A global vision and platform shaping the finance and accounting profession’s future through trust, technology, and human-led transformation

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, June 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (AICPA and CIMA) today launched Rise2040: Shaping the Future of Finance and Accounting, a global initiative designed not simply to anticipate the future of the profession but to actively shape it.

Developed through a structured global dialogue spanning more than 25 countries and 6,000 accounting and finance professionals, the Rise2040 initiative manifests itself as a living program of insights which are being combined to deliver a shared vision of how the profession will evolve.

“Rise2040 is not about predicting a single future, it’s about equipping the profession to actively shape it,” said Mark Koziel, CPA, CGMA, CEO of AICPA and CIMA. “We are at a defining moment. As AI reshapes how work gets done, our value will increasingly be defined by human judgment, trust, and the ability to lead in complexity. At the initiative’s core sits the Rise2040 AI platform and flagship report; both reinforce a defining insight … the future of the profession will not be determined by what happens to us, by the forces shaping it, but by how we choose to respond.”

From Reporting the Past to Shaping the Future

The Rise2040 vision highlights a profound transformation already underway. As automation reshapes routine work, the profession is rapidly shifting from a historical reporter to an “anticipatory advisor”.

At the same time, trust remains the profession’s enduring core, but one that is increasing in value. In a world saturated with AI and data, human judgment, ethics, and accountability are becoming even more critical differentiators.

“What emerged from this global effort is a profession that is not retreating from change but rising to meet it with humans in the lead,” said Tom Hood, EVP, Business Engagement & Growth at AICPA and CIMA.

The report identifies five interconnected drivers shaping the profession’s future:

Technology and data infrastructureValue model transformationTalent and workforce dynamicsRegulatory and trust architectureMarket and societal expectations

Together, these forces are transforming how work is performed, how value is created, and how professionals lead.

Notably, participants emphasized that technology is not replacing the profession, it is amplifying it, freeing professionals to focus on higher-value activities such as advisory, strategy and decision-making enablement.

A Call to Lead … Not React

Unlike prior visioning efforts, Rise2040 is designed as an ongoing platform, not a one-time report. It is a continuous system for capturing insights and translating them into action across the global profession. The initiative will continue to evolve through expanded engagement, deeper analysis, and practical tools to help firms, organizations, and professionals access and apply insights in real time.

Shaping What Comes Next

“Rise2040 ultimately reinforces a shared responsibility,” added Koziel. “The future of the profession is not predetermined. It will be shaped by the choices made today.”

Venkkat Ramanan, FCMA, CGMA, Vice President – Asia Pacific at AICPA and CIMA added: “Across Asia, the transformation of the profession is moving at both scale and pace – powered by a deep talent pipeline, rapid digital adoption and the rising complexity of business. The opportunity is not simply to keep up; it is to lead the shift – moving talent into higher-value, decision-oriented roles where trust, judgment and human leadership are the true differentiators. We are committed to working alongside employers, GCCs, firms, students, government agencies, and the local profession to shape this transition – and Rise2040 is the platform through which we will do it.”

The insights are clear, the accounting and finance profession is moving “from historian to futurist” – guided by trust, powered by technology, and led by human judgment.

About the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, AICPA, and CIMA

The Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (the Association) advances the reputation, employability, and quality of CPAs, CGMA designation holders, and accounting and financial professionals globally. Founded in 2017 by the AICPA and CIMA, it represents 574,000 AICPA and CIMA members, students, and registrants in more than 150 countries and territories, advocating for the public interest and business sustainability on current and emerging issues.

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SOURCE AICPA & CIMA

Hong Kong’s Prime 63 Metro Stations Network Launches Data-Driven “25 Personas” Audience Targeting Solutions

HONG KONG, June 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — MTR* advertising, as the market leader, offers the city’s broadest media coverage and daily touchpoints leveraging its massive network across 8 metro lines, 63 stations, and 15 interchange stations. Today, it announces a market-disrupting strategic layout – evolving the advantage of “mass coverage” into the revolutionary power of “precision marketing” with the official launch of the “25 Personas” audience targeting solution, providing brands with more precise and higher-converting marketing strategies. MTR* advertising is now rolling out 25 audience-targeted media packages, each mapped to specific audience attributes further strengthening brands’ competitive edge in the market.

Disruptive Strategy: The Revolution from “Mass Network” to “Precision Marketing”
MTR serves over 5.55 million passenger trips daily#, with every commuter following a unique route and destination. To maximize advertising effectiveness and minimize wastage, we break through the traditional media coverage framework to introduce 25 audience targeting segments and solutions. This marks a new market revolution – MTR* advertising not only reaches all citizens across Hong Kong but also empowers brands with “precision marketing” capabilities, making every exposure strategically valuable.

Ms. Shirley Chan, Managing Director of JCDecaux Transport Hong Kong and Macau, stated: “In this AI and data-driven marketing era, we are leading OOH advertising to create a brand-new landscape. We provide data-proven main and digital media packages that deliver high precision and high conversion rates, enabling brand promotions to maximize promotional efficiency within the MTR* advertising network and precisely reach their target audiences.”

Data-Driven Precision Targeting: 25 “Ready-to-Use” Packages Achieve “Simple, Efficient, and Reliable” Placement 
Combined with the latest NielsenIQ 2024 MTR audience insight data, the marketing model of MTR* advertising has evolved into an audience-targeted strategy. The platform provides 25 ready-to-buy media packages, allowing brands to engage in direct and resonant advertising dialogues with target audiences in the most data-scientific and efficient way, precisely reaching diverse groups. By optimizing MTR* advertising media allocation through data analysis, we ensure that ad messages appear at the stations and locations most frequented by target audiences, helping clients maximize budget efficiency.

