Bridging borders: (Second row from left) Vallance and Gonzales posing for a photo with ICAEW UK and Malaysia administration employees.
AS Asean economies continue to integrate, the accountancy profession plays a foundational role in supporting this transition.
Chartered accountants ensure consistency in financial reporting and robust governance frameworks, building trust that enables cross-border trade and investment.
With Malaysia as this year’s Asean Chair, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) Malaysia recently launched Asean Connect 2025 – a first-of-its-kind forum uniting ICAEW members from across Asean with their United Kingdom counterparts at London’s historic Chartered Accountants’ Hall.
The event, held on April 11, served as a platform to strengthen cross-border professional collaboration and position the region as a cohesive economic bloc.
During the forum, officiated by Malaysian High Commissioner to the UK Datuk Zakri Jaafar, participants – including representatives from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam, and Asean professionals based in the UK – discussed how accountancy and finance professionals can work together to promote sustainable economic growth and workforce mobility within Asean.
The evening also featured an ICAEW World Prizegiving Ceremony, honouring outstanding chartered accountancy students from Malaysia.
ICAEW Malaysia head Shenola Gonzales said Asean Connect 2025 is the realisation of a vision to consolidate two worlds: Asean’s dynamic regional economies and ICAEW’s global professional heritage.
“As Malaysia leads Asean this year, we are proud to showcase how the strength of our profession can drive regional collaboration and enhance economic resilience,” she said in a press release dated May 8.
Earlier this year, as part of its engagement under Malaysia’s Asean chairmanship, ICAEW chief executive Alan Vallance addressed the Asean Capital Markets Forum.
In addition, ICAEW convened the region’s first workshop on Scope 3 emissions reporting, bringing together Asean regulators, policymakers and business leaders to strengthen transparency and consistency in environmental, social and governance disclosures.
Noting the urgency of this shift, Vallance said sustainability and financial resilience go hand in hand.
“Investors and financial markets demand greater transparency, and Asean must work towards a unified approach that supports both regulatory alignment and business competitiveness,” he said.
