The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), the largest professional body for finance professionals in business, has set up a representative office in Dubai Knowledge Village, the region’s hub for human resources management.

Founded in 1919, CIMA is a leading professional institute with 171,000 members and students operating in 165 countries. It offers an internationally recognised qualification in management accountancy, focusing on accounting in business in both the private and public sectors.

Dr Ayoub Kazim, executive director for Dubai Knowledge Village and Dubai International Academic City, said, 'The presence of CIMA at Dubai Knowledge Village brings us another step closer to the emirate’s vision of creating a strong knowledge-based economy.'

'Such professional organizations play an important role in enhancing the intellectual capital and the capabilities of regional businesses to effectively meet new challenges,' he noted.

CIMA is a global professional body that has approximately 1,000 students and members in the UAE and over 1,500 across the Gulf. The office in DKV, a member of Tecom Investments, will oversee corporate events and conference sessions for the business community, and work towards developing the finance and managerial skills of its students, said a top official.

Ranjit Gajendra, FCMA and advisor to CIMA’s Gulf and Middle East expansion, said: 'CIMA is delighted to move to the region’s premier destination for human resources management. In addition to offering easy access to CIMA's stakeholders, our presence in the UAE, Dubai and the Knowledge Village will help prepare finance personnel with qualifications that are internationally recognized.'

“Location, relative ease of obtaining approval and licenses and access to the knowledge and service providers influenced CIMA’s decision to set up offices in DKV. Working closely with home-grown organisations and established multinationals to develop business leaders in the UAE and across the region is of paramount importance to CIMA.”

CIMA will serve its growing UAE membership by hosting professional development activities, appointing top level training providers and, ultimately, educating the UAE community about the discipline of management accounting and the need for internationally trained finance professionals across the region, he added.

Launched in 2003, DKV aims to consolidate the status of the emirate as a global destination for human resource management and learning excellence. It is a unique hub that offers the right investment opportunities in human capital empowerment, skills development and enhancement.-TradeArabia News Service