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Episode 12: Forks in the road, and the next generation of difference makers · Chartered Accountants Global Update

• 0:01
  SPEAKER_00: Hello, I'm Antja Dirks from Chartered Accountants Worldwide.
• 0:05
  SPEAKER_00: This podcast has been researched and drafted with the support of AI.
• 0:09
  SPEAKER_00: It's then reviewed, shaped, and signed off by our human editorial team.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_00: Even though we use AI to create this podcast, every story you hear is real.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_00: Every person we profile is a real person doing remarkable things.
• 0:25
  SPEAKER_00: Every statistic is checked, every event is verified, every episode is approved by us, the human editors, who care deeply about this profession.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_00: Technology we use with purpose, oversight, and professional judgment exactly how it should be used.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_00: So, without further ado, I'm going to hand you over to Olivia.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_01: Hello and welcome to episode 12 of Chartered Accountants Global Update, the weekly audio newsletter from Chartered Accountants Worldwide, bringing you the latest from our global community of more than 2 million chartered accountants.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_01: This week's episode is all about purpose.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_01: Specifically, what it looks like when a chartered accountant uses their qualification, not just to build a career, but to make a real difference.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_01: We'll preview an upcoming webinar with a chartered accountant whose career has taken some remarkable turns.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_01: Then we head to Cape Town for this year's One Young World Summit.
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_01: And finally, we'll meet the six chartered accountants who will be representing our profession there.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_01: Let's get started.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_01: Most of us can point to a moment in our careers where the path split in two.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_01: One direction looked safe and sensible.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_01: The other looked, well, interesting.
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_01: And the choice we made at that moment shaped much of what came after.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_01: That's the theme of our next Difference Makers Discuss webinar, taking place on Thursday, the 15th of October, from 6 pm to 6:30 pm British Summertime.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_01: Our guest is Ashling McCaffrey, a chartered accountant and one young world ambassador, who now works at the Impact Investing Institute in London.
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_01: Her career is a great example of just how far the qualification can take you.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_01: At Grant Thornton, Ashling built a sustainability consulting practice.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_01: She went on to work in international development with UNHCR and UNDP in Ethiopia, and on investor action initiatives in India's textile sector.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_01: Along the way, she represented Ireland in Tag and Touch Rugby, and she has been volunteering internationally since the age of 17.
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_01: In conversation with host Sine Donovan, Ashling will talk about how to recognize those crossroads moments when they arrive, and how to weigh the safe option against the interesting one.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_01: She'll explore how the skills of a chartered accountant carry over into sustainability and impact investing, and how she uses the UN Sustainable Development Goals as a personal framework for purpose.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_01: There's practical insight, too, for anyone thinking about building a new service line inside an established firm, or wondering whether to follow their passion or focus on building skills first.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_01: And she'll be candid about the part that luck, timing, and relationships have played along the way.
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_01: One line from Ashling really stood out to us.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_01: Every time you meet somebody, a little bit of yourself gets reflected back.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_01: It's a good reminder that careers are rarely built alone.
• 3:35
  SPEAKER_01: The session is just 30 minutes.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_01: It's online and it's free.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_01: You'll find the registration link in the episode notes.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_01: Ashling's connection to One Young World brings us neatly to our next story.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_01: The One Young World Summit brings together young leaders from more than 190 countries and over 250 organizations, all with a shared goal.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_01: Accelerating social impact through innovation and bold action.
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_01: This November, the summit heads to Cape Town, South Africa.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_01: It's the first time the summit has returned to the African continent since Johannesburg in 2013.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_01: And the timing carries real weight.
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_01: This year marks 50 years since the Soweto Youth Uprising, when young people in South Africa stood up against injustice and changed the course of their country's history.
• 4:23
  SPEAKER_01: Bringing a global youth leadership summit to South Africa on that anniversary says a great deal about what young people can achieve.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_01: For chartered accountants worldwide, sending a delegation is a tradition that now spans more than a decade.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_01: In recent years, our delegates have traveled to Munich, Montreal, and Manchester.
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_01: Each year the aim stays the same: to connect, inspire, and empower the next generation of chartered accountants to lead with purpose and impact on a truly global stage.
• 4:55
  SPEAKER_01: And it matters.
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_01: The challenges discussed at One Young World all need people who understand numbers, governance, and trust.
• 5:03
  SPEAKER_01: That's exactly where chartered accountants come in.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_01: So, who's going to Cape Town?
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_01: Let's meet this year's six delegates.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_01: First, Talher Esop, a second-year CASA trainee from South Africa.
• 5:17
  SPEAKER_01: Talher researched gaps in tax legislation that affect access to bursaries.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_01: He presented his findings at the International Conference of Accountancy and Business and submitted a proposal to National Treasury and SARS for consideration in the 2026 budget.
• 5:33
  SPEAKER_01: That's real policy impact, before he's even qualified.
• 5:36
  SPEAKER_01: Next, Gift Mwewa, a Zambian chartered accountant and advisory professional, who was named Best Overall Student in the CA Zambia 2026 cohort.
• 5:47
  SPEAKER_01: From the UK, Kim Kreutler, corporate tax assistant manager at Armstrong Watson.
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_01: Kim is a member of the ICAEW Council and a former chair of the Student Council.
• 5:59
  SPEAKER_01: Jemima Jacobs is a chartered accountant with ICAS and was named ICAS Top CA Rising Star for 2026.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_01: She also serves as a trustee and audit committee chair for the Meningitis Research Foundation.
• 6:13
  SPEAKER_01: Ntabalang Twala is a finance leader and the overall winner of Cycle's Top 35 Under 35.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_01: She is also the founder of the EduSnapper Foundation.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_01: And finally, Joseph Grant, financial controller at Bloomberg and Vice Chair of the Chartered Accountants Ireland ACA Professionals Committee.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_01: Six delegates, each one already making an impact in their own way.
• 6:37
  SPEAKER_01: You can follow their journey to Cape Town on Chartered Accountants Worldwide's LinkedIn and Instagram channels.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_01: That brings us to the end of this week's episode.
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_01: Whether it's Ashling reflecting on the choices that shaped her career, or six young chartered accountants getting ready for Cape Town, the message this week is clear.
• 6:56
  SPEAKER_01: The qualification is a starting point.
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_01: Where it takes you is up to you.
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_01: Don't forget to register for Ashling McCaffrey's webinar on the 15th of October.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_01: Thanks for listening to Chartered Accountants Global Update.