Finance Talent: Anastasia
Anastasia is a financial controller and project manager with prior Big4 experience in finance, accounting and tax advisory. We put her under the spotlight as part of our International Women's Day celebrations, to learn more about her achievements and inspirational career journey to date.
Q. What is the biggest challenge you have had to face in your career so far?
One of the biggest work challenges I’ve overcome happened at a previous global consulting firm I joined as an Accountant. My predecessor got let go and the role was unfulfilled for four months and I was left with an extensive backlog. They were also in the middle of the integration of new accounting and managerial software and additional there were major changes in the Revenue Code from the Government affecting each taxpayer.
I had to learn and apply the changes to every step to comply with the new regulations. That was very stressful and I did everything I could to complete the integrations and get back on track with the workload. And then four months later when had gotten everything up to date, my manager got fired and I had to fill in for her - she was a Deputy Chief Accountant - her responsibilities got divided between me and the Chief Accountant - this layout then was indefinite.
The experience taught me that even if the mission seems to be impossible, with hard work, effective communication, problem-solving and result orientation things can get done, and I think I’m even better prepared for the next problem or challenge I’ll face since I overcame that previous obstacle despite it feeling hopeless initially.
Q. Describe a recent or successful assignment in terms of scope, duration and any particular highlights in the outcomes.
I am a new permanent resident of the US and therefore had to leave Europe and begin a completely new chapter of my life. I was moving to New York City from London and although I had consistent experience in serving US companies with a wide international expansion I was very worried and frightened that I would not be able to find a good fit for myself in the US. Ironically enough, the best match I found was with the help of Talmix - which contacted me from London after I already moved. I am very thankful to the team that they believed in me and made it happen!
Q. If you could have dinner with one inspirational woman, dead or alive, who would they be and why?
Margaret Thatcher - she learned the value of hard work and proved that women can have successful careers and families, something that is admirable, to say the least. She challenged the status quo and was not about the political games. She didn’t use her sex to influence her career, in fact, by focusing on her policies she was able to become a successful and longest-serving Prime Minister of the UK of the 20th century to hold the office. She was an influential politician and a modern feminist that made a remarkable contribution to future generations proving that there is not one cookie-cutter ideology that all feminists believe. She certainly advanced women by proving that there’s nothing we can’t do.
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