IMA unveils Student Leadership Conference focused on technical challenges

IMA (Institute of Management Accountants), the association of accountants and financial professionals in business, is launching its Student Leadership Conference (SLC) in Bangalore, India on February 2, 2019.

"In the age of expanding automation and AI, career prospects are changing for many existing entry-level accounting jobs," said Hanadi Khalife, Director, MEA & India Operations at IMA. "The SLC is a formidable platform for students to network, connect, and learn about a progressive career in accounting and finance, the technological challenges that lie ahead and the tools and resources available to help them get ready for the changing finance function."

To join the conference, professors from IMA's partner institutions in India nominated up to five undergraduate students studying in the fields of commerce, accountancy, finance, or business administration.

"We encourage all students to explore the full breadth of the management accounting profession and to go back to their universities inspired and excited to pursue a well-rounded accounting education and to focus on developing the 'human skills' of strategy, decision support, and critical thinking, that are not easily automated," added Khalife.

The conference will include several local and international speakers including Mihir Koltharkar, CEO and Founder at 24 Karat Training; Sumit Saxena, Marketing Manager at Shiv Nadar University; Paul Juras, CMA, CPA, Ph.D., Professor at Babson College, U.S. and Chair, ICMA Board of Regents; Guruprasad Varadarajan, CMA, ACMA, CA, Vice President at IMA Bangalore Chapter; Balaji Rangaswamy, Associate Director, Finance Global Initiatives at Ernst & Young; Gopinath Mallipatna, CMA, CFO and Director at SatSure AG; Narendranath Nair, General Manager, Finance at Wipro; and Subhasis Mishra, Talent Acquisition Leader at Amazon. All are eager to guide the students as they prepare to enter the workforce.

This by invitation only exclusive event will welcome 200 students from different universities in India for a chance to build their personal and professional network, engage with accounting and HR professionals from well-known companies, and understand the benefits of earning the CMA® (Certified Management Accountant), IMA's certification for accountants and financial professionals in business. Students will also be able to enhance their LinkedIn profiles with a free professional photo.