Interviews and Profiles

In every issue of The Bottom Line, we will ask students for their thoughts on a particular topic.  What do you think will be the chief concern on everyone’s mind in 2022? Grace Tighe Banking, Insurance and Aviation Finance Associate, PwC Over the past two years, the chief concern on everyone’s mind has been the coronavirus pandemic. The pandemic has changed the way we work, learn and interact with others.  As we move into 2022, it’s unfair to say that the coronavirus pandemic will take a back seat. However, based on the UNs latest climate change report, it is clear climate change and the environment is going to have to be the main concern for governments, companies, and individuals in 2022. We must all work together to make conscious decisions to reduce C02 emissions and create a cleaner, safer, greener world for everyone.  Jonty Craine Audit Associate, Deloitte While I’d love to say that society’s chief concerns will be the likes of environmental conservation, eliminating world poverty, or ending modern slavery, I don’t think this would be an accurate representation. In reality, few of us have dramatically altered our lives in pursuit of a solution to these problems (apart from the occasional Instagram awareness post). Instead, we’re largely concerned with the happiness of our families, friends and ourselves. This is by no means a criticism – I think it’s a justified response to almost two years of relationships and experiences limited by the global pandemic. For a lot of people, myself included, this is founded on the hope for a return to normality and certainty. However, I fear that this desire for certainty is unattainable. As such, it is likely that the chief concern on everyone’s mind in 2022 will be catalysed by an unpredictable event. Nifemi Ogunbiyi Assurance Associate, PwC After the challenging backdrop of COVID-19, there appears to be several concerns in the minds of different individuals.  With the recent 13-year high inflation of 3.7%, I believe one of the concerns for numerous people in 2022 is the rising cost-of-living. However, Budget 2022 presents strategies to lessen this concern such as increasing both the standard rate band and tax credits. A major concern for businesses made vulnerable due to COVID-19 is whether support will be provided to them in the transition into a post-pandemic era. In the Minister for Finance’s Budget address, this concern was highlighted and alleviated with the introduction of the extension of the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) until April 2022. In my opinion, although we approach 2022 with concerns relating to economic regeneration, with plans such as Budget 2022, it is our hope these concerns will be minimised. 

