Michael Schiop CPA

When I considered moving from New York to London, I did not give much thought to the possibility that I could work for a UK accounting firm such as Frank Hirth PLC, whose niche is US/UK taxation. For me this meant that my transition from the US to the UK would include at least one familiar aspect.

My experience, accumulated at Ernst & Young and combined with previous exposure to the general tax practice, seemed to be a good starting point to work at Frank Hirth. However, I still needed to fulfil the audit requirements in New York, in order to gain the CPA licence. That meant a delay of several months in my starting date, which I could not approximate. The Directors understood my situation and really tried to accommodate me. That showed a real belief in people and assured me that joining Frank Hirth was the best decision.

I mainly work with corporate clients, but I also review personal returns of high net worth individuals, research tax topics, and develop new staff. My career at Frank Hirth is focused on international tax aspects, as our clients have business interests in both the US and the UK. Client interaction is steadily increasing, either through meetings, email or telephone, which allows me to be their first contact and expand the firm’s client relationships. The learning curve is steep, but the support and resources are available, and I am looking forward to new challenges that lie ahead.