AICPA and CIMA Launch Rise2040 to Shape the Future of Finance
The Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (AICPA and CIMA) today launched Rise2040: Shaping the Future of Finance and Accounting, a global initiative designed to anticipate and actively shape the future of the profession. Developed through structured global dialogues spanning more than 25 countries and involving 6,000 accounting and finance professionals, the Rise2040 initiative is a dynamic and continuously evolving insights programme combined to produce a shared vision for the profession’s growth.
‘Rise2040 is not about predicting the future, but equipping the profession to actively shape it,’ said Mark Koziel, CPA, CGMA, CEO of AICPA and CIMA. ‘We face a defining moment. As AI transforms how work is done, our value will increasingly be defined by human judgement, trust, and the ability to lead through complexity. At the heart of this initiative is the Rise2040 AI platform and its flagship report; both reinforce a critical insight… the future of this profession will not be determined by what happens to us and the forces shaping it, but by how we respond.’
Visi Rise2040 menyoroti perubahan besar yang sedang berlangsung. As automation transforms routine work, the profession is rapidly shifting from a recorder of past events to an ‘anticipatory advisor.’ At the same time, trust remains the timeless core of the profession, but its value is escalating. In a world saturated with AI and data, human judgement, ethics, and accountability become increasingly critical differentiators. The report identifies five interrelated drivers shaping the profession’s future: technology and data infrastructure, value model transformation, professional talent and workforce dynamics, regulatory and trust frameworks, and market and societal expectations. Collectively, these forces are changing how work is done, how value is created, and how professionals lead.
‘This global effort creates a profession that does not shy away from change, but rises to face it with human leadership,’ said Tom Hood, EVP Business Engagement & Growth at AICPA and CIMA. Participants specifically emphasised that technology is not replacing the profession but rather augmenting it, allowing professionals to focus on higher-value activities such as advisory services, strategy formulation, and decision-making support. Unlike previous visioning efforts, Rise2040 is designed as an ongoing platform, not a one-off report. This continuous system is designed to capture insights and translate them into action across the profession globally, evolving through wider engagement and deeper analysis.
‘Rise2040 ultimately reinforces a shared responsibility,’ said Koziel. ‘The future of this profession is not predetermined. It will be shaped by the choices made today.’ Venkkat Ramanan, FCMA, CGMA, Vice President for AICPA and CIMA Asia Pacific, added: ‘In Asia, the transformation of this profession is happening on a massive scale and at high velocity, fuelled by a vast pool of professional talent, very rapid adoption of digital technology, and increasing business complexity. This opportunity is not just about keeping pace, but about leading change and steering talented professionals towards higher-value, decision-oriented roles, where trust, judgement, and human leadership become the true differentiators.’ The accounting and finance profession is shifting from a recorder of the past to a shaper of the future, guided by trust, enabled by technology, and led by human judgement.