Bangalore & Indianapolis: IMA® (Institute of Management Accountants) began the celebration of its 100th anniversary year following its 2018 Annual Conference & Expo (ACE2018), held at the JW Marriott in Indianapolis this month. At the conference, IMA announced its centennial tagline, ‘100 Years and Counting,’ along with many initiatives designed to support management accounting professionals through the next 100 years.

IMA released an exposure draft of its enhanced Management Accounting Competency Framework, which includes skills that finance professionals will need to remain relevant as new technologies such as blockchain, machine learning, and robotics process automation impact the profession. The framework is the first product of IMA’s new research initiative focused on identifying how management accounting is changing and the new skills professionals need.

“When I reflect on how far we’ve come, it’s clear that IMA’s longevity and strength come from continuously innovating new programs and services that benefit members,” says Jeff Thomson, CMA, CSCA, CAE, IMA president and CEO. “It’s inspiring that many of these innovations are owed to the engagement and expertise of our vibrant IMA community.”

Additionally, IMA announced its Century Student Scholarship Fund , an initiative to support students in the pursuit of their education as they embark on their accounting and finance career paths. Funding recognizes high achieving students and paves a way for them towards rewarding careers in management accounting.

Commenting on the milestone from the international perspective, Hanadi Khalife, Director, MEA and India operations at IMA said: “IMA remains fully committed to supporting the development of the management accounting profession, in which we have seen tremendous growth in India, the Middle East and Africa over recent years. As we look forward to the future, it is important that we equip students and professionals with the right capabilities in this age of digital transformation and connectivity. IMA will continue to offer this support and work closely with education institutions and the industry to ensure the accounting profession remains at the cutting edge of technology and innovation.”

IMA’s centennial celebration will culminate at the next Annual Conference, to be held in San Diego in 2019. More information about IMA’s year-long centennial celebration can be found at ima100years.org.