Professor Chris Cowton graduated from the Management School with a first class honours in BA Accounting and Financial Management in the class of 1980, before returning to the steel city to attain his PhD at the turn of the millennium. He has chosen to make a significant focus on ethics throughout his career, aligning strongly with Sheffield University Management School’s vision to promote “positive societal transformation for a fairer, sustainable future”.
This month, Professor Chris Cowton was named winner of the 2023 British Accounting & Finance Association (BAFA) Life-time Achievement Award for his "substantial and direct contribution to UK academic accounting and finance over the course of your career".
Upon achieving this esteemed award, Professor Cowton commented, “Having first worked in a small accounting practice in my hometown, the 'Sheffield School', founded by Professor Tony Lowe (who, to my delight, attended my inaugural professorial lecture at the University of Huddersfield) opened my eyes to the different ways in which we can - and should - think about accounting.
“The particular furrow I have ploughed has, broadly speaking, been ethics, and through my career I have attempted to contribute to both academic understanding and professional practice. I am honoured and thrilled to have my efforts recognised by my peers at the British Accounting and Finance Association.”
Dr Ali Meftah Gerged nominated Professor Cowton for this prestigious award in recognition of his outstanding achievements, having previously benefited from his knowledge and experience under his supervision as a doctoral research student.
Alongside publishing approximately 100 journal outputs and book chapters, Professor Cowton has an extensive list of accomplishments to his name. He lectured at the University of Oxford amongst his numerous other impressive positions in academia. He delivered the long-established P.D. Leake Lecture in 2007 at the Chartered Accountants’ Hall. He served on the Ethics Standards Committee for the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) from 2009 to 2018. He served on the Board of Trustees for the Institute of Business Ethics (IBE) before becoming their Associate Director in 2019.
Most recently, Professor Cowton was the architect and main author of the ICAEW's multi-module, online CPD ethics course, formally launched in November 2023, and is contributing to its further development.
Dr Gerged commented, “Professor Christopher Cowton's exceptional contributions to the fields of accounting and finance, evident across several prestigious institutions, including the University of Sheffield, have created a lasting legacy.
“His dedication to research, teaching, mentorship, and leadership has profoundly enriched both the academic and professional communities. This profound impact and unwavering commitment to excellence have rightfully earned him the BAFA Life-time Achievement Award, a testament to his distinguished career and significant achievements in the field.”
Dr Ali Meftah Gerged is an Associate Professor in Accounting/Financial Accounting here at Sheffield University Management School.
The 2023 British Accounting & Finance Association Life-time Achievement Award will be presented to Professor Cowton at BAFA’s Annual Conference Dinner on Tuesday 9 April 2024. A speech will be given in his honour by Professor Richard Macve, who was Head of Department at Aberystwyth at the time that a young Chris Cowton took up his first ever lectureship as a University of Sheffield graduate.
Congratulations to our two-time alumnus, Professor Chris Cowton, on being honoured with BAFA’s Lifetime Achievement Award after a long, impactful and successful career in the field of accounting and finance.