Chartered Accountants Ireland has announced the election of Joan Curry as President at its 138th AGM in Dublin today. She takes on the role as new figures from IAASA’s Profile of the Profession 2025 highlight the strength of the Institute’s education and training model and its critical role in supplying highly skilled finance professionals to meet growing demand across business and the public sector
According to the report 1,164 trainees progressed to membership of Chartered Accountants Ireland in 2025, accounting for 62% of all individuals admitted to professional accountancy bodies in Ireland last year. This strong pipeline is key to supporting organisations as they navigate economic uncertainty, regulatory change, and technological transformation. This reflects the Institute’s strong and timely progression of trainees through its ACA programme.
President of Chartered Accountants Ireland Joan Curry said:
“This year, the Institute welcomed its 40,000th member, the result of an education programme that has been significantly overhauled. Since 2018, our syllabus has evolved to include areas such as robotic process automation, data analytics, cybersecurity, blockchain and accounting for digital assets to meet the needs of business. The programme is delivered using “adaptive” personalised learning.
“This future-proofed approach combined with pass rates of 79% in our final exams, and the strong progression through training to membership – as highlighted in IAASA’s latest statistics - is central to meeting continued demand for highly skilled professionals across the island.
“For many businesses, access to talented, highly qualified professionals remains a critical challenge and the need for expertise in areas like AI, risk, governance and strategic change continues to grow. The flexibility of the modern ACA programme with multiple enrolment points throughout the year and classes beginning three times annually ensures it continues to meet the needs of businesses, their trainees and the wider economy.”
Joan Curry has served on the Institute’s Council since 2018 and brings extensive experience in public financial management. She previously held the role of Head of Finance at the Department of Transport and has worked across several government departments. Joan has also contributed at an international level as a Board member of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), helping shape global standards and policy.
Within Chartered Accountants Ireland, she has played a key leadership role, including as Chair of the Public Sector Committee, championing the interests of members and advancing best practice in governance and reporting.
Joan Curry continued:
“A key priority for my year will be supporting the delivery of the Institute’s strategy, centred on educating, leading and delivering for our members. A particular focus will be on the growing impact of AI on the profession and how Chartered Accountants can lead its responsible adoption, ensuring transparency, accountability and trust in financial and business decision making.
“We will continue to use the voice of our profession to influence policy and drive tangible progress across our economies and societies. Finally, we will continue to represent the profession in a way that reflects the modern reality of what it means to be a Chartered Accountant, strengthening the pipeline of future talent and developing the leaders of tomorrow.
“I would like to acknowledge Pamela McCreedy for her outstanding presidency and the significant contribution she has made to the Institute. I look forward to continuing to benefit from her counsel in the year ahead.”
At today's AGM, Niall Walsh, Partner at Deloitte Ireland was elected Deputy President, and Michael Kavanagh, CEO of the Compliance Institute was elected Vice President.
With over 40,000 members and 8,600 students across Ireland and internationally, Chartered Accountants Ireland remains the largest professional body on the island.
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