Idris Ayinde, ACA, CFA
@hedrees_ayinde
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A Technical accountant & hedge acct specialist. Love tennis, swimming, movies, reading and cooking. Big 4-“4 Star General”! @LFC Fan. OniCanary of Canary Wharf.
United Kingdom
Joined February 2012
Big 4- “4 Star General” - My 10 Lessons from working at all the Big 4 firms. The Big 4 is popularly referred to, the four largest professional services networks in the world, ie., Deloitte, Ernst & Young (EY), KPMG, and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
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Checking out of the Big 4 in Style!. Today is my last day at EY, the 4th of the Big 4 firms I have worked with in this order: Deloitte NG, PwC NG, KPMG UK and EY UK. Talk about saving the best for the last! 😅.
Big 4- “4 Star General” - My 10 Lessons from working at all the Big 4 firms. The Big 4 is popularly referred to, the four largest professional services networks in the world, ie., Deloitte, Ernst & Young (EY), KPMG, and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
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First Class Accounting, ICAN Best Qualifying Candidate 2014, CFA Chaterholder. I read book no be small, God come crown the effort 😃.
Brag about yourself.
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Growing up in Bariga, defying all odds and now working in one of the largest financial centers in Europe - Canary Wharf.
What's your Backstory?.
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Taiwo resigned from PwC, no longer a news. Interesting thing is PwC had to appoint 3 different Partners to take up the leadership roles he held. Tax leader for Nigeria, West Africa and another for Africa.
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My CFA Journey - How I was humbled twice 😊. The @CFAProgram is a three-part exam that tests the fundamentals of investment tools, valuing assets, portfolio management, and wealth planning. It is one of the programs (the major) of the @CFAinstitute .
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Lesson 8: Don’t burn bridges .Lesson 9: No one is indispensable .Lesson 10: The Big 4 business units are like mini-entities. Understanding the terrain of the team you are moving to is more important than any general feedback you have about the firm. Thanks.Idris Ayinde, ACA, CFA.
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My ICAN Journey - How I completed my ICAN exams for free with multiple awards/prizes. For accounting students and anyone with interest in finance or practicing accounting profession in Nigeria, the ICAN exams is often the first choice aside the other alternatives.
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Been trying to put this down on paper but finally got the help I needed in doing this. From Bariga to Canary Wharf, is my Grass to Grace story. Enjoy 😊 .
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Go Visible or go home! - how to be visible in the work place. The above mantra is one of the key messages I took from a leadership coach - Mute Efe. I often belong to the school of thought that at work, let your work speak for you. In fact my mantra was a quote from Henry J.
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@SirJarus One thing is constant- The Arsenal Jersey in both pictures without any premier league title to show for it 😂.
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This is not entirely accurate. A misinformation at best. ICAN is recognised outside of Africa. I have worked in 2 Big 4 firms in the UK and now in the industry in technical accounting roles that requires a Chartered Accountant. I only have ICAN!. There are folks that work in.
Dear Accountants,. Your ICAN is useful ONLY in Nigeria and West Africa. You may need to do conversions to use it elsewhere. Very few countries recognize it. Get ACCA instead.
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I am in complete awe!.Ladies and gentlemen, behold my Sister @AyindeAdeola_ in whom I am superbly and well pleased 😍.1. BSc First Class - 4.88/5.00.2. The best graduating student - department of Mass Communication.3. Best graduating student - Faculty of Communication and
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My “near death experience” in 2018. It took me a while to pen this down. Not because I can’t remember, but because of the trauma from that experience. It was a case of Nigeria wanting to happen to me at the last minute 😅.
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I have worked at all the Big 4 Professional Services Firms 😅.
Brag about yourself.
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ILR application Date - when can you actually submit?. One error some people make is on the earliest date they can apply for ILR. For people on the 5 year route (Skilled Worker/ Healthcare visa), the earliest you can apply is 28 days before the 5 year mark.
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Mortgage 101. Say you buy a house for £100,000. Pay deposit of 10% (that’s £10k investment). If monthly mortgage payment is say £600, some of this would be technically your rent(interest in a conventional mortgage) and then some part of it is equity purchase. At the start, let’s.
@hedrees_ayinde @ScorpioAmplexus Oh really? Need to learn more.
