Members

Those aiming for leadership positions can benefit from the experience of those who went before them, writes Executive Head of Member Experience Karin Lanigan.   Mentoring is certainly not a new concept; however, it is one that has been receiving increased attention in recent years within the Chartered community. The benefits of mentoring are acknowledged, and these benefits were resoundingly highlighted during a recent panel discussion event for members was hosted by the Ulster Society: “Leading with Purpose”, during which leadership and the important role of mentoring to its development were discussed. Joining me on this panel were Jackie Henry MBE – UK Managing Partner of People and Purpose, Deloitte, Sir David Sterling KCB – retired Head of Northern Ireland Civil Servant and current Non-Executive Director of various boards and trusts, Tracey McCaig – Chief Operating Officer, Department of Health’s Strategic Planning and Performance Group (SPPG), Beth Lyttle –  Chartered Accountant at Northern Ireland Audit Office, and it was chaired by Jo Scott – Broadcaster with BBC NI. "The hindsight of a mentor can provide invaluable foresight" During the lively discussion, it was agreed that being in a leadership role can sometimes be a lonely place. In this situation, the benefits of having a mentor can really come to the fore. Being able to reach out and leverage the lived experiences, advice, insights and support of a mentor can help you deal more effectively with challenges, career pivots and generally enhance your career trajectory.  It was also noted that mentors are not only a useful resource during the big moments, but they are also a helpful sounding board for day-to-day aspects of your career and life dilemmas. There is significant merit in gaining support and advice from someone who is more experienced and has most likely lived through similar situations. In other words, the hindsight of a mentor can provide invaluable foresight. Among the panelists , the consensus was that selecting or being matched with the most appropriate mentor for you personally is essential in forming this dynamic and collaborative relationship. There must be a connection and chemistry there which is then underpinned by trust, confidentiality, respect and open communication. We reminded the audience that a mentoring relationship can be formal or informal and it’s definitely not the case that  one size that fits all. We also pointed out that both parties shouldn’t be prescriptive in terms of the duration of the relationship as they can tend to naturally run their course. Confidence-building and moving out of your comfort zone Developing a relationship with your mentor is an investment in your career and personal development, particularly if you want to accelerate your career and take on more senior roles and lead with purpose. Leadership doesn’t happen in isolation. With the backing and support of a mentor you can develop your leadership skills more effectively and build your self-confidence. Our panel openly outlined how they have all had their challenges with the ‘impostor syndrome’ where they doubted their abilities and were riddled with a lack of self-confidence. On these occasions having a mentor to reach out to for support, compassion, advice and new perspectives was transformational.   To truly benefit from a mentoring relationship, you as the mentee need to be willing to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. In other words, you need to be prepared to push yourself outside your comfort zone, accept feedback and push boundaries. When you get to this point, the benefits of mentoring can be truly experienced and enjoyed. In terms of practicalities, scheduling your mentoring meetings at a time that works for you is essential to their success. You need to set aside time where you can focus on the conversations and have adequate time to plan what you want to achieve from the engagement with your mentor. Taking this approach is only fair to the mentor too who has given their time to support you. Overall, mentoring was highlighted as a valuable support system, helping members and aspiring leaders to overcome challenges, build confidence, and accelerate career growth by leveraging the experience and advice of more seasoned professionals. Learn more about mentoring For any members who are interested in offering their time to an aspiring Chartered leader, or members seeking a mentor, me and my colleagues in the Institute’s careers and recruitment service would be delighted to talk to you. You can learn more about the service here. Karin Lanigan is the Institute's Executive Head of Member Experience. She has also managed the Career and Recrutiment Service. Karin holds a Masters in Personal and Management Coaching from UCC 

