ICAS

Quicklinks

  1. About Us

    Find out about who we are and what we do here at ICAS.

  2. Find a CA

    Search our directory of individual CAs and Member organisations by name, location and professional criteria.

  3. CA Magazine

    View the latest issues of the dedicated magazine for ICAS Chartered Accountants.

  4. Contact Us

    Get in touch with ICAS by phone, email or post, with dedicated contacts for Members, Students and firms.

Login
  • Annual renewal
  • About us
  • Contact us
  • Find a CA
  1. About us
    1. Governance
    2. ICAS Strategy 2030
  2. Members
    1. Become a member
    2. Newly qualified
    3. Manage my membership
    4. Benefits of membership
    5. Career support
    6. Mentoring
    7. CA Wellbeing
    8. More for Members
    9. Area networks
    10. International communities
    11. Get involved
    12. Top Young CAs
    13. Career breaks
    14. ICAS podcast
    15. Newly admitted members 2022
    16. Newly admitted members 2023
  3. CA Students
    1. Student information
    2. Student resources
    3. Learning requirements
    4. Learning updates
    5. Learning blog
    6. Totum Pro | Student discount card
    7. CA Student wellbeing
  4. Become a CA
    1. How to become a CA
    2. Routes to becoming a CA
    3. CA Stories
    4. Find a training agreement
    5. Why become a CA
    6. Qualification information
    7. University exemptions
  5. Employers
    1. Become an Authorised Training Office
    2. Resources for Authorised Training Offices
    3. Professional entry
    4. Apprenticeships
    5. Learning redefined
  6. Find a CA
  7. ICAS events
    1. CA Summit
  8. CA magazine
  9. Insight
    1. Finance + Trust
    2. Technology
    3. Finance + EDI
    4. Finance + Mental Fitness
    5. Finance + Leadership
    6. Finance + Sustainability
  10. Professional resources
    1. Anti-money laundering
    2. Audit and assurance
    3. Brexit
    4. Business and governance
    5. Charities
    6. Coronavirus
    7. Corporate and financial reporting
    8. Cyber security
    9. Ethics
    10. Insolvency
    11. ICAS Research
    12. Pensions
    13. Practice
    14. Public sector
    15. Sustainability
    16. Tax
  11. CPD - professional development
    1. CPD - Everything you need to know
    2. CPD courses and qualifications
    3. CPD news and updates
    4. CPD support and advice
    5. Career support
  12. Regulation
    1. Complaints and sanctions
    2. Regulatory authorisations
    3. Guidance and help sheets
    4. Regulatory monitoring
  13. CA jobs
    1. CA jobs partner: Rutherford Cross
    2. Resources for your job search
    3. Advertise with CA jobs
    4. Hays | A Trusted ICAS CA Jobs Partner
    5. Azets | What's your ambition?
  14. Work at ICAS
    1. Business centres
    2. Meet our team
    3. Benefits
    4. Vacancies
    5. Imagine your career at ICAS
  15. Contact us
    1. Technical and regulation queries
    2. ICAS logo request

ICAS governance, the Office Bearer elections, and you

  • LinkedIn (opens new window)
  • Twitter (opens new window)
By ICAS

27 February 2020

Council elections key dates:

  • Friday 13 March - Nominations close at 17:00 (GMT).
  • Wednesday 1 April - Voting opens (you’ll receive a link to the voting site by email).
  • Wednesday 22 April - Voting closes at noon (BST).
  • Friday 24 April - Results will be announced following the ICAS AGM.

Council and its three Office Bearers are responsible for overseeing the effective management and direction of the Institute’s affairs. By getting involved with the 2020 elections, all ICAS members can play their part in this vital governance process.

Through sharing their ideas, experience and insight, Council members play a vital role in enabling the achievement of the strategic priorities of both Council and ICAS itself.

In fact, Council’s full terms of reference include a range of responsibilities, from ensuring the objects of the Royal Charters are achieved in a manner consistent with regulatory-body status, to liaising with government, promoting the views of ICAS members, and generally ensuring the observance of high standards of corporate governance.

Along with Public Interest and co-opted members, Council is composed of at least 65% of members who have been democratically selected by the wider ICAS membership through annual elections.

The Office Bearers

At the top of the Council hierarchy are the three Office Bearers – President, Deputy President and Vice President.

The Office Bearers have the following areas of responsibility:

  • the outward projection of the Institute’s policy and values at events
  • forging working relationships at home and abroad.
  • liaising with government, public authorities and the press.
  • being the principal spokespersons for ICAS on the pre-eminence of the CA qualification and profession.
  • promoting and maintaining communication and engagement with ICAS members to ensure that their views and values are promoted.

These positions are held for a term of one year, and whilst the President can only serve one term, the Deputy and Vice Presidents can serve up to three consecutive one-year terms.

Who can become an Office Bearer?

