In a break with tradition at ICAS, the first woman has been appointed to lead the institute with Gail Boag set to replace Bruce Cartwright CA
Boag, current executive director learning and market development, but not an accountant, will take over from outgoing Cartwright in January 2026 and will become the first female CEO in the organisation’s 172-year history.
Her appointment has been fully endorsed by the ICAS presidential team and council, which said Boag’s ‘commercial and communication skills, combined with her strong leadership abilities, will enable ICAS to continue to pursue its ambitious strategy for growth.
As learning lead, Boag led the recent overhaul of the institute’s chartered accountant (CA) syllabus, designed to keep pace with advances in technology, data and sustainability.
Before joining the institute in 2022, Boag was dean of the Business School at Edinburgh Napier University for four years, and previously director for BT Scotland.
On her appointment Boag said: ‘I’m deeply honoured to take on the role of CEO at ICAS. The organisation has a distinguished history of upholding the highest standards of integrity, professionalism, and public trust.
‘My focus will be on ensuring that ICAS continues to act in the public interest while driving sustainable growth for the organisation, value for its members and relevance for our qualification.’
The appointment follows a competitive process, with chartered accountant Cartwright set to step down after nearly eight years at the helm. He will remain with ICAS until March to ensure a smooth transition period.
Karen Scholes CA, president of ICAS, said: ‘After a competitive process, I am pleased to announce that we’ve appointed Gail Boag as ICAS’ new CEO. Gail has already demonstrated her mettle over the last three years as our executive director learning and market development, leading and delivering our new world class CA Syllabus. Gail brings with her a wealth of experience and I know that she will lead the organisation with drive and passion.’
ICAS council thanked Cartwright for his leadership over the last eight years, which brought a step change to the way in which the organisation operated and for setting a clear and visionary strategic direction.
Boag recently wrote an exclusive article on the future of accountancy qualifications for Business & Accountancy Daily. Read her thoughts here: Are modern accountancy exams robust enough?