2011

January - December Breaking the boundaries review Dear CIMA members and students

The year started on an exciting note with a new management team and a streamlining of staff functions across the board. Having passed the year end mark, the team at CIMA presents its report on the activities that took place during the year 2011.

Student growth started on a positive note in the first half of Naturally, members’ CPD needs were met through training the year and targets were exceeded by the year end. New programmes and evening talks, and communications with business opportunities presented themselves through our members and students stayed active via CIMA Malaysia’s close collaboration with institutions including Universiti Facebook page and e-Momentum, the bi-monthly online Sains Malaysia, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi newsletter. MARA, Sunway-TES, and , TAR College, UCSI University and Noesis. From a big picture perspective, the South East Asia Regional Board has been set up to help deliver CIMA Council’s CIMA’s new products such as the CIMA Diploma and objectives for growth globally. The joint venture between Advanced Diploma in Islamic Finance, CIMA Gateway CIMA and the American Institute of Certified Public Assessment for ACCA members and affiliates, and the CIMA Accountants will introduce the new Chartered Global Masters Gateway Assessment for MBA holders added to our Management Accountant (CGMA) designation for members student recruitment. Employers too played a key role in our in early 2012. strategy for growth and we have worked with selected major employers to promote the CIMA qualification. We look forward to another challenging year ahead.

Through a new advertising campaign and major events such as the CIMA Green Sustainability Conference Asia 2011, the With best wishes, Malaysia CIMA Global Business Challenge and the National Irene Teng Award for Management Accounting (NAfMA), branding was Regional Director further enhanced. CIMA SE Asia and Australasia

1 Student recruitment and The tail end of June saw student recruitment numbers surpass membership conversion the target. On this score, targets for 2011 were also exceeded – a significant achievement indeed as this signifies a larger pool for membership conversion in the future.

Our membership conversion target for 2011 was achieved through the face to face membership assessment held on 27 August. This assessment was open to all students from Malaysia and Singapore who completed T4 part b examination. Students who completed the strategic level Growth Growth June June and who had at least three years of working experience at year end at year end January- January-

January- January- also submited their career profile for assessment. A December December graduation ceremony was held on 5 November for all new members of the institute. 2010 2011 2011 2010 2011 2011 Student Membership recruitment conversion

Jubilant new CIMA members and prize winners at the beautiful lake Branding in Taylor’s University Lakeside campus. We strengthened the CIMA brand in the market through several initiatives:

• Print media campaign In June, we started a new print advertisement campaign in the major newspapers such as The Star, The Edge, Harian Metro, Sin Chew Daily and China Press. The advertisements were in English, Bahasa Malaysia and Mandarin. The focus of the campaign was to highlight the value of the CIMA qualification of our members. This was the first stage of a three year campaign.

• Digital campaign - Google search Leveraging on the Internet as a marketing tool to target the internet savvy youth, we started a Google search campaign to increase traffic to the CIMA website.

- Digital marketing Online banners were placed in the top 40 websites frequented by our young target group.

These print media and digital campaigns created awareness for the CIMA qualification and following a major research carried out by a research house, we aim to convert awareness to desire in 2012/2013.

2 Business synergies

Forged a closer collaboration with public and private universities, resulting in the signing of several Memoranda of Understanding (MoU).

Signed on 3 March with Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Graduate School of Business. Students currently pursuing their MBA can concurrently do the CIMA Masters Gateway Assessment (CMGA). Upon passing the CMGA, students will be awarded the CIMA Advanced Diploma in Management Accounting and can proceed to the strategic level of the CIMA qualification.

The signing ceremony in progress. (From left) YBhg Prof Datin Hasnah Haron, YBhg Prof Tan Sri Dato’ Dzulkifli Abdul Razak, Mr Venkkat Ramanan and Mr Jack Ong.

Signed on 21 February with Sunway College Kuching where the college will offer classes for the CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting.

Mr Joseph Lim (left), CEO of Sunway College Kuching, and Mr Venkkat Ramanan, Head of CIMA Malaysia, exchanging the MoU, witnessed by YB John Sikie, Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department, Sarawak.

Signed on 12 July with Universiti Utara Malaysia where the Bachelor of Accounting (Hons) programme students will acquire their degree and the CIMA Professional Qualification in Management Accounting simultaneously upon graduation. 400 first year accounting undergraduates at UUM registered for this CIMA pathway early this year.

