- Abdul Naser Parkar from Qatar becomes the 100,000th professional to receive the prestigious CMA certification - IMAs CMA certification is now available to students and professionals across 150 countries

Middle East, Sept 7th 2021 IMA (Institute of Management Accountants), the association of accountants and financial professionals in business, today reported a historic milestone of awarding 100,000 CMA (Certified Management Accountant) certifications. The 100,000th CMA was awarded to Abdul Naser Parkar from Qatar, making him part of a fast-growing group of individuals who have added this prestigious certification to their professional qualifications. The timing of this achievement comes just two years after IMAs 100-year anniversary celebrations.

The CMA IMAs flagship certification, helps striving and established finance and accounting professionals develop key skills such as strategic thinking, sensitivity analysis, scenario planning, and insight into the workplace, and has become recognized for helping finance and accounting professionals leverage the data gathered by automated processes to drive better decision making.

This is a great milestone, and I would like to congratulate Abdul Naser Parkar on becoming IMAs 100,000th CMA. The milestone is of significance not just for IMA, but for the entire finance and accounting profession that has faced unprecedented challenges on account of the global pandemic. As regional economies look to emerge out of the shadow of COVID-19, it will increasingly fall to finance and accounting professionals to drive this growth and CMAs will spearhead and enable this. The milestone represents not only a need in the marketplace but a tremendous commitment from IMAs volunteers, partners, and staff to support the profession. said Hanadi Khalife, senior director of MEA & India operations at IMA.

IMA reached this milestone through strong growth across each of its regions the Americas, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and India, and Europe. International markets, especially, were high-growth areas in recent years despite the COVID-19 pandemic. These outcomes were thanks to IMAs ability to deliver value through a global network of corporate and academic partners to empower the finance and accounting profession by bridging the growing skills gap amid much fluctuating economic times.

Khalife added As economies develop, more skilled finance and accounting professionals are needed to offer insight and foresight to businesses and governments,. While globalisation has been a significant driver for continued expansion, IMA also expects membership growth to accelerate due to automation, artificial intelligence, and blockchain, which are replacing repetitive tasks and opening opportunities to use higher-level advisory skills. With advancements in technology and ongoing changes in the profession, it is very important for professionals to upskill themselves to accomplish their career objectives and meet the competency expectations of employers. The CMA certification helps professionals to better prepare and remain competitive in the future as automation disrupts our profession. I would like to thank IMA for all the support and resources which helped me in my journey to complete the certification. said Abdul Naser Parkar, CMA.

IMAs CMA certification program is an advanced-level assessment for accounting and finance professionals in business covering financial planning, performance and analytics, and strategic financial management. Achieving the CMA demonstrates professional expertise in financial planning, analysis, control, decision support, and professional ethics skills that are in demand by organizations around the world.