At a transformative time for the management accounting profession, IMA^® (Institute of Management Accountants) enjoyed a year of sustained growth, helping members succeed as technology continues to reshape and define their work.

Highlights of Fiscal Year 2018 (July 2017 through June 2018) are summarized in IMA’s annual review, titled “Leading in the Digital Age,” available in PowerPoint format on the IMA website. The report features commentary from Alex C. Eng, CMA, CFM, CPA, current Chair-Emeritus of IMA’s Global Board of Directors; and Jeff Thomson, CMA, CSCA, CAE, IMA president and CEO.

Among the key achievements of the past year, IMA:

• Reached 100,000 members for the first time in our history (membership now stands at more than 110,000).
• Realized sustained growth in the CMA^® (Certified Management Accountant) program: more than 39,000 new CMA candidates (up 51% compared to last year) and 6,000 new CMAs.
• Introduced a specialty credential, the CSCA^® (Certified in Strategy and Competitive Analysis).
• Launched new educational products and services focused on digitization, such as our MicroCPE series.
• Earned recognition as the 2017 Professional Body of the Year by The Accountant/International Accounting Bulletin.
• Unveiled a draft Enhanced Management Accounting Competency Framework, with new domains in professional ethics and values.

We also hosted our popular Women’s Accounting Leadership Series twice: October, in New York; and March, in Amsterdam, our first outside of the U.S.

In his commentary in the report, Thomson said, “It’s a transformative time in our profession. Robotics, artificial intelligence, and data analytics are not passing trends. Every business must pivot towards technology and that requires the support of community. That community is IMA. As IMA renews its commitment to prepare its members for the changing demands of the profession, specifically seizing the opportunities presented by technology, I am confident growth will continue.”

Thomson also noted how the CMA program continues to be “the most respected, trusted, and fastest-growing certification for management accounting. [It] provides upward advancement to individuals and a deeper bench of expertise for organizations.”

Find out why 2018 was such a groundbreaking year and how IMA is preparing to celebrate our 100th Anniversary in 2019. Visit the IMA website at 2018 Year in Review for complete details.