From left: Associate Prof Dr Kamil Md Idris, Dean, School of Accountancy of UUM, Professor Dato' Dr Mohamed Mustafa Ishak, Vice of UUM, Mr Charles Tilley, Chief Executive of CIMA and Ms Irene Teng, Regional Director of CIMA South East Asia and Australasia at a press conference held after the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between CIMA and UUM.

3 Signed on 14 July with Sunway University. CIMA accorded the maximum number of 11 exemptions to Sunway’s Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Accounting and Finance programme. Sunway University will also use CIMAstudy.com online study materials to complement classroom teaching. It is the first private higher education institution to change their syllabus to match that of CIMA’s. Look out for the auditorium at the University which we have adopted and named ‘CIMA’.

At Sunway University – Mr Charles Tilley exchanging signed documents with Ms Elizabeth Lee, Executive Director of the Sunway Education Group. Witnessing the occasion was Mr Lee Weng Keng, Chief Executive Officer, Education & Healthcare Division, Sunway Education Group.

Leveraging on The Sunway Education Group’s strong support for CIMA, an MOU was signed with Sunway-TES to offer CIMA tuition to corporate as well as public sectors.

To ensure positive and progressive relationships, we engaged with universities and colleges regularly. Activities included business games with students of UiTM Puncak Perdana on 5 April and with Curtin Sarawak on 21 May. Additonally, close collaboration with UiTM resulted in 30 MARA sponsored students from MRSM schools signing up for the CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting (CBA). The first batch of eight students completed two papers with 100% pass rates. We also co-organised the fun-filled UUM College of Business-CIMA Accounting Day on 22 February which was attended by 1000 students. Then on 4 March, we participated in the 40th anniversary TAR College School of Business Carnival Day where CIMA sponsored the star attraction - a hot air balloon!

Mr Venkkat Ramanan, Head of CIMA Malaysia, explaining the concept of the CIMA business game. Up and away ... students enjoying a ride in the hot air balloon sponsored by CIMA Malaysia.

4 Launching of CIMA Diploma and Advanced Diploma in Islamic Finance

The CIMA Diploma and Advanced Diploma in Islamic Finance were launched on 21 June and was co-hosted by UCSI University and Amanie Advisors, at the UCSI Blue Ocean Strategy Hall in . This was on the heels of CIMA’s Certificate in Islamic Finance launch four years ago, which has just been re-graded to the CIMA Diploma in Islamic Finance. The four modules of the diploma will be offered as certificates in their own right. The new advanced diploma is based upon a top level case study. Mr Venkkat Ramanan, Head of CIMA Malaysia, launching the Diploma We seized this opportunity to market the Islamic finance qualifications to relevant parties in and Advanced Diploma Malaysia together with our partner, UCSI Professional Academy. It is the first Malaysian in Islamic Finance. institution to be recognised as a CIMA Islamic Finance Associate, given exclusivity to provide examination preparatory courses. Classes commenced in March 2011.

Professional and Masters Gateways

Both the professional and Masters gateways have resulted in an increase in membership. The professional gateway is open to members and passed finalists of bodies who are members of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) while the Masters gateway is open to MBA or Masters in Accounting holders. Passing this single assessment means a direct entry to the strategic level of the CIMA qualification.

Another new tuition partner, Noesis, has been offering Masters Gateway classes since January with 17 students pursuing the course. Noesis is also offering CIMA tuition for the CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting.

A Masters Gateway class in progress at Noesis. The lecturer is Mr Liew Sin Choon, Finance and Admin Director of Noesis.

5 Talent development and retention with employers

The qualification and skills of CIMA members are valued world over. In Malaysia, just as in other CIMA offices throughout the world, we work with key employers to promote the CIMA qualification. In a partnership with CIMA, Tesco Stores (Malaysia) has allocated RM1 million for its Finance Graduate Trainee Programme to develop local talent through training and development. CIMA and Tesco signed an MoU on 22 February to formalise this collaboration and to-date 22 Tesco staff are pursuing the CIMA programme.

We are also working closely with other companies including KPMG, HSBC, BAT and MDeC.

Staff of Tesco who are pursuing the CIMA qualification.

