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THE annual conference of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators in Zimbabwe is underway in Nyanga with a focus on adjusting the mindset of governance and accounting professionals to the new normal brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The theme of the two-day conference which started yesterday and ends today with both physical and virtual participation, is “Transforming Governance and Accounting for a New Normal”.

Local and international speakers and participants will be able to share and discuss key and emerging issues within the work of the governance and accounting profession.

The conference will also look beyond the profession, addressing practices, developments and insights in the private and public sectors, exploring whether and how these can be adapted to the new normal.

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa, will be the guest of honour and will give the keynote address on the second day of the conference, in which she will speak on “Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Positioning Women for Leadership in Governance and Accounting in the New Normal”.

On the same day Women in Governance and Accounting (WIGA) will be launched as a chapter of ICSAZ with Insurance and Pensions Commission (IPEC) commissioner, Dr Grace Muradzikwa officiating. Panel discussions for the two-day conference programme and topics include ‘Opportunities and Challenges for Governance and Accounting Professionals in Zimbabwe, Opportunities and Challenges with ICT and Digitalisation, Taxation, Accounting and Auditing in the New Normal, and Modern Trends in Governance, Secretaryship and Compliance in Different Jurisdictions.

There will be two formal banquets this year, one sponsored by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) and the other by Nyaradzo Funeral Group. One of the highlights of the ICSAZ annual conference is the announcement of the Chartered Secretary of the Year, which takes place during a formal banquet.

Global president of the Corporate Governance Institute (CGI), formerly the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators, Peter Turnbull, and CGI director general Tim Sheehy will be among those participating through an online virtual presence.

Other international speakers include International Federation of Accountants United States principal Scott Hanson, Pan African Federation of Accountants chief executive Alta Prinsloo, African Organisation of English Speaking Supreme Audit Institutions (AFROSAI-E) African Professional Initiative senior manager Bruce Vivian, Corporate Secretaries International vice-president Ranjeet Pandey, Governance Institute of Australia chief executive Megan Motto and International Compliance Association UK product director Mark Taylor.

Several local experts will be speaking and participating in panel discussions including Standards Association of Zimbabwe director general Eve Gadzikwa, First Mutual Wealth chairman John Chikura, Dandemutande chief executive Never Ncube as well as Public Accountants and Auditors Board head of standards and research Honest Murindagomo.- New Ziana