Candidates for Office Bearer positions are required to follow one of two nomination routes and then potentially to stand in a contested election.

Independent or self-nominated candidates:

Any ICAS member may nominate themselves, or another member, for an Office Bearer position if they believe they display the relevant qualities to serve in the role. The nomination must be in writing, supported by 50 ICAS members, and include the supporting information requested, namely, a professional bio, reasons for standing, etc.

Council-nominated Office Bearer candidates:

The second group of potential candidates for Office Bearer positions are those who have been nominated by Council. In this instance, Council will have satisfied themselves that these individuals also have the relevant qualities to serve as an Office Bearer.

It’s normal, but not always the case (and depends, amongst other things, on whether they wish to be nominated), that the serving Deputy and Vice President will be nominated for the next post in the Office Bearer hierarchy. Hence, the current Deputy President will be nominated for the post of President, and the Vice President as Deputy President. In theory, this allows a member to progress from Vice President to President over a three-year period and become familiar with what’s expected of the President as they progress through the ranks.

Council-nominated candidates (one for each Office Bearer position) are identified by the Presidential Nominations Committee (known as the PNC) and are put forward to Council for approval following a rigorous selection process. The PNC is a committee of Council and the members include two past Presidents and a Public Interest Member of Council. If Council supports the PNC’s recommendations, those candidates become Council’s nominated Office Bearer candidates.

This year’s nomination process is currently underway (for the Office Bearer, Open and Area Seat vacancies), and will close on 13 March at 17:00 GMT.

What happens next?

After nominations have closed, if there are other, independent or self-nominated candidates in addition to the Council-nominated candidates, then an election will be held. This year’s elections will open on 1 April, with members asked to vote for their preferred candidates for any contested Office Bearer positions.

If there are no other candidates, then the Council nominees will be considered duly elected and their appointments will be announced at this year’s AGM on 24 April.

Take some time to get involved

The window for nominations doesn’t close until 13 March, so there’s still plenty of time to consider the vacancies and get involved with the election process. The broader the scope of the input to the elections, the better the results will represent the wider membership.

And when the nominations are in and voting opens on 1 April, take some time to consider the candidates and remember that the votes you cast will help to decide the shape and direction of ICAS for the years ahead.

How to nominate

What does it take to be an Office Bearer?

Potential candidates for Office Bearer positions are expected to be able to display a range of relevant qualities:

  • has earned, or is capable of earning, the respect of Council and inspiring confidence in Members and stakeholders.
  • a sound understanding of the issues facing members, such as sustainability and diversity.
  • a demonstrable leader, role-model and strategic thinker.
  • can evidence commitment to inclusion and diversity across the profession.
  • an unblemished personal and professional reputation.
  • a demonstrable commitment to ICAS (experience of Council membership preferred but not essential).
  • diplomatic, personable and capable of building and maintaining relationships.
  • ability to operate as part of a cohesive team, whilst acknowledging the expectations of the role and how these may increase with the seniority of the role.
  • an effective communicator and public speaker.
  • the capacity and flexibility to discharge the requirements of the role.
Governance

Governance

ICAS governance ensures the highest standards, effective management, and achievement of the objects of its Royal Charter.

2023-05-xero 2023-05-xero

Footer links

  • Contact us
  • Terms and conditions
  • Modern slavery statement
  • Privacy notice
  • CA magazine

Connect with ICAS

  • Facebook (opens new window) Facebook Icon
  • Twitter (opens new window) Twitter Icon
  • LinkedIn (opens new window) LinkedIn Icon
  • Instagram (opens new window) Instagram Icon

ICAS is a member of the following bodies

  • Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies (opens new window) Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies logo
  • Chartered Accountants Worldwide (opens new window) Chartered Accountants Worldwide logo
  • Global Accounting Alliance (opens new window) Global Accounting Alliance
  • International Federation of Accountants (opens new window) IFAC
  • Access Accountancy (opens new window) Access Acountancy

Charities

  • ICAS Foundation (opens new window) ICAS Foundation
  • SCABA (opens new window) scaba

Accreditations

  • ISO 9001 - RGB (opens new window)
© ICAS 2022

The mark and designation “CA” is a registered trade mark of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS), and is available for use in the UK and EU only to members of ICAS. If you are not a member of ICAS, you should not use the “CA” mark and designation in the UK or EU in relation to accountancy, tax or insolvency services. The mark and designation “Chartered Accountant” is a registered trade mark of ICAS, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales and Chartered Accountants Ireland. If you are not a member of one of these organisations, you should not use the “Chartered Accountant” mark and designation in the UK or EU in relation to these services. Further restrictions on the use of these marks also apply where you are a member.

Our cookie policy

ICAS.com uses cookies which are essential for our website to work. We would also like to use analytical cookies to help us improve our website and your user experience. Any data collected is anonymised. Please have a look at the further information in our cookie policy and confirm if you are happy for us to use analytical cookies: