* The first is a question of mindset -- we need to move from believing that we export a UK qualification to the...
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