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Cost Savings Hack in the UK: The "GUIDE". GUIDE is an acronym for Groceries, Utilities, Insurance, Debt and Energy. Some of these hack may also help anyone living outside the UK.
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Available Openings at TotalEnergies EP Nigeria CPFA Limited. Main requirements:Bachelors degree and 2-5 years experience depending on the role. ▪︎Legal Counsel.▪︎Human Resources Specialist .▪︎Procurement Officer.▪︎Customer Service Officer.▪︎Accountant .▪︎Risk
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@Oludeewon This is not entirely accurate. A misinformation at best. ICAN is recognised outside of Africa. I have worked in 2 Big 4 firms in the UK and now in the industry in technical accounting roles that requires a Chartered Accountant. I only have ICAN!. There are folks that work in.
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#OneIFRSperweek.Week 1 – The Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting – Part 1. Most jurisdictions have reporting requirements for listed and other types of entities that include presenting financial statements that are prepared in accordance with a set of generally accepted.
One accounting standard per week. For a while now, I have had it in mind to share bit sized content about each of the accounting standards. The aim is not to do a full lecture on each standard but just some basic information around the core principles for each of the standards.
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My first flight experience was a trip to South Africa for a training 3 months after joining Deloitte . Book no be scam.
If you like say book na scam. All this made possible by the scholarship the young man got, enabled by his grade. When I interviewed him as one of the candidates for a faith-based GRE scholarship scheme less than 4 years ago, I doubt he had ever stepped into a plane in his life.
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UK Income tax and pension: dispelling the myths.Income tax is a form of tax that UK taxpayers pay to the the government(HMRC) on their income. You do not only pay tax on personal income(salary from employment) only, but you may also need to pay tax on other sources of income.
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One accounting standard per week. For a while now, I have had it in mind to share bit sized content about each of the accounting standards. The aim is not to do a full lecture on each standard but just some basic information around the core principles for each of the standards.
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This is very essential. With N25k you will get a cover up to €30,000 in insurance and some other costs covered. It’s a no brainer and I ensure I do this anytime my Mum is coming over. She was sick on on visit like that, thank God for the insurance.
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I left Deloitte not because I wasn’t happy, but I needed a specific experience which will help my career transition in the longer run so I made the switch to PwC. Lesson 5: At times, you just need to be “selfish” with your career and be intentional about your learning experience.
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When I rejected a 100k job in 2014 to focus on my final ICAN exam just after NYSC. I went on to ace the exam and was the best qualifying candidate in May 2014 and for the year 2014. A day after results were out, I went for a recruitment test and was asked to do two interviews on.
What is the best decision you have ever made in your life?.
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You better go and ask for refund from the school. I have an MSC in Financial Engineering too, and they did not teach me this during the course.😂.
Because I am currently undergoing a Masters program in Financial Engineering, here is my view:. When used for business, like ride-sharing, a car can generate income, making it an asset. If well-maintained & holds value, resale value adds to this. Note: depreciation is a factor.
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Lesson 1: It’s good to be focused on a specific goal, but always keep your options open or at best a plan B in case Plan A doesn’t work. If you’re applying for Harvard, there’s no harm in exploring Yale, Wharton or other schools in the same category as well.
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@paulg If the person is Nigerian, they are more likely to use “delve” even without using AI.
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ILR Application- what docs you may need?. Following the tweet below, I have had a couple of people reached out to ask about the documents to prepare ahead of the application. I have listed some documents below based on my experience. Some people may require a bit more depending.
ILR application Date - when can you actually submit?. One error some people make is on the earliest date they can apply for ILR. For people on the 5 year route (Skilled Worker/ Healthcare visa), the earliest you can apply is 28 days before the 5 year mark.
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Lesson 3: Use your network appropriately. I keep in touch via emails and follow up with their activities as well. This is one principle @SirJarus mentioned in his book, “HOW TO NETWORK LIKE A PRO”. He has shared some of these nuggets on Twitter as well.
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Lots of my people passing ICAN left right and centre. Who are those people complaining about the exam few weeks back? 😅.
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Big 4 (Nigeria) Graduate Trainee Roles.The application for the Graduate trainee programmes for some of the Big 4 firms in Nigeria are currently open. If you are keen on working for a Big 4 and meet the requirements, kindly apply. Links below. The process is merit based and you.
