Interviews and Profiles

In every issue of The Bottom Line, we ask students for their thoughts on a particular topic. This month, we want to know: Do you think the profession is doing enough to promote gender equity? Rachel Murrin McMoreland Duffy Rouse In the past, I think the profession was primarily male dominated but, over the course of recent years, it has evolved so more women are being recruited. Although there is still  room for improvement in the profession.  I don’t believe improvements in gender equity are purely down to the firms, but instead where it begins: education systems.  However, I don’t think our education system promotes the accounting and financial industries to be more equitable. Ultimately, we cannot expect there to be gender equity within the profession if there is not an equal recruiting choice.  Ireland has a large education system with many universities and institutes of technology across the country so there is significant room in that area to improve the gender equality in these institutions. Another area in which the profession could improve on to provide more gender equality is the recognition of family barriers.  There is an undeniable barrier with the role of women and family life. The stress of returning to work after taking parental leave is overwhelming enough on its own but to be expected to return and have the same goals and level of commitment in return for career rewards is unrealistic.  While most women are capable and will provide to the best of their ability, I think there needs to be a culture built where women don’t have to come back with that level of unrealistic commitment. Diarmuid Staunton PwC I believe that significant progress has been made in recent decades to promote gender equality in the accounting profession.  From my experience working in the industry, there appears to be equal opportunities and representation of both genders.  Organisations have made a conscious effort in recent years to address the gender imbalance of leadership positions. The publication of Gender Pay Gap Reports from many companies has helped give a clear picture of where many firms are at and shows the great progress that has been made to date. Many companies have also made the shift in recent years towards more flexible working arrangements, which have allowed for the creation of more inclusive and diverse workplaces. Initiatives like these paired with continued equal professional and development opportunities for all employees will continue to ensure that the accounting profession is full of equal opportunities for everyone. Siodhna Woods KPMG  As a profession overall, I believe there have been massive improvements in terms of the promotion of gender equality, through changes in certain policies affecting women, increased progression opportunities for women and the clear promotion and involvement in things like women in sport.  Among the Big Four firms and some of the larger mid-tier firms, I believe maternity leave policies and flexible working policies are super attractive. This is extremely important to a lot of working women as these policies allow us to easily integrate a work-life balance, usually during the most important stage of our careers and family lives.  There could, however, be improvement in this area across the smaller training firms.  Despite room for improvement, we’re definitely heading in the right direction.

Evan O’Donnell, Assurance Associate at PwC, Co-Chairperson of CASSC and Vice-Chairperson of CASSI, has taken full advantage of the student societies, and thinks you should, too I am in the third year of my training contract with PwC, and I can honestly say I have enjoyed my Chartered Accountancy journey so far. Don’t get me wrong, the immense exam material, gruelling exams, busy season hours and never-ending deadlines can take time to get used to, but like anything in life, balance is key.  CASSI networking Throughout my three years, I have been involved in Chartered Accountants Ireland student societies.  Joining a regional society committee or Chartered Accountants Student Society of Ireland (CASSI)committee opens the door to a world of opportunities. Not only is it advantageous from a CV and career point of view, but the network of similar colleagues on similar life paths also creates lifelong bonds.  The fun, banter and laughs I’ve shared with my fellow students and colleagues over the past three years have made the route to becoming a Chartered Accountant an enjoyable one.  More than a bean counter I have spent three years on Chartered Accountants Students Society Cork (CASSC), serving as the Education Officer, Vice-Chairperson and Co-Chairperson, and enjoying every minute of it.  Through organising academic and social events for my region, I have learned how to be an event planner, a traffic warden, a bouncer and, most importantly, an effective communicator!  Who says the role of an accountant is solely bound to calculators?  Exam camaraderie I have been very fortunate that there are more than 30 other graduates in my intake at PwC Cork, which has certainly aided the exam process.  Having a large network of like-minded individuals who are going through the same challenges as myself, such as meeting audit deadlines, completing the CA Diary and sitting the Chartered Accountancy exams, has proved to be incredibly beneficial.  My advice to any current student who is debating whether to join a regional or national student society would be to go for it! The worst that can happen is that they’ll have buckets of fun with fellow students! 

