Board Change Enhances International Relations - Brief Article

California CPA, August, 2001

The face of FASB is changing: In July, John Wulff replaced Gaylen Larson and Gary Schieneman replaced Anthony Cope; while Sept. 1, Katherine Schopper will replace Gerhard Mueller.

According to Zaf Iqbal, accounting professor at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, the most significant development is that Cope and James Leisenring, former FASB director of international activities, have joined the International Accounting Standards Board.

"This is clear evidence of the enhanced status of the IASB," says Iqbal. "I think that we can expect much closer cooperation between FASB and the IASB in the future for two reasons. First, Cope and Leisenring's past affiliation with the FASB and secondly, Leisenring's background."

During his tenure at FASB, Leisenring served as a board member and was on staff as the director of research and technical activities. "I expect that his being on the IASB will contribute to conceptually sound and rigorous international accounting standards. This should facilitate their acceptance by FASB and other influential accounting rulemaking bodies," adds Iqbal.