I’m drawn to advisory due to my personal values, particularly my genuine desire to help people. I find immense satisfaction in being able to provide guidance and support to individuals and organisations, assisting them in making informed decisions and achieving their goals. Helping people out is not just a personal value; it also aligns perfectly with the essence of the advisory business, making it an ideal career path for me.
Despite being genuinely interested in biology, the 2007 financial crisis served as a pivotal moment, sparking a deep interest in the field of finance and accounting. I was only in high school, but I was intrigued by the far-reaching consequences of the crisis. Motivated by a desire to contribute to a more stable and sustainable financial system, I immersed myself in studying the principles and practices of these disciplines.
My key aspiration is to promote awareness and understanding of sustainability standards
After school in Pakistan, I took up commerce in college and university, then started studying to gain the Chartered Accountancy (CA) designation. After passing the CA Foundation and Intermediate exams, I was recruited by PwC Pakistan into their audit practice. I later joined EY’s audit team for the MENA region, before moving over to advisory and then a change in scenery; I’m now a senior consultant at EY in Perth, Australia.
In advisory, no two days are the same. I often find myself working on engagements with completely different scopes ranging from transaction accounting to assisting with drafting the policies and procedures of clients. The key area of interest for me is to work on sustainability engagements, particularly on the newly-issued ISSB standards. I have expressed my interest to the EY team and they have supported me by assigning me on a project for ISSB readiness assessment for a large multinational mining company.
I was interested in studying the ACCA qualification because of the global recognition it offers. Because of my membership with ACCA, I have been able to work in different geographies, with clients in the MENA region and now in Australia.
I’m most thankful to my grandparents, who raised me and provided unconditional love and support. They worked hard to support my education and career, waking up an hour earlier than me to make breakfast, dropping me off and picking me up from school, helping with homework, and taking care of me when I fell ill. I owe my success to them in the deepest and most profound way imaginable.
From an early age I was fascinated with how climate change is affecting the world around us
My key aspiration is to promote awareness and understanding of sustainability standards among individuals, organisations, and policymakers. This resonates with me on a personal level because last year Pakistan experienced some of the worst flooding in its history; the UN Secretary General called it ‘a monsoon on steroids’. Pakistan, which produces less than 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, consistently ranks in the top 10 countries most vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
My father used to work as a journalist, often reporting on environment and wildlife conservation. From an early age I was fascinated with the environment and how climate change is affecting the world around us.
If I weren’t an accountant I would’ve wanted to be a herpetologist: a zoologist specialising in reptiles and amphibians. When I was a kid I binged Brady Barr’s and Steve Irwin’s TV shows. I like to sketch, so another option that I wanted to explore was special effects in movies or in video games. I would’ve also loved to be a fast bowler; I mean, every Pakistani has thought about being a cricketer at least once.
