Dan Ryan ACCA

Company: Ernst & Young LLP

Job title: Manager – Indirect Tax

Favourite food: The whole Italian cuisine (except olives) although nothing can beat a lamb roast dinner

Who or what inspires you:

My mum – she worked so hard to enjoy an amazing career

What was your study route:

I self-studied as I didn’t like the programme structure at EY (I wanted to do one exam at a time as I have a busy job) and I chose BPP.

Why did you choose ACCA:

It was between ACCA and ICAEW and I much preferred ACCA’s international standing and I’ve known of ACCA since before I started Uni so it felt like the right fit

What do you do in your spare time:

Right now, not a lot! I’m quite in to current affairs (Economist reader) and I exercise most days and I’m a fitness instructor for a small local fitness group. I also sit on a charity’s Risk, Finance & Audit committee as a specialist advisor

Perfect job:

Right now, probably an interior designer as I’m obsessed with the Netflix show Dream Home Makeover or a writer/journalist as I love written language. However neither is really in my skillset so more realistically it would be an entrepreneur or some home made goods manufacturer

Career aspiration:

Achieve a work life balance. In terms of job, probably something in central or local government policy/strategy

What did you want to be when you grew up:

From memory, something in biology that was until I started my a-levels and I realised it wasn’t as fun as I thought it was (nor was I as good at it as I thought I was!)

Favourite holiday destination or holiday type:

So far its been St Lucia for destination but probably Rhodes for the best holiday. Favourite type of holiday has been a road trip (we road tripped around Northern Ireland all the way down to Galway for a wedding for our Irish friends)

Biggest support throughout your studies and career:

Everyone, everyone I know has been very supportive – family, friends, colleagues

Advice for students going through the exams:

Don’t conform to someone else’s learning style and follow your way of learning (whatever that might be). 8 hours of good quality studying is better than 15 hours of less good quality studying.

Advice for students completing PER:

Don’t leave it until the last minute…