Mr. Alastair MacBeath

MA, LLB (Hons.), CA

Born in Perth, Scotland, he was educated at the University of Edinburgh, where he graduated with a Master of Arts in 1956 and a Bachelor of Laws with Honours in 1958.

He completed the final examinations of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland in 1960 after serving a three and a half year apprenticeship with the Edinburgh firm of Messrs Barstow & Millar. He was awarded the Albert J. Watson prize on completion of the first part of the Final Examination. He holds an accredited diploma in Company Direction from the Institute of Directors of the United Kingdom in conjunction with the Metropolitan Business School of Leeds University.

In 1960, he migrated to Jamaica to take up a position as Senior Accountant with the firm of Peat Marwick Mitchell & Co.

He joined the ICAJ when it was formally established in 1965. He served as President of the ICAJ from 1974-1976 and as a member of its Taxation Committee. He was also a Secretary of the Joint Taxation Committee, which was a joint committee established by the ICAJ and the Jamaican Bar Association, to advise the Government on taxation issues.

During his presidency, the Institute's proposal for the University of the West Indies to offer a MSc. Accounting programme was accepted by the University in 1975. This was a significant achievement as the MSc. degree programme provided a new route for qualification for membership of the Institute.

He also spearheaded extensive discussions with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England & Wales (ICAEW) and the Association of Chartered Accountants in England (ACA) regarding training for local accountants and the setting of local ICAJ examinations. The ICAJ also took its place in the leadership of the private sector by joining the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) under his stewardship.

He also contributed to the development of the Accountancy profession as a:

• Part-time lecturer in ACCA Accounting subjects at the College of Arts, Science & Technology (1961-1972)
• Part-time lecturer at the Norman Manley Law School, Mona Campus of the University of the West Indies where he lectured in principles of trusts and trust accounting (1972-1973)
• Member of the Public Accountancy Board (1973-1977)

His contribution to public service and to nation development was recognised through his appointment as a member of various boards of public and private entities as well as:

• Member of the private sector consultative committee, which advised the Jamaican Government on the drafting of the 1965 Jamaican Companies Act
• Advisor to National Hotels & Properties Ltd during the re-privatisation of hotels and commercial properties taken over by the Jamaican Government during the 1970's (1980-1983)
• Member of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica consultative committee, which cooperated with the Jamaican Prime Minister and Cabinet on economic and legislative issues (1980-1985)
• Chairman of the Corporate Governance Committee of the Private Sector of Jamaica (2003-2006). He resigned as Chairman in February 2006, but remains as a member of the Committee.

He is currently serving as an independent financial advisor representing Mondial International Investments, which provides financial services throughout the Caribbean.