Interviews and Profiles

In every issue of The Bottom Line, we will ask students for their thoughts on a particular topic. This month, we want to know: what do you think of hybrid working? "Personally, hybrid working is something I would like to see more of in the future.  I am very fortunate to work for an organisation that has always allowed staff to work from home a limited number of days per month. Working from home provides a relaxed working environment and alleviates the stress of getting to the office on time. However, I do feel that attending the office is imperative to engage socially, have meaningful meetings with minimal disturbance and to facilitate growth in employees. If it is managed appropriately, a hybrid approach has many positive factors for a business." Clare Monaghan, trainee accountant at the Northern Ireland Audit Office I feel hybrid working offers the best of both worlds: flexibility on one hand, sociability on the other. Hybrid working is an important factor to consider in the future of work. Hybrid work incorporates more freedom regarding when to work, as well as the location. It allows employees more control over how to balance work commitments and personal life, without having to worry about hours logged sitting at a desk. While I have enjoyed some aspects of working from home during the pandemic, I’m looking forward to meeting team members in person and enjoying the social aspect of working together. Grace Tighe, Banking, Insurance and Aviation Finance Associate at PwC Like many, I hope we emerge from lockdown in a new normal that will involve a healthy balance of home and office-based working for those who want it. For me, it is an opportunity to reclaim precious commuting hours while maintaining the ability to collaborate in-person on an as-needed basis. The ideal set-up for me would represent freedom and autonomy on where and how I work and a deal-breaker with employers going forward in my career. James McElroy, Assurance Senior at EY

While Maeve Hunt, Chair of the Ulster Society and Director in Grant Thornton, always expected she would be a Chartered Accountant, she didn’t know she would make the fantastic friends she has along the way.  Five years ago, where did you think you would be now? Have you lived up to your own expectations? Being an extreme planner, I am exactly where I thought I would be (minus the expectation of winning the lottery). Not that the journey was exactly as planned – life will always present you with challenges. Overall, I enjoy my job and I feel I’m at a great point in my career, enjoying all aspects of the path it has presented me. I have a fantastic family and friend network on whom I know I can rely. Overall, I would say I am pretty lucky. What has been the biggest challenge of your career? The last year has probably been the biggest challenge in my career, in both the best and worst ways. I was at a high point of my career after being promoted to Director and becoming Chair of the Ulster Society, but I was balancing that with trying to work at home in a pandemic with two small children, one of which needed home schooling. To say that was a challenge is an understatement but I also take great lessons that I can apply going forward, one of which we all can relate to: enjoy the simple things in life. What do you wish you had known earlier in life? That time goes very quickly. Enjoy every aspect of your learning journey and appreciate those around you in your teams and wider circle. People move on and you don’t get to appreciate how much you have learned from everyone and how much they have influenced your life. Where do you see yourself this time next year? On holiday in Portugal, hopefully!  Who inspires you, personally and professionally? I have many friends and colleagues who inspire me every day.  Overall, though, I would have to say my dad. As a fellow Chartered Accountant and businessman, I grew up watching his dedication to the profession while always being a constant for our family and extended family. He also was the first to introduce me to the work you can do as a volunteer in the district societies. I was delighted and proud to have become Chair of the Ulster Society exactly 30 years after he was given the role. How has being a Chartered Accountant changed your life? It has changed my life more than I could have imagined. The qualification has opened many doors for my career, but more than that, I have developed a network of friends and colleagues from training to working that will last a lifetime.  If you weren’t a Chartered Accountant, what do you think you’d be doing? Most likely a teacher but, unfortunately, I don’t think I was gifted enough patience. My mum was a fantastic teacher who I watched shape young people’s future career paths. Some of her past pupils will still approach her in public and comment on how much she influenced them. I always thought that would be an amazing thing to be able to do for people. After this year and the taste of home schooling, however, I think I made the right choice in my career. I admire all the teachers out there! What advice do you have for those who will soon qualify as Chartered Accountants? It sounds quite cliché, but enjoy every second and make as many contacts and friends as you can. The circle of friends I have made on my training journey and beyond will last a lifetime and have been both invaluable to my personal and professional life.  I would also recommend making some mistakes. You might make the wrong decisions in your career, but it will help you grow and learn more than if you had never made them! Finally, I know I am biased, but I would also say get involved with your district society. It has been an amazing experience for me from being a student to now chairing the Ulster Society. I have learned so much and extended my professional network beyond what I thought possible. What’s your favourite… Book: Little Women Meal: Anything Italian or Thai Quote: ‘A life spent making mistakes is not only more honourable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.” — George Bernard Shaw.  Hobby: Singing in my local choral society

