ICAI Dubai Chapter hosts landmark event on the future of audit and global consultancies

Duabi: The ICAI Dubai Chapter marked its 43rd year with a high-impact event themed “Future of Audit & Global Consultancies”, spotlighting India’s growing influence in global financial leadership. The event was graced by Chief Guest Shri Anurag Thakur, Member of Lok Sabha, and featured an inspiring keynote by Chairman JP Agarwal, who set the tone for the “Year of Growth”.

Chairman Agarwal emphasised the importance of a self-reliant India, aligning the ICAI Dubai Chapter’s vision with India’s ambition to be among the top global consultancies. He also unveiled the chapter’s calendar, highlighting the Annual Conference scheduled for November 22–23.

In his keynote, Shri Anurag Thakur lauded ICAI’s global footprint, particularly the Dubai Chapter, calling it the largest and most vibrant. He highlighted India’s evolution in accounting standards and its trajectory to become the third-largest economy by 2027, and second-largest by 2030. He stressed the need for over one million Chartered Accountants to support this growth, especially in the digital payments, startup ecosystem, and modern finance technologies.

Mr. Thakur also acknowledged India’s leadership in sectors such as:

He emphasized the role of Make in India and the emergence of the India-Middle East-Africa (IMEA) Growth Triangle, with ICAI positioned as a strategic enabler in this corridor.

A compelling panel discussion followed, where Rishi Chawla, Vice Chairman of ICAI Dubai, remarked:

"In a time when AI and automation rewrite the rules, it’s our thinking that will keep us relevant. This event reignited that mindset."

The event reinforced ICAI’s commitment to placing India on the global consultancy map, with a vision to contribute significantly to the USD 5 billion Big Four landscape.