The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Jamaica (ICAJ) has recently announced Leighton McKnight as the 2017 ICAJ Distinguished Member Awardee.

The prestigious award, presented annually, is given to a member of ICAJ who has contributed to the accountancy profession, as well as the prestige and status of the institute, through his/her outstanding achievements.

McKnight is the local territory leader for Pricewaterhouse Coopers and is an ICAJ and Association Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) fellow.

The award will be presented at the Institute’s Annual Awards Banquet to be held at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel on Thursday, December 7, 2017.

With over 30 years experience in auditing, financial consulting and management, the ICAJ says McKnight is skilled in handling special financial and compliance audits, management audits, and statutory financial audits.

McKnight served as president of the ICAJ from 2005 to 2007. While in office, he established key relationships with the National Association of Black Accountants of the US, as well as the Association of Black Accountants of Southern Africa.

He has served on numerous committees, including in the role of chairman of both ICAJ’s Membership and Audit Practice committees, and as a member of the Admission, Student Affairs, Future of the Profession, Bye-Laws and Finance committees.

From 2005 to 2009 McKnight also served as director/secretary at the Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Caribbean and as Jamaica’s representative at the ACCA International Assembly from 2009 to 2014.

McKnight has also served on the boards of numerous public entities and is currently the chairman of the Independent Judiciary Commission, chairman of the Government of Jamaica Audit Commission, and is a member of the Parliamentary Integrity Commission.

A graduate of Cornwall College, he holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) from The University of the West Indies, Mona.