I read economics at the University of Warwick and was looking to enter the finance industry after graduation. But I thought this would be quite difficult without much knowledge of finance or accounting, so I decided to kickstart my career at an accounting firm.
One reason I chose the ACCA Qualification was due to a family friend who was an ACCA accountant. We talked about my wish to progress further in the finance industry and agreed that the ACCA Qualification would be a good start.
Accounting helped me build a foundation for what I wanted to do. And that was getting into the finance industry after a couple of years with the experience required. I have spent the past four years working at an accounting firm’s transaction advisory services team and am currently working at a private equity company.
Accounting helped me build a foundation for what I wanted to do
Working in private equity is fascinating, and I have researched different industries. We are currently actively fundraising for the industrial sector. It is a good opportunity for me to look at different things, instead of focusing on only one or two industry sectors at this early stage of my career. It has also been challenging to be exposed to new concepts daily.
A big challenge for accountants is the greater stress placed on corporations to comply with the latest rules or regulations set by governments. Accounting firms also face pressure to comply. And if they do not, their business clients are not the only ones viewed as responsible for a mistake.
Accountants need to understand the task they have been assigned and carry out their duties diligently. The quality of the education and training they undergo contributes to their success as an accounting professional.
In terms of markets, China is still booming. The country has a lot to offer in terms of business opportunities, such as the chance to expand for companies of different backgrounds or areas of expertise. I think any sector, industry or even business requires certain accounting services – it’s just complementary.
In my spare time, I enjoy playing football and, like 90% of Asians, I am a die-hard Manchester United fan. After playing football for many years, I got together with a bunch of friends from my university to form a team and we have played in some of the leagues in Hong Kong. I am a central midfielder, so scoring goals is not on me. And if we concede one, that is not on me either.