All-Round Matrix: Integration of Traditional and Digital Media Creates Maximum Sensory Impact
To ensure brand messages are both precise and impactful, the 25 targeting packages fully integrate the traditional and digital media ecosystem. Utilizing static media to build strong brand memory, combined with digital screens playing dynamic content to boost attractiveness, the visual complementarity effect is significantly enhanced. This summer, the “MTR 25 Personas Challenge” interactive experience will also be launched to deeply drive audience engagement and brand stickiness.

Outlook for 2026 OOH Market Revolution: The New Landscape of MTR* advertising Precision Marketing
With the widest geographical coverage and the densest daily touchpoints, we officially open a new era of precision targeting. This transformation, blending data and creativity, will bring unprecedented return on investment (ROI) and market impact to brands. Act fast to secure your spot, please contact our sales team to get more details and placement solutions now!

* MTR advertising refers to the advertising exclusively operated by JCDecaux Transport, including the MTR Island Line, South Island Line, Tsuen Wan Line, Kwun Tong Line, Tung Chung Line, Tseung Kwan O Line, Disneyland Resort Line, and Airport Express.

# Source: Transport Department, Government of the HKSAR. Passenger trips refer to the number of average daily passenger journeys across MTR Kwun Tong Line, Tsuen Wan Line, Island Line, Tung Chung Line, Disneyland Resort Line, Tseung Kwan O Line, East Rail Line, South Island Line, Tuen Ma Line, High Speed Rail, Airport Express, Light Rail, and MTR Bus.

MTR* & Airport Express Advertising Enquiries:

Hotline:      (852) 2111 0111  
Email:         info@jcdecaux.com.hk
WhatsApp: (852) 9793 2220

https://www.jcdecaux-transport.com.hk/
https://www.facebook.com/mtradvertising/
https://www.instagram.com/mtradvertisinghk/
https://www.youtube.com/@JCDecauxTransportHK

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SOURCE JCDecaux Transport

The leading AI-first engineering platform for physical product development, trusted by the world’s top OEMs and industrial manufacturersDeepening direct collaboration with Hanwha Ocean and other leading global automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers in the region.Dr. Eunjoo Lee, former CEO of IBM Korea and Executive VP at Samsung, joins as Board Advisor

SEOUL, South Korea, June 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Neural Concept, the world leader in AI-driven physical product development, today announced the opening of its first direct office in Seoul and its first in APAC. The new office reflects growing demand from Korean manufacturers that are moving beyond isolated AI pilots and toward production-scale deployment across engineering teams. Neural Concept has confirmed plans to expand its work, with direct local support now available for deployment, capability-building and long-term engineering transformation.

Across Korea’s industrial base, engineering teams are under pressure to shorten development cycles while managing rising product complexity. In many organizations, critical workflows still remain fragmented across CAD, simulation and internal data environments, slowing iteration and limiting the impact of AI.

“South Korea is one of the world’s most advanced manufacturing countries, and it is becoming a defining market for the next generation of engineering, ” said Pierre Baqué, CEO and founder at Neural Concept. “The shift is no longer about experimenting with AI around the edges. It is about embedding Engineering Intelligence into core product development workflows. Opening our Seoul office allows us to support that transition directly, with the proximity and long-term commitment our customers expect.”

“We see Seoul as a strategic base for one of the world’s most important engineering ecosystems,” said Jiwon Jung, Regional Sales Director for APAC at Neural Concept. “From automotive and electrification to shipbuilding, electronics and semiconductors, Korean manufacturers are setting the pace in industrial innovation. A direct presence allows us to support customers locally, accelerate adoption and help teams turn AI into an operational capability, beyond a promising concept.”

Neural Concept has also appointed Dr. Eunjoo Lee as Board Advisor. Based in Korea, she brings over two decades of experience in enterprise AI and digital transformation, including leadership roles as former CEO of IBM Korea and Executive Vice President at Samsung, strengthening the company’s APAC presence.

For manufacturers in the region, the move comes as AI adoption enters a new phase. Rather than layering AI onto legacy systems through disconnected experiments, leading engineering organizations are looking for infrastructure that can support production-scale workflows, governance and measurable business impact. Neural Concept’s AI-native architecture is designed for that transition, providing an intelligence layer that fits directly into the way engineering teams already work.

“Neural Concept’s platform demonstrated promising capabilities that could help accelerate our design workflows and make AI adoption far more practical,” said Dongkwon Lee, SVP of Basic Performance Research Center, Hanwha Ocean.

The Seoul office opening builds on Neural Concept’s global expansion, including the company’s growth in the United States and its $100 million Series C funding round led by Growth Equity at Goldman Sachs Alternatives. As adoption accelerates across Korea, Japan and other major industrial markets, Neural Concept is investing in the local presence and delivery capabilities needed to help manufacturers scale Engineering Intelligence across the enterprise.

About Neural Concept 
Neural Concept provides the intelligence layer for engineering, enabling companies to design and develop complex, high-performance products faster and more efficiently. Its AI-native platform embeds physics-aware intelligence directly into design and simulation workflows, empowering engineering teams to make continuous, AI-augmented decisions at every stage of product development.

Founded in 2019, Neural Concept serves leading OEMs and engineering organizations across automotive, aerospace, energy, consumer electronics, semiconductors and defense. Headquartered in Switzerland, the company has a growing global presence including offices in Munich, New York and the Asia-Pacific region, and is backed by global investors, including Goldman Sachs, Forestay Capital and D. E. Shaw Group.

Visit https://www.neuralconcept.com

Media Contact:
Valerie Serino
neuralconcept@5wpr.com

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SOURCE Neural Concept