My interest in the business world probably stemmed from my parents being entrepreneurs and running their own company. Accountants know the pulse of business, and accounting is the language of business, so it was a logical choice for me.
I also wanted a career that could offer me a range of opportunities and give me a solid foundation for senior roles in the future. I wanted to be able to work in any industry or country. For many, accounting is all about numbers, but for me it has been a chance to learn how to run a business, deliver change, lead initiatives, manage relationships with stakeholders and see the big picture beyond the numbers.
I worked in Denmark for three years – everything was new, challenging and different, and that was the point
I work for Cushman & Wakefield, which is among the world’s largest commercial real estate services businesses. The company is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, had revenues of US$9.4bn in 2021 and is present in 60 countries. Commercial real estate is a very dynamic environment where you can continuously learn new things and meet new people. Every day is different, and meeting clients and colleagues from various parts of the world makes it very interesting.
Throughout my 13 years in accountancy I have held various roles. I currently work as a finance manager supporting the Microsoft client account in the EMEA region. I act as a finance-to-go person for the real estate management teams and deal with the financial management and accounting for client-managed spend budgets.
I lived and worked in Denmark for over three years. It definitely broadened my horizons, and improved my soft skills and my assertiveness. Everything was new, challenging and different, and that was the whole point. Thanks to my varied experiences I am very adaptable and always approach problems from diverse perspectives before I find the best solution. Working in different companies and cultures helped me develop my leadership and negotiation skills.
Accounting and finance jobs are no longer just about debits and credits
I am based in Scotland, which is a true hub of financial and accounting services. It is a very dynamic market for qualified finance professionals, but also very competitive and rewards the best-qualified candidates. It takes hard work and time to progress, but it is a great place to learn and develop your knowledge as an accountant.
It was in the middle of my career when I decided to study ACCA. It helped me develop my knowledge, stay up to date with the latest developments and prepared me to work at a more senior or strategic level in challenging business environments.
Post-pandemic inflation is one of today’s most concerning issues in my view. It creates a very difficult environment for all accountants who need to manage budgets and contribute to an effective pricing strategy for their business. Very often accountants need to explain material movements in costs and profits to internal stakeholders or to make predictions on how the cost base is going to evolve in the future. The current economic conditions make that more difficult, and I think that nowadays it is very important to maintain a close communication with management and to monitor financial performance closely.
A crucial skill is to translate data into meaningful decisions and performance analysis for management
One of the skills both current and future accountants need to work on is IT. Accounting and finance jobs are no longer just about debits and credits. Businesses generate more and more financial and qualitative data, but a crucial skill is to know how to use the systems to consolidate all outputs and translate data into meaningful decisions and performance analysis for management.
In the future, I would like to further develop my managerial skills in the commercial real estate sector. In the long term I would like to move towards more strategic roles such as a financial controller, head of finance and ultimately finance director.
Outside of work I am very active. In winter I often go skiing or snowboarding, and in summer I enjoy hillwalking. I also enjoy travelling and working out, and I am a real petrol-head.
