Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW)

The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (www.icaew.co.uk) is the largest accountancy body in Europe, with more than 126,000 members. Three thousand new members qualify each year. The prestigious qualifications offered by the Institute are recognised around the world and allow members to call themselves Chartered Accountants and to use the designatory letters ACA or FCA.

The Institute operates under a Royal Charter, working in the public interest. Its primary objectives are to educate and train Chartered Accountants, to maintain high standards of professional conduct among members, to provide services to its members and students, and to advance the theory and practice of accountancy.

Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA)

The Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (www.cica.ca), together with the provincial CA institutes/ordre, represents approximately 68,000 CAs and 8,000 students in Canada and Bermuda. The Institute conducts research into current business issues and supports the setting of accounting and assurance standards for business, not-for-profit organizations and government. It issues guidance on control and governance, publishes professional literature, develops continuing education programs and represents the CA profession nationally and internationally.

The Securities and Investment Institute (SII)

The Securities and Investment Institute (www.sii.org.uk) was formed in 1992 by members of the London Stock Exchange. Its mission is to set standards of professional excellence and integrity for the securities and investment industry, providing qualifications and promoting the highest level of competence to its members, firms and others.

The Securities and Investment Institute is now the pre-eminent professional body for those who work in the securities and investment industry in the UK. Over 16,000 members benefit from a programme of professional training and development. The Institute is the principal awarding body for industry qualifications and last year its examinations attracted 35,000 candidates.

The ICAEW Corporate Finance Faculty

The Corporate Finance Faculty (www.icaew.co.uk/corpfinfac) is the largest community of professionals involved in corporate finance. It has more than 6,000 members, ranging across companies, major accounting and professional services firms, banks, private equity houses, law firms and consultants.

The Faculty was established by ICAEW in 1997. Its membership now reaches well beyond chartered accountants, and includes 89 member firms.

It is a centre of professional excellence and contributes to many governmental and regulatory consultative bodies. It provides a wide range of services, events and publications to support those involved in corporate finance, including its magazine, Corporate Financier.