Business valuation body signs MOUs with training partners, develops new standards for intangible assets

[SINGAPORE] The Institute of Valuers and Appraisers, Singapore (IVAS) signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with two educational institutions to act as training partners for the Chartered Valuer and Appraiser (CVA) programme in five markets across the region. (See *Amendment note 1)

The partnerships with the Singapore Management University (SMU) and London School of Business and Finance (LSBF) were inked at a conference on Wednesday (Aug 27).

The CVA programme is an 18-month-long course targeted at industry professionals, and aims to reflect the new demands of the valuation profession. Participants who complete the course will receive a professional CVA designation once they have accumulated the required experience. (See *Amendment note 2)

SMU will be the training provider for the programme in Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand, while LSBF will deliver training in Malaysia and India.

These arrangements will be implemented progressively across the five markets from 2026, with SMU starting its intake for the CVA programme in Singapore from January.

The MOU signings took place during the IVAS-IVSC Business Valuation Conference, and were witnessed by Second Minister for Finance and National Development Indranee Rajah.

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“Beyond tangible assets, valuers must also increasingly consider new dimensions of value in intangible assets, such as intellectual property, brand equity, sustainability practices, digital capabilities and human capital,” said Indranee, who is also minister in the Prime Minister’s Office.

She noted that such intangible assets are often not fully capitalised, adding that there is a greater need for a “deeper understanding of how intangibles drive enterprise value”.

Separately, IVAS announced a collaboration with the American Society of Appraisers, Chartered Business Valuators Institute, and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors to develop new guidelines for the valuation of intangible assets.

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“The collaboration represents a significant development in setting common professional practice standards for intangible assets in Singapore and other major jurisdictions such as the US, Canada and UK,” said IVAS.

A public consultation is being conducted for the Intangible Assets Valuation Guidelines. Industry stakeholders may provide feedback on the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority’s website until Sep 12.

The guidelines are slated to be launched by end-2025.

Also at the IVAS-IVSC Business Valuation Conference, 10 senior financial services professionals – from DBS, OCBC and UOB – were conferred the IVAS Honorary designation, in recognition of their industry leadership and business valuation expertise in the banking sector.

*Amendment note 1: An earlier version of this article stated that the educational institutions were training support. IVAS has clarified that they are training partners. The article above has been revised to reflect this.

*Amendment note 2: An earlier version of this article stated that participants who complete the course will receive a CVA designation. The CVA designation will be awarded only once the participant has additionally accumulated the required experience. The article above has been revised to reflect this.