CIMA president to visit South Africa

The visit underscores CIMA’s continued commitment to advancing the development of the finance profession in the country, and driving meaningful change for people, businesses, and the wider economy.

During his visit, Graham will:

• serve as chief guest at the CGMA Convocation Ceremony, welcoming newly qualified CGMA designation holders to the profession;

• lead a roundtable discussion 'From Recovery to Resilience – The World Is Being Reordered' with senior business and finance leaders to explore the evolving role of finance in driving organisational resilience and growth; and

• meet with CIMA members to discuss talent development and workforce readiness, and the future skills needed across finance, business and the wider economy in South Africa.

Graham was elected 92nd CIMA president and 10th co-chair of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, representing AICPA and CIMA, on 18 June 2025. Since his election, Graham has focused on demonstrating the value of the management accounting profession, attracting and nurturing new accounting and finance talent, and elevating the experiences of members and students. As part of this vision, Graham has been working alongside association chair, Lexy Kessler, CPA, CGMA, and association CEO, Mark Koziel, CPA, CGMA to chart a forward-looking path for the profession through the 'Finance and Accounting 2040: Rise to the Future Together' project, with the first report set to be released in early June 2026.

Graham has spent a large part of his career in the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK, working for a range of NHS organisations, including the Department of Health, and has held chief finance officer and director of finance roles for the last sixteen years. He is currently chief finance officer – Tameside and Glossop IC NHS FT & Stockport NHS Foundation Trust and deputy chief executive – Stockport NHS Foundation Trust.

Graham became an associate chartered management accountant (ACMA) in 1999 and a fellow chartered management accountant (FCMA) in 2011. Over the years, he has been an active ambassador and advocate for the institute. Graham has held various leadership positions with both the institute and the association, with an emphasis on promoting the management accounting profession and enhancing member engagement.