My parents always wanted me to become an accountant. Though I had reservations at first, I soon realised that accountancy was no longer restricted to traditional roles and could lead to an interesting career.
I started out in audit at Deloitte Yousuf Adil (DYA) in Karachi, Pakistan. Though I enjoyed my role for a few years, I felt something was missing, so I left to explore other fields.
First, I flexed my entrepreneurial muscles, co-founding a business distributing mineral water. Once it was up and running, I rejoined DYA in the tax department. After four years and keen to build on and enhance my tax knowledge, I spent a year with the PwC member firm in Karachi before relocating to Doha to join the Qatar branch of Deloitte & Touche, the brand where my career had begun.
There are real advantages to working for a Big Four accounting firm. You meet many people from various industries, with their own diverse experience and expertise. There is also plenty of up-to-date information about the industry, and the calibre of tasks challenges me to go beyond my limits.
Working for a Big Four accounting firm, the calibre of tasks challenges me to go beyond my limits
There have been many times when I have moved into unknown professional territories. This may mean working longer hours than usual, but the learning curve has benefited me in the longer run. I proactively seek guidance from my seniors to improve myself to reach the next position for which I am aiming.
A major factor in Qatar is the pace of development. Through its National Vision 2030, the country aims to become an advanced society capable of sustaining its economy by diversifying its source of income and attracting foreign direct investment, especially in the oil and gas industry. The government has also been working rigorously to digitise taxation and implement blockchain technology for the exchange of tax information.
If I had law-making powers, I would work on the value added tax (VAT) regime. Indirect tax has always been a major source of revenue for tax authorities and is important in the decision making of investors. VAT is comparatively new in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) markets and Qatar is yet to implement it, but additions to the current VAT law would increase revenue for the tax authorities. It would also assist taxpayers in streamlining their accounts while promoting better understanding of the impact VAT can have on their finances.
One of the most enjoyable parts of my role as a tax consultant is the varied assignments. When I interact with my colleagues in other GCC states, I get to know different aspects of my field and see how things work in other markets, further enhancing my expertise.
Having moved from Pakistan to join the excellent team in Qatar, I believe that, as long as I am challenged to make myself better, my career progression is in line. This mindset comes from my ACCA Qualification, which assisted me in developing the right skills to evaluate information and prepare coherent responses for clients.
If I was not an accountant, I would love to have been a musician. I learned the theory of music as a hobby when I was younger and still get pleasure out of playing the guitar and composing my own pieces. I also enjoy reading non-fiction books, working out and, as an amateur photographer, capturing moments with my camera.
