ACCA Executive Director Lucia Real Martin GAICD and the leadership team of ACCA Pakistan met with Ahmed Shafi, Executive Director of Mirchawala’s Hub of Accountancy (MHA), and members of his senior management team to discuss the development of future-ready accounting and finance talent. The meeting focused on the role of professional education and employer engagement in preparing students and professionals for changing requirements across the accounting and financial services sectors.
The discussion also highlighted Mirchawala’s Hub of Accountancy’s role as both a Platinum Approved Learning Partner and an Approved Employer of ACCA. Through these roles, MHA contributes to the professional development of individuals pursuing ACCA qualifications while also supporting opportunities for qualified talent within the employment environment. The engagement with ACCA leadership provided an opportunity to discuss the institute’s contribution to developing skills relevant to the evolving needs of employers and the wider professional community.
Lucia Real Martin also connected with ACCA’s future members during the visit and delivered a keynote address titled “Bridging the Skills Gap: Unlocking Career Potential.” The session focused on the relationship between professional skills and career development, particularly as students and emerging professionals prepare to enter workplaces where employers increasingly require a combination of technical knowledge, professional capabilities and adaptable skills.
The keynote formed part of the wider engagement with ACCA students and future members, providing an opportunity for them to hear directly from the global leadership of the professional accountancy organisation. Discussions around skills gaps have become increasingly relevant as accounting and finance roles continue to evolve alongside changes in technology, business processes, regulatory requirements and financial services. Developing skills that complement professional qualifications can help students prepare for different career pathways within the sector.
Ahmed Shafi represented Mirchawala’s Hub of Accountancy during the leadership meeting, alongside the institute’s senior management team. The engagement highlighted MHA’s involvement in ACCA’s professional education and employment ecosystem. As a Platinum Approved Learning Partner, the institution supports individuals pursuing ACCA qualifications, while its status as an Approved Employer connects professional development with workplace opportunities.
The meeting also brought together representatives from ACCA and MHA to discuss the broader development of accounting talent in Pakistan. The participants included Lucia Real Martin, Ahmed Shafi, Assad Hameed Khan, Khurram Iqbal, Muhammad Shahid Khan, Taimur Beiram, Ali Shan Haque, Leona Mathew and Misha Tahzeen. Their participation reflected the involvement of leadership and professional education representatives in discussions around skills development and career opportunities.
The focus on future-ready talent comes as accounting professionals increasingly operate across functions that extend beyond traditional financial reporting. Finance professionals are working alongside technology, risk, compliance, data and business teams, creating demand for broader capabilities alongside formal accounting qualifications. Engagement between professional bodies, learning providers and employers can provide a platform for discussing these changing requirements and identifying ways to better prepare students and professionals.
For ACCA Pakistan and Mirchawala’s Hub of Accountancy, the engagement also reinforces the importance of connecting professional education with practical career opportunities. Learning providers play a role in helping students prepare for professional examinations and develop their knowledge, while employers provide opportunities to apply those skills in workplace environments. The combination can support a more connected pathway from professional education to employment.
Lucia Real Martin’s interaction with ACCA’s future members and her keynote on bridging the skills gap added a career development component to the leadership discussions. The engagement brought together professional education, employer development and student outreach, with a shared focus on preparing accounting and finance talent for evolving workplace requirements in Pakistan and beyond.
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