Icas chief Anton Colella leaving after decade in charge

Anton Colella is leaving Icas to become CEO of Moore Stephens International. Picture: Contributed

Colella is to leave the organisation to take up a new role as the global chief executive of accountancy network Moore Stephens International.

“It is with a heavy heart that I leave Icas after ten years,” said Colella, who joined from the Scottish Qualification Authority, where he had been the boss for three years.

“I would like to thank all those who I have worked with in my tenure as chief executive, especially our members and our outstanding employees. I believe that working together we have taken huge and important steps towards building the leading global professional community.

“However, after ten years at the helm at Icas the opportunity to become global CEO at Moore Stephens International was impossible to resist, especially as it allows me to continue to lead change at the heart of the global profession.”

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He added: “This is a hugely exciting time to be joining Moore Stephens International. I will relish the opportunity of working with all our 28,000 people to bring to life our new strategy and drive our organisation forward together.”

Colella will remain in this post during the search for his successor.

Icas president Sir Brian Souter, co-founder and chairman of Perth-based transport giant Stagecoach, said: “Over the past decade, Anton has been the architect of a transformed Icas and we want to thank him for his immense contribution. We wish him well with his new endeavours and we believe he will continue to have a valuable role as a leader in the accountancy profession.

“We will commence a recruitment process to find a successor who can lead Icas forward and continue to position us as one of the world’s most influential business networks.”

Moore Stephens International, which has more than 600 offices around the world and almost 28,000 staff and partners, generates fees of some $2.7 billion (£2bn).

Colella is a “motivational leader and is highly respected by major firms, global professional bodies, regulators and governments,” said chairman Richard Moore.

“His experience offers a unique insight into the challenges facing our business and he brings change management skills which will greatly benefit our network and its member firms.”

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