Dubai, 14 March 2019: ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) brought together senior finance leaders from across the UAE to discuss the need to drive a collective vision when looking at women in finance and technology in order to close the gender gap.
In line with the associations historical commitment, ACCA was the first professional accountancy body to admit a woman into membership in 1909 in the UK. Ethel went on to become the leading provider of income tax advice to women, eventually operating as the Womens Taxpayers Agency.

Helen Brand OBE, ACCAs chief executive, says: ACCA was established specifically to open up the profession to people of all backgrounds, based solely on their ability. We recognise that ACCA is fortunate in our strong position when it comes to balance - 46% of ACCA members and 56% of ACCA students are women, and our Council and executive team are also balanced in terms of men and women. Opportunity and diversity are two of our core values that continue to guide our work today.

We believe that its every organisations responsibility to support diversity and to review and revise the way they support and open up opportunities to women and indeed all other under-represented groups.

Cynthia Corby, Chair of the Women in Finance Forum led by ACCA in the UAE states:
In the UAE and wider Middle East, we have seen a higher percentage of women going through the education cycle, however when we look at this transition into the workplace, we dont see a reflective rate. Business leaders need to ensure this talent is not lost, in order to truly lead diverse organisations which go beyond the numbers.