Nadeem Hanif ACCA

Company: The Independent Living Fund Scotland (Part of the Scottish Government)

Job title: Head of Finance

Favourite food:  Offft, do I have to choose?  Ok, I would say Mushroom Risotto

Who or what inspires you:

Now that’s a question, what inspires me is to do the best I can for my family, for them to be proud of me and for my kids to know hard work takes you very far. 

What was your study route:

I had some exemptions as I had a finance degree, and then I did Kaplan weekend courses, in Glasgow.  I was fortunate enough that my employer paid for my tuition, I know some students don’t have this luxury. 

What do you do in your spare time:

Well having four kids under 10 doesn’t leave a huge amount of spare time, however I do love supporting my Glasgow Rangers when I can.  I also love to travel, however a real passion of mine is my cars, I am a real petrol head.

Perfect job:

Working for a big car manufacturer like BMW, AUDI or Mercedes, designing the next generation of cars.  See, I am not your typical accountant.

Career aspirations:

Hopefully make the transition to FD soon, and then who knows…

Childhood dream job:

I was obsessed about being a Pilot, that didn’t work out but I do love to fly away on holiday as often as is possible. 

Favourite holiday destination or holiday type:

I do love Dubai, we have been over a few times.  However, I would say best place on holiday has been Thailand, it was amazing. 

Biggest support throughout your studies and career:

That’s a hard one as there are quite a few, however I would say my wife, mum and also my employers who gave me time off to study. 

Advice for students going through the exams:

It’s a Marathon not a sprint.  For me, I had a clear path in mind, so I knew what I wanted to do and when.  Just remember everyone has different life commitments, for some they may take 3 exams a year, others may only take one.  Do what’s right for you. 

Finally, don’t be scared to fail.  If you have studied and put in the work, then in the end it will show, make sure you learn from your failings, always take time to reflect on what you did well and not so well.  As a great man once said ‘The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing’.