What do you think about Brexit? How do you think the pandemic will affect your career? What do you think is the future of the profession? In every issue of The Bottom Line, we will ask students their thoughts on a particular topic. I anticipate the effects of the pandemic will change the way we work. Hailing from outside of Dublin, I’d like to think it is more feasible to live outside the capital and pursue a ‘hybrid’ work style with a mix of office and remote work. I don’t expect the demand for Chartered Accountants will dissipate and, as such, I can see a healthy increase in competition for roles both locally and further afield. I’m confident there are positives to be taken from the pandemic, and many of us who have successfully migrated to remote work are a testament to that. Kevin Lord, Audit Associate at EY The crisis has transformed the way in which we work and how we work.  Pre-COVID-19, the accountancy profession was in a transitional phase as it embraced new technologies. The pandemic has accelerated these changes. Interpreting  data and analysing data differently will allow accountants to foster a more proactive relationship with clients.  Almost a year on, it looks like hybrid work is likely to persist. I believe hybrid work models, if sufficiently managed, offer the best of both worlds. I enjoy the social and collaborative aspects of office interaction, and the better work-life balance that hybrid work brings. For me, it’s simple things like getting to football training on a Thursday night or walking the dog before work.  However, it may not all be positive. Remote work does create new challenges for both the employee and the organisation. In the long-term, some organisations may look at relocating operations or hiring remote talent to avail of cheaper labour.   Sean Brew, Audit & Advisory trainee at Baker Tilly Due to the uncertainty caused by the pandemic, many of us are wondering what job opportunities will await us in the future. The pandemic has impacted how the sector works forever. For those of us who have worked through this change, and gained most of our accountancy experience working from home, we are part of a group who have had to innovate how we complete our work, and discipline ourselves to meet deadlines from home. I remain optimistic about my future career, accountancy firms have continued to hire during this uncertainty, and we are gaining new skills by working through these challenging times. Sinead Henry, Trainee Accountant at Northern Ireland Audit Office  

Niamh Dooley was once on the road to being an engineer and now is an audit professional in Deloitte’s financial services practice working with the advisory team on sustainability with a focus on climate accounting. She discusses how easy it is for someone’s path to change. Five years ago, where did you think you would be now? Have you lived up to your own expectations?  Five years ago, I was three years into my energy engineering degree and on work placement in GlaxoSmithKline with the expectation to work in a similar position once I got my degree. Needless to say, I chose a different route, but I’ve taken a lot of what I learned there into my current role.  What has been the biggest challenge of your career?  So far, the biggest challenge has been entering a new industry and changing my career path to accountancy and audit. With no business background, it definitely took a lot of hard work to bridge the knowledge gap between me and my peers, and get through such a volume of exams.  What do you wish you had known earlier in life?  It’s never too late to change your mind and your decisions at 17 are never for life, despite what you’re told.   Where do you see yourself this time next year?  I hope to be developing my role in advisory for sustainability and climate reporting, and bringing clients’ attention to the need to report on environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosures. The European Commission’s Green Deal and Action Plan has helped drive the need for more consistent reporting on ESG, with specific regulations like the EU Taxonomy and the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation. My aspiration is to use what I learned in my degree and, as a Chartered Accountant, to help clients create a sustainable business model and report on ESG information.  Who inspires you, personally and professionally?  Personally, my parents inspire me every day. Professionally, it’s my colleagues and mentors in Deloitte.  How has being a Chartered Accountant changed your life?  Being a Chartered Accountant has made me a more motivated individual and has created opportunities for me to build a career I truly enjoy while also making an impact on society. A career in an organisation like Deloitte has helped me build my technical and soft skills, and I can now use those skills in an advisory capacity to support clients.  If you weren’t a Chartered Accountant, what do you think you’d be doing?  Realistically, an engineer. Unrealistically, a professional pastry chef.   What advice do you have for those who will soon qualify as Chartered Accountants?  It can all seem daunting balancing work and exams but being qualified is a game-changer. Once you are a qualified accountant, it opens up a lot of doors to different opportunities whether that is to move into a different area or go work in industry. What's your favourite... Book: Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton Favourite meal: Pizza  Favourite quote: “Opportunities don’t happen, you create them.” Favourite hobby: Hiking or weightlifting (when the gyms are open!)

