Anne Keogh
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Anne Keogh |
Finance Director, NeedaHotel.com, Ireland
ACCA helped give Anne Keogh a definite structure to her career and life. "I had a purpose," she says, explaining: "having moved from job to job, I needed something to hold my interest and that would stand the test of time."
After looking into all the options, Anne decided that ACCA suited her lifestyle best and, most importantly, offered an adaptable qualification which would give her lots of choices and opportunities throughout her life.
Commencing her ACCA studies in her late twenties meant that Anne found it hard to keep a healthy balance between work, family, study and friends. "My final year was the most traumatic. Life became a merry-go-round, with work commencing at 7am , college at 6pm and study at 10pm. But now I look back on the sweat and tears, I know it was worth it!"
After eight years at the Jefferson Smurfit Group, Anne worked for Adare Printing Group PLC - starting as the PA to the Finance Director and rising to become the Group Accountant by the time she left four years later. She credits her spell as General Manager with An Oige, the Irish Youth Hostel Organisation, as providing hands-on people experience for her current role as Finance Director of NeedaHotel.com, which sells hotel accommodation via the web.
Continual learning for Anne has been the key to success. "The constant updating of accounting practices has kept me on my toes," she explains, adding: "And I have been extremely lucky in working for some of the most prominent businessmen in Ireland."