Martin Dahl Nielsen works with many different small and medium-sized companies at Deloitte’s Esbjerg office. To him, in a world that is becoming more and more digital, creating strong personal relationships is more important than ever before.
Nothing like university. That’s probably the best way to describe the SR Academy (State Authorized Public Accountant Academy) according to Senior Manager in Deloitte, Martin Dahl Nielsen, who just completed his final exam and can now call himself a State Authorized Public Accountant. Whereas university is mostly theoretical; the SR Academy takes a practical approach to the many challenges that auditors face every day.
“One of the best things about the SR Academy is that you can use this knowledge directly and promptly in your everyday work. Especially when you’re working with small and medium-sized companies like I do, you face so many different challenges because you work with so many different owners. It’s all about becoming a trusted advisor with a broad experience to draw from, and the SR Academy is a huge boost in that direction.”
Since joining Deloitte 8 years ago, Martin has completed his Master of Science in Business Economics and Auditing (cand.merc.aud) after which he continued straight to the SR Academy.
“Of course, it’s been a tough ride sometimes. I’ve had two children while I was studying, and it definitely puts the family under pressure when you have to spend your Saturdays studying. Luckily, the SR Academy is specifically designed to accommodate for peak periods at work, so all in all everything worked out, and I’m happy to have made it through.”
On the other side of the academy, Martin can now focus on what he does best: Interacting with clients who are increasingly asking for help in the digital space:
“It’s no surprise that many of our clients are looking to explore new technologies and to work more efficiently to gain a competitive advantage. At Deloitte we have so many digital competencies, and we are happy to assist our clients. People sometimes call us the ‘dark Jutland’ here in Esbjerg, but I’d rather say the ‘bright Jutland’. There are so many things happening, and companies have high ambitions.”
However, even in a digital world, the classic virtues of relationship-building and earning each other’s trust will never go out of fashion, Martin predicts:
“As an auditor you have to be professional, trustworthy and down to earth; otherwise people will never be comfortable working with you. Even if you are aiming for the partnership at Deloitte, you won’t make it unless you can work with real business owners and meet them in their real business challenges. There is no greater hallmark of an auditor than building trust, and I try my best to live up to that every day.”
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