August 2024
The Chartered Accountant Student Society of London (CASSL) recently held its AGM General Meeting, marking a transition in leadership. New chair Aydin Bolton (pictured right), shares his vision for the coming year.
Attendees were welcomed to the 141st CASSL AGM by Malcolm Bacchus, who has served as CASSL’s Honorary President since 2017. Bacchus is a former chair of CASSL himself and has now, as of June, taken up the role of President of the ICAEW.
The society’s outgoing chair, Sunny Yang, spoke about his proudest achievements in the year, including the establishment of a mentorship programme with Kingston University, championing diversity through events such as the ‘Around the World in 80 Days’ Annual Ball and the vast networks that CASSL has reached through its initiatives. CASSL can be especially proud to have been awarded the accolade of ‘Student Body of the Year’ at the PQ magazine awards for the second consecutive year.
Before formerly taking on the role of chair, as Treasurer of the society I reported on the 2023 financials, offering welcome news to the society’s members in the form of a healthy surplus figure. This was largely a testament to the encouraging sponsorship that CASSL has established in previous years. The society will now work towards employing its resources wisely in the current year, to increase opportunities for all its members.
Following the secret ballot, the membership elected a new committee for the 2024/25 year:
| Chair; and ICAEW Student Council Representative | Aydin Bolton (PwC) |
| Vice Chair | Oliver Sighe (Hardwick & Morris) |
| Treasurer | Kareena Rathod (PwC) |
| Secretary | Lucas Silva (Berkeley Group) |
| Head of Student Ambassadors | Ali Husein (PwC) |
| Events Director | Jordan Muir (PwC) |
| Marketing Directors | Sophie Khaleeque (PwC), Swetha Nandakumar (PwC) |
| Sponsorship Directors | Junting Jiang (Mazuho), Josh Agrawal (PwC |
| Mentorship Director | Dory Fazakas (PwC) |
| Development Director; and Diversity Director | Krita Shah (EY) |
| Wellbeing Director | Justin Highfield (Haysmacintyre) |
| LSCA Representative | Dayem Ahmad Chughtai (PwC) |
| LSCA Representative; and ICAEW Student Council Representative | Sunny Yang (EY) |
In spite of the prominence of the Big 4 (specifically, PwC) representation in the new committee, one of my central aims in the year is to engage with students from smaller accounting firms, for whom CASSL can offer the greatest social benefit.
I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the outgoing committee, whose dedication and hard work, particularly under Yang’s double term, led to many notable achievements.
Reflecting on my personal journey, I have to admit I never really considered the accountancy profession until my offer from PwC – but looking back, I am certainly grateful that I accepted! I received a scholarship at age 12, which paved the way for my academic success and eventual traineeship at PwC. As the first in my family to attend university, I had to overcome the lack of familial role models in finance and accounting. I believe my diverse experiences, from managing a charity fundraising campaign to working in the House of Commons, have equipped me to lead CASSL with foresight and purpose.
Looking ahead, my vision for the society centres on themes of inclusivity, connections, and career growth. I want to foster a culture of collaboration, ensuring every member feels valued, and is offered the support needed to help them excel at the ACA qualification and beyond.