Clare Murphy trained in EY in Waterford and spent some time in the earlier stages of her career in Sydney before moving back to Kilkenny and more recently has been based in Cork. Having progressed in her career over the years, she is excited to continue her career journey back in Sydney where she has two siblings and plans to return this autumn. Clare returns to Australia at a more advanced career level and has already started leveraging the strong network of members there. We caught up with Clare during her preparations. 1. Where did you grow up and where do you live now? I grew up in Wexford before moving to Bunmahon, Co. Waterford midway through my childhood. More recently, I have been living and working in Cork, though I will be returning to Sydney at the end of October. I studied Commerce International with German at University College Cork, which included an Erasmus year in Konstanz, Germany. After graduating, I began my training with Chartered Accountants Ireland, working with EY Waterford for three and a half years. Following that, I moved to Sydney where I gained nine months of international experience before returning home to live and work in Kilkenny for 18 months. This past year I’ve been based in Cork, continuing to develop both professionally and personally, while preparing for the next stage of my career back in Australia. 2. What made you choose to become a Chartered Accountant? And if you weren't a Chartered Accountant, what do you think you would like to have been? I always loved working with numbers and enjoyed maths and accountancy in school, so that was telling enough. I was also interested in engineering, architecture or lecturing (I love the academic world). Or perhaps I would have thrown my hat at anything sports-related! 3. Can you tell us a little about how you got to where you are today – both the geographical relocations and career path. I’ve always been quite active — growing up I played camogie competitively in and for Waterford, and more recently I’ve turned to running, which has fitted in well with living all over Ireland and in Sydney, a city that thrives on an active lifestyle. My professional journey started in financial audit with EY Waterford, before moving into financial consulting with EY Dublin. That mix of audit and commercial exposure gave me a really solid grounding in accountancy, and it was the perfect base for moving into more analytical and commercially focused roles. From there, I took on an FP&A role in Sydney, which sparked a career path I’ve loved. Since then, I’ve worked across FP&A, finance business partnering and finance manager roles. These roles have combined not only analysis, forecasting and commercial awareness, but also leadership, project delivery, and working with a wide range of stakeholders to influence decisions and drive improvements. It’s been a varied path, but the common thread has always been using financial insight to add value to the business. 4. What do you value most about your membership of the profession and how do you think those benefits can be used to support the economy and society?  For me, the real value of the profession is the credibility and global recognition it brings. The CA qualification has enabled me to build a career that has taken me around Ireland and across the world — with Australia being a choice I was able to make because of the strength of the designation. It has given me the confidence to work across industries and countries while staying connected to a strong professional community. Beyond individual careers, the profession supports the economy by driving better business decisions, stronger governance, and growth. And on a societal level, it creates a community of people all over the world who share the same standards, values, and commitment to transparency. That sense of trust and connection is more important now than ever in supporting both businesses and society as a whole. 5. As a member that has lived away from Ireland, returned and is on the move again, can you talk to us about how your membership has been of value to you here and living overseas?  As I mentioned, I have a network and community I can link in with again. In addition, the Institute teams are always open to connecting members and assisting members across a variety of career paths. 6. What were the most significant/noticeable differences you encountered doing business and networking away from home and back in Ireland?  Away from home, I found that having connections was vital — in Sydney, even a small network made a big difference when starting from scratch. Networking there is fast-paced and often happens outside formal settings, so leaning on those relationships was key. Back in Ireland, it feels easier to build connections on your own. The community is smaller and very interconnected, which means relationships grow more naturally and often overlap between personal and professional circles. I’m really looking forward to going back to Sydney and building on my network — there’s a strong connection between Ireland and Australia, and I’ve already reaped the benefits of it, so it will be great to nurture that further.

Minister of State at the Department of Finance Robert Troy welcomed guests to a Chartered Accountants Ireland New York member chapter event hosted in collaboration with Enterprise Ireland’s Strategic Financial Leadership programme last night. The event was held at the Consulate General of Ireland New York, with Gerald Angley, the new Consul General and his team in attendance. The panel discussion event, titled “Strategic scaling: Empowering financial leaders for growth,” was attended by approximately 100 members from New York and surrounding regions and other guests. Attendees on the evening also heard from Daryl Regan, Programme Manager of Enterprise Ireland’s Strategic Finance Leadership programme as well as Chartered Accountants Ireland’s Global Member Manager Gillian Duffy. Introducing the event, Minister Troy highlighted the importance of Irish companies' contributions to the U.S. economy, noting Ireland as the 6th largest source of Foreign Direct Investment in the U.S. The Minister acknowledged the vital role of professional bodies like Chartered Accountants Ireland in supporting economic growth. He emphasised the need for CFOs to be strategic leaders and encouraged networking to build relationships that will drive future success and global engagement. He noted the vital role of member networks like the Chartered Accountants Ireland New York member chapter as a testament to global reach and ambition. The event was a panel discussion of Chartered Accountants Ireland members who are based in New York and the surrounding regions recounting their journeys and learnings. They gave advice on expanding businesses beyond Ireland; navigating the advantages and challenges of cultural differences when expanding overseas; dealing with payroll compliance and tax complexities; how their Chartered training has played a pivotal role in getting them to where they are today and embracing AI. Other advice was to think big, be aware of costs which can often be higher than in Ireland, have a strong structure and don’t be afraid to articulate your successes and wins. Also in attendance at the event were Shane Rogers FCA FCPA – President of CAW Network USA, and Institute Council member Conall McGonagle FCA FCPA – CFO and CAO of the Ireland Funds America. The Chartered Accountants Ireland New York member chapter would like to thank Enterprise Ireland, the IESE Business School, Minister Robert Troy, Gerald Angley, the Consulate General of Ireland New York and his team, as well as all the members of the chapter who contributed to the event. The panellists were: Alan Fagan FCA FCPA – Partner, CrossCountry Consulting (discussion moderator), Sharon Cunningham FCA FCPA – CEO & Co- Founder, Shorla Oncology, David Evans FCA FCPA – Chief Executive Pivotel Corporate Barry Flanagan FCA FCPA – Vice President Global Payroll, and You can view photos from the event here. You can learn more about overseas member networks here.