Meet our 2021 EY Young Tax Professional of the Year finalists

Yannick is the finalist from Belgium. He has been working as a junior corporate tax consultant in the EY Ghent office since August 2021, following the completion of his Master of Taxation from the University of Ghent in June 2020. When not busy with EY work, he enjoys spending time with his girlfriend and other friends, and is passionate about sports-oriented activities like football, cycling, and running. When he was in school, he says he often worked as an educator and coach for children, which was very rewarding.

Shiraz recently joined the EY office in Toronto, working on tax compliance with capital markets and technology sector clients. This fits perfectly with her career aspirations of merging her “passion for tax and technology” and developing into a transformational leader. Prior to joining EY, she worked as a business technology consultant for pharmaceutical, healthcare, distribution and professional services organizations. She’s working on a Master of Taxation and her CPA at the University of Waterloo. She enjoys painting, dancing and traveling, and has been to 20 countries. 

Linda, based in Colombia, recently graduated as a lawyer from Del Rosario University with minors in Commercial Law and Tax Law. During her time there, she was a member of the University’s tax clinic. Linda is pursuing a postgraduate degree in Commercial Law while working at the EY office in Bogota. She joined EY in 2019 as an intern and is now part of the Business Tax Advisory team. Previously, she worked as a legal assistant at a firm that serves the oil and gas sector. She aspires to work in the entertainment, technology or sports industry on the tax or business side. A former gymnast, Linda is a fan of musical theater and plays the saxophone and the piano. She enjoys building Lego, doing jigsaw puzzles and running.

Dionigi is the finalist representing Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama. He completed his law degree from Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE) in Santo Domingo in July 2021. He is working with the EY Law team in the Dominican Republic while doing a master’s degree in Business Law at ADEN International Business School. Before joining EY, he served as head of the claims and legal department at an insurance agency. Dionigi is a sports enthusiast. Despite being a fan of football for as long as he can remember, he has recently taken up volleyball and is loving it. Fun fact: he was born in Italy, moved to Cuba as a toddler and is now living in the Dominican Republic. 

Maija is pursuing an MSc in Economics and Business Administration at Aalto University School of Business in Finland. She is working for a tax technology company with a mission to revolutionize transfer pricing by automating documentation and introducing advanced analytics tools. She says it’s a thrilling place to be. She describes herself as “a bit of a foodie” who loves searching for delicious new flavors locally and in her travels. In the summertime, she enjoys sailing and “visiting the beautiful Finnish archipelago.” During the winter, you can find her cross-country skiing “as much as possible.”

Henrico Gustav Mikhail, based in the Philippines, is the EY Global Delivery Services (GDS) finalist, representing GDS professionals from Argentina, India and the Philippines. He is currently working toward a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from De La Salle University (DLSU) in Manila, studying under the STAR Scholarship program, a scholastic scholarship given to the top 20 students at DLSU. He loves the outdoors, going for adventures and sports. Since the pandemic started, he has discovered the fun in watching sitcoms, medical dramas and action films. 

Abraham completed studies for his bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Ghana in September. The bachelor’s program gave him the opportunity to study courses outside of accounting, including finance, taxation, marketing, HR and public administration which broadened his understanding of the challenges companies face. With a pair of internships under his belt, Abraham is now completing Ghana’s mandatory year of national service. After that, he hopes to get a job at one of the Big Four firms. During his spare time, he enjoys catching up on sports news and watching movies and science documentaries. He also says he values a good upbringing, and therefore helps teach kids as a volunteer at his church as well as in the community.

Urja holds a Master of Commerce degree from Mumbai University in India and is a chartered accountant. She has been with the EY Transactions Tax team in Mumbai for over two years, working on assignments for both private equities and multinational corporations. She believes that her perseverance, curiosity and ability to think on her feet helps her do well at work, and credits “some of the most inspiring and enriching” mentors for her work-related successes. She loves activities where she can be creative like graphic design and calligraphy, and loves to dance. She also cofounded an online personalized gifting platform where they curate and deliver gifts across India.

Matteo has a degree in Economics and Management from LUISS University in Rome and is expected to finish his MSc in December in Accounting and Financial Management and Control at Bocconi University in Milan. He has an international education, having completed student exchange programs at HEC Paris and Tulane University. He’s also attended tax law courses at four universities in three countries, including Paris (France), Milan and Rome (Italy), and New Orleans (United States). A former rugby player for 11 years, he also enjoys reading, watching movies and playing football. 

Eleni-Lydia is the finalist from Luxembourg. She obtained her Bachelor of Law in Greece and her Master of Law in Luxembourg, specializing in International and European Tax Law. Along the way she worked as a trainee lawyer in the legal department of a Greek bank and at UNESCO in Paris. Before joining the EY Luxembourg team, she was employed as a junior tax associate in an international law firm, and that experience showed her the type of environment she hopes to have a career in. Her favorite pastimes include working with animals and helping children get closer to nature. She volunteers weekends at her local animal shelter and also enjoys movies and theater.

