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From Accountant to Strategist: Why ACCA Is Not Just About Numbers Anymore

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09 Jun 2025

5 Min Read

Dr Voon Voon Yuen Hoong (Guest Contributor), Katharene Expedit (Academic Contributor)
IN THIS ARTICLE

You’ve mastered the numbers. Now, they’re asking for more.

 

Maybe it started with a seat at the strategy table—or being pulled into conversations that had little to do with ledgers, and everything to do with leadership. Today’s finance roles aren’t just about reporting the past—they’re about helping shape what comes next.

 

Organisations are asking finance to play a broader role: supporting business decisions, contributing to strategy, leading on sustainability, and navigating new regulatory expectations.

 

For many mid-career professionals, this shift is already underway. The question is how to keep pace, and how to continue adding value as expectations evolve.

 

Professional development frameworks like ACCA have adapted to support this change—not by repeating what professionals already know, but by helping them develop the additional capabilities now expected in the field.

How ACCA Reflect This Shift

A team of financial executives analysing digital financial data and strategy in a modern office

The evolution of finance roles beyond compliance and reporting now requires new capabilities—ones that go beyond technical accuracy and transactional work.

 

"Finance professionals used to be scorekeepers who prepared budgets, financial reports, and ensured compliance," notes Dr. Voon Yuen Hoong, Executive Director of Tax at Crowe KL.

 

"In recent years, their input has become essential for decision-making and long-term planning within organisations. They also help assess financial risks and advise on business models that align with the organisation’s financial goals and overall strategy. In addition, finance professionals play a key role in costing and budgeting, which are critical for organisational sustainability and addressing going concern issues."

 

ACCA’s syllabus is designed to support this shift by helping professionals build skills in:

  • Business strategy and leadership: enabling finance professionals to drive business growth and influence organisational direction.
  • Digital finance and analytics: preparing professionals to work with automation, AI, and data-driven insights.
  • Ethics and risk management: equipping professionals to manage governance, crisis response, and sustainable decision-making.
  • Sustainability reporting: providing the tools to measure and communicate environmental and social impact aligned with ESG standards.
 
How ACCA Also Prepares Professionals for Cross-Border Leadership

 

As businesses operate more globally, finance professionals are increasingly expected to navigate international standards, work across regions, and contribute to leadership in a cross-border context.

 

ACCA’s training helps professionals prepare for these demands through:

  • Alignment with global standards, such as International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) for financial reporting and ESG frameworks for sustainability.
  • Preparing professionals for leadership roles in multinational companies, NGOs, and public sector organisations across regions.
  • Offering a globally recognised qualification, supporting career mobility and credibility in international contexts.  

This global readiness is increasingly relevant, as many finance professionals today contribute to cross-border teams or projects as part of their regular work.

What Skills Are Needed Now & Where Gaps Are Emerging

Multiracial financial team discussing in a meeting

Employers now expect finance professionals to bring a broader skillset to the table. In addition to strong technical skills, professionals are increasingly expected to demonstrate:

  • Strategic thinking: understanding how financial insights connect to business outcomes.
  • Digital literacy: working effectively with dashboards, AI tools, and automation.
  • Ethical judgement: contributing to governance, sustainability reporting, and responsible decision-making.
  • Data storytelling and communication: presenting financial insights in ways that drive cross-functional decisions.

Yet many professionals currently in mid-career roles were trained in an earlier era—when compliance and technical accuracy were the primary focus. The result can be gaps that show up in the workplace:

According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2023, analytical thinking, creative thinking, and technology literacy are among the most in-demand skills across professional roles—including those in finance.

 

Real World Impact: Where ACCA Can Take You
 

PwC’s 2023 Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey highlights that professionals in specialist roles—including finance—are increasingly being asked to contribute to business strategy and decision-making.

 

As these expectations evolve, professionals equipped with both technical and strategic capabilities are increasingly valued for their ability to contribute beyond traditional finance functions.

 

"Finance professionals who hold a finance degree are equipped with management skills. These skills help them lead their team members toward achieving the organisation’s goals and vision," adds Dr. Voon.

 

For professionals who want to remain effective in this evolving landscape, the ability to combine financial expertise with broader business and leadership capabilities is becoming essential.

If finance professionals also hold a professional qualification such as ACCA, their understanding of finance and accounting concepts is more in-depth. This enhances their ability to apply financial and accounting theories effectively in their roles after graduation.

— Dr Voon Yuen Hoong, Executive Director of Tax at Crowe KL

Want to learn how ACCA can fit into your professional journey? Find out from us.

For Those Ready to Pivot

A modern woman thinking while looking at her work laptop

Professionals often ask: “Is it too late for me to expand my capabilities?” “Do I have time to pursue further learning alongside my role?”

 

ACCA’s structure is built with working professionals in mind. It offers:

  1. Modular learning: allowing individuals to study at their own pace.
  2. Real-world exam scenarios: aligned with current business challenges.
  3. Online learning and global peer networks: supporting flexible study options.
  4. Recognition of prior learning: helping professionals with relevant backgrounds progress more efficiently.

For those already operating in hybrid finance roles, or looking to take on broader responsibilities, ACCA provides a structured way to build the additional capabilities now expected.

Turning Your Experience into Something Bigger

Many mid-career professionals are already contributing to strategy, risk management, and sustainability in their roles—even if their title hasn’t changed.

 

ACCA offers a way to formalise that evolving role and add recognised credibility to the capabilities professionals are already building. It's less about where you started, and more about how you think and lead now. For professionals already taking on these broader responsibilities, ACCA provides a pathway to deepen expertise and extend impact—without stepping away from their current careers.

If you're considering how to deepen your capabilities for this next stage of your career, ACCA offers flexible pathways to help you move forward. Find out more.
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