Press Release
13 February 2013
HANS VAN DAMME NEW CHAIR OF THE
COMMON CONTENT STEERING GROUP
As of January 2013, Hans van Damme is the new chair of the Common Content Steering Group, which
is the governing body of the Common Content Project. He replaces Dominique Ledouble, who chose
to retire from the chairmanship at the end of 2012 after leading the Project since 2006.
In response to the globalisation of business activity, the single market and regulatory harmonisation,
leading accountancy Institutes have brought their professional accountancy qualifications closer
together through the Common Content Project by developing, maintaining and unifying high quality
professional accountancy education benchmarks reflected in the distinct qualifications of these bodies
and recognised internationally as meeting the challenges posed by globalisation and the needs of
diverse stakeholders. The successful implementation of this convergence of national qualifications was
evidenced by the application of a rigorous review process in 2008 under public oversight. The Common
Content seeks to further internationalise and harmonise the high quality educational outcomes for
relevant skills of professional accountants, of premier accountancy bodies, that are subject to
globalisation and changing public expectations, while retaining the strength of local educational
structures, qualifications and designations.
The nine leading accountancy Institutes from six major EU member states are:
France
Germany
Ireland
Italy
The Netherlands
United Kingdom
Compagnie Nationale des Commissaires aux Comptes
Ordre des Experts-Comptables
Institut der Wirtschaftsprüfer
Wirtschaftsprüferkammer
Chartered Accountants Ireland
Consiglio Nazionale dei Dottori commercialisti e degli Esperti
contabili
Nederlandse Beroepsorganisatie van Accountants
Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales
Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland
MORE
2/HANS VAN DAMME NEW CHAIR…
Hans van Damme was the president of the Federation of European Accountants (FEE) in Brussels in
2009 and 2010. He was a member of various working parties of FEE as of 1993 and was member of
the Executive committee between 2003 and 2008, the last two of those years in the capacity of deputy
president. He is currently the acting chair of the supervisory board of the European Financial Reporting
Advisory Group (EFRAG) in Brussels and chairs their nominating committee. In addition, he is a
member of ESMA’s Stakeholder Group in Paris, advising on the new activities and positions ESMA is
taking in the areas it oversees.
Hans van Damme was an audit partner for 20 years at KPMG, is qualified as a Registered Accountant
in the Netherlands and holds a degree in business economics from the University of Amsterdam.
Dominique Ledouble notes: “I am very pleased that Hans will be chairing the Project now that my term
as chair has ended because he has the breadth and depth of technical and political experience to lead
the Project in its next phase of development, which will require further engagement with European and
national regulators, with the firms, and with national accountancy Institutes to seek to expand
membership in the Project.
Hans van Damme praised the prior chairmanship of Dominique Ledouble. “Dominique led the Project
in a challenging period, when the excellent work led by the preceding (and first) chair, Peter Wyman,
was put to the test by a rigorous self assessment, review and oversight process. In addition, Dominique
was instrumental in dealing with the changing environment caused by initiatives of the European
Commission in relation to professional qualifications and audit policy, which required a change in the
focus and strategy of the Project. Under his leadership the Project initiated its engagement with the
European Commission and members of the European Parliament. Common Content was very
successful in helping to place the harmonisation of the educational qualifications of statutory auditors
on the European Commission’s legislative agenda as part of its proposals on audit policy.”
The approved Common Content Project documents can be accessed at www.commoncontent.com
Media Enquiries
Hans van Damme, Chair, Common Content Steering Group, +31 (653) 248 476 or
[email protected]
Wolfgang Böhm, Member and Secretary, Common Content Project, +49 (211) 4561 236 or
[email protected]
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