Key events Two significant events were the recent CIMA Green Sustainability Conference Asia 2011 on 12-13 July and the CIMA Global Business Challenge (GBC) Malaysia Finals on 11 June. The conference was well attended by 200 business leaders covering topics ranging from green reporting, carbon footprint, certification schemes for sustainability to green technology, renewable energy, green billing and sustainable construction. The GBC was a hit among the university undergraduates with 30 teams participating from throughout Malaysia. It’s an ideal avenue for us to promote an understanding of management accounting by using the CIMA case study as the basis for the competition. Malaysia’s champion this year hailed from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and went on to represent the country in Chengdu, China, in July against 16 international teams in the global final.

The champion, team Agilis from UKM, posing with the GBC icon, the panda. A section of the crowd at the conference.

6 Matthias Gelber, the ‘greenest person on the planet’, speaking on sustainability at the conference.

The promotion of the National Award in Management Accounting (NAfMA) 2011 began with a series of workshops in June to help potential participants to understand more about the award, application process and assessment criteria. The award ceremony was held in December.

Mr Yeo Tek Ling (3rd from left), Chairman of the NAfMA Organising Committee, receiving the mock cheque from the Managing Director of Public Bank Berhad, YBhg Tan Sri Datuk Seri Tay Ah Lek (2nd from right). Public Bank is the main sponsor of NAfMA 2011.

Puan Anida Ishak (left), General Manager, Investor Relations & Management Reporting, Tenaga Nasional Berhad, receiving the Excellence Award trophy from Datuk Wan Selamah Wan Sulaiman, Accountant General of Malaysia.

Meeting members’ CPD needs

27 training courses, evening talks and in-company training programmes have been conducted since January, covering a variety of topics from FRS and GST to ethics and dining etiquette. A notable event was the breakfast forum on 26 April entitled ‘Ethics and business – new corporate challenges and opportunities’ which attracted about 100 participants. The forum was presented by Ms Tanya Barman, Head of Ethics, CIMA; Mr Mohd Nizam bin Mohd Ali, Director for Private Sector, Malaysian Institute of Integrity and Ms Margaret Chin, Managing Director of Tricor Roots (Governance, Risk and Compliance) Group.

From left: Tanya Barman, Mr Chandra Mohan Balasubramaniam FCMA, Mr In terms of support from CIMA’s corporate office in the UK, CIMA Mohd Nizam bin Mohd Ali and Ms Margaret Chin leading the discussion on demand and CIMAplus will help meet members’ CPD during the breakfast forum. requirements. Working in partnership with BPP, CIMA on demand offers a range of online courses in the areas of management accounting, accounting updates, corporate finance and treasury, financial reporting, law and tax matters, business skills, strategic management, understanding finance and personal and management skills. Check out www.cimaondemand.com for further details. CIMAplus includes products such as research reports, exclusive webcasts and interviews, talking heads from business and magazines such as Excellence in Leadership. Visit www.cimaglobal.com/cimaplus

7 Keeping in touch with members and students

Make sure you ‘like’ CIMA Malaysia Facebook which was launched in May and get news of the most recent happenings in CIMA Malaysia. Currently we have 855 fans. Check it out at www.facebook.com/cimamalaysia

The eMomentum has been the voice of CIMA Malaysia for a number of years. From the initial hard copy version, we have moved to online issues in 2007 and moving forward, we will provide regional updates through ‘SE Asia Voice’, a new report that will be published once every four months.

Governance matters CIMA-AICPA SEARB The joint venture between CIMA and the American Institute CIMA Council in the UK have set up a South East of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) announced on 23 Asia Regional Board (SEARB) to help deliver CIMA May, will create a new professional designation, the Council’s objectives for growth globally, including Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA). These supporting students in their progression to CIMA’s new CGMA letters will be issued to members in early 2012. examinations and conversion to membership. With this joint venture, we will become truly a global body, The SEARB consists of 10 members - two covering 550,000 members and students worldwide. representatives each from Malaysia and Singapore, two from the region, three co-opted members/ students from the region and the CIMA Council member for Area 16. The formation of the board of the SEARB became effective on 1 July 2011.

What lies ahead We will continue to concentrate our efforts on further strengthening our relationship with key colleges, universities and employers. We are also looking into working with government agencies for student recruitment and moving forward we can certainly expect a significant improvement in student numbers. Our promotional activities and new strategies of incorporating the CIMA syllabus into the undergraduate programmes of selected colleges and universities will also play an important role in this.

At the same time, we assure all CIMA members of our support in terms of services provided, whether it’s CPD or other enquiries. Our door is always open! Just call 03-77 230 230.

Best wishes from: CIMA Malaysia 8