Mark Hamilton made his way through a few areas of the profession – corporate finance, corporate recovery, business development, to name a few – before landing in managing consulting, stating that trusting his gut when making a move has always landed him in good stead.  Five years ago, where did you think you would be now? Have you lived up to your expectations? I did not know where I would be! At the time, I was a Chartered Accountant working as a manager in BDO Corporate Recovery, but I knew deep down that a change was needed to secure a position that best suited my key skills. I originally signed a contract for audit, switched to corporate finance, then went on to corporate recovery before moving to clients & markets as head of business development. It was a brilliant 12-year journey, but not a traditional ACA journey. BDO Ireland allowed me to forge my own career and I cannot thank my former colleagues enough for that. I recently joined Korn Ferry as a Managing Consultant (in search) and although it was not an expectation of mine to be in this position five years ago, I believe that if you maintain the core values of honesty, respect, empathy, integrity and combine them with a positive work ethic, you can never go too far wrong and different opportunities will fall your way.  What has been the biggest challenge of your career? I guess the biggest challenges that I have faced in my career relates to moving on from positions that I knew so well and was successful in. It would have been easy for me to stay within corporate recovery, but I love a challenge and while moving into business development was a huge change, I knew that it was the right move for me.  I faced the same challenge when the opportunity arose to join Korn Ferry. BDO is such a fantastic place to work and an environment I was comfortable in, but I knew that joining Korn Ferry would really enhance my own expertise and, ultimately, benefit my overall career. At times, you need to just go with your gut, and thankfully it has worked out for me. What do you wish you had known earlier in life? In my personal life, I, unfortunately, lost a close friend to cancer in 2013 and it jolted me into realising how short life is. Treat people the way you want to be treated! Separately, never forget to make time for family, friends and yourself. Some people forget the last one. In business, it’s important to be resilient. You will inevitably encounter setbacks, but I honestly believe that if you maintain the values that I mentioned, you can never go far wrong.  Where do you see yourself this time next year? I hope to have really established myself in the Irish market as a Managing Consultant and contribute to the growth of Korn Ferry in Ireland. I hope to also continue working with global companies, providing valuable advice and reliable talent solutions to them. I am also looking forward to continuing my role in mentoring and lecturing with a number of fantastic associations such as Chartered Accountants Ireland, the Inner-City Enterprise, TU Dublin and others. With my rugby hat on, I hope to continue managing the Terenure College RFC 1st XV and the Irish Club International team. Separately, I am keen to continue my education in some capacity and build on a recent diploma that I completed in corporate governance. So much is changing in all aspects of business, we must upskill where we can! Who inspires you, personally and professionally? There are so many leaders I have met that I am just in awe of! I am a big sports fan, so how can I look beyond Brian O’Driscoll, Paul O’Connell, Paul McGinley or Jim Gavin? They are fantastic professionals who lead from the front with complete passion for their sport.  Outside of that, with a keen interest in technology, we have to be very proud of what the Collison Brothers have achieved with Stripe. Separately, there is one individual who has had the biggest impact on me: my father, John Hamilton. He worked for Allianz for most of his career and then set up (and subsequently sold) his own business. I have huge admiration for him in how he just got on with things in his personal and professional life, no matter what challenges got in the way. He has a great ability to adapt to all circumstances and continues to push forward, while keeping friends and family at the centre of his life. His resilience, positive work ethic and how he values all relationships are things I have tried to bring into my own career How has being a Chartered Accountant changed your life? My career has taken me across various roles, companies and sectors, but the one constant throughout my career has been my ACA qualification and membership. Not only has it opened doors for me and given me access to a fantastic network of professionals, but it is also a globally recognisable qualification that instantly portrays your ability to have meaningful business conversations. If you weren’t a Chartered Accountant, what do you think you’d be doing? I do a lot of mentoring and guest lecturing with various associations which I love. I guess if I was not forging a career with my ACA qualification in professional services, I would be a lecturer of some kind, or potentially a career guidance professional. In fact, they are two areas I would love to get more involved with in the future. What advice do you have for those who will soon qualify as Chartered Accountants? First, my advice is to keep working hard and give yourself the best possible chance to pass your exams at the first attempt!  Second, get into career mode now and start planning for the next five years. When you join Chartered Accountants Ireland as a student, the focus is to pass your exams and qualify. The focus needs to then turn to your own plan. Where do you want to be in five years? What sector? Industry or practice? Ireland or abroad? Reach out to colleagues, friends or even cold call companies to see if they have positions that interest you. Having these conversations will not only inform you on what career route best suits you, but it will really help develop your personal network. It is important to start building on your network now, so get active on LinkedIn and start having coffees. The soft skills and communication skills that you will develop as a result will really stand to you the rest of your career. What is your favourite... Book? Tough to answer but I recently read Intercom on Sales, scaling a billion-dollar business: What we’ve learned about sales. There are fantastic lessons in this short book that are transferable to all sectors!  Meal? Spaghetti bolognese Quote? I have two: “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” – Steve Jobs “The harder you work, the luckier you get.” – Gary Player Hobby? All sport, but I love my involvement with Terenure College RFC.

