Today, the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) awarded the 2020 IFAC Global Leadership Award in Honor of Robert Sempier to Ms. Ana Maria Elorrieta of Argentina, recognizing her tireless service and dedication to the accountancy profession. Ms. Elorrieta is distinguished as the first person from Latin America to win this award in its 23-year history.

Ms. Elorrieta has over 35 years of experience in the accountancy profession. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, she graduated with a degree in Accounting from the Universidad de Buenos Aires. She began her career with PwC Argentina, as a member of the first groups of female auditors, and then moved to Sao Paulo, Brazil to work with PwC Brazil, where she went on to become a partner.

Ms Elorrieta has served on the IFAC Board and the International Audit and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB). During her time at IAASB, she lead the task force that developed the International Standard on Quality Control (ISQC 1). She has also served in various roles at Brazil’s Federal Accounting Council and at the Institute of Independent Auditors of Brazil (IBRACON), where she was a member of the National Executive Board and the organization’s president from 2009 to 2011. In these roles, she worked to support Brazil’s adoption of IFRS, International SA’s and other key IAASB pronouncements.

Ms. Elorrieta has been recognized multiple times for her work in support of the accountancy profession in Brazil and globally. In 2012, she became the first non-Brazilian, and the first woman, to be appointed "Accountant Emeritus" by the Union of Accountants of the State of São Paulo. In 2013, she was listed by the International Accounting Bulletin as one of the 50 most powerful people in the accounting profession.

“I am honored to present the Global Leadership Award to Ana Maria Elorrieta, a dedicated and powerful voice for the accountancy profession world-wide,” said immediate past President of IFAC In-Ki Joo. “Ana Maria has worked tirelessly throughout her career to represent the interests of both Brazil and Latin America across the accountancy profession and has advanced the profession globally through her commitment to the widespread adoption of strong international standards.”

Established in 2017 by the IFAC Board, the IFAC Global Leadership Award in Honor of Robert Sempier recognizes individuals who make outstanding contributions to the global accountancy profession. The award honors the contributions of Robert Sempier, IFAC’s first executive director who greatly contributed to the development of the profession worldwide.

The Global Leadership Award was presented during IFAC’s 2020 Council meeting, held virtually on November 11-12.

About IFAC
IFAC is the global organization for the accountancy profession dedicated to serving the public interest by strengthening the profession and contributing to the development of strong international economies. IFAC is comprised of more than 175 members and associates in more than 130 countries and jurisdictions, representing almost 3 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

Today, IFAC has published a comprehensive package of training materials, collectively titled Train the Trainer: Introduction to IPSAS, which are aimed at entities currently using a cash basis of accounting and transitioning to accrual IPSAS. The materials are designed to be used flexibly by trainers and can be tailored to the needs of training participants. Among the topics covered in the ten modules are: assets, liabilities, financial instruments, and first time adoption of IPSAS.

Access the materials at any time by clicking here. 

To assist governments and government entities wishing to report in accordance with the accrual-based International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS), IFAC has developed a package of training materials, collectively titled Train the Trainer: Introduction to IPSAS.

Accrual accounting information provides greater transparency and is useful for accountability and decision-making purposes. Implementation of accrual accounting in the public sector is a significant priority across many jurisdictions, especially as public finances face increasing scrutiny as a result of the pandemic.

The training materials are aimed primarily at entities currently using a cash basis of accounting and transitioning to, or planning a move to, accrual IPSAS. The materials, which are available to trainers at no cost, are designed to be used flexibly and can be tailored to the needs of training participants.

The course is structured over ten modules with each broken down into topics that stand alone and can be delivered as individual sessions. The training topics include assets, liabilities, financial instruments, and first-time adoption of accrual basis IPSAS. Each module includes a training manual and an accompanying set of slides, with some modules containing supplementary video content.

IFAC remains committed to advocating for strong public financial management and to supporting IPSAS adoption and implementation. The Train the Trainer: Introduction to IPSAS materials are meant to aid public sector entities around the globe as they adopt high-quality accounting practices.