In every issue of The Bottom Line, we ask students for their thoughts on a particular topic. This month, we want to know: Are you worried about the state and future of the Irish economy? Caelainn McGonigle Gilroy Gannon The Irish economy can continue to perform well if policymakers encourage homegrown entrepreneurship .  Ireland is a relatively small country with an educated workforce and a large university system; it should carve out some niche markets and try to have some real impact on technology and innovation. There are many interesting new business opportunities opening up, including those associated with artificial intelligence systems and green energy/green transport.  It is no longer good enough to let large multinationals, and the EU set the business agenda for Ireland. Ireland should rely more on domestic businesses as the key driver of growth and less on foreign direct investment.  There is plenty of untapped potential if Irish graduates are given the right opportunities to stay in the country. Just as in our parents’ generation, many young Irish adults have watched our friends move abroad to avail themselves of better opportunities.  The crisis in affordable housing has also contributed to this emigration trend. Even with a good starting job in Ireland, it is very difficult to find decent, quality affordable housing in our cities.  The Irish government needs to devote more focus to providing good career opportunities and affordable housing solutions to the new generation of workers.  Dónal Sweeney PwC While the impact of high inflation rates and the cost of living crisis remains a high area of concern for myself and my peers, I still remain optimistic about the future of the Irish economy.  I believe people are keen to get our economy back to where it once was. When our economy reopened after COVID-19, it bounced back with a strong level of activity – something I even noticed in my day-to-day life. The fall in business and consumer confidence has also been recorded and acknowledged, and I believe Ireland has the infrastructure and tools to address this in the medium term. I just hope that Ireland’s strong efforts to recover from the pandemic and improve our housing supply and healthcare do not offset efforts made to reach our ESG goal of achieving a climate-neutral economy.  Brendan Connor PwC Between the climate crisis, an unstable energy market, the COVID-19 pandemic, and especially the terrible war in Ukraine, it is certainly a worrying time for Europe.  Ireland has a particularly strong technology base through its position in three growth sectors: IT, pharma, and medical devices. This strong foundation provides a pipeline of opportunities which should help to moderate Ireland’s vulnerability to Europe-wide business cycle shocks over the next few years.  The big worry for me is the war in Ukraine, its aftermath and the possibility of armed conflict or civil unrest spreading to other Eastern and central European nations.  The rebuilding costs for Ukraine will also be enormous, and it will be up to its European partners, including Ireland, to share that burden.  

Peter Gillen, Sustainability Manager at Grant Thornton, didn’t know five years ago where he would be today, but he is incredibly happy he is here, and thinks his ACA qualification is to thank Five years ago, where did you think you would be now? Have you lived up to your own expectations? Truthfully, I don't think I had an idea where I'd be, but I knew that the ACA qualification can take you almost anywhere.  Case in point: since qualifying, I've lived in Boston, worked with some amazing clients, and now work in sustainability at Grant Thornton, so I'm delighted with how things have panned out so far. What has been the biggest challenge of your career? Probably pivoting into sustainability and advisory (having previously worked in IT audit), but it's also been the most rewarding and has pushed me in ways I didn't foresee and I'm all the better for it. What do you wish you had known earlier in life? Don't underestimate balance in all things, including health, work, and social. And if you take care of your body, it'll take care of you. Where do you see yourself this time next year? Hopefully still doing all the things I'm doing at the moment, except with another year's experience under my belt! Who inspires you, personally and professionally? My parents would be my biggest inspiration, both in terms of work ethic and, most importantly, their treatment of others. How has being a Chartered Accountant changed your life? It has opened doors that I know for a fact wouldn't have opened if not for my Chartered Accountant qualification, whether that be the opportunity to work in sustainability or be engaged with the Chartered Accountants Ireland community through my involvement in the Young Professionals Committee. If you weren’t a Chartered Accountant, what do you think you’d be doing? I'd probably be working in a scientific field as I enjoyed chemistry and physics in school. I like the methodical approach used to solve problems. What advice do you have for those who will soon qualify as Chartered Accountants? Don't underestimate the value of staying involved in the Chartered Accountants Ireland community, whether you attending an event or joining a committee (e.g. Young Professionals). I can guarantee you'll get back 10 times what you put in!

