Martin Brennan elected to the ACCA Council
We’re proud to share that our founder and CEO, Martin Brennan, has been elected to the ACCA Council - the world’s largest global professional accounting body, representing over 780,000 members and students.
There are fewer than 50 ACCA Council members worldwide - the select group that sets the direction of the entire accounting profession. Martin now sits in the room where decisions are made about the future of accounting standards, technology adoption, talent development and regulatory change.
For those who know Martin, this achievement won’t come as a surprise. His election statement captured who he is as a leader:
- someone who built a fully remote, tech-enabled firm
- someone passionate about making the profession accessible
- and someone who has mentored dozens of young accountants - many of whom are now thriving in their careers
Advocacy for accessibility and opportunity
When he was campaigning, Martin shared how the ACCA qualification “transformed his life” and how he believes access should not be limited by geography or background. It means the profession can become more diverse and more remote-first and, in our case, better able to support startups and scaleups with the expertise they need to grow as successful businesses.
“We’ve built a firm that creates meaningful careers for people living outside major cities, perhaps in disadvantaged areas, helping them access high-quality careers without needing to relocate.” – Martin Brennan
A stronger voice for modern, tech-driven businesses
Martin has long believed that the profession must evolve to meet the needs of modern businesses - with automation, real-time data and cloud technology at the core. In joining the ACCA Council, he now has a platform to turn that belief into action and influence how the profession moves forward. Combined with Onside’s partnership with Multiplier, it means we’re not just adapting to change; we’re helping shape a profession that’s better equipped to serve founders, scaleups and globally distributed teams.
Developing talent that support your business
Martin has personally mentored around 50 ACCA students, many achieving pass rates “significantly above average,” with some over 85% and several achieving special awards and commendations for exceptional results. Through ACCA Council, he can help shape training and development pathways that produce strong finance professionals - the same kind of people who serve your business every day.
Enhanced insight and early access to industry change
The Council guides ACCA’s strategy and future direction. It means Martin gets to see what’s coming before most of us do:
- emerging regulations
- digital trends
- reporting changes
- future accounting tools
- all of which ensure your finance function stays informed and ready for upcoming changes.
A champion for future practice and business owners
A key part of Martin’s election message was helping more accountants build their own firms. That entrepreneurial mindset translates directly to how we serve founders: Martin understands what it means to start, grow and scale and he brings that lens to ACCA’s highest level.
His position on the ACCA Council also expands Onside’s international network across 180+ countries, strengthening our ability to bring global-standard expertise to the startups and scaleups we work with - wherever they operate. It gives our clients earlier visibility into cross-border growth trends, evolving global compliance requirements, and international hiring practices, reinforced further through our partnership with Multiplier.
In Martin’s own words:
“ACCA transformed my life in a big way – It is time for me to give back.”
We’re incredibly proud of Martin and grateful to everyone who’s been part of that journey.
Read Martin’s full election statement → click to read on LinkedIn