This award allows successful students, who are chosen from more than 30 countries, to compete through demonstrating their tax technical and professional skills to a panel of expert judges.
Stephan Kuhn, Ernst & Young EMEIA Tax Leader, says: “We have created the Young Tax Professional of the Year program to bring together the tax talents of the future. We want to show them how much the tax profession has changed today, how business is managed in different cultures, as well as exposing them to the skills required for tomorrow’s leaders.”
“This program offers students the opportunity to learn and share experiences with people from a diverse range of backgrounds at a very early stage in their career and provides a wider canvas for their learning,” comments Venkatesh Srinivasan, Partner and Head of Tax & Legal at Ernst & Young Romania.
Award participants will have access to invaluable leadership training and one-on-one technical coaching, as well as the opportunity to network with leading figures from global organizations.
The program spans almost 200 universities in more than 30 countries. This year Romania is participating in the program for the second time. In 2012, Olga Tene, Romanian Tax Academy finalist, won the second prize in the Young Tax Professional of the Year global tax competition, which took place in Boston, USA. Olga was selected from among 20 country finalists, who competed in a 4-day challenge. Following this outstanding achievement, she was awarded a 10-day business trip to Ernst & Young’s Area Tax Center in London.
More than just a competition
The Young Tax Professional of the Year is split into two stages, local and international. The judges will be looking for evidence of creative and analytical strengths, as well as practical skills.
Stage 1 – Local competition:
During the initial competition in the home country, we will challenge both the candidates’ technical abilities and their wider commercial strengths. The local competition is unfolded through the EY Tax Academy, part of the graduate recruitment process for the local Tax practice for which applications are submitted online at http://www.ey.com/RO/en/Careers until 15 April 20113.
Stage 2 – International final:
Taking place in Copenhagen, Denmark (during the 67th International Fiscal Association Congress in August 2013), successful country finalists will have the chance to work closely with a diverse range of professionals. They will face challenging case studies and interviews to demonstrate their expertise before the award judges. That panel will then confirm the three winners of the Young Tax Professional of the Year Award.
The awards ceremony:
The finalists will be invited to a prestigious awards ceremony where – after a review of everyone’s performance throughout the competition – the winners will be announced.
More than just a trophy
In recognition of the technical skills and professionalism demonstrated in front of the jury, the three award winners will be presented with prizes that provide an opportunity for personal experience, as well as connection to and understanding of the various tax markets:
- First prize: a 30-day “round-the-world” business trip built around 10-day working visits to key Ernst & Young Area Tax Centers in London, Washington DC and Hong Kong.
- Second prize: a 10-day visit to one of Ernst & Young’s Area Tax Centers.
- Third prize: an invitation to participate in an Ernst & Young international client conference, at which the winner will have the opportunity to meet our leaders and key clients.
- Patrick Dibout Inclusive Leadership prize: bearing the name of a founding member of the competition, this prize is awarded to the candidate who demonstrated the most inclusive leadership behavior, as well as a particular interest and a high capacity to leverage diverse perspectives and ideas. The winner is selected by his or her peers based on his or her openness to listening and learning about other cultures.
