TEAM MEMBERS

Chief Executive Officer 

Sarah Palmer is the Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Accountants and Bookkeepers (IAB). Appointed CEO in 2024, Sarah is focused on raising professional standards, ensuring bookkeepers and financial professionals are recognised as essential, regulated contributors to the UK and global economy.

She founded Women Who Count Ltd in 2009, building it into a renowned and successful bookkeeping practice and gaining first-hand experience of the challenges faced by practitioners and the businesses they support.

Recognised as an industry leader, Sarah joined the IAB Board in 2017 and has worked extensively with training providers, employers and professional bodies to ensure education and qualifications make finance more accessible, better understood, and genuinely relevant to the needs of individuals, businesses and modern economies.

As CEO, Sarah’s role increasingly sits at the intersection of market demand, education delivery and public policy. She works with governments, ministries and national bodies internationally to help shape professional standards, inform policy development, and support the creation of resilient, future-ready financial ecosystems.

Sarah’s influence extends globally, with professional networks across Australia, Canada, India and South East Asia. She is a regular contributor to industry publications and a respected voice on the future of the profession.

At IAB, Sarah’s ambition is clear: to change perceptions, challenge expectations and help build a profession defined by confidence, capability and credibility.