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Since I have now hanged my suit and tie. This is how we go to work in the foreseeable future 😃
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1. Best ICAN Qualifying Candidate in May 2014 diet and for the year 2014. 2. 5.0 (7 As) in my First semester year 4 (when I was very busy with extracurricular activity - Dept President and Fin Sec of MSSN Unilag). I borrowed a course to make 7 courses whilst my classmates did 6.
What is your academic IDAN moment?.
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Lesson 7: Create a niche for yourself and have a clear career path. In summary, if people are thinking of a specific skill or experience, your name should always pop up. That doesn’t mean you lack the knowledge of other areas. Recently, it’s Treasury and Hedge Accounting for me.
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I will be speaking at this session, “Starting a Career in Accounting/Finance” for undergraduate and early career starters. Organised by @cowrywise Ambassador Program. Date: Sunday, 28th of January .Time: 4PM WAT/3PM UK time . Link below. #careerseries
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Lesson 2: Some delayed gratification are worth it. You just need to know when to take the risk and when your action may be a stupid one. In my case, it was a risk of being unemployed, but I had the conviction I had a chance if I had ICAN with my First Class Degree.
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Illustrative Financial Statements. One of the ways you can increase your knowledge about financial statements preparation and the required disclosures is to read Illustrative financial statements published by all big 4s. They even go to the extent of doing sector specific.
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Access Bank Right Issue Twitter Marketers.The era of social media has made it so easy for anyone to be a “financial adviser”. The other day, a tech product manager or so was arguing with accounting professionals about definition of an asset.
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I had a pleasant experience at PwC. One thing one of my previous Boss told me was, “You are a Star, and you will always shine regardless of where you are. Indeed I was. I joined PwC as a Senior Associate and became an Assistant Manager in 9 months. Should take 2 years normally😊.
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I use @AllianzNigeria most times. See a sample quote. The price is influenced by duration, age of the person etc. The upside is so much than the downside of not having a travel insurance for your elderly.
This is very essential. With N25k you will get a cover up to €30,000 in insurance and some other costs covered. It’s a no brainer and I ensure I do this anytime my Mum is coming over. She was sick on on visit like that, thank God for the insurance.
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I do say this always. Including the applicant bank statement is like opening a floodgate for them to reject. 9 out of 10, they will tear down the application. As long as the sponsor has sufficient fund to cover the trip, there is no reason to include the applicant bank statement.
Seeking Advice on Reapplying for UK Visitor Visa. Greetings. My mother-in-law's UK visitor visa was denied due to concerns about her bank statement, despite our financial support. This is especially tough as we recently had a baby and wanted her with us.
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Nah, I just listened to that recording again and I felt violated! 😂.1. Loan is never a revenue. 2. There is a difference between revenue(which is often accrual based) and cashflow (which is cash based). 3. Any inflow from loan borrowed will be disclosed as a financing activity.
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So that alone tells you, if any major thing will be happening relating to IFRS, London is the starting point. Lesson 6: Money is important, but shouldn’t be the key determining factor. Perhaps, should be the tie breaker if other factors are at par for a Big 4. (My opinion 😊).
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Still drafting a thread on how I moved round to working for all the big 4 and some key lessons. I won’t be comparing the firms (no be me una go set up) but just some personal lessons 😄.
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I did saw some opportunity for some 100k per month job (2014), but I declined. I choose to focus on my ICAN exam since it’s just 3 months away and I still felt, I still had the opportunity of taking a shot at the Big 4 again. I emerged the best ICAN qualifying candidate for 2014.
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I used to think my Managers were lounging, only to review etc and not do the main work. I became a Manager and the reality sets in. The amount of time it takes to do the managing is a lot. Managing people, your clients and various stakeholders. Some days you are probably in.
As you go up the corporate ladder, the bulk of your work would be meetings, managing people and doing follow ups. Look easy on paper but it's super hard and that is why top management guys earn the biggest money.
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I spent 3 years at Deloitte. I was a Star Boy - first person to make double promotion in the firm. Selected to join the firm Think Thank Group with Partners and Directors, even as an Associate. It was a good experience to flaunt when I applied for something similar while at EY.
