CPA Australia signs MoU with IHRP to bridge finance and people capability in Singapore

CPA Australia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Institute for Human Resource Professionals (IHRP) to strengthen collaboration between the finance and HR professions in Singapore, creating new learning opportunities that bring business, people and financial capability closer together.

As organisations navigate economic uncertainty, workforce transformation and rising expectations for business performance, finance and HR leaders are increasingly being called on to work more closely together. Decisions about growth, productivity, capability and transformation now sit at the intersection of financial discipline and people leadership.

Under the agreement, CPA Australia and IHRP will collaborate to establish People Manager learning programmes for senior finance leaders and Financial Acumen learning programmes for HR professionals. 

The MoU was signed at CPA Australia’s Singapore office by Dr Asheley Jones, Chief Learning and Innovation Officer at CPA Australia, and Karina Kuok, Director, Head of Assessments & Insights at IHRP.

CPA Australia Board Director Carmen Wee, who also holds the IHRP Master Professional credential, said the partnership reflects the growing need for finance and HR leaders to work more closely in shaping business outcomes.

"I'm absolutely delighted by this MoU between IHRP and CPA Australia. The opportunity in front of us is enormous — when two professions this influential decide to move together, the impact doesn't just add up, it multiplies.

"This is the kind of collaboration that changes careers, shapes organisations and raises the bar for what professional excellence looks like. The potential here is exponential, and I genuinely can't wait to see what unfolds. This is one of those moments where 1 + 1 equals so much more than 2."

Echoing this sentiment, Aslam Sardar, Chief Executive Officer of the Institute for Human Resource Professionals (IHRP), said the partnership reflects the growing convergence of people and business strategy.

"As the lines between people strategy and business strategy continue to converge, HR and finance professionals must develop a deeper appreciation of each other's disciplines to drive sustainable organisational success.

"Through this collaboration, we look forward to advancing professional development pathways that build financial acumen among HR practitioners, strengthen people leadership capabilities among finance leaders, and recognise critical competencies through robust skills and role badging frameworks.

"By bringing together IHRP's expertise in HR standards and professional accreditation with CPA Australia's global leadership in the accounting and finance profession, we aim to equip professionals with the interdisciplinary capabilities needed to make better talent, workforce and business decisions, ultimately contributing to more resilient, productive and future-ready workplaces."

Dr Asheley Jones said the partnership will help translate that shared vision into practical learning opportunities for finance professionals. 

“Finance professionals today need more than technical expertise. They are increasingly expected to lead people, influence decisions and contribute across the business.

“This partnership will help CPA Australia support members in building those capabilities — combining strong financial expertise with people leadership and commercial understanding.”

By bringing finance and people capability closer together, this partnership reinforces CPA Australia's role in preparing finance professionals to lead beyond the numbers, with the commercial, leadership and cross-functional capabilities needed to shape stronger organisations.

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