Abraham graduated from the University of Ghana in September with a bachelor`s degree in accounting. The undergraduate program gave him the opportunity to study courses outside of accounting, including finance, taxation, marketing, human resources, and public administration, which broadened his understanding of business challenges. With two internships, Abraham is now completing Ghana`s mandatory year of national service. After that, he hopes to get a job at one of the big four companies. In his spare time, he enjoys keeping up with sports news and watching science films and documentaries. He also says he values a good education and therefore helps teach children as a volunteer in his church and community. The trip was also a great networking opportunity. Elaine says, “I`ve had many opportunities to talk to very experienced people within the firm – they were willing to spend time with me discussing current tax issues and giving me advice for my future tax career – they tell me what they would expect from a young tax professional so I could develop those skills.” Emma is responsible for the content of articles in Tax Adviser and works closely with the CIOT Editor and Technician to ensure that important issues are covered in their entirety. She worked in legal and financial publishing for twelve years, including four years as deputy editor of the Tax Journal. Lauren, the finalist representing the United States, is a final-year student at Cornell University studying human development with minors in Law and Society and Inequality Studies. She has been working part-time for a small investment firm for over a year while completing her studies. He gave him experience in business development, marketing and project management as well as “entrepreneurship”.

After graduating in December, Lauren will join EY`s Advisory Services team in New York. As the youngest of five children, she says kindness and sincerity help move their relationships forward. Another passion is the field of mental health, for which she founded a company in 2020 that designs and sells clothing that raises awareness of the importance of empathy and mental health. Shehab of Egypt is one of four finalists representing the Middle East and North Africa region. He graduated from Cairo University with a Bachelor of Business Administration, holds four specialization certificates in investment management from the University of Geneva and is a recipient of the CFA Institute Investment Foundations certificate®. Shehab joined the EY team in Cairo in early 2020 and has participated in various types of tax assignments. The former Egyptian army soldier`s ambitions include becoming EY MENA`s youngest regional managing partner, perhaps one day a candidate for the Egyptian presidency – goals that suit someone whose name means “shooting star” in Arabic. His hobbies include playing guitar and singing, exercising, watching movies and reading. Big Four law firm Ernst & Young has announced that Urja Maloo from India has been named this year`s Young Tax Professional of the Year at the Global Final in Dubai. Carolina`s interest in “economics as a tool to improve people`s quality of life” led her to pursue a dual master`s degree in business administration and law at ISED Madrid. A year abroad in Japan has given her an international perspective that she finds invaluable. She owns two motorcycles – one for road and one for off-road – and turns to mountain sports such as hiking, skiing and trail running to clear her head.

She loves business books and biographies as well as music, as she has been playing the piano since childhood. The chance to “learn from some of the best” brought her to EY. The Young Tax Practitioner of the Year Award was created by EY to recognize and support the next generation of tax leaders. The event aims to identify young talents interested in taxation, help them improve their professional skills and develop their careers. The competition offers participants the opportunity to exchange experiences with people from different backgrounds and cultures. An unusual aspect of the event is that it is open to young people from different backgrounds. Elaine, a tax student at the Central University of Financial Economics in Beijing, saw the poster in a canteen. She says, “I was looking for an internship and thought a competition might be a good way to get to know EY, and if I impressed them enough, they could offer me the internship I wanted.” Mehaira, originally from Sudan, is a finalist for EY`s Young Tax Professional of the Year award in Qatar and one of four finalists representing the Middle East and North Africa region. She graduated with a BA in International Economics from Georgetown University in Qatar in 2019 and has been part of EY`s Global Compliance & Reporting team in Qatar for the past two years. She has a passion for sustainability and anything that helps her give back to Mother Nature would be her dream job. In her spare time, she is passionate about cinema. She loves to talk about movies, film theories, actors, directors, and all the things an aspiring movie buff would appreciate.

Both Elaine and Tunde would recommend the Young Tax Practitioner of the Year contest to other young people considering a career in taxation. “I enjoyed every minute of the competition,” says Elaine, “and I would advise everyone participating to relax and enjoy it too. Judges can tell if you are happy to be there or stressed and miserable. After graduating with honours from the University of Pretoria, Deena, the finalist from South Africa, is now completing a postgraduate degree. That`s the way to become a chartered accountant, and that`s what she wants to be. Courses focus on four topics – taxation, auditing, financial management and financial accounting – with taxation being his main area of interest. It hopes to one day make a valuable contribution to international tax regulations and transfer pricing laws. She enjoys training, running, playing tennis and especially hockey. She also enjoys watching sports on TV, which makes the Tokyo Olympics a highlight for her. Deena played after the games ended against a member of the South African women`s Olympic team. The Olympian gave Deena her South African Olympic hockey jersey and made it one of the greatest moments of her life.

Elaine is passionate about what companies should do to attract the best young talent: “I think one of the main reasons young people leave a company is because they feel like the work they`re doing isn`t important – they can`t see how it fits into the bigger picture and lose enthusiasm.