Zaakirah Mohamed is a Chartered Accountant and Registered Auditor, currently serving as an Audit Inspector with the South African Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors (IRBA). In this role, Zaakirah is a vital part of the Audit Development Program (ADP), where she specializes in monitoring the environments at audit firm that are developing future Registered Auditors to ensure they are fit for purpose by evaluating firms’ compliance with the current quality standards.

Zaakirah holds a Bachelor of Accounting Sciences degree from Wits University, where she was also a member of the astute Golden Key Members and brings over a decade of experience in the auditing profession.

Zaakirah completed her articles at a Big Four firm, gaining expertise in the Mining and Natural Resources industry as well as specializing in Learning and Development, with a focus on both technical and interpersonal skills. She has worked in and out of practise, spending 2 years in Commerce as a Financial Manager in the Automotive industry, however, always finds her way back to the world of Auditing. Her career spans both practical and theoretical aspects of auditing, consistently demonstrating a commitment to excellence and a passion for the field.

Zaakirah’s work focuses on supporting firms in aligning their quality systems and structures with established standards and regulations, ensuring compliance and promoting best practices. She has extensive experience in both education and auditing, with her role at the IRBA allowing her to integrate these areas to strengthen the pipeline of auditors entering the profession.

Planning, risk assessment and response are at the heart of delivering a robust sustainability assurance engagement. Together they enable the practitioner to obtain sufficient appropriate evidence as a basis for their sustainability assurance conclusion.

Zrinka is the Executive Director of the Croatian Audit Chamber and a certified auditor with over 20 years of experience in auditing and assurance services.

She joined the Croatian Audit Chamber in 2021, where she is dedicated to supporting certified auditors, fostering collaboration with regulatory bodies and professional organizations, strengthening the audit profession, and promoting high standards of audit quality in the public interest. She actively contributes to strategic initiatives through participation in working groups and by strengthening dialogue with domestic professional representatives, local regulatory bodies, and international professional organizations.

ISSA 5000 in Focus: Webinar Series for Sustainability Assurance Engagements

Gali is a Chartered Accountant (CA ANZ) with more than a decade’s experience in standard-setting, technical accounting, and external audit across the for-profit, not-for-profit, and public sectors in New Zealand.

Gali is a Technical Director in the Accounting Standards team of the New Zealand External Reporting Board (XRB), where she works closely with the New Zealand Accounting Standards Board and XRB Board in developing and issuing accounting standards. Her work includes contributing to the development of IPSAS-based Public Benefit Entity (PBE) Standards for the public and not-for-profit sectors, as well as NZ IFRS for the for-profit sector.

Since joining the XRB in 2019, Gali has led, consulted, and contributed to several public sector standard-setting projects, including those on Measurement and Leases. Prior to her role at the XRB, Gali was a Manager in EY’s Financial Accounting Advisory Services team, where she provided technical accounting advice on both NZ IFRS and IPSAS-based PBE Standards.

Gali holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration with Honours in Accounting from Victoria University of Wellington.

Madeleine Knopf is a rising senior at Binghamton University majoring in Economics. She is the Summer 2025 Communications Intern at the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), where she focuses on content creation, digital strategy, and initiatives aimed at engaging the next generation of accounting professionals. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a career in marketing or communications where she can blend strategic thinking with creative storytelling.

Jeremy began his career in the start-up industry in the United Kingdom, and then brought this international expertise to the Australian market, kickstarting and developing a range of financial technology-focused start-ups.

With a passion for applying a human-centered approach to the technology evolution, Jeremy joined CA ANZ as Senior Manager, Innovation Community Engagement, to assist in the development, launch, and operation of CA Catalyst, a strategic programme aimed at empowering members through innovation and technology. Jeremy is focused on developing tools and strengthening relationships with innovation communities and technology providers so members can build new skills, apply technology-based solutions, and position themselves as digital advisors.

Jeremy also supports the same entrepreneurial behavior adoption in CA ANZ’s Smaller Practice-focused initiative, launched in 2024.