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After few months in PwC, I did receive offers from outside Nigeria. UK, Australia and a GCC firm. The tax free money was enticing but I opted for the UK, because this has always been the goal. I wanted to play with the big boys of IFRS. The IASB office is in Canary Wharf.
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There are at least four Oil &Gas/Energy Company Graduate Trainee Programmes recruitments ongoing. 1. Total: 2. Seplat 3. Shell 4. MRS NB: MRS was meant to close on 24th June as.
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My Sister just shared her final semester exam results. As usual it was all A’s. I thought I was the smartest, but she is on another level. All the exam palliatives paid off in the end. 5.0 in 4 out of 8 semesters and very few Bs is nothing short of “ah-mazing”!. Waiting for
My Sister started her exam recently and informed the family on the group, so I sent her exam palliative to encourage her. Let her do her 5 point thing as usual 😅. Our target is to end up as “the Best Graduating Student”. The Bar needs to be raised higher.
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Lesson 4: always be prepared. I went to take the test with suit and tie and I already was preparing myself for interviews for the Big 4 firms whilst still applying. So I was essentially interview ready! I do see candidates come for tests in crazy jeans and Ankara. Common!😂.
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Idris Ayinde, ACA, CFA .The Big 4 4-Star General , OniCanary of Canary Wharf, Phelps of Bariga 😂.
It’s the last quarter of the year 2024. Re-introduce yourself once again!.
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Some of us have pulled this stunt before, albeit not in football 🤣🤣🤣.
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I was literally using my Big 4 salary for the exam and the associated cost like travelling to Ghana then before they started writing it Nigeria. It’s probably why I didn’t buy a car early 😂😂😂. Thanks for the kind words 😊
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@Wizarab10 In another news, Deloitte Nigeria just increased their staff salary, and it’s massive. Bill them 😂😂😂.
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We listen. We don’t judge - Accounting/Finance edition. Come and confess all the beans you have cooked 😅.
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In case you want to cook beans on Sunday, just come to my house between 8am and 4pm. It’s free light 😂😂😂. I will supply the bread.
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Proof of attendance. Vincent Kompany will pay for his sins 😂
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A lot of people wonder why he is so popular among the Big 4 folks, before social media becomes so massive, Taiwo was the face of the Big 4 particularly among students. He honours invitation to attend programmes organised by Students (especially Accounting Student bodies).
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I spent just over two years with KPMG before my last move to EY. To say I have enjoyed every bit of my time at EY is an understatement. Mainly due to the people I work with, the experience (the main reason for my switch) and the opportunities and network I have gained.
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I reached out to one of my contacts in a Big 4 (a Partner) and I did get an internship position with PwC. Note that I have always been in touch with my network before this period as I made the connection while I was the President of NUASA- Accounting Student Association.
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You meant topics 😅.1. Financial instruments accounting .2. Hedge Accounting.3. Accounting for Digital Assets/Cryptocurrency.4. Share based payment.5. Common Control Transactions/ Group Restructuring .6. Business combination.
What topic in Accounting and Finance can you effortlessly discuss for 2 hours?.
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@DHKRULLAH So the base salary is a component of that and will probably be around £150k-£200k. What usually bumped the earnings up is the bonus and that is based on performance for the year on the investments they help their clients manage as they get some defined percentage returns. You.
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University of Nottingham have this “Accountancy Flying Start Programme” for undergraduate. It’s 4 years but the students gets a BSC, they work Part time in a Big 4 firm( and earn as well which is used to reduce their tuition) and they get the ICAEW qualifications. Meaning at the.
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Car is an asset. Full stop!.
Is car an asset or liability now?.
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When I was defending by Final year project, the panel asked what I would like to do after school, and I did mention I will like to work for a Big 4 firm and focus on Financial Reporting. My project was on IFRS which was adopted by Nigeria in 2012, same year I graduated.
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Dear accountants.As you rollover those reports templates, remember to change the year to 2024 😂.
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I sent an email asking to be rescheduled. I was invited but this time, the test was a day after ICAN result was out. Perfect timing!. I took the test and the HR person asked how many of us were qualified, it was only me 😄.
