1. Why did you decide to become a CMA® (Certified Management Accountant)?
I have been fascinated with management accounting ever since I was a university student. My post-graduate course work included cost management – and planning, controlling, and performance management have been my passions for ages.
I joined the consulting department of one of the Big 4 firms after more than eight years of industry experience. I was looking for something to help me to adopt my local experience into competencies needed for international projects and for my future career. So, I discovered the CMA program and considered it the ideal program for my needs.
2. Can you tell us a bit about your role in the Moscow Chapter and the chapter’s future plans?
As chapter president, I am lucky enough to have a very strong team. Eighty percent of our board members have been volunteering for IMA for several years, so I’m mainly focused on coordinating our team efforts. We plan to keep promoting the CMA program, assist and encourage CMA candidates whenever possible, and improve the quality of the content we deliver to our IMA members on a regular basis.
3. What should finance professionals do to stay relevant in the changing world?
The world we live in is changing, so I say: Love changes! Lead changes! Drive changes!
What I mean by that is be on the top of changes and be sure to know trends in your profession, your industry, and your region. Before taking action, take time to accurately integrate new available technology, methodology, and other concepts into your strategy and then act. I also suggest taking a close look at Agile methodology – it really helps you to go forward step by step.
4. How does the digital transformation impact your role?
My role is to help companies implement enterprise performance management (EPM) software, so digital transformation is an integral part of the business we do. I see how companies are looking for ways to make informed decisions better and faster. Fast-growing companies are constantly looking for ideas, methodology, software, and people who can drive business forward. Management accounting is truly a digital profession, so we all need to be digital.
5. What’s the best thing about being a CMA?
Budgeting, cost management, financial statement analysis: I was very familiar with these topics before the CMA program, but it was truly interesting to learn more about internationally accepted practices in these areas. On the other hand, CMA topics like internal controls, audit, corporate finance, and divestitures were relatively new to me. The way I see it, the CMA is an opportunity to build a finance helicopter view and learn the “language” the world is using for management accounting and corporate finance topics. For me, this is best thing about being a CMA.
6. What advice would you give to future CMAs?
The CMA is definitely worth the investment of your time and effort, especially for someone who is not lucky enough to be born in a tycoon family, who studied in a “Top 312” university, and who needs to work hard to make career steps. I completed the CMA in just one year, studying in the evenings after work. Just make sure the CMA qualification is personally affordable for you.
For more information about the IMA Moscow Chapter, please visit this link.