Edel Walsh, exam coach and education consultant, qualified as a Chartered Accountant but has combined her love of learning, education and accounting to create a successful business outside of the profession Five years ago, where did you think you would be now? Have you lived up to your own expectations? After I qualified as a Chartered Accountant, I moved into the world of education, which has always been a passion of mine. I lectured for all the accountancy bodies as well as at third level.  If I am being honest, ten years ago, I thought I would still be lecturing today as I loved it. However, an exciting opportunity came my way five years ago, and I moved into a Talent Development Leadership role at a Big 4 firm. This was a huge pivot for me as I moved from lecturing to a corporate learning and development environment. It was a great move as it married my knowledge of accounting practice, education and my love for learning.  Five years ago, I would never have thought I would set up my own business as a coach and education consultant. I barely knew what a coach was back then! I have lived up to my own expectations of continuously learning and taking risks when it feels right. What has been the biggest challenge of your career? There have been a few challenges in my career, but the one that stands out the most is moving from a secure job in a tax practice after I qualified to move into education.  At the start of the 2008 recession, I left a job with no secure income or work, but I knew what I wanted to do and worked hard to get it. Most people told me that I was mad and should be happy with what I had. I didn’t listen! Another challenge in my career was the transition into motherhood. Suddenly, I went from thinking only about myself and my career to having to think of three little people and managing my aspirations. This was a great challenge, as it changed how I worked for the better.   What do you wish you had known earlier in life? When you are in Leaving Cert and completing your CAO applications, you have many options even after graduating. My undergraduate degree is not related in any way to my career now.  Where do you see yourself this time next year? A year is a long time! I hope to see my own business grow from strength to strength. I have many ideas and new projects in the pipeline, so watch this space. Who inspires you, personally and professionally? Personally, my husband inspires me. We both trained as Chartered Accountants together. Our careers have taken very different paths. He is now in a leadership role in a multinational company. He inspires me with how he manages his job’s stress and never loses sight of what is important. Professionally, there are so many people, but a few would include Edith Edgar, the writer of The Choice and The Gift. I love listening to Ted Talks and enjoy Mel Robbins and Simon Sinek. They talk a lot of sense.  How has being a Chartered Accountant changed your life? Being a Chartered Accountant has opened many doors for me in my career. While I am not in the traditional role of an accountant, it has inspired every move I have made in my career. It is my greatest academic achievement.  If you weren't a Chartered Accountant, what do you think you'd be doing? When doing my Leaving Cert, I wanted to either do finance at UCC or become a nurse – very different careers.  I ended up doing finance at UCC, which inspired me to become a Chartered Accountant. It would be primary school teaching if it weren’t a nurse or accountant.  What advice do you have for those who will soon qualify as Chartered Accountants? Don’t be afraid to take risks. Some of the risks I took didn’t work out, but they were my greatest learning experiences.  Also, at the outset of your career, look for the jobs that will give you the most experience instead of the most financially rewarding ones.

In every issue of The Bottom Line, we ask students for their thoughts on a particular topic. This month, we want to know: What do you think of Budget 2023? Brendan Connor, Risk Assurance Associate, PwC It's nice to see a strong emphasis on the cost of living and public transport infrastructure in the 2023 Budget. The energy and rental credits could go a long way for a lot of young people, and the focus on the cost of living shows a commitment to keeping young people from leaving Ireland, which is encouraging. Public transport infrastructure has also been a hot topic for a while, especially in Dublin, and it’s nice to see that it’s getting the funding it deserves. With the highest proportionate level of investment since 2008, it’s also very positive to see the government’s commitment to environmentally sustainable initiatives in this area. Rob Courtney, Audit Senior, EY Personally, I am hopeful that Budget 2023 will work to alleviate uncertainty in people’s lives. The movement of the 40 percent tax bracket will offer some relief to young working professionals – it will certainly be seen as a welcome change to the doom and gloom of the cost of living crisis. Alongside this, the new rent tax credit should offer some respite to current renters or those thinking of entering the rental market in the coming year. The one qualm I have is the relief for energy bills; if energy prices continue to trend as they are, it’s unlikely they will change the current picture by much. Saoirse Kitt, Banking, Insurance & Aviation Finance Senior Associate, PwC As a young working professional, there are aspects of the Budget that I’m happy about, such as the €500 rent tax credit for this year and next, the increase of €3,200 to the standard rate income tax band, and the new energy credit being introduced. It is positive that there are short-term measures being introduced to help those most in need, such as once-off social welfare payments. However, I think that the budget for 2023 has overcommitted to tax cuts instead of focusing on building more homes, reducing emissions and eliminating poverty.