ACCA’s advocacy programme recognises professionals who embody the organisation’s core values and contribute to the growth of the accounting profession. In Vietnam, ACCA Advocacy Awards 2024 winner Phan Vu Hoang, a tax partner at Deloitte who has accumulated 30 years of experience working in practice, says that being a member of ACCA is the cornerstone on which his entire career was built.
‘ACCA is my first international professional qualification, and it has been the basis from which much has followed, including an executive MBA,’ he explains. ‘It has had a profound impact on my career.’
‘Discovering the concept of accounting was a magical moment’
Hoang’s path to finance wasn’t initially obvious. After studying foreign trade at university and expecting to work in an import-export company after graduation, his career trajectory changed dramatically during his fourth year when he had to undertake an accounting module as part of the curriculum.
‘Discovering the concept of accounting, how it’s somewhat scientific and balanced, was a magical moment.’
This newfound interest led him to choose a role at PwC over a higher-paying position at a Japanese trading company when he graduated. Beginning as a tax specialist, Hoang has built an impressive career in practice spanning two decades with experience in tax, finance, and business advisory for multinational companies working out of Vietnam in a wide range of industries. His career includes positions at EY and then Deloitte, where he has spent 12 years as a partner and which he considers his ‘second home’.
He admits that achieving the ACCA qualification wasn’t without challenge. Balancing work at a Big Four firm with evening and weekend studies was demanding.
Yet his commitment to continued learning deepened when he volunteered to mentor and teach the ACCA qualification. ‘Delivering training as an ACCA lecturer helped greatly with my own studies,’ he says.
Community
Today, Hoang’s advocacy for ACCA centres on nurturing the professional community in Vietnam and supporting the next generation of finance professionals through teaching, networking and student advice.
‘I’ve gotten so much from ACCA, so I really want to give back as much as I can to fellow members, students and friends,’ he says. ‘I feel I’m most myself when I’m with them. It’s like having another family.’
‘ACCA is the foundation for so many of my achievements’
This sense of community proved invaluable when Hoang relocated from his hometown of Hanoi in the north of Vietnam 1,600km south to Ho Chi Minh City. ‘I didn’t know anyone in Ho Chi Minh; all the new connections I made came via ACCA and its network.’
Hoang’s ‘give back’ initiatives include speaking at universities, sharing his experiences with students, and participating in regular networking events. ‘When you meet a fellow ACCA, we know how hard each of us has worked to pass the exams and achieve membership. It’s like a certifier of quality – there’s a natural connection and bond.’
Through his continued advocacy, Hoang hopes to inspire others to achieve the same foundation for success that ACCA has provided him. ‘I really hope to spread the word further in Vietnam, because ACCA has given me so much. It’s the foundation for so many of my achievements in life.’
Become an advocate!
Every day, ACCA members can act as advocates – for the accountancy profession in general and for ACCA-qualified accountants in particular.
Entering awards is just one advocacy route. Showing public support can take various forms – speaking at conferences or at school career fairs, forwarding information to colleagues or clients, sharing a post on social media.
Find out more about the benefits of becoming an advocate, and additional resources.
