Joyce Fok, Talent Director at Robert Half, and an Institute member
In my job recruiting for financial services roles, I often see employers hyper-focused on direct experience, especially for niche roles like crypto fund accounting and financial reporting in a crypto platform. There’s no doubt that experience and specialization are essential to finding the right talent, but overlooking candidates with strong accounting and broader business credentials is a missed opportunity. A foundational understanding of how a business operates is incredibly desirable in order to create a workforce that directly contributes to the bottom line.
At its core, every business decision in any function like financial services, operations, finance and accounting, HR, or IT, eventually impacts the financial health of the organization. Someone who understands accounting principles through their accounting and business credentials will likely comprehend revenue drivers, cost implications, profitability, and return on investment (ROI) clearer. These educated professionals see and understand the financial ripple effect of their actions, allowing for more strategic and fiscally responsible decisions.
Individuals with business credentials also possess a holistic view of organizational functions. They grasp concepts like supply chains, market dynamics, strategic planning, and risk management. This perspective gives room for effective collaboration and opportunities for growth which contributes to the overall business strategy.
“The business-related credentials signal a future-proof skillset and a proactive approach to career development that can be far more valuable than sheer years of experience.”
Consider a simple scenario in the accounting and finance sector itself. A business might have a candidate with 10 years of experience using an outdated, on-premise accounting system. They’re highly proficient in that specific system, but the industry is shifting to cloud-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions integrated with artificial intelligence and automation. Now, consider another candidate with less direct work experience in finance and accounting but who has recently completed advanced certifications in cloud accounting software (e.g. SAP S/4HANA, Oracle Cloud ERP), data analytics tools (e.g. Tableau, Power BI), or even a postgraduate qualification in FinTech.
The individual with extensive, but outdated, experience might struggle to adapt to new workflows, require significant retraining, and potentially slow down digital transformation initiatives. In this context, the business-related credentials signal a future-proof skillset and a proactive approach to career development that can be far more valuable than sheer years of experience in a quickly obsolescing area.
At a time of increasing complexity and data-driven decisions in organizations, employees who understand the financial pulse of the business are invaluable. Prioritizing candidates with these credentials ensures businesses are building a workforce that’s not only skilled in their specific domain but also commercially astute, highly adaptable, and truly invested in a company’s sustainable success.
Donald Tse, Global Head of Cyber and Resilience Risk at Stripe, and an Institute member
I’m constantly thinking about the future of trust and the digital highways we’re building. When I look at who we bring onto our team, accounting and business credentials aren’t just checkboxes, they’re foundational to building trust in the FinTech sector.
In payments, every nanosecond counts, and so does every dollar. Accounting credentials like a CPA aren’t about dusty ledgers. They’re about the real-time integrity of our financial nervous system. Our platform handles billions flowing globally. A finance professional who deeply understands controls, audit trails, and regulatory nuances – from rigorous credentials – is our first line of defense against cyber fraud and financial mischief. Crucially, a CPA brings the fundamentals of risk management and control concepts. They understand control testing and are adept at designing preventive and detective controls, paramount in FinTech. This isn’t just about avoiding fines. It’s about protecting every merchant, user, and transaction. Their expertise ensures our digital pipes are fast, incredibly secure, and transparent, keeping us ahead of bad actors exploiting financial flows.
“These aren’t old-school qualifications. They’re the bedrock for building the future of digital trust.”
Then there’s the business acumen. FinTechs seek to deliver value to its users, and a strong business background means our team members don’t just see lines of code. They see the bigger picture: how a new product launch impacts compliance, how a system vulnerability could hit our top line, or how a streamlined process unlocks growth. This holistic view is crucial for anyone in tech risk. It allows us to speak the language of product managers, engineers, and go-to-market teams, translating complex technical risks into tangible business impacts. This strategic alignment ensures our security measures are not roadblocks but accelerators, empowering FinTech to be innovative while balancing risks in the launch process. We push boundaries, but always with a clear-eyed view of vulnerabilities.
Ultimately, my job is about mitigating risk so we can build with confidence. Hiring individuals with accounting and business credentials isn’t just about filling roles, but also about embedding deep financial integrity and strategic thinking into our DNA. This brings us to digital trust. In a world of virtual transactions, trust is the verifiable reliability, security, and transparency of our digital systems. Users rely on FinTech to be a trusted intermediary. This trust is built on effective controls, astute business decisions, and the ethical backbone from professionals with these credentials. These aren’t old-school qualifications. They’re the bedrock for building the future of digital trust – a future that is not only innovative and efficient but also inherently trustworthy and secure.
Alec Tong, Chairman of the Institute’s Qualification and Examinations Board, and ex-CFO at an MNC
In today’s fast-paced and interconnected economy, the ability to interpret financial data, manage resources, and make informed decisions is essential across all industries. Accounting and business skillsets are foundational to operational success and long-term sustainability. Accounting skills enable individuals to assess risk, interpret financial statements, and ensure compliance. Business competencies such as budgeting, planning, and performance analysis help align operations with organizational goals.
A growth mindset is a defining trait of professional accountants. Their commitment to continuous learning and adaptability allows them to respond to evolving business needs and contribute beyond traditional finance roles. Analytical ability is central to their work, enabling them to break down complex challenges and transform data into actionable insights. For example, accountants play a pivotal role with IT and operations teams in ERP that automates business processes to deliver actionable insights and accelerate decision-making. In collaboration with sales teams, they can analyse customer behaviour, provide sales forecasts to optimize pricing strategies to enhance overall profitability. These contributions demonstrate how accounting and business expertise can add value and support strategic goals across departments.
“The CAB strengthens enabling competencies... while gaining a professional recognition in business.”
These capabilities are not limited to accounting functions. In marketing, accounting knowledge helps evaluate campaign ROI. In supply chain, it supports cost optimization. In HR on performance measurements, it helps with the numerical design of incentive schemes to motivate the workforce including the balanced scorecard for senior management. In tech start-ups, it guides funding decisions and growth strategies.
To meet this growing demand, the newly launched HKICPA Certificate in Accounting and Business (CAB) offers a flexible, future-ready programme that equips professionals with both core accounting knowledge and specialized professional skills. Designed for those seeking a strong foundation in finance and business, the CAB strengthens enabling competencies in critical analysis, problem solving and communication, while gaining a professional recognition in business. For university students, the CAB provides a unique opportunity to earn a recognized “interim professional qualification” alongside their degree. The CAB is also an important milestone in the full Qualification Programme, offering a clear path to be a fully qualified CPA. Hiring CAB achievers means gaining team members who can make an immediate impact – bringing insight, adaptability, and collaboration to today’s dynamic workplaces.
