Taste of Tomorrow: ECU Students at CPA Future Leaders Dinner 2025

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Taste of Tomorrow: ECU Students at CPA Future Leaders Dinner 2025

Tuesday, 26 August 2025

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Eight high-achieving accounting students, both undergraduate and postgraduate, together with staff members Deepa Bannigidadmath and Tricia Ong, proudly represented ECU School of Business and Law at the CPA Future Leaders Dinner 2025.

The evening hosted by CPA Australia’s WA Division, gathered students, academics, and senior CPA members for a thought-provoking discussion on the future of accounting.

A Seat Among Leaders

Sharing the room with the CEO of CPA Australia, Chris Freeland AM, and leaders from Deloitte and Western Power, our students stepped into discussions usually reserved for high level boardrooms.

A keynote address by CPA Australia CEO, Chris Freeland AM, set the stage, followed by a panel discussion with leaders from Deloitte, Western Power, and CPA Australia.

The message was clear: the next generation has a voice, and it matters.

The Future of Accounting

The evening’s theme “Technology, Talent, and Transformation: Shaping the Profession of Tomorrow,” explored the upcoming opportunities and challenges in accounting within the context of the current, rapidly changing environment.

From geopolitical shifts and economic uncertainty, to the rise of AI tools and the urgency of sustainability reporting, the discussion highlighted how the profession is changing — and how young accountants will need to adapt.

More Than a Dinner

Following the presentations, student had the opportunity to connect directly with industry practitioners, build networks, and ask bold questions about the profession they’re about to enter.

As one student perfectly said:

“The panel’s insights on sustainability reporting and the evolving role of AI left me reflecting on how the profession may evolve in the years ahead. I left with a greater appreciation of the profession and excitement for what the future will hold.”

Events like the CPA Future Leaders Dinner aren’t just about professional development; they’re about people, perspective, and possibility. For ECU students, it was a chance to see what leadership looks like in practice, and to imagine the roles they’ll soon play in shaping the industry.

School of Business and Law