Accountancy wasn’t my first choice of career. After graduating, I worked in sales, then joined BASF Ireland and ran the agricultural division. My next move was to BASF corporate HQ in Germany, working in strategic marketing, before moving to the central European region working on distributor strategy. This was followed by managing our crop protection business in Switzerland. Finally, I moved to the accounting division, which gave me the impetus to gain an accountancy qualification. I decided on the ACCA Qualification, based not only on its international reputation but also for the audit and compliance section of the study programme.
Compliance and risk management is an integral part of my role. These actions have an impact on the success of our company, so it is important to develop a culture promoting business ethics and legal compliance. Compliant behaviour is everybody’s responsibility.
One of my greatest accomplishments has been integrating into a different culture and language
The business model for professional accountants in Germany is very different from other countries. Here, outside of public practice – certified auditors – there is no professional accounting body, and the ACCA Qualification is therefore not widely known. However, the qualification has given me the ability to understand the challenges and requirements of my role, enabling me to support my colleagues.
I obtain my CPD from ACCA webinars and AB magazine and through my membership of AGiG (Accountants Group in Germany). AGiG’s seminars provide an opportunity to network with other accountants and to hear notable speakers such as Mervyn King, author of the King report on corporate governance in South Africa.
Working as part of a team you encounter both great achievements and moments when things could have gone better. However, your achievement is tied up with the success of the team. I would say two of my best accomplishments have been integrating into a different culture and language, allowing me to live successfully in Germany, and obtaining my ACCA Qualification while living here.
My family and I have settled in south-west Germany where I enjoy biking and hiking in the Black Forest. The home of German rugby is in nearby Heidelberg, so watching rugby on cold winter days is a great pleasure.