Welcome Address by ISCA President Mr Kon Yin Tong at the ISCA-CA ANZ Reciprocal Agreement Signing Ceremony at ISCA House on 7 May 2021

Her Excellency Jo Tyndall, New Zealand High Commissioner to Singapore,

Ms Rachel Dunstone, Counsellor, Australia High Commission Singapore,

Dr Nives Botica-Redmayne, President, and Ms Ainslie van Onselen, Chief Executive Officer, Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand,

Mr Chaly Mah, Chairman of the Singapore Accountancy Commission,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good morning.   

Welcome to the reciprocal agreement signing ceremony between the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (or ISCA) and Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, also known as CA ANZ.

This agreement has been years in the making and we are very glad to be signing it here today. This agreement has been of interest to both the Singapore and Australian governments as part of the Singapore-Australia Free Trade Agreement and supports the joint commitment of both governments to promote the mobility of professionals between the two countries.

With the agreement, eligible ISCA members who are Chartered Accountants of Singapore and have completed the Singapore Chartered Accountant Qualification can attain CA ANZ’s Chartered Accountant, or CA, designation, without having to fulfil additional professional or educational requirements.

Likewise, Chartered Accountants of CA ANZ who have completed the CA ANZ CA Programme are eligible to apply for membership with ISCA and attain the CA (Singapore) designation.

This is the fourth reciprocal agreement between ISCA and another chartered accountancy body. Our strategy of establishing reciprocal agreements with other chartered accountancy bodies is in line with ISCA’s vision to be a world-class accountancy body of trusted professionals, contributing towards an innovative and sustainable economy.

Today’s agreement with CA ANZ further elevates the international standing of Chartered Accountants of Singapore.  Eligible ISCA members can now leverage this credential to enhance their employability and open doors to wider career opportunities.  Similarly, CAs from CAANZ can enhance their career mobility with the CA (Singapore) designation.   

I understand that the teams from CA ANZ and the Singapore Accountancy Commission (SAC) and ISCA have worked closely together during the review process to arrive at where we are today. The mutual support and collaborative spirit from all parties are greatly appreciated. We look forward to more collaborations and a fruitful partnership with CA ANZ.

This reciprocal agreement not only benefits the Chartered Accountants from both bodies; it also underscores the value of the Chartered Accountant professional credential globally. Chartered Accountants have the breadth of skills, commitment to ethics and global expertise to help businesses in every part of the world thrive.  Especially in these volatile and uncertain times, Chartered Accountants are uniquely equipped to make a difference to the businesses and communities they work and live in.  

I will end my speech by inviting you to watch a video about the value that Chartered Accountants bring to the world. This video is part of a strategic initiative by Chartered Accountants Worldwide that positions Chartered Accountants as trusted voices and catalysts for change to help get businesses and economies moving again. As members of Chartered Accountants Worldwide, ISCA and CA ANZ are among the chartered accountancy bodies that contributed to the development of this video campaign.  I hope you will enjoy Chartered Accountants Worldwide’s “Difference Makers” video.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rB0MNGXejLo)