Videos

A 100-mile world record time sounds like something from another planet, until you hear how Caitríona Jennings actually built it: not with superhero secrets, but with structured habits, a trained mindset, and the same calm problem-solving you’d expect from a top Chartered Accountant. Caitríona is an Irish Olympian who moved from triathlon into marathon running, qualified for the 2012 Olympics while working full-time in PwC, and later pushed into ultrarunning to set a stunning 100-mile record of 12:37:04.

We dig into the real work behind endurance performance: time management while studying and training, removing friction through weekend planning, and staying injury-aware. Caitríona opens up about the Olympic marathon that went wrong, why finishing still mattered, and how that experience shaped her resilience. We also explore practical sports psychology tools like positive self-talk, intercepting negative thoughts, and visualisation so your brain treats pressure as familiar.

Then we switch lanes into career growth and aviation finance. Caitríona explains how she pivoted from tax into a commercial role on an aviation leasing trading desk, buying and selling aircraft that are on lease to airlines. It’s a clear example of how the Chartered Accountancy skillset travels: analysing financial statements, understanding risk, communicating with customers, and making calculated moves without being reckless. If you care about leadership, performance under pressure, and building a career with range, you’ll take notes.

Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s chasing a big goal, and leave us a review with your biggest takeaway: what habit helps you stay steady when things stop going to plan?

0 0

What does it take to train for the Olympics while studying for your chartered accountancy exams — and then go on to break a world record? If you're Catriona Jennings, the answer involves meticulous planning, hard-won resilience, and a willingness to take calculated risks, both on the track and in the boardroom.

In the second episode of Season 4 of Difference Makers Discuss, host Sinead Donovan sits down with Catriona — a Chartered Accountants Ireland member, former PwC tax advisor, aircraft leasing professional, Olympian, and world record holder — for a conversation that is equal parts inspiring and genuinely practical.

0 0

AI, Ultra-Running, and the Future of Your Career

What do artificial intelligence, elite endurance sport, and chartered accountancy have in common? More than you might think.

In the latest update from Chartered Accountants Worldwide, a clear theme emerges: the future belongs to those who embrace challenge, stay adaptable, and keep learning.

A standout example comes from Caitríona Jennings—a Chartered Accountant, Olympian, and world-record-holding ultra-runner. Her story is a powerful reminder that professional discipline and personal ambition don’t compete—they reinforce each other. The same mindset that drives success in a demanding career can fuel extraordinary achievements outside of it.

But alongside inspiring stories, there’s a more urgent conversation unfolding: the impact of AI on the profession.

AI isn’t just another technological shift—it’s redefining what it means to be a finance professional. The role of Chartered Accountants is moving beyond processing information to interpreting it, guiding decisions, and shaping strategy. As highlighted in this issue, those who lean into AI and develop new skills will position themselves as true business navigators.

The message is clear: standing still is not an option. Continuous learning, strong data practices, and an understanding of emerging areas like ESG will define the next generation of finance teams.

As one contributor puts it, the challenge isn’t whether AI will change your career—it’s what you’ll do about it over the next 12 months.

So whether you’re inspired by world records or rethinking your professional path, one idea stands out: the future isn’t something to wait for—it’s something to actively build.

If you want, I can tailor this for a specific audience (students, senior professionals, LinkedIn tone, etc.) or make it punchier/longer.

1 0

What does a Chartered Accountant do when a global pandemic shuts down every exam hall on the continent? If you're Nick Riemer CA(SA), you build a tech company.

In this episode of Difference Makers Discuss, host Sinead Donovan sits down with Nick, co-founder and CEO of Invigilator App — an online exam monitoring solution built for the real world. Designed to run on entry-level smartphones, work offline, and serve students in underconnected communities, Invigilator has transformed how universities across South Africa (and beyond) deliver assessments.

Nick shares the story behind the company's founding, its global expansion into the UK, Australia, the Philippines, and the EU, and what six years of real-world refinement looks like in practice.

The conversation also tackles the big questions facing finance professionals today:
- How is AI being used responsibly in assessment technology?
- Should students be allowed to use AI tools during exams?
- Will AI replace Chartered Accountants — and what should you do about it either way?

Nick's answers are nuanced, grounded, and genuinely useful for anyone navigating the intersection of finance, technology, and education.

At its heart, this is a story about what a strong professional foundation can unlock — and why the Chartered Accountancy qualification might just be the best launchpad in tech.

Listen, learn, and challenge yourself to see what new skills you could build in the next 12 months.

0 0

What does it mean to be a financial professional in an age of AI? Rather than fearing disruption, Nick Riemer chose to build it. As Co-founder of Invigilator — an AI-powered platform transforming how online assessments are conducted — Nick has seen first-hand how technology is creating entirely new possibilities within the finance and education sectors.

2 0

Innovation, AI, and Leadership: Three Stories Shaping the Future of Accountancy

The accounting profession is evolving rapidly — driven by technology, new leadership approaches, and professionals willing to rethink how things are done. In the latest Chartered Accountants Global Update, three standout stories illustrate how the profession is adapting and moving forward.

Rethinking Audit with Practical Innovation

Christiaan Coetzee, CEO and co-founder of Audit Toolbar and overall winner of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants Top 35 Under 35 award, is tackling one of audit’s most persistent challenges: efficiency.

Rather than building a completely new platform, Coetzee and his team focused on where auditors already spend most of their time — Excel. By developing tools that work directly within spreadsheets, Audit Toolbar helps firms streamline their workflows without forcing them to learn entirely new systems.

The impact has been significant. The company estimates that its software saves the equivalent of 650 years of work across Africa each year, giving smaller firms new opportunities to compete more effectively.

