Hi there! I’m Lorcan Kelly and I work as Head of Tax and Projects with Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard.

• Degree in Commerce and French from NUI Galway
• Masters in Accounting from NUI Galway
• Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA)
• ACA Chartered Accountant.

You did a Summer Internship – tell us about that.

Yes, I did a Summer Internship in KPMG, Galway during college and spent a few weeks in the tax department.

This is where I saw first-hand what a tax career was like and the kind of work tax professionals do on a day to day basis. I really liked that the job was so varied, for example working on a tax computation or researching tax case law.  This variety keeps the job interesting.

I was fully decided on a career in tax following that Summer!

So what happened after college?

Well, I applied to KPMG for a training contract (aka graduate programme) through the "milk round" process. This was a 3 year contract during which I completed both my Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) qualification and ACA Chartered Accountant qualification.  When I completed my training contract I was promoted to Tax Senior.

What was it like studying for the Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) qualification?

Well firstly, I chose the Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) qualification as it is the most widely recognised and best regarded tax qualification in Ireland by employers.

I really liked how the syllabus was so practical and relevant to my day to day job – what I was learning at lectures, I was putting in to practice! A large part was that the lecturers were very approachable and helpful.

The Professional Skills Workshops were a great preparation for exams and for work also. They provided an opportunity to work on specific problems in a group environment and to learn from both the tutor and fellow students.

You now work at Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard – tell us some more about that.

I report directly to the Chief Financial Officer. I am responsible for looking after the corporate tax and VAT obligations of the company, as well as it's domestic and international tax strategy. This means I advise on all aspects of tax law and would regularly be liaising with tax and law firms, and the Revenue Commissioners.

It’s so encouraging to see the value that I can add to my workplace as a Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA).  The tax advice I give is critical in so many business decisions and I really enjoy being part of that.

What skills do you think you need for a career in Tax Advisory?

Good communication skills! Communicating effectively is critical for a tax professional and the ability to explain complex issues to a tax ‘layman’ is very important. I would also say teamwork skills are key – as a tax professional I am frequently working as part of various teams. I also find that I use my numerical and analytical skills on the projects that I work on.

Finally Lorcan, what advice would you give someone who may be considering a career in Tax Advisory?

I would strongly recommend a career in Tax Advisory if you are thinking about it. Tax professionals are in high demand by employers and can add real value to any business. It is a challenging and rewarding career, which can place you at the heart of business decision making. It can also be an excellent springboard to other careers in finance.