'Insights into working at KPMG' podcasts

26 Jan 2007

Presenter:

Hello and welcome to Episode 1 of the second series of KPMG's new range of podcasts.

In this series, called 'Insights into working at KPMG' we will be exploring how different people are making the most of the opportunities available to them.

In episode 1 we look at the growing trend towards international mobility. To give us an informed and personal view of the potential benefits and challenges of international assignments I'm going to be speaking to Sean, Francis and Bin about their experiences.

Sean welcome. What type of international assignment are you on?

Sean:

I'm on secondment from Manchester office in the U.K. firm to Melbourne. I'm a manager in Transaction Services. I've been on secondment for about a year now and I've got another year to go.

Presenter:

When the opportunity came up for secondment did you decide on Melbourne?

Sean:

I think there's opportunities all the time to go to many places, that's the impression I got but I pushed pretty hard for it. I just chatted to my counselor in the first instance and the partner as well probably a couple of days later explaining I was pretty keen to go. I had a fairly open mind of where I wanted to go. I suppose my two criteria were somewhere where I would continue to develop and progress professionally but also somewhere with a decent work life balance.

Presenter:

And what was the move actually like?

Sean:

It was pretty good because KPMG in the U.K.paid your airfare and they give you a relocation allowance so that's actually straightforward to actually do the move like that.

And when you get to Melbourne they put you up for a couple of weeks in a hotel, you get a week off work to find a place to live and they give you an instruction pack so someone comes and helps you look at various apartments. That sort of thing, which makes it all easier.

Presenter:

So how are you keeping up with the Australian social life?

Sean:

I get involved in loads of stuff. The best thing I did. I'm a pretty keen football player so I got involved in a local team here and that was good just for meeting a load of new friends. And then you meet a load of people in work so there's a million and one things to do. Melbourne's really good like that because there's so much going on all of the time and there's so many opportunities for you to get involved in various bits and bobs. It makes it really easy to settle in and make yourself feel at home and making new friends.

Presenter:

So out of this whole process what's the most important thing you've learned?

Sean:

On a professional level I have worked on a whole range of new deals in a load of new industries that you won't have in Manchester like the wine industry, ship chartering. Those sorts of things aren't going to be done in the Manchester office really as it's a different focus there. And I've done some cross-border deals as well which is quite interesting. It's something I've enjoyed and keen to get involved in more.

But then also personally I've met loads of new people from all different types of backgrounds and you can use your own U.K. experience to coach people because you've got experience in different areas. For example BDB is a lot more developed in the U.K. than it is here and probably the private equity market's a bit more mature as well so I can bring that to here.

And then on a personal level obviously it's just putting yourself outside your comfort zone, setting yourself up in a new country, meeting new friends all over again — it challenges you.

Presenter:
Thank you Sean. We are now going to speak to Francis and learn about his assignment in the UK.

Francis, I believe you have just completed the Tax Trek program. Can you explain what a Tax Trek is?

Francis:

Tax Trek was an exchange program, a three month exchange program and it was aimed to junior specialists as well as first year managers who would like to go abroad.

Presenter:

Could you explain why an international assignment was right for you?

Francis:

Going on an international assignment was a great opportunity to establish a network, meet great people from across the countries, as well as a good opportunity to travel in Europe; something that is hard to do from Canada. As well it was to give me an international experience that I could use back in Canada in my office.

Presenter:

How was the process of securing your international assignment? Was it quite easy?

Francis:

It was quite easy actually and HR people were very helpful to get everything done especially for the visa and for getting accommodation as well.

Presenter:

And what would your advice be to anyone considering an international assignment?

Francis:

I think they should go for it, they should apply. It's not that difficult to go through the process of the Tax Trek programme. They might feel insecure at the beginning because they don't know where they're going, what will happen, what kind of work they will perform but I can assure them that after one week all of that will be behind them and they will just want to explore and discover as much as possible because it's a great experience.

Presenter:

Has it lived up to your expectation?

Francis:

Absolutely. Like I said before I had the chance to travel as well as meeting extraordinary people from across the world. There were about seven Tax Trekkers in London at some point so I made good friends with someone from South Africa, Spain, Denmark, and Hong Kong and actually two days ago I called someone from South Africa because I needed some tax advice on one of my companies which has subsidiaries in South Africa and I was able to call. That's something I have gained from this Tax Trek assignment. I know now I can reply on someone in several countries if I need help.

Presenter:
Thank you Francis. Finally, we're going to talk to Bin about her assignment in China. Bin, could you introduce yourself and talk briefly about your assignment?

Bin:

Hi, my name is Bin and I'm a manger in the Shanghai office in KPMG in China. I started my secondment in China in November 2003 and I really enjoyed my stay here.

Presenter:
Why did you decide to do the secondment from the U.S.firm to the Chinese firm Bin?

Bin:

I took into consideration my career development opportunity and I discussed with my mentor and partner in the Atlanta office and I got their support on my secondment.

Presenter:
You've been there since November 2003. How are you enjoying life out there?

Bin:

It's different for me because when I started my secondment I was only the first year senior role but I got promoted to manager during my secondment in China. So it's like a change of business environment, culture as well as my own role with KPMG.

Presenter:
Now I know obviously you moved and I understand you've got children as well. How difficult was it uprooting the whole family out to China?

Bin:

I think that KPMG's relocation program is very well designed. I got a research company helping me with adapting to a new culture and also they have global mobility. They tell you how to move forward and they arrange things like tax returns. Tax professionals to help you with your tax return while you are in China. Things like that really helped a lot to smooth my relocation to China.

Presenter:
How would you persuade someone to take up an international assignment; anyone who was thinking about it? What sort of advice could you give someone?

Bin:

I think any kind of international experience is really a plus to your personal life as well as your professional development. Talking about personal experience, because I was born in China and graduated in China and I moved to the United States to get my graduate degree and then returned to China for secondment. So it's like I experienced culture and life in both countries in a deeper way than a tourist and than a temporary stay and I feel it's a very eye-opening experience. It really helps with your professional development because right now people are looking for people with a wider experience, with cross culture experience.

Presenter:
Well, thank you to Sean, Francis and Bin for sharing your experiences with us. Our next podcast in this series, 'Insights in working at KPMG' will focus on learning and development.