CIMA President and Chair of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants set to visit Sri Lanka

10 March 2025, Colombo, Sri Lanka – Simon Bittlestone, FCMA, CGMA, President of The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), and Chair of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, which represents AICPA & CIMA, will be visiting Sri Lanka from 19 to 21 March 2025. He will be available for media interviews throughout his visit.

During his visit, Simon Bittlestone will attend a number of engaging events with members, candidates, tuition partners, corporate partners, and state officials.

  • Speaking to C-Suite executives to share insights about the future of the accounting and finance profession, highlighting how Chartered Global Management Accountants (CGMA designation holders) guide and lead their organisations, and in turn our national economy, towards sustainable success.
  • Meeting with members to explore innovative strategies to unlock new opportunities, support long-term value creation, and foster sustainable growth within their organisations.
  • Engaging with volunteer members from the MESANA region to discuss trends affecting the profession, how AICPA & CIMA are adapting to stay at the forefront of accounting and finance amid rapid change, and support their members to excel in their careers.
  • Celebrating the achievements of 177 newly qualified CGMA designation holders at the AICPA & CIMA convocation ceremony in Colombo.

Simon Bittlestone was elected 91st CIMA President and 9th Chair of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, representing AICPA & CIMA, on 11 June 2024. During his year in office, Simon will focus on empowering accounting and finance professionals to cultivate the mindset, skills, and knowledge they need to draw on the enormous possibilities presented by new technologies. In addition, he will put great emphasis on promoting the role of accounting and finance professionals as trusted advisors, who are equipped to support organisations to drive meaningful, long-lasting change and sustainable value creation. He will also work on fostering an inclusive profession, where anyone with the right aptitude and dedication has the opportunity join the profession, seize opportunities for growth, and build a fulfilling career.

Simon is a business leader with experience in both private and public companies and in the US, UK, and Asian markets, and currently holds a portfolio of advisory and non-executive roles for several technology businesses, investment funds, and charities. Simon’s business career includes working for 12 years in the financial analytics industry, a decade of which he spent as CEO of Metapraxis, a finance technology company based in London and New York with a global blue-chip customer base.