DAY 1

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Regulation took center stage on Day 1 with the session “Shaping the Global Agenda.” The panel featured regulators from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia alongside Lee White (IFAC CEO), Rania Mardini (IESBA), David Clark (IESBA), Neil Morris (IAASB), Sami Alshorafa (IAASB & CMA), and Dave Warren (IPSASB).

Lee White’s remarks centered on the four global drivers transforming the profession: Sustainability, Technology & AI, Talent Attraction, and Private Equity. The panel also recognized SOCPA’s full alignment with all seven Statements of Membership Obligation and commended SOCPA for its leadership in translating standards.

The day continued with the dialogue “From Insights to Action,” moderated by Transnational Auditors Committee Chair Christine Albrecht. Here, IFAC launched the International Standards: 2025 MENA Insights Snapshot, a regional analysis tracking progress in adoption of international standards and best practices across MENA.

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The afternoon featured a high-impact panel on “Advancing Women into the Accountancy Profession,” moderated by Layla AlKhalifah (EY). Panelists Dr. Graziella Hobeika (Lebanese Association for Certified Public Accountants Board), Kholoud Mousa, Mona El-Chami (World Bank), and Nawel Rabahi (PAFA Representative) shared practical strategies for strengthening diversity, leadership pathways, and inclusive growth across the region’s accountancy profession.

DAY 2

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Day two began with the IFAC-PAO Value Proposition Workshop, led by Lee White and IFAC Head of Engagement for MENA Dana Jensen. The workshop featured the soft launch of the 2025 Edition of IFAC’s Strategic Planning Toolkit, now enhanced with an embedded Value Proposition Framework in English and Arabic (translations in Dutch, French, and Spanish coming soon). Lee White emphasized that defining “who you serve, what you deliver, and why it matters” anchors organizational trust and relevance, while Dana Jensen outlined new templates and tools that connect strategy to impact.

The first fireside chat, moderated by Panagiotis Alamanos, featured Mona El-Chami (World Bank), Anas Abouelmikias (OEC Morocco), and Erramli Nourredine (Ministry of Finance, Morocco), exploring how credibility and impact are perceived by investors, regulators, and development partners.

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This was followed by “Member Value Proposition in Action,” moderated by Zarif Ludin, with Farrukh Rehman (ICAP), Lamyaa AlRasheed (SOCPA), and Nawel Rabahi (PAFA) sharing how their organizations translate the value proposition into stronger member engagement and institutional relevance. IFAC also unveiled a new Case Studies landing page, featuring experiences from Algeria, Lebanon, and Suriname to encourage peer learning and continuous improvement.

DAY 3

The final day opened with SOCPA and CMA highlighting Saudi Arabia’s leadership in standards adoption, followed by plenary sessions on sustainability reporting, governance, future skills, and emerging technology.

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• Plenary 1 – AI and Emerging Technologies
  Moderated by Lamyaa AlRasheed, this panel featured David Clark (IESBA), Neil Morris (IAASB), Naweed Lalani (DFSA), and Saad AlKhathlan (Uniqus). A keynote by H.E. Ahmed Al-Hakbani, CEO of SiFi, set the tone, examining AI’s ethical implications and its potential to reshape audit and assurance without eroding the centrality of human judgment.
• Plenary 2 – Future of Corporate Reporting
  Chaired by David Madon (IFAC), this session featured Abdullah AlMoqbel (CMA), Ahmad Al-Qassabi (Deloitte Oman), Farrukh Rehman (ICAP), and Dr. Wafa Alnasrallah (STC) discussing connected reporting and assurance as key drivers of trust and decision-useful information.
• Plenary 3 – Assurance, Ethics and Governance
  Jean Bouquot (IFAC President) moderated a powerful discussion featuring Dr. Mohamed Farid Saleh (IOSCO), Mona El-Chami (World Bank), Neil Morris (IAASB), Rania Mardini (IESBA), and Talal Samad (Abu Dhabi Global Market Authority). Dr. Saleh underscored IOSCO’s support for the IAASB, IESBA, and ISSB and stressed the importance of consistent global standards to bolster investor protection and sustainable finance.
• Plenary 4 – Key Drivers for the Future of the Profession:
  Moderated by Lee White, panelists Abdullah Al-Mehthil (IPSASB & Ministry of Finance KSA), Christine Albrecht (Deloitte Global Regulatory), Lama AlHammadi (GCA KSA), and Sami Alshorafa (IAASB & CMA) explored future skills, governance, and the attractiveness of the profession to next-generation talent.

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IFAC extends its sincere appreciation to Dr. Ahmad Al-Meghames, CEO of SOCPA, and the Capital Market Authority for their leadership and partnership in making this event a success.  IFAC also thanks the many distinguished speakers and panelists whose insights shaped the discussions.

Looking Ahead

Building on the outcomes of IFAC Connect MENA 2025, IFAC will continue to deepen collaboration with regional partners, support PAOs in implementing the Strategic Planning Toolkit, and advance sustainability, governance, and technology readiness across the MENA profession as part of the global IFAC Connect series.

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