18 November 2003
Douglas Flint FCMA, Group Finance Director of HSBC was named Business Leader of the Year at the prestigious annual CIMA/Financial Management Awards, held in London on November 12. The awards, now in their third year, celebrate the most influential and successful CIMA members and stakeholders.
HSBC is the world's second largest bank and the UK's largest company, making Flint one of the most senior members of his profession. As an executive Director since 1995, he has played a significant role in creating a framework in which the business has grown successfully in different cultures. As the person responsible for ensuring the integrity of the financial information shown to the outside world and to his shareholders, one of his greatest achievements has been the consistency of shareholder contact over the past few years, the judges said.
His style of openly and consistently explaining what the bank does, how it does it, what risks it is taking and what it is doing to manage those risks – and then letting the shareholders themselves judge whether HSBC is an attractive investment – has encouraged a positive relationship between the banks and its shareholders and in turn created greater understanding between them.
Claire Ighodaro, CIMA President said:
"Douglas Flint is a CIMA member who has made a significant difference to the success of his company. His commitment, leadership and skill have led to major strategic and financial wins."
Flint is a member of the Accounting Standards Board and the Standards Advisory Council of the International Accounting Standards Committee Foundation.
The CIMA/Financial Management Business Leader of the Year award was sponsored by Reed Accountancy. The awards dinner took place as part of the third CIMA annual conference. This year’s theme was Finance Driving up Shareholder Value: Managing Risks & Opportunities. Speakers included Sir Brian Pitman and Derek Higgs. Ends For further information, and a full list of winners, please contact Louisa Roberts at louisa.roberts@cimaglobal.com or on +44 (0)20 8849 2427
CIMA members are Accountants in Business. We represent financial managers and accountants who work in industry, commerce, not-for-profit and public sector organisations. Our key activities are related to Business Strategy, Information Strategy and Finance Strategy. CIMA members are not trained in audit.
CIMA's focus is to qualify students, support members and employers, and protect the public interest. We represent the voice of over 77,000 students and 60,000 members in 154 countries.
CIMA's focus on management functions makes us unique, and we are internationally recognised as offering the financial qualification for business.
CIMA is 'rapidly becoming the chartered qualification of choice' according to recent independent research*, and we work with leading employers in the UK and around the world to train and qualify financial managers. We pride ourselves on the commercial relevance of our syllabus, which is continually enhanced to reflect the latest developments in business. In an age of growing globalisation and intensified competition, the Chartered Management Accountant is fully prepared to meet the need for timely and accurate financial information.
Our members and students work across all business sectors at all levels throughout the world, demonstrating the flexibility of the qualification.
