Heshana Kuruppu, the newly elected President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (CA Sri Lanka), who recently assumed office as the 27th President of the National Body of Accountants, outlined a visionary roadmap for the next two years. Focused on the core values of Collaboration, Excellence, Nurturing, and Integrity, and under the theme "FRONT," Kuruppu unveiled a comprehensive vision, focusing on being future ready, seizing opportunities, nurturing change, and building trust.
Kuruppu highlighted the Institute's role in transforming young individuals into future leaders through structured programmes and strategic collaborations with learning and training partners. He also announced groundbreaking initiatives in the upcoming syllabus revamp, aimed at producing agile professionals capable of navigating the dynamic business world.
“By 2025, the new CA Sri Lanka Curriculum will be introduced. Our aim is to produce agile professionals who can navigate complexities, contribute meaningfully, and not only survive but thrive in the dynamic world of Business,” he said.
While emphasising the importance of continuous learning, Kuruppu also announced a separate structure for Professional Accountants in practice and in business, with dedicated support systems and networking opportunities for each group. “For our Professional Accountants in practice, we are dedicated to enhancing the support system. This includes the launch of the SMP Audit toolkit in the first quarter of this year as part of our continued commitment to creating excellence for our members. The quality assurance framework will be fortified through the Audit Quality Assurance Board. This move aims to uphold quality and maintain the highest standards in Audit Quality.”
Kuruppu also unveiled plans for CA Sri Lanka to play a crucial role in international markets, supporting members in exploring opportunities in accounting services export. He emphasized collaboration, suggesting the consolidation of small and medium practicing firms to increase capacity and enhance services.
“The world recognises the trend of working from anywhere. As we continue to create world-class talent, our members will be able to explore a new opportunity: accounting as a service export. We are poised to not only support the growing demand for Knowledge Process Outsourcing and Business Process Outsourcing but to also support the impressive 35% plus members working overseas and youth who wish to test the waters abroad.
CA Sri Lanka will look at rolling out this important initiative by linking with our regional players and international chapters, thereby leveraging these connections to create opportunities and expand its presence in the global market. “Yet, to tap into this demand successfully, we must shift our perspective. We are not in competition. The world is our market. I believe the consolidation and merging of small and medium practicing firms is a strategic move that will increase capacity and enhance the range of services offered. Ultimately, collaboration is key, and we need to work with other professionals and professional bodies, if Sri Lanka is to become a one-stop solution for international clients,” he said.
Meanwhile, in a bid to enhance digital engagement, CA Sri Lanka will launch the CA Sri Lanka Streaming Service, featuring programs on leadership insights, contemporary discussions, economic updates, and more.
The President also underscored the Institute's commitment to public trust and public interest. “Public Trust has always been at the core of our profession. Ethics and standards form the heart and soul of Chartered Accountants, and we play a crucial role in safeguarding public interest. As professionals, we need to work with the public interest in mind. In upholding the ethics and standards of our profession, we will face conflicts as we put ourselves out there in the public domain and take positions of national interest. Nevertheless, our role has far-reaching implications for protecting the national interest and we should embrace that role with due respect and responsibility.”
Highlighting the importance of financial literacy, Kuruppu announced plans to drive Financial, Tax, and Sustainability literacy among the public, SMEs, and stakeholders, seeking partnerships with government agencies, academia, and other like-minded organisations.
Under Kuruppu's leadership, the SAB Campus which is the academic arm of CA Sri Lanka is set to further expand its academic offerings. “As part of this progression, efforts are underway to diversify our academic offerings and explore collaborative opportunities with international universities to introduce a range of degree programmes that resonate with global educational standards,” he said.
Additionally, the CA Sri Lanka Business School will focus on bringing innovative programs to Sri Lanka, catering to the corporate sector and introducing new certificate programmes. “We are forging partnerships with foreign entities to bring innovative programs to Sri Lanka. With a focus on catering to the corporate sector, we aim to enrol more corporate sector team members in our newly launched MBA programme.”
During Kuruppu’s presidency, CA Sri Lanka will also look at revolutionising its digital landscape through the UniEX project and enhance productivity through improved work practices, apart from also launching a contemporary website and mobile app. The first phase of the initiative is set to be implemented within this year.