Episode 35: Chartered Accountants Worldwide Welcomes Botswana as 17th Member Institute

The latest update from Chartered Accountants Worldwide highlights just how dynamic and far-reaching the profession has become — from global expansion to inspiring personal achievements and major technical developments.

Expanding the Global Community

A major milestone has been reached with the addition of the Botswana Institute of Chartered Accountants (BICA) as the network’s 17th member institute. This marks a significant step in strengthening representation across Africa and reinforces the organisation’s global footprint, now spanning over 190 countries and more than two million professionals and students.

Leaders including Ainslie van Onselen and Oaitse Gabadirwe emphasised the importance of collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and maintaining high professional standards — all essential for shaping the future of the profession.

Where Finance Meets Elite Performance

The upcoming “Difference Makers Discuss” webinar shines a spotlight on Caitriona Jennings, whose career uniquely blends high-performance finance and elite sport.

From her work in aviation finance to representing Ireland at the 2012 London Olympics, Jennings exemplifies resilience and ambition. Her record-breaking 100-mile ultramarathon achievement in 2025 adds another extraordinary dimension to her story.

This session promises valuable insights into mindset, perseverance, and what it takes to succeed in demanding environments — lessons that resonate far beyond sport or finance.

Preparing for Major Reporting Changes

For practitioners, significant changes are on the horizon. Updates to FRS 102 and FRS 105 — coming into effect from January 2026 — represent the most substantial overhaul in over a decade.

Key developments include:

•  A new five-step revenue recognition model 
•  Major changes to lease accounting, aligning more closely with IFRS 16 
•  Broader amendments impacting multiple areas of financial reporting 

To support professionals, Chartered Accountants Ireland has introduced a Certificate in FRS 102, designed to provide practical, implementation-focused expertise.

Looking Ahead

This latest update reflects a profession that is evolving on every front — geographically, professionally, and technically. Whether it’s welcoming new global voices, learning from extraordinary individuals, or preparing for regulatory change, one thing is clear: staying informed and adaptable has never been more important.

Transcript

Welcome to the Chartered Accountants Global Update — the audio newsletter that keeps you connected to what's happening across the worldwide chartered accountancy community. This is Episode 35.

We've got a genuinely packed edition today. We're celebrating a significant milestone for our global network, we have an inspiring upcoming event you really won't want to miss, and if FRS 102 and FRS 105 are on your radar — and they should be — we have some important professional development news for you.

Let's get into it.

We start with a landmark moment for Chartered Accountants Worldwide. This month, we officially welcomed the Botswana Institute of Chartered Accountants — known as BICA — as our 17th member institute.

This is a genuinely significant development. Chartered Accountants Worldwide has grown steadily over the past decade to become a truly global community — we now represent more than two million members and students across over 190 countries. BICA's membership deepens our representation across the African continent, and builds on the strong presence we already have there through fellow members like SAICA in South Africa, ZiCA in Zambia, ICAM in Malawi, ICAZ in Zimbabwe, and CA Namibia.

Ainslie van Onselen, Chair of Chartered Accountants Worldwide, put it well when she said BICA adds a strong and respected voice from the region — one that will enrich our discussions and strengthen our shared commitment to ensuring the profession leads with credibility, relevance, and global impact.

And from Botswana's side, Oaitse Gabadirwe, CEO of BICA, described joining as a significant step — one that opens up opportunities to exchange knowledge and contribute to conversations shaping the future of the profession. The ambition is clear: to support members, develop strong professional standards, and contribute to economic development. That's the kind of thinking this network is built on.

Now, we often talk about the breadth of what a career in chartered accountancy can look like. But the next story takes that idea somewhere remarkable.

On the 2nd of April — that's tomorrow if you're listening on release day — Chartered Accountants Worldwide is hosting a Difference Makers Discuss webinar featuring Caitriona Jennings, who is a Fellow Chartered Accountant and Certified Public Accountant with a career that has taken her from tax advisory at PwC to the trading desk of one of the world's most dynamic asset classes: aviation finance.

But here's the part that stops you in your tracks. Away from the office, Caitriona has represented Ireland at the highest level of competitive sport. She ran the marathon at the 2012 London Olympics. And then, in November 2025, she set a world record in the 100-mile ultra-marathon — completing 100 miles in 12 hours, 37 minutes, and 4 seconds.

The session explores what connects elite sport and high-performance finance — the resilience, the ability to embrace setbacks, and what it really takes to keep going when the finish line feels impossibly far away. Caitriona's story isn't just inspiring in the abstract. It speaks directly to the mindset that underpins a successful long-term career.

The webinar runs from 6 to 6:30 PM BST on the 2nd of April. It's free to attend — you'll find the registration link on the Chartered Accountants Worldwide website. If you can't make it live, keep an eye out for the recording.

This is one of those conversations where you come away with more than just information — you come away with perspective.

And our third story today is for practitioners — particularly those working with non-listed companies in Ireland or the UK.

If you haven't already been thinking about FRS 102 and FRS 105, now is the time to start. Following the Financial Reporting Council's periodic review, the most significant changes to FRS 102 in over a decade come into effect for accounting periods beginning on or after the 1st of January 2026. We're talking about fundamental shifts — a new five-step revenue recognition model, major changes to lease accounting that bring it broadly in line with IFRS 16, and a range of other amendments that will touch almost every section of the standard.

Chartered Accountants Ireland has developed a specialist qualification specifically designed to help members get to grips with these changes: the Certificate in FRS 102. It's a focused, practical programme aimed at equipping you to lead on the implementation of these updates — whether you're advising clients in practice or working within a finance function.

Given the scale of the changes, particularly around lease accounting and revenue recognition, getting ahead of this isn't optional — it's a professional responsibility. The certificate gives you a structured way to build that expertise and demonstrate it.

You'll find full details on the Chartered Accountants Ireland website.

That's everything for Episode 35 of the Chartered Accountants Global Update. A big welcome once again to Botswana — it's a genuinely exciting addition to the network.

Don't forget to register for the Caitriona Jennings webinar if you haven't already. And if FRS 102 is on your to-do list, the Certificate in FRS 102 from Chartered Accountants Ireland is well worth exploring.

If you found this episode useful, please share it with a colleague. And we'll be back with the next update very soon. Until then, take care.