LAHORE - Joseph Owolabi has been elected as ACCA president, first-ever from Africa to lead world’s leading professional accountancy body, while Pakistan’s Ayla Majid has also made history for being appointed vice president, first South Asian to hold this position in a 118-year history of ACCA. Joseph was confirmed in his new role at the annual council meeting after ACCA’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 10 November 2022. Ronnie Patton, formerly senior lecturer at Ulster University, Northern Ireland, was appointed deputy president and Ayla Majid from Pakistan, founder and CEO of Planetive – a clean energy and sustainability advisory practice – became vice president. Ayla joined ACCA in 2006 and has been serving on ACCA’s global council since 2014. She is the first person from Pakistan and South Asia to be elected the global vice president in a 118-year history of ACCA. Ayla is an international speaker and is a strong advocate of sustainability and energy transition; takes part in contributing to important themes: digital transformation, climate finance, future of work, future of energy and sustainable infrastructure. She sits on the boards of various public and private entities in Pakistan in the areas of energy, pharmaceutical and not for profit sectors. In her various roles she focuses and advises on the adoption of the SDGs across different industries. Ayla is Eisenhower Fellow, and is a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum. She sits on the Global Future Council of Energy Transition of the World Economic Forum. ‘Being a finance professional has equipped me with the tools and connected me with people who are working towards creating action-oriented solutions for a sustainable world,’ she said. For Ayla promoting the role of women in governance is something she is very passionate about. She said: ‘It is the need of today’s forwardlooking organisation.’ Ayla is a champion of board diversity and actively engages in promoting women on boards. She was the first female to sit on the board of any stock exchange in Pakistan. Thanks to pioneers like her, the influence and impact of women is changing the face of Pakistan.