Ep 99. Big Four in Europe: How Far Can a CPA Take You?

This week, we’re joined by Mandy, a CPA whose career journey has taken her from a bank teller job in Vancouver to the Big Four in Switzerland.

After graduating from UBC, Mandy took a gap year to travel before embarking on a career in audit work in Vancouver. But her story didn’t stop there. One year into the pandemic, she packed her bags for Amsterdam and eventually landed in Switzerland, where she now works and lives.

In this episode, Mandy shares her experiences navigating the challenges of moving across continents, adapting to different work cultures, and integrating into new communities — all while building a global career in accounting. We also talked about the evolving role of CPAs in today’s business world, from ESG to AI to remote work, and why money alone isn’t the reason she keeps going.

Whether you’re curious about international careers, life in Europe, or making bold career moves, Mandy’s story is sure to inspire.

-2:05 How does a bank teller in Vancouver end up working for the Big Four in Switzerland?

-8:45 There are a lot of big companies that want to attract foreign workers to the Netherlands 

-10:40 Do you find it easy to just speak English at work?

-15:10 The level of English is not too high in Switzerland, and they have three languages 

-19:50 Where did you get the courage and motivation to move to a new place?

-24:00 Can you compare the working culture among Canada, Netherlands, and Switzerland? 

-33:50 People respect Lunch time in Europe

-38:00 ChatGPT told me you need to join a sports club to meet new people

-40:00 How do you see the role of CPAs evolving in today’s global business landscape, especially with things like ESG, AI, and remote work?

-49:45 Money is not the motivation to keep me going, and I want to explore other things in life

-51:55 For someone listening who dreams of working internationally, what’s your biggest piece of advice?