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Sustainability/ESG Reporting is one of those booming areas in Finance. If you can get certified and gain some experience, you may be set up for an exciting career. PS: don’t ask me what certifications you can do. Use your internet, search and decide!.
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Apparently, the Accounting & Financial Advisory team was recruiting and they needed a Chartered Accountant. So I did the test, first and second (Partner) interview that day and next question was, when would you like to resume?😄.
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The four firms are often grouped because they are comparable in size, revenue, workforce, quality of work and capability to provide some specific service/expertise in specific areas relative to the rest of the market.
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University of Nottingham have this “Accountancy Flying Start Programme” for undergraduate. It’s 4 years but the students gets a BSC, they work Part time in a Big 4 firm( and earn as well which is used to reduce their tuition) and they get the ICAEW qualifications. Meaning at the.
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My first attempt at the Big 4, was KPMG Nigeria. I passed the tests, assessment centre but didn’t get the offer, most likely due to the Final Partner interview. I was interviewed by one Oyinbo Partner and I could barely hear him😄. I must have answered some questions incorrectly.
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My own weekend has started. The consultants amongst you can continue with the excel and please find attached. Ipadewa bi Oyinbo. Odose to n bo 😂😂😂
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I joined KPMG in the UK and it was indeed another learning experience. I did a lot while in Nigeria but this was an opportunity for me to specialise as I soon realise, this is really important in this market.
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The Big 4 is largely the first choice for those looking to start a career in professional services, particularly accounting, as they are considered equally attractive networks to work in, because of the frequency with which these firms engage with large companies.
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#OneIFRSperweek Week 2.The Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting – Part 2. The elements of financial statements.Asset: an asset is a present economic resource controlled by the entity as a result of past events. Economic resources are rights which have the potential to.
#OneIFRSperweek.Week 1 – The Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting – Part 1. Most jurisdictions have reporting requirements for listed and other types of entities that include presenting financial statements that are prepared in accordance with a set of generally accepted.
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One of those random pictures at my desk in the office at Apapa Wharf. Sorry Canary Wharf. 🤣🤣🤣
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I have often come across a couple of people that have worked in more than one of the Big 4 but there are few people that have managed to work for all the four, particularly within a short period of time. Disclaimer - I am not the first person to do such 😊.
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I later applied to Deloitte. I passed the first test and was invited to the second test. Guess what, the email was sent on Thursday night and my data finished. I said to myself I will subscribe the following week. Alas, I saw the email for a Monday test on Monday night 😂😂😂.
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I was so fascinated about KPMG then that I did not apply for another firm. I was so sure of myself😄. And truly, some of my close pals were amazed I didn’t get the offer while they did. Had a little effect on my self confidence then but I moved on and faced my ICAN exams.
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#OneIFRSperweek Week 3.IAS 1 - Presentation of Financial Statements.This standard sets out the rules on the form and content of financial statements which entities must comply with. It specifies what published ‘general-purpose’ financial statements should include including.
#OneIFRSperweek Week 2.The Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting – Part 2. The elements of financial statements.Asset: an asset is a present economic resource controlled by the entity as a result of past events. Economic resources are rights which have the potential to.
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How to Build Your Personal Brand at Work. I recently attended a training at work on the above subject and thought it would be helpful to share some of my key takeaways from the session here. If you have read the thread I shared below earlier on "how to build your visibility in.
Go Visible or go home! - how to be visible in the work place. The above mantra is one of the key messages I took from a leadership coach - Mute Efe. I often belong to the school of thought that at work, let your work speak for you. In fact my mantra was a quote from Henry J.
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Your not so regular Thursday. This one is special 😅
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AlhamduliLlah for His Grace!
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Completing a full accounting paper on day 3 is wild. If e no dey, e no dey! 😂😂😂 You can’t wing it, it will show. Anyways, let the weekend begin .😂😂
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#OneIFRSperweek Week 4.IAS 10 – Events after the Reporting Period.IAS 10 contains the requirements for when the financial statements should be adjusted for events after the reporting period and the information that should be disclosed.
#OneIFRSperweek Week 3.IAS 1 - Presentation of Financial Statements.This standard sets out the rules on the form and content of financial statements which entities must comply with. It specifies what published ‘general-purpose’ financial statements should include including.
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