Tell us about your career journey and what you do day-to-day in your role. 

I went to Queen Mary, University of London to study Economics, from there I went on to start the graduate scheme at PwC in Assurance. This is where I studied the ACA and really got to grips with the world of accounting and what it involves. After completing the qualification and enjoying 3 years at PwC, I decided to move on to a commercial finance role at ASOS. This involves working closely with the global trading team to create business cases which will drive growth of the business and support the business with trading decisions.

Who or what inspired you to become a chartered accountant?

I was studying Economics at University and so accountancy seemed a natural progression from this. I attended several careers fares and was drawn to PwC as an employer who offered a chartered accountancy qualification by allowing me to work and study at the same time. I was always a lot more interested in the accounting modules and ‘real-world’ aspects of my degree. I wanted to work closely with businesses to support them to succeed.

Our accountants are more than you’d imagine. They challenge the traditional accountancy routes and career paths. They have an innovative approach and skill to their work. How does your career path, attitude and skill set support this?

I think it would be very natural to think of an accountant as the traditional office type, however my career thus far has allowed me to add value to my clients (whilst at PwC) and to ASOS as a business. I’ve been able to support the strategy of a global fashion retailer (at ASOS) and have fun whilst doing it!

Diversity and equality are fundamental values in chartered accountancy. Could you speak about how you have supported these values and what they mean to you?

Diversity and equality mean a lot to me personally as a female of ethnic minority background, educated at a state school. It means the ability to bring a fresh school of thought to a conversation, and have your perspective valued no matter where you come from or what your background is. The continuously increasing diversity and equality in the accountancy profession has meant that I can now see successful role models/ mentor figures who I can relate to in my profession.

What do you enjoy about working at ASOS? Have the skills you gained from the ACA supported your transition from PwC?

The thing I most enjoy about working at ASOS is when I have completed a piece of analysis or supported a project and I see it come to fruition and am able to see the real impact I’ve had on the performance of the business as well as helping to achieve its strategic goals; this is a really rewarding part of my job. I feel that the ACA equipped me with the relevant analytical skills and business acumen to undertake my current role and remains invaluable.

At ICAEW, we encourage applicants from all degree backgrounds. What skills do you bring to your career due to your degree in economics and why did chartered accountancy appeal to you after graduating?

I have learnt to evaluate and analyse numbers quickly and accurately, which has been a huge help in my job. During my degree, I learnt a lot about consumer confidence and price elasticity as well as factors which influence supply and demand; allowing me to support quantitative data with rich qualitative insights.