The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants has elected the first-ever female member from China to serve as its president in its 115-year history, according to sources with the company.

Jenny Gu, the first Chinese female president of ACCA, said she would continue to uphold the core values of the ACCA to enhance leadership with diversity and inclusiveness as well as promote the international impact of the company with foresight and innovation.

"We will continue to advocate professional ethics to help our members achieve a successful career in the profession," Gu said.

As the first Chinese female president of ACCA, Gu has in-depth thinking on promoting diversity and female leadership.

According to company sources, the influence of female accountants among ACCA members has been increasing in recent years, with the current proportion of female members of about 40 percent.

"I am passionate about encouraging diversity, including ensuring that women have the chance to contribute at the highest levels of business and government," she said.

Gu believes that with the rise and maturity of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data and cloud computing, every aspect of society has truly ushered in the digital era of innovation, production and management.

"The digital age is reshaping business models, and companies must re-evaluate the way they create value," she said.

The key to promoting value creation is to learn to use technology at a strategic level to achieve more constructive and insightful business conversations, according to Gu.

A native of Shanghai, Gu has 25 years of experience in management consultancy, working in multinational companies and private equity firms including Nike and TPG Capital.