Industry veteran David Cruickshank is the new President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS). He has placed social mobility in the accountancy profession and increasing ICAS’s voice in business at the heart of his presidential agenda.
Cruickshank was formally confirmed as ICAS President for 2026/27 at the ICAS annual meeting on Friday 24 April 2026, succeeding Karen Scholes. He brings leadership experience following 40 years at Deloitte, where he led the UK Tax Practice for eight years, followed by eight years as UK chairman and four years as global chairman.
He qualified with Touche Ross (now Deloitte) in 1982 and became a partner in 1988. Until his retirement earlier this month, he served as chairman of Jupiter Fund Management plc and, since 2022, has been non-executive chair of McInroy & Wood. He is also chair of the UK charity Education & Employers and chairs the board of the US not-for-profit organisation Social Progress Imperative.
Cruickshank has a long‑standing relationship with ICAS, having played an active role in supporting its strategic objectives over many years. He is an ICAS council member, trustee of the ICAS Foundation and was chair of the Strategy Governance Group.
Supporting him during his term are Jonny Jacobs, appointed as deputy president, and Professor Elizabeth Gammie, as the newly appointed vice president.
David Cruickshank said: “Improving social mobility in the accountancy profession is central to my agenda. You can’t be what you can’t see, and I’m determined to help more young people from all backgrounds see what it means to be a Chartered Accountant and understand the opportunities that are within their reach with the CA qualification.
“A more diverse profession is a stronger one, which is why we must do more to promote accountancy to talented young people who may not yet see it as an option. Throughout my career, I’ve seen first-hand how diverse teams deliver better outcomes. By removing barriers and widening access to the CA qualification, we can help talent from all backgrounds thrive, while demonstrating how relevant a career as a CA is to the issues young people care about today – from sustainability and technology to ethical leadership,” he said.
He continued: “ICAS has a strong and influential voice, underpinned by huge amounts of research highly relevant to a business environment that is evolving faster than it has for decades. I want to promote this work on behalf of our members, using it to inform, and hopefully improve, outcomes on issues where ICAS has the authority to influence.
“Alongside this, the office bearer team and I will work to strengthen ICAS’ voice and ethical leadership across the profession and beyond, helping to maximise opportunities for collaboration and impact.”
Gail Boag, ICAS Chief Executive, said: “Many congratulations to David on becoming ICAS President. His leadership experience and deep understanding and commitment to the profession will be vital as we move into the next phase of our 2030 strategy. I’m thrilled to be working with him as we continue to support our members and strengthen the impact and influence of the CA profession. I would also like to congratulate Jonny and Elizabeth, who have been appointed Deputy President and Vice President respectively.”