News
Milhem: Talal Abu-Ghazaleh’s Support Throughout My Professional Journey Remains a Source of Inspiration
10-Jun-2026
RAMALLAH – Dr. Jamal Milhem, member of the Board of Directors of the Arab Society of Certified Accountants (ASCA) and the Society’s representative in Palestine, has been awarded a PhD in Accounting and Finance from the Arab American University after successfully defending his dissertation titled: “The Impact of International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) 17 – Insurance Contracts – on the Quality of Financial Reporting in Insurance Companies in Palestine and Jordan.”
In a statement on this occasion, expressing his deep appreciation to HE Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, chair of the International Arab Certified Public Accountant (IASCA), Dr. Milhem stated: “Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh’s unwavering support, inspiring leadership, visionary outlook, and steadfast belief in the value of knowledge, education, and continuous self-development have been the driving force behind my pursuit and attainment of a PhD. Moreover, Mr. Chairman’s support throughout my professional journey of more than three decades has remained a constant source of inspiration,”
This academic achievement follows Dr. Milhem’s successful publication of two peer-reviewed research papers in journals indexed in the Scopus database. The first explored the readiness for adopting the sustainability disclosure standards issued by the International Sustainability Standards Board — IFRS S1 and IFRS S2 — in Palestine, while the second examined the challenges related to providing assurance services on sustainability reports in accordance with ISSA 5000 and the relevant professional standards in Jordan and Palestine.
Dr. Milhem emphasized that the primary motivation behind pursuing this degree was the need to keep pace with the rapid developments in relevant international professional standards and to be fully prepared to understand and apply them. He also expressed his hope that this knowledge and expertise would positively contribute to advancing professional practice and enhancing the quality of services provided to clients, especially in the areas of insurance sector services, sustainability reporting, and related assurance services.
It is worth mentioning that Dr. Milhem has an extensive professional record of accomplishment spanning more than three decades. He worked for many years with the Palestinian Association of Certified Public Accountants (PACPA), of which he has been a member since 1997. He also served on its Board of Directors for more than twenty years starting in 2003, was elected Vice President of the Association for eight years, and later served as its President during 2021–2022. In addition, he chaired and participated in numerous national professional committees in Palestine.
At the international level, in addition to serving as a member of the Board of Directors of IASCA since 2015, Dr. Milhem obtained the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation from the United States in 2000. In 2018, he was appointed by the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) as a member of the Professional Accountancy Organization Development Committee for the 2018–2020 term, before being re-elected for the 2021–2023 term. He also chaired the Middle East and North Africa Professional Accountancy Organization Development Task Force during the period 2019–2023, leading prominent professional initiatives aimed at advancing the accounting profession and strengthening the role of professional organizations across the region.