Demand for ACCA professionals in India outstrips supply: Helen Brand
Helen Brand highlights India's growing need for internationally trained finance professionals, with focus on ethical oversight and sustainability in accounting.
India’s expanding corporate sector and growing global integration are driving demand for internationally trained finance professionals, with employers seeking more ACCA-qualified accountants than the market can currently supply, according to Helen Brand, Chief Executive of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
“There are more jobs advertised asking for ACCA-qualified professionals than we can currently supply,” Brand said during her visit to India, underlining strong employability prospects for students pursuing the global accounting qualification.
India is one of ACCA’s largest and fastest-growing markets, and Brand’s visit focused on high-level engagement with policymakers, employers and industry bodies. At a time when the accounting profession is undergoing rapid change, she said it was critical to understand what skills Indian businesses will need in the coming decade.
AI is changing roles, not replacing accountants
Addressing concerns around artificial intelligence disrupting finance jobs, Brand said routine tasks may be automated, but the importance of professional judgement, ethics and strategic insight is increasing. “You cannot be a professional accountant today without being technically competent,” she said, adding that future roles will involve analysing much broader data sets, including sustainability and people-related metrics.
Rather than being threatened by technology, Brand said younger professionals see AI as an opportunity to move away from repetitive work towards more meaningful and value-driven roles.
Ethics and trust in an AI-led world
As AI becomes embedded in business decision-making, ethical oversight will be critical, Brand said. Professional accountants, she noted, will play a central role in ensuring trust, governance and responsible use of technology within organisations. This ethical lens, she added, will distinguish human professionals from automated systems.
Sustainability reporting will soon be mandatory
Brand also highlighted the growing regulatory push around sustainability reporting. With the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) establishing a global baseline under the IFRS Foundation, sustainability disclosure will not remain voluntary for long.
“Businesses that plan ahead and integrate sustainability into their reporting frameworks will be far better placed than those that wait for compliance to be enforced,” she said, adding that accountants will be key to preventing greenwashing and ensuring credibility.
Why ACCA’s global model matters
On career pathways, Brand said ACCA’s edge lies in its global orientation and strong emphasis on commercial acumen. Based on international accounting standards since 1996, the qualification prepares professionals not just for accounting roles but for leadership positions across sectors.
ACCA works with over 150 Indian universities and collaborates closely with employers and industry bodies such as ASSOCHAM and CII to ensure its qualification reflects market needs rather than academic theory.
The skills that will define future careers
Looking ahead, Brand said communication, leadership and teamwork will become even more important as technology advances. “These human skills are what will separate professionals from machines,” she said.
By 2030, she expects finance professionals to be technology-enabled, ethically grounded and sustainability-literate, working at the heart of business decision-making and creating value that goes beyond financial performance to include people, planet and prosperity.