What do you think about Brexit? How do you think the pandemic will affect your career? What do you think is the future of the profession? In every issue of The Bottom Line, we will ask students their thoughts on a particular topic. Question of the month: Is Brexit an opportunity or challenge for Ireland? Alejandro Castro, Accountant at Quadient In my personal opinion Brexit represents an opportunity but also a challenge for Ireland. It is a challenge because the Irish economy is highly integrated with the UK. Currently, around 80% of the goods exported from Ireland are transported to or through the UK which means the Irish economy will suffer a material negative impact. However, Ireland will benefit from any future trade deals negotiated by the EU. Therefore, Irish businesses will have an opportunity to become amongst the most competitive in Europe. Technology, resilience and innovation are core traits that will enable Irish businesses to grow. Ruth Cummins, AWM Assurance Associate at PwC To answer that question, it is important to look at the direct economic impact it is having across sectors.  Brexit has opened up a wealth of new job opportunities in Dublin and other economic centres with the relocations of multinationals such as Barclays, JP Morgan and Bank of America, pushing Ireland higher up the ladder as a hub for multinational enterprises, boosting Ireland’s GDP. On the other hand, Brexit is introducing a massive challenge to more traditional sectors such as fishing and farming. They are currently dealing with a lot of uncertainty and question marks over exports and trade tariffs is adding to this strain.  Overall, I believe Brexit was a step in the wrong direction for the UK, but whether that will have a net negative impact on Ireland is yet to be determined. Ciara Woods, Audit Associate at KPMG Brexit is both an opportunity and a challenge for Ireland and the outcome is very much  dependent on how we react to it.  I think the opportunities such as opening up new markets and relationships are overlooked by many individuals, businesses and countries. Many believe Brexit to be a challenge due to the uncertainty and how it will change people’s and businesses’ way of life, commerce and traditional thinking. 

Just five years ago, Jason McIntosh was working in practice and didn’t know what the next five years would hold. Now a Finance Manager at Seagate Technology, he answers our six career questions. Five years ago, where did you think you would be now? Have you lived up to your own expectations? Five years ago, I had not long qualified as a Chartered Accountant and was still working in practice. (It doesn’t feel that long, so quantifying it is quite scary!) At that stage, I wasn’t sure where I would be in five years. I probably had this idea about what it would be like to be an accountant in industry, but I wasn’t sure it would be for me.  Having worked in industry for almost three years now, I’m delighted to have been wrong about that – I have a job that I really enjoy, working with great people and getting the opportunity to gain loads of experience in a global role within a global organisation.  Have I lived up to my own expectations? Probably yes – mostly because I didn’t know what to expect! I’m a big believer in constantly challenging yourself, so in that regard I think I’ve probably done that plenty over the last five years.  What do you wish you had known earlier in life? On a professional level: it’s never too early to build your network. I was given this advice on my first day working as an accountant, and probably didn’t take it seriously enough then. But it’s true. As you progress in your career, your network will invariably become something that you rely on from time to time. Looking after it is important, too; stay in touch with the people you meet.  Personally, probably the importance of spending time with your family. When you’re young, life seems so busy and we probably don’t take the time to spend with our parents and our grandparents while we can.  Where do you see yourself this time next year? Hopefully in the office at least a few days a week – without face masks! Like everyone, I’m missing the human interaction of an office. I’ve been working at home full-time for almost a year.  In my current role, I can still see huge opportunities to learn and so this time next year, I’ll hopefully still be doing just that.  Who inspires you personally and professionally?  It may be a little cliché, but my family inspires me. My son is turning three this year, and he approaches life with a curiosity and sense of humour that is infectious. And my wife, who is also a Chartered Accountant, inspires me in so many ways, as well.  Professionally, I try to take a little bit of inspiration from as many sources as possible. You can learn something from everyone, even if it’s what not to do!  If you weren’t a Chartered Accountant, what do you think you’d be doing? That’s a tough question! I studied law at university, and I would probably have pursued that further as I did really enjoy it. That or playing in midfield for Manchester United.   What advice do you have for those who will soon qualify as Chartered Accountants? Treat every day as an opportunity to learn and grow. Early in your career is the absolute best time to soak in every bit of experience you can. Make sure that your job allows you the opportunity to constantly challenge and develop yourself. In a similar vein, actively seek opportunities to learn something new and to learn from others. The best Chartered Accountants I know have breadth of experience as well as depth.  Don’t be afraid to take an opportunity when one arises. Great things never came from comfort zones.