Sarah Beale is the CEO of AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians), the leading professional body for accounting technicians. She gained AAT membership at the start of her working life, then qualified as a Certified Chartered Accountant (ACCA) before coming full circle nearly 30 years later to become CEO of AAT in 2021.

Prior to AAT, Ms. Beale worked in several industries, holding finance and leadership roles. Most recently, as Chief Executive of CITB, the Construction Industry Training Board. For many years, her career activity has focused on helping talent from all backgrounds to secure rewarding careers and supporting the promotion and development of skills and qualifications that make businesses and economies thrive.

Ms. Beale served as a non-executive Director and Chair of the Audit and Risk Board for Building Research Establishment (BRE), a ‘profit-for-purpose' global business, raising the standards of the built environment. She has also been appointed to various government task forces, mainly to respond to skills issues.

Ms. Beale is a MAAT and FCCA.

IFAC welcomes the opportunity to comment on the FATF’s review of Recommendation 24 relating to beneficial ownership transparency. IFAC—and the global accountancy profession that we represent—strongly supports the work of the FATF and others in advancing the fight against money laundering, terrorism financing and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Tashia Batstone, MBA, FCPA, FCA, ICD.D joined the IFAC Board in November 2021. She was nominated by the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada). Ms. Batstone previously served as Technical Advisor on the IFAC Board and was a member of IFAC's Technical Advisory Committee.

Ms. Batstone is President and CEO of FP Canada, the leading body for the financial planning profession in Canada. Previously, Ms. Batstone held senior leadership roles within the CPA profession in Canada at both the provincial and national level. As Senior Vice President of External Relations and Business Development at CPA Canada, she led transformational change initiatives for the accounting profession both in Canada and on the international stage. As Vice-President Education Services at CPA Canada, she played a significant role in the unification of the accountancy profession and led the development of the CPA Certification Program.

Prior to joining CPA Canada, Ms. Batstone served five years as CEO of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Newfoundland and Labrador. In 2020, Ms. Batstone was named in Practice Ignition's top 50 women in accounting globally.

Ms. Batstone has extensive experience in Board Governance and serves on not-for-profit boards including the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.

Patricia Stock is the CEO of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants. Her previous experience includes being a co-founder and former CEO of MGI RAS, a member firm of MGI Worldwide. A Chartered Accountant (South Africa) and Chartered Director (South Africa), Ms. Stock has held various senior executive and non-executive directorship roles, including working in the public and private sectors, advisory, skills development, and assurance, including auditing United Nations’ organizations during her tenure at the Auditor General of South Africa’s office. She also serves as the Head of Transformation (DEI) at a global firm..

Ms. Stock is a Certified ESG Analyst (CESGA®) with a specialization in governance, audit, and IFRS. She also holds a master’s in international accounting.

Pamela Steer is the President and CEO of Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada).

Prior to assuming this role, Ms. Steer was the chief financial and corporate strategy officer at Payments Canada, where she oversaw the organization’s finance and corporate planning functions. Previously, she was the chief financial officer and head of finance and employer services with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board.

Over the course of her career, Ms. Steer has worked in the technology and financial services industries (pensions, insurance), including publicly traded, private and regulated entities in Canada and abroad.

Today, Ms. Steer sits on the Michael Garron Hospital board. She is an active and founding member of the advisory board for the Institute for Sustainable Finance, as well as a faculty member for the Competent Boards designation. Also, she currently sits on the University of Waterloo’s School of Accounting and Finance advisory council. She is a past Chair of the CFA Society Toronto, former board member of Quarterhill Inc. (TSX: QTRH), and was a founding member of the Canadian Chapter of the Accounting for Sustainability CFO Leadership Network.

Ms. Steer is a CPA Fellow and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst and Chartered Business Valuator designations. In 2019, she was selected as Canada’s CFO of the Year™.

Gregory J. Anton, CPA, CGMA joined the IFAC Board in November 2021. He was nominated by the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants.

Mr. Anton is a retired Partner of BDO USA, P.C. He was a founding partner of ACM LLP an accounting firm in the US where he served as Chairman and CEO prior to ACM joining BDO in 2020.

Mr. Anton has an extensive history serving the accounting profession. From 2004-present, he has served as a member of the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) Governing Council and served six years on the AICPA Board including Chairman from 2011-2012. Mr. Anton previously served as chairman of the Colorado Society of CPAS and on the IFAC Nominating Committee.

He is a recipient of the AICPA's Gold Medal Award for Distinguished Service; the highest award granted by the AICPA and is given to CPAs who have made major contributions to the CPA profession. Mr. Anton has nonexecutive board service including, past board member of Citywide Banks, a subsidiary of Heartland Financial USA, Inc. ("Heartland"), a multibillion-dollar financial services company. Prior to Heartland's acquisition of CIC Bancshares, he served on the board and chaired the audit committee of CIC. Mr. Anton also served on the board of WeeSchool, Inc. and served on the Management Committee of Cosyntris Advisory Network, LLC.