Melissa Maharaj, Trinidad and Tobago
Melissa is an Audit Manager who relocated in 2013 and has found that the Isle of Man has given her more opportunity to grow her network and gain exposure which she may not have been able to in a larger jurisdiction.
Thanks for sitting down with us today, can you tell us a little about yourself and what brought you to the Island?
I’m Melissa Maharaj, I work at PricewaterhouseCoopers in the Isle of Man. I previously worked at PwC in Trinidad and Tobago, I saw that there was a position in the Isle of Man and subsequently applied for that.
I was able to come here in November 2013 and that has brought me to the position that I’m in now which is an audit Manager at PwC.
Why would you recommend the Isle of Man to others looking for a job in accountancy?
Because it’s a smaller jurisdiction you have a lot more opportunity to network and make contacts with people that you usually would not have the opportunity to in a larger jurisdiction.
How does working in accountancy in the Island compare to working further afield?
Previously I had to commute probably like 2-3 hours to get to work and that is one way, so probably like 4-6 hours of my day was spent in traffic. Nothing is that far enough to be able to complain about traffic, or to say that it is too far to get there. Everything is quite accessible and that alone I think kind of takes away the pressure.
In three words, how would you describe the Isle of Man to someone who has never been?
I’d say safe, it’s probably one of the safest places you can visit or live in. I’d say picturesque, there’s a lot of beautiful walks and hikes and stuff you can go on. And I’d say charming, it’s quite quaint, everything is close by and convenient.
What would be your advice to someone considering relocating their accountancy career to the Island?
Don’t be hesitant by the fact it is a small Island. You’re going to get the same level of exposure and experience that you will get anywhere else in the world and it is probably going to be on a lot more personal level than you would somewhere else.
For practical advice on relocating to the Isle of Man, contact our team.
