Korresia MacGregor's day at the S&DCASS AGM

Shorts have many students working towards professional memberships, with many choosing for study with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).  Across the UK, ICAEW supports students through regional societies that organise networking and social events. For our region, this is the Sheffield & District Chartered Accountants Student Society (S&DCASS).

Audit and Accounts Assistant Korresia MacGregor is a student of ICAEW, who joined Shorts through our Graduate recruitment scheme in 2022. In September 2024, she joined the S&DCASS committee and became an ICAEW Student Council representative, involved in meetings, sharing ideas, and representing our region. Korresia recently attended the Council’s AGM in London, where she met reps from all over the UK and kindly shared the following account of her day, in her words.

Heading to London

Heading to London for the first time was an experience in itself. It wasn’t until I started planning my route that I fully grasped just how vast the city is - far beyond the scale of Sheffield. Once I arrived, the sheer number of people was immediately striking; everything felt busy and fast paced. Without Google Maps, I would have been completely lost.

Eventually though, I did make it to the Chartered Accountants’ Hall, a landmark that has served as ICAEW’s central hub since 1890. Upon arrival, I was welcomed by Mauro Lucrino, ICAEW’s Senior Student Relationship Executive, who has been a great support for student societies like ours. He introduced me to some of the key figures leading the AGM, and before long, the AGM began.

The AGM:

The meeting started with Caroline Smale, ICAEW’s Vice President, sharing her journey into accountancy and her insights on the institute’s future direction. Hearing from someone with such deep experience within ICAEW was invaluable - it gave us a clearer understanding of our own paths and the opportunities ahead.

Next, Jas Rayat, ISC President, reflected on her time in the role and the transformative journey she had undertaken. Just over a year ago, she stepped completely out of her comfort zone to take on a position she had no prior experience in - uncertain if it was the right fit. But by challenging herself, she discovered so much about her strengths, built meaningful connections, and made a lasting impact on ICAEW’s student initiatives. Her presidency was driven by a commitment to creating more inclusive opportunities and advancing educational equity, ensuring that future students have access to the support they need.

After that, Simon Davidson broke down ICAEW’s strategy for the next nine months, built on the below ideas:

• Aim: “To enable people everywhere to do business with confidence.”
• Vision: “To be the pre-eminent global professional body.”
• Goals: Relevance, reputation, and resilience.

This sparked some interesting discussions about ICAEW’s potential international expansion - how it can grow outside the UK without losing quality.

Another big topic was the Next Generation ACA, which will bring major changes to student qualifications from June 2025.

Next, Gareth Winter from CABA explained how the charity supports ICAEW students. People recognise the name CABA, but not everyone knows just how much they actually do - covering financial, mental, and physical health. Their services are open to past and present ICAEW members, ACA students, and close family members. They’ve also started running webinars on debt and financial literacy, tackling topics that many have not had the chance to learn about.  Another interesting point was volunteering - CABA relies on volunteers to raise awareness and make an impact. 

Exploring Chartered Accountants’ Hall

After the meeting, Malcolm Bacchus, President of the ICAEW Committee, took us on an in-depth tour of Chartered Accountants’ Hall, sharing its rich history and how deeply connected it is to ICAEW’s journey. The building has evolved over time, yet remains a central hub for the institute, reflecting both tradition and innovation.

Fun facts from the tour:

• Chartered Accountant’s hall was built in 1890 (the same year as Shorts was founded) when ICAEW had only 39 members (now over 208,000).
• John Belcher won a competition to design the building.
• The members room features a balustrade bridge in the style of the Rialto bridge (John had just returned from Italy, which explains the Venetian influences). It is believed to be the only room in the UK to have an indoor bridge.
• The main reception room (formerly the Council Chamber) houses a magnificent 200-year-old chandelier, specially commissioned for the space.
• Elaborate wall paintings in the reception room depict the triumph of Law and Science, symbolising their role in bringing order to commerce.
• Also featured is Lady in Arms, the inspiration behind ICAEW’s logo - holding dividers for measurement in one hand and the staff of wisdom in the other.
• One of the building’s most impressive architectural feats: five office floors suspended above the Great Hall, supported by exterior columns—allowing the hall to remain completely pillar-free inside. This innovative design earned a Certificate of Commendation from the Concrete Society in 1971.

Takeaways

• Best part: Meeting reps from across the UK and exchanging ideas for student society events.
• Most chaotic moment: The transport. I think the majority of my time in London was spent getting on the wrong tube.
• Special highlight? Malcolm Bacchus’ tour—his passion for ICAEW’s history was clear, which made the experience even better.

If anyone has questions about S&DCASS or the ICAEW Student Council, feel free to reach out!