KUALA LUMPUR: Demonstrating Malaysia’s leadership in line with its role as ASEAN Chair, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) Malaysia launched ASEAN Connect 2025, a first-of-its-kind forum uniting ICAEW members from across ASEAN based in the UK, with their UK counterparts at London’s historic Chartered Accountants’ Hall. The event reflects ICAEW Malaysia’s commitment to fostering deeper regional collaboration and advancing ASEAN’s alignment with global economic and professional standards.
ASEAN Connect 2025 served as a platform to strengthen cross-border professional collaboration and position the region as a cohesive economic bloc. It highlights a broader strategy to elevate ASEAN’s professional capacity in tandem with its economic ambitions.
As ASEAN economies continue to integrate, the accountancy profession plays a foundational role in supporting this transition. Chartered accountants ensure consistency in financial reporting and robust governance frameworks, building trust that enables cross-border trade and investment.
The event was officiated by His Excellency Dato’ Zakri Jaafar, Malaysia’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, underscoring the strategic importance of the occasion. Attendees included representatives from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Vietnam and ASEAN professionals based in the UK. Discussions centred on how accountancy and finance professionals can work together to promote sustainable economic growth and workforce mobility within ASEAN.
The evening also featured an ICAEW World Prizegiving Ceremony, honouring outstanding chartered accountancy students from Malaysia. Malaysia is consistently developing high quality talent for the region and beyond, showcasing the mobility of the Associate Chartered Accountant qualification.
Through close collaboration with local regulators, universities, and the ICAEW Members’ Society Malaysian Chapter, the Institute is actively nurturing a globally recognised pool of accounting talent while aligning national practices with international standards.
“ASEAN Connect 2025 is the realisation of a vision we’ve long held: to consolidate two worlds, ASEAN’s dynamic regional economies and ICAEW’s global professional heritage,” said Shenola Gonzales, Head of ICAEW Malaysia. “As Malaysia leads ASEAN this year, we are proud to showcase how the strength of our profession can drive regional collaboration and enhance economic resilience.”
As part of its engagement under Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship, ICAEW has taken further steps to influence regional policy discourse. Earlier this year, ICAEW Chief Executive Alan Vallance addressed the ASEAN Capital Markets Forum, marking the first time an ICAEW leader has spoken at this influential regional platform. In addition, ICAEW convened the region’s first workshop on Scope 3 emissions reporting, bringing together ASEAN regulators, policymakers, and business leaders to strengthen transparency and consistency in ESG disclosures.
Vallance noted the urgency of this shift. “Sustainability and financial resilience go hand in hand. ICAEW is committed to providing businesses with the expertise to transition successfully to sustainable finance mechanisms that align with clear ESG reporting standards. Investors and financial markets demand greater transparency, and ASEAN must work towards a unified approach that supports both regulatory alignment and business competitiveness.”
These initiatives, including policy dialogues, regulatory roundtables, and capacity-building workshops, reflect ICAEW’s broader contribution to ASEAN’s economic architecture. By enabling cross-border collaboration and professional alignment, ICAEW is helping enhance competitiveness and unlock shared growth opportunities across the region.
The success of ICAEW ASEAN Connect 2025 reflects the region’s shared commitment to building a more globally competitive economic community. With Malaysia playing a strategic role through professional excellence and international collaboration, the forum reaffirmed the bloc’s readiness for sustainable and inclusive growth on the world stage.
