Llambias calls for shake-up at Institute
Douglas Llambias, the outspoken ICAEW councillor, has hit out at the Institute for failing to bridge the gap between its members and the organisation.
Calling for a major shake-up in the way the ICAEW ran itself, Llambias today urged councillors and office holders to open up the Institute’s procedures to avoid continued ‘reputational and financial decline’.
Llambias complained that too often councillors had been given incomplete information on institute matters, which consequently led to a lack of support for the ICAEW executive.
‘I do not want to be party to a closed debate,’ he told the council meeting. ‘If members could see the debate, they would become more involved.’
But ICAEW president Michael Groom hit back, saying that during his term of office he had attended more than 50 meetings with institute members around the UK, and held numerous meetings with government and business organisations.
He threw down a gauntlet to Llambias, urging him to stand in the next elections for the Institute’s executive.
Llambias’ comments came at a crucial time for the Institute, which is attempting to spearhead the fight to maintain the profession’s reputation following the Enron affair.