Suzanne Perry, treasurer, Elsevier Finance SA
Suzanne Perry is a treasurer at Elsevier Finance SA. She attended Lancaster University.
A degree in philosophy
I knew I wanted to work in the private sector and always found maths easy. My parents are tax consultants and I share their mathematical ability. At school however I preferred the subjects I found more challenging and combined geography and English with my double maths A levels and went on to study philosophy at university – I have not come across many other accountants or treasurers with a philosophy degree, so in that regard I am atypical. But philosophy combines analytical thought with argumentative essay writing, disciplines I still use daily.
Getting qualified
Joining Deloitte after university to train as a chartered accountant meant I could get business exposure and a valued qualification whilst keeping my options open. After four years general audit was not holding my interest and I moved into the treasury function at Reed Elsevier. I took the decision to stay in treasury and so decided to take the ACT’s AMCT Diploma in Treasury (as I am ACA qualified I was eligible for paper exemptions). I then went on to complete the ACT’s MCT Advanced Diploma in Treasury because, although my skills were recognised by my employer, I wanted something more tangible to show that I had high level ability in my chosen field. After eight years at the Reed Elsevier head office in London I have now moved to the Swiss Finance Company. I love the fact that I have the power and ability to make a significant difference to the bottom line.
I have not come across many other accountants or treasurers with a philosophy degree
Advice to graduates
For graduates who do not know what area to specialise in, I found training with one of the Big 4 accounting firms very helpful and it did me no harm when I later decided to specialise. Whatever job you go for, prepare well. I interviewed undergraduates in my final year at Deloitte and if someone had not bothered to read the recruitment literature and could not back up the skills stated on their CV with ‘real-life’ examples then I could not put them through, whatever their grades and however much I liked them.
