Originally from Drogheda, Co. Louth, Edel Faulkner has now been living in Bermuda for almost seven years and has learned a lot in that time. We caught up with Edel to hear more about her journey.
Where did you grow up and where do you live now?
I’m originally from Drogheda, Co Louth, and I spent a brief spell living in Dublin while I trained with Deloitte, before moving to Bermuda in October 2017 when I finished my training contract. I’ve been in Bermuda coming up on seven years now, longer than I spent living in Dublin which seems crazy!
What made you choose to become a Chartered Accountant?
It probably goes right back to school where the business subjects, particularly accounting and economics were always my strongest, and the ones that I really enjoyed, so I would naturally spend more time studying those. From there I went on to study Accounting and Finance in DCU. I really enjoyed my time at university and the course is really set up to give you a strong foundation to embark onto professional exams in whatever area you choose.
Can you tell us a little about how you got to where you are today – both the geographical relocation and career path?
I knew I wanted to get some experience living and working abroad once I qualified, and with the global presence of Deloitte it made sense to look at options within that network. I felt sticking with Deloitte would provide some familiarity as I got used to everything else in a new place. As luck would have it, a partner I was working with at the time had just come back from a couple of years in Bermuda and she encouraged me to apply. The rest, as they say, is history!
I’m currently an Audit Director here, where I focus mainly on SEC registered insurance and reinsurance companies. My main goal with moving was to gain exposure to both US GAAP and SEC registrants, so Bermuda has certainly provided me with that. It helped that I had worked on the financial services team in Dublin too, so I had a good foundation coming in.
I think the main attraction of an island lifestyle was the work/life balance that it provides – it’s a small place so there are no long commutes, and the weather means you can do outdoor activities year-round. My husband also loves that Bermuda has more golf courses per square mile than any other country in the world!
Looking back, I couldn’t be happier I took a leap and made the move – I would encourage anyone that’s considering opportunities overseas to take the chance and give it a go.
What do you value most about your membership of the profession and how do you think those benefits can be used to support the economy and society?
It’s an internationally recognised qualification, so a move abroad couldn’t have been easier. Bermuda comes under CPA Canada, so I was able to get CPA credentials through the mutual recognition agreement in place between the professional bodies.
As a member living away from Ireland, can you talk to us about how your membership has been of value to you living overseas?
It provides an additional network that you can tap into whenever you need support from a professional perspective. It also provides a great sense of community. We have recently started up the Bermuda Chapter of overseas Chartered Accountants Ireland members with support from the Institute, and it has been great to see so many Irish accountants turn out for our events – whether it is people who are brand new to the island and looking to make some friends, right up to those who are now retired in Bermuda. We are a very social and welcoming bunch – the chat usually takes us right up to closing time!
What were the most significant/noticeable differences you encountered doing business and networking away from home and back in Ireland?
There is a huge ex-pat presence in Bermuda, which makes for a melting pot of different cultures. I think professionally, this has taught me to recognise the differences in communication styles and tailor my interactions accordingly. Certain cultures are extremely direct in communications/feedback, while others are more laid back and appreciate the small talk, and in Bermuda you see it all!
And finally, an extra question! What do you think you might have been if you weren’t a Chartered Accountant?
I like to think that I could have been a member of Riverdance in another life – but in this one, I can barely manage a 1,2,3 unfortunately so I’ll be sticking to the day job!
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