
Barry Melancon, the president and CEO of the AICPA, will retire at the end of the year, after serving in this role for 30 years, the organization announced in a press release. He has also served as CEO of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, which is the entity combining the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) with the AICPA.
“It has been my greatest honor to serve this dynamic, service-driven profession. I am proud to have transformed AICPA and CIMA into the leading accounting association, one that recognizes and promotes the profession as being truly global and expansive,” Melancon said. “Over the decades of my service, I have been committed to help the profession grow, serve the public interest, seize new opportunities, innovate, and expand the value it offers society. Today we have a profession evolving at speed to meet the needs of markets and fulfill the role of trusted strategic advisor. This bodes well for the future, placing our profession in position to address some of the biggest challenges facing individuals, businesses, and economies.”
Melancon joined as CEO of the AICPA in 1995 at age 37, making him the youngest CEO of the organization in its history, and he served as the longest serving CEO since its formation in 1887. He became CEO of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants in 2017, after successfully bringing together the largest accounting bodies, AICPA and CIMA, to serve the public and management accounting profession worldwide.
Melancon's professional career started as a practicing CPA in Louisiana. He became a CPA firm partner at the age of 25, and then led the Society of Louisiana CPAs before being appointed CEO of the AICPA.
As CEO, Melancon has spanned national and global leadership roles and interactions with government, regulators and business leaders from around the world. Notable achievements include spearheading the CPA Vision Project and CGMA Future of Finance, which set the platform for a series of cutting-edge initiatives which has fueled the growth of the profession.
Under Melancon’s leadership, the organization launched CPA.com, the computerization of the CPA exam, the creation of the National Commission for Diversity and Inclusion, the Centers for Audit Quality (CAQ), and the Dynamic Audit Solution (DAS). In 2012, he led the effort to create a joint venture with CIMA and launched the Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) designation. He was also instrumental in creating the Future of Finance initiative, CGMA Finance Leadership Program and updated Global Management Accounting Principles, the international standards of management accountants.
Melancon is the recipient of numerous awards, including “National Association Executive of the Year.” Accounting Today placed him as the “Most Influential Person in Accounting” 17 consecutive times. In 2008, he received the first and only Honorary Doctorate of Commerce from his alma mater, Nicholls State University. He was awarded the International Accounting Forum and Awards 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award. He has received numerous awards from other prestigious organizations.
“Throughout his career, Barry has been a passionate advocate for the profession, promoting how it serves the public interest to policymakers and regulators; a champion for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI); and a believer in innovation and technology,” said Okorie Ramsey, outgoing AICPA chair and chair of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. “Barry has always understood the need for new approaches and solutions, be that with the formation of CPA.com and launch of Dynamic Audit Solution; enhancing business and sustainability reporting or taking a stance for the profession to actively address its DEI issues. We have much to appreciate Barry for and wish him well in his upcoming retirement. On behalf of the Board, we send our heartfelt thanks and wish him well in the next phase of his life.”
“Barry has always been able to keep the profession one step ahead in dealing with future challenges and realizing opportunities," said Sarah Ghosh, CIMA president and co-chair of the Association. "He has led global efforts to upskill the profession to embrace innovation, sustainability, inclusion and instill a life-long learning mindset. Under his leadership, we have achieved so much to increase accessibility to the profession through different learning pathways—the CGMA Finance Leadership Program is a prime example of that. He has advocated on behalf of the profession with regulators and government officials to build trust in capital markets. And, he has realized and delivered the vision of creating the largest and most influential accounting membership body in the world—the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. He should be very proud of his contribution, and we are indebted to his life-long commitment and service to the accounting profession.”
The board of the Association is working with Korn Ferry, the largest global executive search firm, to identify his successor. The appointment is expected to be made before the end of the year. Details of this global search and appointment criteria can be found on the AICPA & CIMA and Korn Ferry websites