Does the Chartered Accountancy qualification offer security as a career?

Yes I believe it does, Chartered Accountants are needed in every industry and the qualification equips you with easily transferrable skills in financial analysis, project management, communication, presentation, amongst others.

Have you discovered flexibility in your career options as a Chartered Accountant? Do you feel you could move industry or country easily?

One of the great benefits of the qualification is the ability to move across the world with a qualification that is highly valued globally.

How have your strategic skills as a Chartered Accountant been of benefit to you and your company, during recent times?

Strategic skills as a CA have benefited me in my current role. I perform financial analysis of potential renewable energy investments to determine the valuation for these investment opportunities. My CA qualification equipped me with financial analysis skills to identify key value drivers and risks that help in negotiating a transaction. 

Tell us about your academic background?

I studied Accounting and Finance in Griffith College and was fortunate to get a training contract at a big 4 firm afterwards where I qualified as a CA.

Why accountancy?

I picked accountancy due to the breadth of opportunities it provides including the ability to work across industries, countries and professional functions.

Why Chartered Accountants Ireland?

Because it is a highly respected professional body globally

What are the advantages to working and studying?

This allows you to practice the theory being learnt in the classroom and creates a stronger learning experience. 

Where have you worked and what kind of roles have you been in?

My first job was with Ernst & Young as an auditor under a training contract. Following my training contract, I moved to the transaction advisory department where I worked on corporate mergers and acquisitions, divestitures and restructurings. I left the firm 2 years ago and currently work as a senior investment associate in a renewable energy investment firm, NTR plc. 

Describe a typical day for you?

Typically working on a new potential acquisition. My day involves analysing information on the investment opportunity, preparing a financial model to determine a valuation for the asset, preparing an offer letter/term sheet for a seller where we outline how much we are willing to offer for the investment, calls with the target company/seller where I ask them questions on the investment, calls with our advisers such as lawyers, accountants where we discuss the risks and any red flags, and calls with our partners such as banks and co-investors.

How was combining work and study?

Was tough and required intense time management, but worth it!

Can you see how someone who is not an accountant might benefit from this qualification?

Of course, it is a secure and highly valued qualification with a curriculum that is easy to understand with some commitment and hard work.

What success are you looking for?

Maximising my impact by contributing meaningfully to a solution for one of the myriad of problems we face on earth such as poverty, inequality, climate change etc. would mean success to me.

What are your future goals?

I plan to continue working in the impact investing space using my skills to support and eventually drive deployment of capital into sectors and regions that need it the most.

Do you think Chartered Accountants can play a role in shaping a positive future for business and community?

Chartered accountants make up a significant percentage of the C- suite and boards of the largest companies in the world. This are the people that determine strategy and shape the direction of businesses as well as the communities they operate in. I believe CAs are suited for these positions due to the diverse range of skills acquired through the qualification and this puts CAs in a unique position to influence business and the broader society.

Do you think Chartered Accountants have a role to play in making businesses more sustainable?

Yes, like everyone else, CAs have a role to play. We must always look beyond the numbers to consider what is the impact on the environment, society and governance as a result of the decisions we make as business leaders.