Are you ready to serve as Chairman of MGI Worldwide?

It's a great ‘honour' and requires ‘commitment’ and ‘contribution’, says Roger Isaacs from Milsted Langdon as he reflects on his time as Chairman of MGI Worldwide, and Executive Committee Member representing the UK & Ireland region.

What did you gain most from your experience?

"Being the chair of MGI Worldwide has been not only a great honour but it has also been great fun.

"I have made and strengthened professional friendships that will last long after my time as Chairman comes to an end as my colleagues and I hand over the baton to a new EC at the AGM in October.

"What I also gained (apart from air miles and several unwanted extra inches around my waistline) was an appreciation that helping to steer a truly international organisation is very different from running an independent accountancy practice. 

"Each of MGI’s eight regions have widely different needs and priorities and leading a membership organisation is about listening to what the members want and then to trying to deliver it. One of the problems is that not all the members, or even all the members in a region, agree about what they want. 

"The adage goes that you can’t please all the people all the time, but I shall be satisfied if I have managed to please most of our members most of the time."

What are some of your greatest or fondest memories?

"Chairing our Virtual AGM over 12 hours online during the pandemic felt like a great achievement, not only because we had over 700 members attending (far more than ever attend an in-person AGM – but then again, in Lockdown, perhaps our members had nothing better to do?!) but because I was suffering from Covid at the time.

"I wouldn’t however call it a fond memory and there is no doubt that my fondest memories are of all the great times I’ve spent in many bars after many conferences forging friendships and sharing stories over a beer or few."

What was your biggest contribution to MGI as a network?

"The contributions of which I am most proud are the parts I played firstly in successfully delivering the merger with CPAAI and secondly in recruiting Chris Borneman as Clive Bennett’s successor as CEO.

"Thanks to Chris, I am confident that MGI is in very safe hands as I hand over the reins to my successor."

What does MGI expect from you (as a member of your committee)?

Commitment – to attend meetings and to have read the papers in advance 

Contribution – MGI needs to hear what you think

Creativity – Odd, I know from an accountant, but we need leaders who think outside the box

Communication skills – The better your English the better you’ll be able to participate in meetings but don’t be put off if you need practice – you’ll get plenty of that.

One piece of advice you would give to someone considering volunteering…

“Believe in yourself. It’s not rocket science. Common sense is all you need although having a sense of humour probably helps.”

Click to open/download Isaac Roger's Member Committee Spotlight (PDF).

MGI Worldwide, is a top 20 ranked global accounting network and association with almost 9,000 professionals, accountants and tax experts in some 400 locations in over 100 countries around the world.