PwC in Pakistan

cpa_guy · 05-20-2005, 10:35 AM

Asalam-elikum,

I was in Islamabad until my A-Levels, and came to USA to do my bachelors in accounting. I'm almost done and about to graduate. I have a job offer from PricewaterhouseCoopers.

The problem is that I have a strong desire to return to Pakistan. Would it be possible for me to join PwC Pakistan after working couple of years here in US? Any advice would be strongly appreciated.

Pracs · 05-22-2005, 04:17 AM

I think you will stand a much better chance after having spent time with an American PwC office. However, I would recommend you to pass your CPA during your time at PwC. This I think will be quite necessary for the Pakistani accountancy profession is very competitive. For further development within the profession, you may have to pass the Pakistani CA exam. I am not sure what kind of exemptions you would get after an American CPA.

ehson · 05-23-2005, 09:32 PM

WARNING My advices are not based on the experiance as i've recently completed my undergrad. Whatever I put in this reply is basically what i've learned from my teacher who are in the accountancy field.

<blockquote id="quote">quote<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by cpa_guy
 Asalam-elikum,
I was in Islamabad until my A-Levels, and came to USA to do my bachelors in accounting. I'm almost done and about to graduate. I have a job offer from PricewaterhouseCoopers.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
For some reason I always feel good to hear from students abroad that they are doing well. wish you very best of luck with your remaining time there.

<blockquote id="quote">quote<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by cpa_guy
 Asalam-elikum,
The problem is that I have a strong desire to return to Pakistan.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
why do you see it as a problem. i wonder

<blockquote id="quote">quote<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by cpa_guy
 Asalam-elikum,
Would it be possible for me to join PwC Pakistan after working couple of years here in US? Any advice would be strongly appreciated.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Brother, if you take my advice dont return to this country with the aim that you'd join a top notch firm and work day & night for it. In Paksitan there are ample opportunities to explore. I know some people who have returned to Pakistan from various places in the world(Au, US, UK etc) and all are doing thier own business and all are doing well. Besides for how long you plan to work for a prestigious organization. One of my Professor is planing to have a formal organization by the name of "entrepreneural society" and some experts(pakistani basically) from around the world would be giveing free advices and would be more than happy to help out individuals like you.
This may sound quite hypothetical at the moment but trust me if you start one of your firm after spending couple of years in PwC US. I would strongly recomend you to do that. If you want to talk to some of the professionals who are voluntarily working for "entrepreneural society" do contact me when you pay a visit to islamabad. I'd be more than happy to introduce you to such people. And you can always PM me if you want to discuss the issue further.
regards
sn

cpa_guy · 06-07-2005, 03:32 PM

<blockquote id="quote">quote<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Pracs
 I think you will stand a much better chance after having spent time with an American PwC office. However, I would recommend you to pass your CPA during your time at PwC. This I think will be quite necessary for the Pakistani accountancy profession is very competitive. For further development within the profession, you may have to pass the Pakistani CA exam. I am not sure what kind of exemptions you would get after an American CPA.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Thanks for replying. I do plan upon pursuing CA once I get back and hopefully would get some exemption due to CPA (granted i pass that!)

cpa_guy · 06-07-2005, 03:36 PM

ehson, thanks for all of your suggestions. The reason I see it as a problem is that while I'm here I want to do something that'll help me secure a job back in Pakistan. If it's working with PwC, then so be it.

You make a good point on starting a firm. But I'd like to have a couple of yrs experience under my belt before trying that.

cpa_guy · 06-07-2005, 03:39 PM

also, guys do you know if the Pakistani PwC have a group by the name of SPA (Systems Process Assurance)? That is the area where I have the chance to work. From my understanding it's a mix of Information Systems and Accounting.

What's the job outlook for IT Auditing in Pakistan?

Pracs · 06-07-2005, 07:38 PM

I am not sure about Karachi, but the Lahore office has a sizeable GRMS group that has been involved in some very lucrative projects for the Private and the Public sector, including those for NADRA (the national database, ID cards and passports).

IT auditing has yet to make its mark in Pakistan, as of last information, none of the accounting firms including the Big4 have IT auditing groups for that matter.

cpa_guy · 06-08-2005, 02:22 PM

Pracs, I guess this doesn't necessarily pertain to Pakistani PwC, but do you think it is possible to move from IT Auditing to financial audit after some years?

See right now, I'm very confused as to what career path to take and am having a hard time deciding between Financial Audit and IT Audit. So I;m thinking I can join It Audit for now, if i don't like it, i'd switch to financial. But I don't know if PwC or any other public accounting firm would allow me to do that. DO you have any thoughts on this?

Pracs · 06-08-2005, 07:14 PM

Well CPA guy, from my personal experience I have seen more people moving from hardcore audit to IT audit. Which makes more sense since IT audit is more of a specialisation. I think most firms will encourage you to start in hardcore audit and then 1-2 years down the line give you opportunities to move into IT audit, this has been my experience while working for Big4s in Dubai and London. Unless you can appreciate the technical and practical issue related to an audit you cannot be an effective IT auditor. Having said that, I have also seen people joining in straight as grads in IT audit, but those are few and perhaps a new trend. Unfortunately I have no idea of how it works in the US.

cpa_guy · 06-11-2005, 01:47 PM

I think you raise a good point. IT audit is a specialization and the better path is to start out in financial audit and then down the line go to IT.

XBRL · 06-26-2005, 06:45 PM

Well i complement what pracs said, being closely associated with PwC lahore. Yeah its right the GRMS section of PwC Lahore has attained the top position from whole pakistan business. they are the pioneers accounting firm in implementing systems. But ur case is interesting. U want to complete CPA and return bak home. i will suggest u that u complete few yrs in PwC in GRMS sector and dont go for main frame accounting degrees but earn degress like CIA, CISA etc as i dont think CPA will help u in earning a good seat in some local compnay (unless its an MNC which are already overpopulated), thus BSc + CIA + CISA + 3 years training in PwC US is enof for u to get biggest advantage in less time (coz CPA i dont think is too easy to get).......

cpa_guy · 07-03-2005, 01:00 PM

thanks for the insights xbrl. Does PwC Lahore has a SPA (Systems Process Assurance) group? Simply put, this group takes care of IT Audit.

And yes you're right, my plan is to get about 4-5 yrs work exp. at PwC, along with CISA and CPA. You rightly pointed out that CPA is not easy to get but given my strong background in acctg concepts, inshallah i should be able to do it. So lets see how it goes )