Jeff Thomson, the longtime president and CEO of the Institute of Management Accountants, plans to retire in early 2023 after leading the IMA for nearly 15 years, with a successor yet to be named.
Thomson originally joined in 2005 as vice president of research, where he helped transform IMA's research, education and thought leadership practices, especially on the accounting profession's top emerging issues. Over the years, he has built IMA's membership and influence. During his tenure, the IMA more than doubled its membership and the number of professionals holding the Certified Management Accountant certification. Today, the IMA has approximately 140,000 members in 150 countries through 12 global offices, 350 chapters and more than 200 staff members.
He has also expanded the IMA's research into new areas including technology and data analytics; sustainable business management; and diversity, equity and inclusion. Thomson has written numerous articles, including for Accounting Today, and a book, and provided testimony to Congress on risk management, internal controls and corporate governance. He has also represented the IMA on the boards of various organizations, including COSO (Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission), IFAC (International Federation of Accountants) and the IIRC (International Integrated Reporting Council).
He has also been named frequently among Accounting Today's Top 100 Most Influential People list, has been honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award by Trust Across America, and was named among NJBIZ's Power 50 in Accounting list. Under his leadership, IMA also won a number of industry awards, including top workplace and professional body of the year.
"It has been my honor to serve IMA and my profession at an exciting time in IMA's history. I've been privileged to have the opportunity to positively influence the careers of new and seasoned professionals and students, as well as advance best practices in business," said Thomson in a statement Monday. "Best of all, I had the opportunity to work alongside our volunteers who are truly the heart and soul of IMA, my incredible staff who engineered a remarkable turnaround with a focus on our members and delivering value, and a prestigious list of partners and colleagues. Together, we helped advance this proud and exciting profession during an era of uncertainty and disruption."
The IMA board is expected to announce his successor in the months ahead. "Jeff is commended for his leadership during a turnaround period, marked by a shift in IMA's strategic direction, a mission to strengthen the profession through certification and continuing education, and meeting the needs of professionals in emerging markets around the world," said IMA chair Gwen van Berne in a statement. "He has always been committed to telling the story of our proud profession, one where we make a difference for careers, organizations, and society at large."
Prior to joining the IMA, Thomson worked at AT&T for over 20 years, where he started as a data scientist decades before the job title was popularized in the industry. After retiring from AT&T, he spent three years as a local high school mathematics teacher. Thomson has been married for 42 years to Harriett and is looking forward to spending more time with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
