Simon Johnston, of Belfast, is Corporate Finance Manager with BDO Stoy Hayward chartered accountants.
"I entered accountancy by a rather unusual career path in that my primary qualification was a BSc in Environmental Biology from Queen's University, Belfast. I looked at a number of career paths in biology and was encouraged by my father, a businessman, to look at opportunities in business. This led me to apply for a one-year Master of Business Administration degree course at the University of Ulster, Jordanstown."
"It was during this course that I became interested in accountancy, one of the key elements in the course. I liked the logical approach to solving problems that accountancy encouraged. The course helped me realise that an accountancy qualification offered an excellent route to a career in business."
"My next step was to gain some work experience that would help me decide if accountancy was the best career for me. I gained a three-month placement with BDO Stoy Hayward and enjoyed the experience of a dynamic accountancy and consultancy practice. I was then offered a training place with the firm."