Success Stories
E13 Istanbul
Since 1997, Thomas Werner and Frank Fabel were performing audits around the globe - in more than 80 countries. They thought it would be a good idea to invite all audit partners to a meeting in Istanbul. The 2nd of December 2013 was the birthday of empacta. The group registered itself as an association. When you zoom in, you can identify the founding members!
E14 Starnberg
In 2014, the group decided to go for a week into a monastery near Munich. As first Secretary General, Ms Etleva Dhamo was determined.
E15 Al Ain, UAE
The meeting in Al Ain, UAE, was a combined meeting with the Al Ain University (AAU). The academic interventions of Prof. Thomas Ahrends and Prof. Rihab Khalifa were most memorable. Mr. Kudzai Midzi was elected as Secretary General. As Board members, Mr. Frank Fabel and Mr. Sohail Hafeez were determined. EQS 1 (the first quality standard) was adopted.
E16, Berlin
In 2016, we were still making experiments with the form of the annual meetings. The meeting in Berlin was a combination of a seminar and shareholder meeting. The photo shows our ambassador Milda Bagdonaite, perparing a training in which auditors face international press. Mr. Riad Al Zouki was determined as new executive director. Prof. Dr. Loeffler prepared an intervention on KPIs.
E17, Lebanon
In 2017, we were guests of our member firm Moustasharoun. Prof. Knoeppfler read a lecture on ethics. Anatole Bashugi, expert-comptable gave insights into the audit practice in Central Africa. Our volunteer reported from his field visit in Bangladesh.
E18, Cyprus
The meeting in Cyprus in 2018 was a kind of break through: The meetings found its form. Members could submit their applications before the annual meeting started. After discussion, decisions were taken. With this due process, the quality standards EQU 2 and EQU 3 came into life. E18 was also the beginning of the long lasting term of Frank Fabel as secretary general (until the end of 2025).
E19, Chisinau
Ms. Valentina Rotaru invited the members to Moldova. We decided to establish an online learning facility for our members and the interested public. We called this "the Flying Accounting University".. "Accounting is a social science" was the battle cry. In parallel, we decided to errect an entity in the UK that would hold the name rights. This entity was called "empacta international".
E20, Frankfurt
During the first Corona year, we organized an online conference. The ambassador mechanism was formalized. The Flying Accounting University made its maiden flight.
E21, Potsdam
Because of Corona restrictions, only very few members could make it to Germany. Our Chairman David Wortham organized the first auction of shares. The Flying Accounting University (thanks to our Board member Dr. Joerg Theis) managed to translate and publish Caitlin Rosenthal's "Accounting for Slavery".
E22, Senegal
In 2022, we organized a joint meeting with the Centre Marc Bloch and the Université Cheikh Anta Diop on the island of Gorée, vis-a-vis Dakkar. More than 30 scholars took part in this event. It was a very unique and much laudet combination of academic insight and practice input. Mr. Alastair Greeves was elected as first Dean of the Flying Accounting University.
E23, Cyprus
Our member Oksana Mihova organized this event. Because of travel restrictions, our members from Middle East and Central Africa could not come to the event - they were blocked at airport. We sued Turkish Airlines, and Turkish Airlines returned the money to the travel agencies, but then money was lost... As new Board member, Jamal Abu Farha was elected.
E24, Amman
In 2024, our member Hazim Saleh invited us to Amman in Jordan. We decided to phase out the old association model and to focus 100 percent on the development of the world wide brand. EQS4 was adopted.
E25, Germering
In 2025, Thomas Werner invited to Germering, near Munich in Germany. The meeting will stay in memory as a consolidation event: The old association was closed. The Flying Accounting University, once a program of the association, became a separate legal entity under the name "Flying Academy e.V.". Frank Fabel was engaged as franchise officer for empacta international.
Meet our Board of Directors
David Wortham
David is a Fellow Chartered Accountant and our first Chairman since the beginning. He is also responsible for all trainings and workshops. He runs empacta ® training, UK.
Thomas Werner
Thomas is our second Chairman. He is a Certified Public Accountant, a Chartered Accountant, CEO of empacta ® Germany and he holds diplomas in Economics and Social Pedagogics (FH).
Jamal Abu Farha
Jamal runs the audit firm Al Shayeb in Bethlehem. He is a Certified Public Accountant and since 2024 also Chairman of empacta ® international.
Frank Fabel
Frank is our franchise officer and one of the CEOs of empacta ® Germany. He is likewise a CPA, a Chartered Accountant and holds an MA in History, Economics and Communication science.