AAT CEO Mark Farrar is set to retire. He has led the AAT for seven years, since taking over from Jane Scott Paul in 2014. Staff were told on Friday 16 January of his intention to leave the organisation this summer.
Over his tenure, Mark has introduced significant changes in AAT’s journey, ensuring it stayed relevant to its members, students, and the wider accountancy profession during times of major changes.
He has been a passionate champion for issues such as gender equality and pay, increasing the representation of women at senior levels within the organisation. AAT was the first accountancy body to sign up to the Women in Finance Charter, and has been a signatory of the Prompt Payment Code since 2016. Mark also supported the credibility and value of accountancy apprenticeships through pushing for new standards, including lobbying on the apprenticeship levy.
AAT President, David Frederick, said: “Mark has made a hugely valuable contribution during his time in post and AAT has moved forward significantly under his leadership. I and my fellow Council members are sorry to see Mark leave and we will undertake a thorough recruitment exercise to find a suitable replacement for him.”
AAT Chief Executive, Mark Farrar, said: “AAT is about to embark on the next phase of its journey with planned changes to our products and systems, as well as new ways of working in the coming years. We have successfully dealt with the early challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and there is significant cause for increased optimism in the coming months. Now seems a good point for a change in leadership to carry things forward. It has been great to have been part of AAT for many years and, as I’m not going anywhere until the summer, there’s plenty to be getting on with in the meantime.”
