Interviews and Profiles

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  

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. 

EY’s Lynn Abbott discusses her FAE journey in which she overcame bereavement and academic failure to qualify as a Chartered Accountant. What has been your biggest challenge to date? I repeated my Leaving Certificate twice and took two attempts at CAP 2 but the biggest challenge I’ve ever faced is repeating my FAEs. The first time I sat them, I had a tough year both personally and professionally. In October 2011, we lost my uncle to suicide and very soon after, I spent four months in the UK for work which meant I didn’t get to spend the time I needed with my family to heal. Subconsciously, I gave up on the exams about half-way through that year and spent the summer trying to make up the impossible amount of ground I had lost. Repeating both Core and Elective in the following year took a lot of mental strength. I had to put behind me the feelings of low self-worth people have after failing at anything. I was harder on myself too as a result of my previous track record. You also have to push past the negativity of others (“If she had failed one, fine, but she’ll never get both”). Facing into that summer with the memory of what the previous study leave had felt like was terrifying. I had to get into the zone in a way I had never done before. Did you ever feel like you weren’t going to achieve your goals? You don’t fail as many times as I have and just assume your goals are still achievable. I’ve had so many hurdles to jump over the years and it’s easy to blame others when you fall down. Initially, I blamed the world for my shortcomings and got angry with those things in life I had no control over. I was embarrassed that things weren’t going to plan and didn’t want to look at what had gone wrong in any great detail. When I took ownership for my failings and realised where I was going wrong, I finally had something to work on and that put me on the right road. What advice would you give to students facing their own battles? It’s important to keep pushing on. Recognise that everyone fails at some point in their life and those setbacks make your victories even sweeter. The best leaders come through adversity. Ask for help and don’t be ashamed of what you’re going through – someone has been there before. What, in your view, is the most important skill to develop? I think there are two important skills that young Chartered Accountants could benefit from. One is perspective; a lot of us work in high pressure environments with tight deadlines and it’s easy to lose sight of what’s important. There’s nothing more important in life than your physical and mental health and well-being, so keep perspective and make sure you take care of yourself and those most important to you. Second, sheer grit and determination. To get where you want to go in life, you have to be willing to put in the hard yards. Keep the head down and you’ll get there. And finally, what’s the best advice you’ve ever received? Surround yourself with good people and good things will happen. Surround yourself with people who understand that you have a busy professional life, who will support you in your darkest hour and who will drop everything to help you with even the most mundane chore. They will keep you going when the road gets tough.

Michael Quinlivan, Senior Associate at PwC, explains why he swapped a career as a primary school teacher for a career in Assurance. How did you end up working in professional services? I initially wanted a professional qualification and career that would give me an opportunity to travel. Speaking to a few people who worked in accountancy piqued my interest in the area, so I attended a careers fair where I met representatives from PwC and talked about a career with the firm. I was instantly sold on the journey and I am now a Senior Associate in the Asset & Wealth Management department at PwC. You initially trained as a primary school teacher and have a Masters degree in Business Information systems. Was the transition to accountancy a difficult one? When I applied to PwC, my last encounter with accountancy was during the Leaving Cert. So yes, adapting to a new environment where I mainly work on audits of funds was tough. That said, completing the CAP 1, CAP 2 and FAE exams will stand to me in the future and my team has been extremely supportive. What advice would you give to someone considering a career in Assurance? It was the best decision I’ve ever made but I would advise anyone considering a career change to speak to as many people as possible – not only about the career they want, but also about other careers they might not be aware of in the accountancy space. I found career fairs really helpful in that regard, as you get the chance to speak to people who have been in your position and know how you’re feeling. Lastly, how do you balance work, study and personal life? I play gaelic football so that takes up a lot of my spare time, and I do try to leave work behind once I leave the office. Communicating clearly with my team about my workload and pressures makes it possible for me to focus on study, make time for football and family, and ultimately achieve a good work-life balance.

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.