I was born and raised in Ukraine. When I was 17 years old, I moved to Bulgaria to study at the specialist economics academy in Svishtov. During my studies for a master’s degree, I joined a telecoms company in the capital Sofia as an accountant.
After a year I began to question whether I had made the right choice. Then I noticed a group of young people working away on laptops in a separate room – my first experience of external auditors. It was a game-changer for me.
I was inspired by the auditing profession. I realised it was a field where I could still be an accountant and crunch numbers, which was my passion, but also be part of a client-facing team, which was not part of my corporate role.
You need to have a balance of different abilities, with sound technical skills and a sceptical mindset
After, that I joined PwC Bulgaria, where I worked for six years. I realised I enjoyed different cultures so when a suitable role came up at a PwC member firm in Canada, I took it.
I spent seven years in Canada, working in Calgary and Toronto offices. Finally, I moved to PwC Russia in Moscow, where I’ve been a director in the assurance practice for three years now.
I’ve always been a big fan of numbers and mathematics, so accounting was a natural choice for me. Early on, my parents were the main influencers and supporters of my life and career. Later, partners in different PwC offices contributed to my career development.
I enjoy everything about my job. Being an auditor is far from boring. You need to have a balance of different abilities, with sound technical skills and a sceptical mindset, but you also need to be a bit of a psychologist, tech-savvy and a good presenter.
Dealing with different clients and people in the various countries where I’ve worked has taken me out of my comfort zone quite a few times.
My biggest achievement was during my last year in high school. I learned the Bulgarian language in six months from scratch to such a level that I would be able to pass my exams in the academy.
If I wasn’t an accountant, I’d have been a doctor. My father is a doctor and medicine was always the main topic in our house.
I’m a globetrotter. I really like travelling, but Covid-19 has had a massive impact on this hobby. I also enjoy reading books. At home, I like to spend my time with my daughter and friends.
