This year’s entries for the Chartered Accountants Ireland Young Chartered Star had some stiff competition but four stood out from the crowd. In their published articles, they spoke about what the qualification means to them.
Sinead Gray, Compliance Manager, GOAL
It was my Chartered Accountant qualification and PwC experience that got me through the doors of GOAL initially. And it has been my colleagues and our beneficiaries across the globe that have kept me there for over seven years – I can’t imagine a more rewarding career. Working in compliance in an international humanitarian agency is not a career I ever would have dreamt about all those years ago when my view of accountants was the somewhat stereotypical one of ‘bean counters in grey suits’. While I’m sure there are still opportunities for accountants to wear grey suits if they wish, and perhaps even count beans, the world of accountants that I have become familiar with is far from grey. They are a vibrant bunch, doing extraordinary things, working with amazing people from different backgrounds and genuinely making a difference in this world.
You can read Sinead's full article on LinkedIn.
Joseph Ekue Kinvi, President, The African Professional Network of Ireland
During my studies, I realised that the Chartered Accountant qualification offered more than I anticipated. After, I got the opportunity to help start and build an internal audit branch of a large multinational company in Dublin and that opportunity couldn’t have come at a better time. I am well aware that my chartered qualification played a big part in securing this position, especially with no prior internal audit experience. These skills have helped my progress in this role as I travelled and dealt with various business units and stakeholders throughout the world. I wore my Chartered Accountant badge with pride and couldn’t stress enough how my qualification had contributed to my growth as a professional.
You can read Joseph's full article on LinkedIn.
Emmett Fenton Leogue, Restructuring, KPMG
I’ve always had an interest in business and a good work ethic but on completing my leaving cert I didn’t know where to put that at work. I knew I needed an area where I could learn and grow as a young professional and what I really craved to start my career was a challenging, dynamic and diverse qualification that could open doors for me.
The fact that I soon learned was that Chartered Accountancy arguably opens more doors than any other profession out there.
The clinching thought for me was that I wanted to obtain a renowned diverse qualification that would provide vast opportunities across fields and sectors. This all directed me down the Chartered Accountancy route, a road I am beginning to forge my own path through.
You can read Emmett's full article on LinkedIn.
Martin Kennedy, Corporate Accountant, Azelis
In 2001, I turned down my university placement offers and took the school leaver option in to Chartered Accountancy. It wasn’t the most common route in to the profession but I was impatient and this was my fastest way to qualification. Chartered Accountancy was the one career path that offered me the business experience I was so eager to gain.
Now, I manage the Luxembourg office of a large industrial firm with locations in 40 countries, over 1,700 employees and 27,000 customers. I work every day with the best practices and people in our sector, in a company with entrepreneurial zeal at its core. I use my Chartered Accountancy skills not just to prepare financial reporting but to analyse results, make decisions, drive change and grow the business.
You can read Martin's full article on Linkedin.