President's report
Dale Pinto FCPA
John Curtin Distinguished Professor, President and Chair of the Board
CPA Australia is proud to stand among the world’s oldest and largest professional accounting organisations. With more than 176,300 members across over 100 countries, our history runs deep and our global presence continues to grow.
In 2025, I had the privilege of representing CPA Australia at important milestones across our network: 70 years in Hong Kong SAR, China, 60 years in the Northern Territory, and 20 years in both London and Auckland. In 2026, we proudly mark our 140th anniversary with our global community. This is a moment to honour our organisation’s rich history while focusing on shaping a strong and meaningful future.
From our beginnings in Melbourne with just 45 accountants to a global membership of more than 176,300, one truth remains constant: our members are at the heart of everything we do. These milestones reflect your dedication and the enduring strength of our professional community.
Throughout 2025, the Board prioritised initiatives to strengthen member value, including the launch of the CPA Australia App, the ongoing roll-out of digital designation badges, advancing advocacy and thought leadership, expanding our education and professional development offering and delivering a wide range of member events and conferences.
Upholding ethical and professional standards
The Board remains committed to upholding the highest standards of ethics, integrity and professionalism. We continue to engage constructively with government, including through the Parliamentary Joint Committee (PJC) Inquiry into Corporations and Financial Services, and contributing to key regulatory reforms across areas such as ethics, tax practitioner regulation, Anti‑Money Laundering (AML) and Counter‑Terrorism Financing (CTF), audit quality and financial advice.
Our members are supported through a broad range of professional development offerings designed to build capability in these critical areas.
Prioritising ESG leadership
ESG issues remain a central focus. CPA Australia has strengthened its advocacy on sustainability, working closely with the AASB, Australian Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (AUASB), the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) and contributing to the global Accounting for Sustainability (A4S) initiative.
We recognise the vital role accountants play in managing climate‑related risks and support members to build their skills through comprehensive resources, micro-credentials and e-learning.
In 2025, two significant achievements included a global ESG webinar series that attracted more than 23,000 registrations and a Sustainability Forum in Hobart that brought together regulators, policymakers, standard setters, industry leaders and professionals to explore the evolution of sustainability reporting and assurance.
We also launched our Belonging Commitment Statement, developed during the year by the Council of Presidents, reaffirming our commitment to building an inclusive and representative profession.
We released our second Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), supported by our Indigenous Advisory Group (IAG) and endorsed by Reconciliation Australia. Our RAP is focused on strengthening inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples within the profession, championing financial literacy and business support in First Nations communities and embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander initiatives into CPA Australia’s operations.
In addition, we published our fifth Modern Slavery Statement in line with the Australian Modern Slavery Act 2018 (Cth). While no instances of modern slavery were identified in our operations or supply chains, we continue to assess and manage potential risks.
Advocating for strong governance
We remain committed to championing Integrated Reporting as a framework for communicating long‑term value creation. Our 2024 Integrated Report, Accelerating Impact, won the award for Integrated Report of the Year at the 2025 Australasian Reporting Awards. This is the sixth consecutive year our Integrated Report has been a finalist in this category, reflecting our consistent leadership in this space.
The Integrated Report was presented at the 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM), held in a hybrid format at our Southbank office in Melbourne with members also joining from divisional events in Brisbane, Darwin, Hong Kong SAR, China and other locations, as well as via webcast. We thank the just under 6,200 members who completed the annual member engagement survey; your insights directly inform our future strategic priorities.
Directors continued extensive outreach through Divisional Council meetings and local networking events, ensuring member voices remain central to Board decision‑making.
In 2025, we also implemented updates to the By‑Laws, simplifying and refining processes relating to CPD requirements, professional conduct, Professional Indemnity Insurance obligations, and eligibility criteria for Divisional Councils, the Appointments Council and the Council of Presidents.
Advocacy and thought leadership
Advocacy and thought leadership remain central to our mission. Being a trusted partner to members and stakeholders is a responsibility we take seriously.
We listen closely to our members, respond to their evolving needs and advocate strongly to support the future of the profession.
CEO Chris Freeland AM and our Policy team were highly visible in the media throughout 2025, representing the profession on matters including the Australian federal election, productivity, taxation, small business, regulatory reform, superannuation, and Australian and international budgets.
We participated in major local and global conferences, including the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), World Forum of Accountants (WFOA), the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Academic Forum, the Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand (AFAANZ), IFAC, the Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cyber security leadership forum, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), and CPA Australia events in all our locations.
These events strengthened international collaboration and elevated the voice of our members.
A landmark moment was the first‑ever gathering of representatives from all six Centres of Excellence (CoEs) for a two‑day forum exploring the future of the profession and driving innovation to enhance sector productivity.
Strengthening global partnerships
Our partnerships with international accounting organisations continue to grow. In 2025, we signed a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) with Chartered Accountants Ireland and renewed our agreement with the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants (HKICPA).
Across more than 35 international bodies, our MRAs, Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and partnership agreements, including with the Australian Computer Society (ACS), Australia India Business Council, CFA Institute, and the Institute of Financial Planners of Hong Kong, support global mobility and broaden opportunities for our members.
Serving our members
I am deeply honoured to have been reappointed to the Board of Directors and to continue as President and Chair until 1 October 2026. Serving our global membership as part of an active and dedicated Board is a great privilege, and I thank my fellow Directors for their continued commitment to strengthening the CPA designation.
I extend my appreciation to Deputy Presidents Warren McRae FCPA and Louise Cox FCPA for their ongoing support, and warmly welcome Carmen Wee to the Board. I also acknowledge Bryan Chung FCPA, who retired on 30 September 2025, and thank him for his valued service across several Board committees.
To all members who contribute their expertise through the Council of Presidents, Divisional Councils, committees, CoEs, mentoring programs, expert panels, webinars and discussion groups, thank you. Your contributions strengthen our community and amplify the influence of our profession.
Finally, I express my sincere thanks to CEO Chris Freeland AM and the Executive Leadership Team (ELT), and to all CPA Australia employees whose passion and commitment support our members every day.
Most importantly, thank you to our members. Your professionalism, dedication and global impact have created the foundation that allows us to proudly celebrate 140 years of CPA Australia in 2026 and confidently shape the future of our profession.