KOCHI: The Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) has showcased excellence in creating management accounting and financial professionals globally. IMA is the only organization to offer the Certified Management Accountant US (CMA-USA), a global benchmark for management accountants and financial professionals.
The IMA which has 8 offices worldwide is planning to set up an office in India soon. Jim Piechowski, Director, International Operations and Ella Suponitskiy, Director, Exam Operations and Grading of IMA were in the city recently for participating in a seminar on ‘How to prepare for CMA (USA) Examination’ being organised by the Logic School of Management, a CMA institution in Kochi.
According to the directors, the dearth of accomplished management accounting and financial professionals posing a threat tothe global business world can be resolved only with CMA (USA) certification. Here are some excerpts from the interview with the directors.
Q. How will the CMA certification bring changes in the management accounting profession?
Jim: CMA brings strategic thinking, applied work experience, and the ability to convert data into dialogue, and is specifically designed to measure the critical accounting and financial management skills. As the CMAs control the information of the organisation, this makes for an accomplished profession. This is especially relevant to find success in a business environment.
Q. There are many courses offered for chartered accountants and financial professionals in the country. On what grounds can the CMA take a lead?
Ella: Though both are accounting designations, the scope of CA is limited to within the country while CMA is a globally recognised one. If anyone wants to work outside India, CMA certification will be the benchmark.
Q. Does IMA have plans to promote CMA in the state?
Jim: India is one of our most important market. We dont have an office here. We hope to open an office in India next year, the location is yet to be finalised. Prior to that, we’d continue our relationship with the Logic institution, Kochi, to take CMA to new heights.
Q. Did the US president Donald Trump’s ‘Immigration policy’ affect the CMA adversely?
Jim: We need to diversify knowledge as it comes from around the world. The president’s policy will never affect the management. There will not be regulations that hurt Management accounts. Our openness to the rest of the world will not change either.