Karen Scholes has been appointed the new ICAS President for 2025-26, and becomes the sixth woman to hold the role in ICAS’ 171-year history.
Scholes is the partner director of Scholes Chartered Accountants, an independent firm with a strong focus on sustainability and entrepreneurship.
Hailing from Orkney Scholes began her career working for her dad’s firm AJB Scholes. She initially ran the practice as the sole practitioner until it was incorporated in 2008. Today, Scholes Chartered Accountants has 36 staff and operates out of offices in Kirkwall, Edinburgh, and Aberdeen.
Her focus in office will firmly be on the future. Scholes said: “Our globally respected Chartered Accountant (CA) qualification continues to open doors to rewarding careers in business, finance, and beyond. Yet, with only around 20 per cent of professionals in fields like accountancy coming from working-class backgrounds, it’s clear there’s more to do. The ICAS Foundation is leading the way in closing this gap by supporting young people from low-income backgrounds to access careers in accountancy and finance. And as part of my role as ICAS President, I’m committed to supporting the ongoing work to inspire the next generation and drive greater access to the profession for talented individuals from every walk of life.
“I also want to highlight the flexibility and employer-friendly nature of the ICAS CA training model. It offers an accessible, cost-effective way for organisations of all sizes to nurture and attract top-tier business talent.
“Looking ahead, I’ll be leading an important conversation on the evolving role of the Chartered Accountant, taking a forward-looking approach to how our profession can harness emerging technologies like AI, and help shape the sustainable, resilient economies of the future.”
David Cruickshank (pictured right) and Jonny Jacobs (pictured left) have been appointed as the new ICAS deputy present and vice president
