Nitish Yadav
Manager - Management Assurance Services
A challenging career and bright prospects were the main drivers which inspired Nitish Yadav to enter the accountancy profession. For him, ACCA was the first choice.
"The content of the course was both challenging and engaging and the technical expertise I gained was immeasurable. Most notably, its reputation as an international qualification, offering students diverse career opportunities was also very appealing."
For Nitish, the biggest challenge was adjusting between two very different academic frameworks.
"In India, most accountancy curricula have greater focus on the theoretical aspect of the profession. ACCA, however, also helps people to prepare for what they can expect in their daily professional lives."
He began training at the Bank of America in New Delhi, and later moved on to HSBC where he worked in the investment banking division. After qualification, he joined Morgan Stanley Securities in Bombay.
In 2001, Nitish went to work for KPMG. It was in this role that he drafted the first accounting separation procedures manual (a bespoke manual which explains how to comply with the accounting requirements of separate regulators) in India for a US $2 billion gas company. But he reveals that the secret of his career success is mostly down to a combination of gruelling interviews and lucky breaks.
"One of the more memorable points in my career is getting my first job after nine rounds of interviews! So persistence is key.
"Today's accountants must also acknowledge that there has been a shift away from traditional accountancy into a more versatile role. Modern accountancy now also encompasses greater responsibilities at a strategic business level."