James M. Sylph

Job Title: Executive Director, Professional Standards and External Relations
Country: Canada

Jim Sylph was appointed Technical Director at the International Federation of Accountants in October 1999 and named Executive Director, Professional Standards in September 2006. He manages the work of the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB), the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) the International Accounting Education Standards Board (IAESB) and the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB).

Mr. Sylph has extensive audit experience, both as a practitioner and as a standard setter. Between 1993 and 1999, he was Director of Audit Standards and then Director of Strategic Programs for the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA). Prior to his work with the CICA, Mr. Sylph was a partner in Moores Rowland, Canada and then Ernst & Young Canada where he divided his time between client service and development of audit methodologies for the practice. He served as Chairman of the Canadian Auditing and Assurance Standards Board from 1990 to 1991.

Mr. Sylph graduated as a Chartered Accountant in the United Kingdom. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario, Canada and a member of the Institute of Directors. He also serves as Chairman of the Institute of Internal Auditors Global Oversight Council and is a member of the IFRS Advisory Council, and of the Canadian Auditing and Assurance Standards Oversight Council.