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 people can do personally and professionally to curb the effects of climate change? Tushar Jaggi, Audit Senior, HSOC Chartered Accountants Growing up, we used to read the effects of global warming in our curriculum. Now, almost every part of the world is experiencing them. There needs to be a change in our way of conducting daily affairs and it must start now. We can start by talking about it at both personal and professional levels, and educate ourselves about the effects, catalysts and their respective remedial steps. During this ‘work from home’, era we should invest in energy efficient appliances and take special care that energy wastage is avoided at all cost by switching down at appropriate times. In addition to thoughtful use of water, we should reduce our meat intake on daily basis and switch to food options which do not affect the climate so rapidly. In my view, tangible data like carbon footprint and its monitoring can make a huge difference at an individual level. Sorcha Whooley, Risk Assurance Associate, PwC We are all aware that climate change is happening, and evidence would suggest that it’s speeding up.  While it is scary, if we all take small simple actions, we can help make a difference. As individuals and professionals, I think the first step involves becoming aware of our own choices, and how they are affecting the planet. As we start returning to offices, investigate eco-friendly transport options, such as cycle-to-work schemes, or other options like public transport. Within your company, become personally aware of workplace efforts around ESG. Consider your workplace carbon footprint – electricity and water use, and other environmental measures such as waste management and sustainable sourcing/contracting. Start to identify where improvements can be made. Since COVID-19, we have become accustomed to the use of Microsoft Teams and GoogleMeets as opposed to flying half the world for clients – let’s try to make this the norm. Seek out how your business is offering sustainable solutions to clients. Relook at your offerings to identify climate impacts and how to reduce those. Aisling McCormick, Trainee Accountant, KPMG In my view, we often underestimate the impact that individuals can make, both personally and professionally, in the realm of sustainability.  In particular, small, individual changes in the workplace can accelerate into more widespread actions across the company. An enormous volume of waste can be generated through office kitchens and tea stations, with disposable cups and cutlery having a significant adverse environmental impact. Each staff member who makes a conscious effort to avail of reusable mugs and silverware can have a knock-on influence, encouraging their peers to do the same. In this vein, each granular change that we adopt as individuals in our working lives, over time, can go a long way towards influencing a more sustainable culture within the firm as a whole.

Five years ago, Catalina Alkhatib, Financial Accountant at Homestore + More, made an investment in her future and it has paid off.  Five years ago, where did you think you would be now? Have you lived up to your own expectations? Funnily enough, five years ago (as I was just starting CAP1), I thought I’d be right about where I am today. Feeling secure and happy professionally. The plan at that time was to make an investment in myself that would start paying itself off in roughly five years. It took a lot less than that. What has been the biggest challenge of your career? I believe the whole of 2020 was a big challenge for everyone’s career. Trying to anticipate what was to come next, how long businesses would have to have their doors closed, looking at budgets that no longer made sense, all the while trying to adapt not only to a new work environment (i.e. working remotely while also trying to mind my daughter in my case) but to a whole new life outside of work was challenging to say the least. What do you wish you had known earlier in life? “A goal without a plan is just a wish” – in a nutshell. I wish I had known that simply setting goals and hoping I’d get there in the end without trying to plan for it is futile. Most times, things don’t go according to plan, but at least having some rough sketch of the path to your goals and dealing with curveballs as they come along is a lot better than sitting around believing things will magically happen for you.   Where do you see yourself this time next year? Hopefully being a better, more knowledgeable and skillful person and professional than I am today.  Who inspires you, personally and professionally? I draw inspiration in various forms from most people around me – family, friends, colleagues, people I got to know circumstantially – so it’s hard to narrow it down to just a couple. I believe we are the sum total of the experiences we go through and people we meet. How has being a Chartered Accountant changed your life? It has opened doors for me and the experience I’ve gained while working towards qualifying to be a Chartered Accountant has given me a boost of confidence that I otherwise lacked. Instead of settling for whatever is on offer, I feel that I can pick and choose a lot more than I would have been able to five years ago.  If you weren’t a Chartered Accountant, what do you think you’d be doing? I’d be a baker! I absolutely love all things baking and have considered the possibility of opening my own little place that does cake and good coffee. Still considering it, actually! What advice do you have for those who will soon qualify as Chartered Accountants? Know your value. Never stop learning and growing, personally and professionally. Periodically take the pulse of the market to gauge where you position yourself, know what’s in demand, whether your salary package is on par with your experience and knowledge, etc. Identify your weaknesses and work on them rather than hope no one will notice. Ask for help when struggling. Have a healthy work-life balance and try to keep the two separate.

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