Short Bio

Hardik Shah, CPA, CMA, MBA, B.Eng, PMP, is the Director of ERP, Finance & Tax Advisory at Vansh Consulting Inc. and Principal at Hardik Shah CPA Professional Corporation. With 25+ years of leadership across finance, taxation, ERP systems and supply chain, Hardik has guided businesses through transformation and innovation. He is deeply committed to empowering members, enhancing professional development, and ensuring CPAs remain trusted advisors in a rapidly evolving landscape. Drawing on his blend of technical expertise, business acumen and community service, Hardik aspires to strengthen the voice of members and advance the relevance, inclusivity and resilience of the profession. 

Detailed Bio

Voluntary work with CPA Ontario or other professional bodies:

• Accounting for Impact – Rotman event CareerFest (2025)
• No Limits 2025 CPA Role Model Survey (2025)

Career achievements:

• Running independent tech consulting practice in Canada Since 2011 
• Started accounting practice in 2017 and growing strong
• Real estate broker with Century 21 Realty Center
• Part of many community-focused organizations including Jain Society of Toronto, Jain Professional and Cultural Association (JPCA), Jain International Trade Organization (JITO Canada) and Canadian Hindu Chamber of Commerce (CHCC)

Other professional accomplishments:

• Over the years we have expanded information technology distribution and have partnered with leading tech firms to distribute hardware, software and licenses. We are now partnered with 20+ large technology firms, including IBM, Red Hat, HP, Zapier, Zoho, Google, Microsoft, lngram Micro and many more.
• This is a testament personally and to our firm’s ability to engage, partner and do business ethically with larger corporations, and bring the same tools and technology to small and medium business.

Other voluntary service and recognition:

Lifelong volunteer at Jain society of Toronto, where we meet and pray together and all are welcome.

Candidate statement

Why are you interested in joining Council?

To enable the next generation of CPAs in the changing world of Al/ML and to influence changes where necessary for the evolution of accounting and audit practices. I found out after I became a CPA that there were few resources available to enable me to become more productive and run my own accounting practice. All trainings were behind paywalls. There are gaps – some not so intentional – but they become a real showstopper for a new accountant to compete with existing, established players in the industry and discourage the new generation from this profession.

How do your experiences align with the following skills, attributes and experiences that have been prioritized for incoming members of Council?

• Strategic and Transformational Leadership
• Emerging Technologies
• Future of Learning and Work
• Business Acumen

I am an industrial engineer. I have spent my life in technology implementations and learned about various industries, from an aircraft engine manufacturer (GE Engines) to retail (HBC) to pharmaceuticals (my dad used to make medicine, Teva and Gilead sciences). All of these varied experiences in manufacturing, supply chain and accounting are humbling experiences. Twenty-five years of expertise has prepared me for almost any challenge and helped me become well-positioned in the age of Al. Currently, I am designing and developing multiple platforms with Al and I can apply this to all of the CPA organizations and the entire CPA community.

I am a lifelong learner – engineering in 1999, MBA in 2012, CPA, CMA in 2015, real estate broker in 2017. I have never stopped learning and never will. I currently run my accounting practice, technology consulting practice and support my wife in real estate.

What is the greatest opportunity and challenge facing the accounting profession and CPA Ontario?

The basics of bookkeeping is automated by Al and it's a matter of time before banks open up Al to all our transactions (bank, CC, and manual), that the bank ledger will become our books (90%), the remaining 10% will be assumed, and CRA will split the GST from bank transactions for 95% of the transactions. There will not be much left for many of the accountants of today. Every one of us needs to upskill into CFO, CIO, CTO roles, and prepare the next generation to be a partner, business owner or in management to engage in strategy, planning and tax savings. The role of CPAs needs to evolve beyond bookkeeping and accounting. Sampling based audit will become 100% automated. Al based audits will be accepted by CRA.