Chief Executive Officer

About Accountancy Europe:

Accountancy Europe is a leading association representing the accountancy profession in Europe and dedicated to advancing the field of accountancy and promoting high-quality financial reporting, auditing, and ethical standards. It unites 50 professional organisations from 35 countries that represent over 1 million qualified accountants, auditors and advisors.

Founded in 1987, Accountancy Europe (formerly known as the Federation of European Accountants) plays a pivotal role in shaping the regulatory and legislative landscape of accounting and finance within the European Union and beyond. The organisation actively engages with policymakers, regulators, standard-setting bodies, and other stakeholders to ensure that the interests of the profession and the broader public are effectively addressed.

Accountancy Europe operates with a mission to enhance the quality, consistency, and transparency of financial and sustainability information, thereby fostering trust and confidence in the financial markets and supporting the sustainable growth of the European economy. Through its collaborative efforts and engagement with stakeholders, the organisation plays a vital role in building consensus and shaping the future of the accounting profession within Europe and on the global stage.

The mission and core activities of Accountancy Europe include:

Advocacy and Leadership: Accountancy Europe takes a proactive role in advocating for robust reporting standards, transparent auditing practices, and ethical conduct. It contributes to policy discussions and provides expert insights on matters related to corporate reporting, sustainability, digital transformation, and corporate governance.

Standard-Setting and Technical Expertise: The organisation is involved in discussions and consultations regarding the development and adoption of international accounting, auditing and ethical standards, such as those issued by the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Foundation, the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB), the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSAS) and the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA). It regularly partners with other international industry stakeholders and actively contributes to the work of EFRAG, the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group.

Financial, Sustainability and Integrated Reporting: Accountancy Europe places a strong emphasis on transparent financial reporting, sustainability reporting and integrated reporting. The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) requires businesses to provide comprehensive information about their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance alongside financial data. Accountancy Europe is an active contributor to the work of both EFRAG and the European Commission in their role as European sustainability reporting standard setter, as well as to the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).

Professional Development and Education: Accountancy Europe contributes to the continuous professional development of accountants by offering resources and guidance on various technical, ethical, and regulatory topics. It supports the enhancement of professional skills and knowledge across its member organisations.

Knowledge Sharing and Publications: The organisation conducts research and produces thought leadership publications that offer new ideas and/or insights into emerging accounting trends, regulatory developments, and best practices, thereby contributing to the advancement of the profession.

Through these activities, Accountancy Europe contributes to fulfilling its three strategic priorities:

• supporting a sustainable and just transition,
• advancing corporate governance ecosystem, and
• shaping the profession’s future and attractiveness.

The role of the Chief Executive Officer at Accountancy Europe:

Accountancy Europe is seeking an experienced and dynamic Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to provide team and strategic leadership, to drive organisational growth, and enhance the impact of the accountancy and auditing sector in Europe. The CEO will be responsible for overseeing the organisation’s operations, advocating for the profession, and advancing the interests of its members, stakeholders, and the public.

Key responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership:

• Develop and implement a forward-looking vision and strategy for Accountancy Europe, aligning with the organisation’s mission and values.
• Identify emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities within the accountancy and auditing profession and the broader business landscape.
• Lead the organisation in adapting to changing regulatory, technological, societal, and economic environments.

Team leadership:

• Inspire team members to take ownership of their work and proactively lead within their respective areas of expertise.
• Foster a culture of respect, collaboration, and inclusion to maintain positive and inspiring working atmosphere and to empower the team to perform to its full potential.
• Ensure relevant processes are in place for team members’ professional growth and career advancement within the organisation.
• Ensure transparency, accountability and open communication guide the day-to-day interactions within the team, and that Accountancy Europe remains an attractive workplace.
• Embrace and build on the strategic value of diversity, equity and inclusion to ensure the right balance of expertise, skills and attitude amongst the team needed to address key ambitions and challenges of the organisation and its members.

External Representation and Engagement:

• Serve as a prominent advocate and spokesperson for the accountancy profession, representing Accountancy Europe to policymakers, regulators, and other stakeholders.
• Engage with European institutions, governmental bodies, and international organisations to influence policy decisions and promote the value of the profession.
• Collaborate with international counterparts and participate in global discussions related to standards, regulation, and profession-wide issues.
• Enhance the visibility and reputation of Accountancy Europe through thought leadership, public speaking and media engagements, and public relations activities.

Members’ Engagement and Collaboration:

• Foster strong relationships with member organisations, collaborating to enhance the quality, transparency, and accountability of financial reporting and auditing.
• Promote knowledge-sharing and best practices among members to drive professional excellence.
• Foster a transparent relationship with the Board, based on respect, trust and open communication to ensure healthy and efficient collaboration.

Operational Excellence:

• Lead and empower the management team and staff, through sustainable internal processes and procedures, to drive the effective execution of organisational goals and initiatives.
• Oversee financial management, budgeting, and resource allocation, ensuring the sustainability and growth of Accountancy Europe.

Ideal candidate profile:

The new CEO of Accountancy Europe will be an experienced professional with a highly strategic mindset and ability to connect key policy and regulatory discussions with broader societal trends and the impact these might have on the accountancy and auditing profession. The CEO of Accountancy Europe will further empower and support the team to deliver on the ambitious strategic plan, strengthening the positioning of the organisation in Brussels and internationally, ensuring its excellent reputation vis-à-vis international partners and stakeholders.

Professional experience:

• Extensive experience in national, EU or international public affairs, preferably with some previous experience within a trade association, the industry or similar EU work environment;
• Good understanding of the functioning of the EU institutions and the EU policy-making process;
• Existing network in Brussels with a focus on the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, as well as professional associations and organisations in the sector will be considered a plus;
• Good level of cross-cultural experience;
• Experience in building and maintaining strong relationships and achieving consensus including on issues of highest strategic importance;
• Proven knowledge of the accountancy and auditing profession and its key challenges either through direct practice of the profession or indirectly through other positions an asset;
• Experience with current financial services/ sustainability and social governance /digital transformation related legislative topics an advantage;
• Proven team management experience, ideally in international settings;

Key qualifications and attributes:

• Strong interpersonal skills: charisma, diplomacy, consensus-building, listening, flexibility and agility;
• Positive and solution-oriented mindset;
• High sense of adherence to ethical standards and interest in working for the benefit of the public interest and the European common good;
• Strategic mindset and ability to connect the dots;
• Keen to work and interact with a large diversity of stakeholders;
• Strong leadership, presentation and communication skills;
• Full professional proficiency in English. Strong command of other EU languages is an asset.

Why you should be interested in this role:

• Lead a reputed and well-established association and have impact on a number of topics of highest strategic legislative importance;
• Contribute to realising the association’s strategic agenda, with a strong focus on the public interest and the European common good, as well as the long-term collective interest of the entire profession;
• Join the organization at a crucial time for the accounting and auditing profession, as it drives the European agenda on enhancing corporate governance practices and strengthening the role sustainability plays in corporate reporting;
• Interact directly with decision makers/partners within the community and sector in Europe and globally, and further grow an extensive strong professional network;
• Work with a highly qualified, motivated and driven team;
• Further build management experience leading a strong and multicultural team.

Personne de contact

Sigrid Ligné