Beyond the technology, Coetzee’s story also highlights a powerful mindset shift — challenging the habit of “self-rejecting” opportunities before they’re even pursued.

AI as a Career Multiplier

While much of the discussion around AI focuses on job disruption, Nick Reimer offers a different perspective.

After qualifying as a chartered accountant, Reimer co-founded Invigilator, an AI-powered platform that enables secure online assessments. The platform is now used by over 100 academic institutions in South Africa and has grown to 850,000 active users, attracting $11 million in funding to support international expansion.

Reimer argues that AI will not replace finance professionals — it will amplify their value. Professionals who understand both financial expertise and how to apply AI tools will be better positioned to interpret complex data and guide decision-making.

Leading Teams Through Change

Technology isn’t the only force reshaping the profession. Leadership during uncertainty is becoming just as critical.

A recent Women in Finance webinar hosted by Chartered Accountants Worldwide Network USA explored how leaders can support teams through constant change. Speakers including Linda Nel, Shingi Gwindingwi, and Nancy Chakabuda shared insights on building resilient teams.

Their message was clear: leadership in uncertain times is less about having all the answers and more about creating an environment where teams can adapt together. Transparent communication, trust, and psychological safety play a crucial role in helping organizations navigate change successfully.

A Profession in Motion

Across these stories, a common theme emerges: the future of accountancy belongs to professionals who innovate, embrace technology, and lead with intention.

Whether building tools that level the playing field, using AI to unlock new capabilities, or guiding teams through transformation, today’s chartered accountants are helping shape what the profession will become next.

0 0

Rebuilding Trust and Shaping the Future in Accounting

Episode 32 of the Chartered Accountants Global Update highlights how chartered accountants continue to drive positive change across the profession.

One standout story features Sitali Chiuyu, part of the Young Difference Makers series. After moving from engineering into audit, Sitali now works in the public sector strengthening governance and accountability. He emphasises how education, governance, and technology are interconnected, and how strong internal audit helps ensure public resources reach the people and services they are meant to support. He also highlights the need for responsible AI in public services, stressing transparency, bias testing, and human oversight.

The episode also looks ahead to the CA ANZ UK Conference on 21 March in London, where professionals will explore topics such as AI, sustainability reporting, taxation, and ethics under the theme “Shaping Tomorrow: Accounting for Impact, Innovation and Relevance.”

Finally, Season 4 of the “Difference Makers Discuss” webinar series launches on 19 March, featuring global speakers sharing insights on AI, leadership, social impact, and the future of audit.

Together, these stories highlight a profession that continues to evolve while making a meaningful impact on society.

0 0

Apprenticeships, wellness, and career pathways

In the latest Chartered Accountants Global Update, three very different stories come together around one powerful idea: small, deliberate choices can shape both our careers and our wellbeing.

The first is the inspiring journey of Jaspreet Rayat, who qualified as a chartered accountant through an apprenticeship rather than a traditional university route. With no professional role models to guide her, Jaspreet built her own pathway through research, networking and persistence, supported by ICAEW. Today, she is passionate about making alternative entry routes into the profession more visible for young people who may not realise these opportunities exist.

Her story was shaped in part by attending One Young World, where a message from Bob Geldof stood out: “grit makes the pearl.” It is a reminder that progress does not depend on perfect conditions, but on consistent effort.

The episode then turns to a topic many professionals can relate to during the darker months – the winter blues. Conditions such as Seasonal Affective Disorder affect a significant number of people, with guidance and awareness supported by organisations such as the Health Service Executive. Simple habits – daylight exposure, movement, connection and sleep routines – can make a genuine difference.

Finally, the update explores the four “happy hormones” – serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin and endorphins – and how everyday actions like small goal-setting, exercise and social connection can actively support them.

Together, these stories from Chartered Accountants Worldwide show that whether you are building a career or protecting your wellbeing, it is the small, practical steps taken consistently that create lasting change.

0 0

Ethics, Carbon Policy, and Sustainability Reporting

One of the most powerful reminders in Episode 30 of the Chartered Accountants Global Update is that professional skills don’t stop at financial reporting — they can help solve some of society’s most urgent challenges.

The episode opens with the story of Khethiwe Sibanyoni, a young South African aspiring chartered accountant and social impact activist tackling gender-based violence by applying the discipline of audit to community programmes. Her work is built around three pillars — detection, prevention and correction — supported by data, controls, budgets and outcome metrics. Through a youth-led foundation linked to thirteen shelters in Gauteng, she focuses on psychosocial care, education and economic empowerment, while designing programmes that can endure beyond any single leader. Her message to business is simple and powerful: define social impact with the same precision you bring to profit. The full profile appears on the Chartered Accountants Worldwide website.

The episode then turns to a fast-approaching regulatory challenge: Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms. Chartered Accountants Ireland and The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland are hosting a webinar to help practitioners understand how the European Union regime is working in practice and what businesses should be doing now — particularly ahead of the United Kingdom introducing its own mechanism in 2027. For organisations importing high-carbon goods such as steel, cement or fertilisers, supply chain impacts, reporting requirements and cost modelling are becoming unavoidable priorities.

The final feature highlights a new Sustainability Snapshot from the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants, aimed squarely at boards and executive teams working on transition planning. The guidance places strong emphasis on meaningful stakeholder engagement, measurable and time-bound targets, and governance structures that embed just transition principles. As sustainability claims face the same scrutiny as financial statements, the message is clear: credibility, accountability and transparency matter more than ever.

Across all three stories, Episode 30 delivers a consistent message — the rigour of the accountancy profession is not just a tool for the boardroom, but a practical force for social impact, climate action and long-term organisational resilience.

0 0