Dubai-based Pakistani wins Chartered Accountant Woman of the Year award

Asma has been living in Dubai for the last 12 years

Asma receiving CA Woman of the Year 2019 award from Pakistan President Dr Arif Alvi in Islamabad

Dubai: Dubai-based Pakistani expat, Asma Jan Mohammad, has become the first overseas recipient of the Chartered Accountant Woman of the Year 2019 award.

Pakistan President Dr Arif Alvi conferred the award upon Asma in Islamabad on April 11 at a ceremony organised by the Chartered Accountant (CA) Women Committee, of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP).

CA Women Awards are given to honour outstanding female professionals in the field. The winners are selected by an independent jury based on pre-defined criteria from a pool of names nominated by the CA members.

Asma is a Chartered Accountant, with professional experience of 14 years in diverse industry sectors. She has been living and working in Dubai since 2007.

Speaking to reporter, Asma said that she is currently working with Jamal Al Ghurair group, and is also the Chairperson of the Managing Committee of UAE Chapter of ICAP members. This was established under the aegis of Pakistan Association Dubai to represent the largest community of ICAP overseas members - more than 1,000 members - well-represented at many prestigious organisations in the UAE.

“The aim of the award is to encourage women to work in this field which is heavily dominated by men as only eight per cent of the more than 8000 certified Pakistani chartered accountant are women,” said Asma.

The idea behind this award is also to appreciate women who join this profession.

“I became [a] member of the UAE CA Chapter a few years ago and then, last year, became the first woman to be elected as the Chairperson of this prestigious group in the UAE,” said Asma.

She said that being backed by a premier qualification and extensive training experience, ICAP professionals are highly ranked and sought after by reputed entities in UAE.

The UAE Chapter of ICAP members, Asma explained, aimed at branding CA Pakistan in the local market and increasing members’ engagement by regularly organising events relating to continuing professional development (CPD), networking, conferences and social engagements for the benefit of UAE-based finance professionals.

Asma has also won this year's Most Professional Accountancy by Women Entrepreneurship Forum Dubai. She is a double gold-medalist in the CA Foundation exams by ICAP, which she took in 2000.

Asma has also launched an initiative titled “Femme-Passion” aimed at a stronger and more rewarding role for professionally qualified female CAs in the UAE. At present Femme Passion has over 30 members.

Asma is raising two kids, endeavoring to have a work-life balance along side her career.