Viviana graduated in June 2020 with a BSc in International Public Accounting from CETYS University in Tijuana, Mexico. She is on the EY Global Compliance & Reporting team in Tijuana, preparing and reviewing tax obligations for multinational clients operating in Mexico. She plans to pursue a master’s degree while working as a tax consultant to get the most from classroom lessons and real-world experiences. Working alongside other EY teams, Viviana hopes to play a role in helping clients understand the changing tax legislation landscape and manage risks. She participated in an intercultural leadership exchange with the United Nations and has volunteered with a legal aid group that helps immigrants return to their home countries. She enjoys art expositions, visiting vineyards and being a “tourist” in her own city. 

Faithful is working on his Bachelor of Law at the University of Ibadan in Nigeria. He has also completed online courses in accounting, business law and business management from different institutions. He hopes to have a career in tax, being interested in areas such as transfer pricing, tax advisory, tax litigation and tax compliance. Faithful’s activities include tax club, serving as president of the literary and debate club, and head of Faculty of Law Chamber Support Force. He also belongs to the Headfort Foundation, an organization that works to support inmates and ex-inmates in Nigeria. When relaxing, he likes watching animations and football, singing, reading and just being with friends.

Jawhar, from Oman, is one of four finalists representing the Middle East and North Africa region. She completed her BSc in International Business and Finance from the University of Reading in England in 2020 and now works with the EY Indirect Tax team in Muscat. She is also pursuing the Oman VAT Diploma qualification but says the field of mergers and acquisitions also holds her interest. On the weekends, she can often be found on some type of outdoor adventure like running, cycling, swimming and aerial sports. To wind down, she reads fiction novels and self-help books. She has volunteered at a local school, helping children with their reading and writing. 

Mehaira, originally from Sudan, is the Qatar EY Young Tax Professional of the Year finalist, and one of the four finalists representing the Middle East and North Africa region. She earned a BSc in International Economics from Georgetown University Qatar in 2019 and has been part of the EY Global Compliance & Reporting team in Qatar for the past two years. She is passionate about sustainability and anything that helps her give back to Mother Nature would be her dream job. In her spare time, she is an avid film buff. She loves talking about movies, movie theories, actors, directors, and all things a wannabe cinephile would enjoy. 

Mohammed, from Saudi Arabia, is one of the four finalist representing the Middle East and North Africa region. He received his BSc in Finance in 2019 from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals and now works as a tax associate in the EY office in Saudi Arabia. His experience in various industries has helped him understand different aspects of business and dealing with clients. Mohammed’s main goal is to become an inspiring leader, delivering high-quality services to clients and supporting his team members by sharing his knowledge. In addition to traveling, reading, diving, hiking, and cooking international dishes, he has volunteered to clean beaches and parks.

Having completed a bachelor’s degree in Accounting Sciences with distinction from the University of Pretoria, Deena, the finalist from South Africa, is now completing a post-graduate diploma. This is the route to become a Chartered Accountant which is what she aspires to be. The coursework focuses on four subjects – Taxation, Auditing, Financial Management and Financial Accounting – with Taxation, being her primary area of interest. She hopes to one day make a valuable contribution to international tax regulations and transfer pricing legislation. She enjoys exercising, running, playing tennis and, above all, hockey. She also enjoys watching sports on television, making the Olympic Games in Tokyo a highlight for her. Deena played against a member of the South Africa woman’s Olympic hockey team after the Games ended. The Olympian gave Deena her South African Olympics hockey shirt, making it one of the greatest moments of her life.

Bipash keeps a busy schedule. He is finishing up his Undergraduate of Bachelor of Laws (LLB) at General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University in Sri Lanka. He serves the community as president of the Rotaract Club of Achievers Lanka Business School. He has been involved in many projects while being a member, but he considers “Project Life” a milestone because they provided people in rural areas with clean drinking water. His tax work at the EY organization doesn’t leave much free time, but it has helped him understand why and how different tax rates apply to different companies. When he can get away, he enjoys cheering on Chelsea Football Club and playing badminton with family and friends. In quieter moments, he prefers reading up on local and international news over browsing social media. Fun fact: he’s pretty sure he’s never watched a full season of any TV show.

Alex is living in Geneva but earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Business Law and Economics, both summa cum laude, from Toulouse School of Economics in France. He is intently focused on learning the technical aspects of taxation and tax regulations, and has already been exposed to a range of international tax of topics while working at EY. Alex intends to share his knowledge at every turn and will be returning to Toulouse later this year to speak to students about his work experience. He enjoys hiking, reading, cooking and traveling, and is eager to explore more of the Geneva area. Ask him about: Tokaj winemaking, which his birthplace in northeastern Hungary is known for and which he learned to do. 

Patthranit has acquired diverse job experience since graduating in 2018 with a BBA in Accounting and Finance from Assumption University in Thailand. She first worked as an assistant auditor, then spent a year as an accountant at a Japanese firm. Aiming for more specialization, she joined the People Advisory Services team at EY in 2020 and looks after personal income tax matters. For fun, she enjoys Netflix and music, and wants to learn to dance.

Lucy earned a degree in Sport and Social Sciences from the University of Bath in England. While at University, she took part in EY’s Summer Internship program in Bristol, working with the corporate tax team. The team she worked with inspired her to join EY after graduation and now works on the EY Private team. She is currently studying for her chartered accountancy and chartered tax adviser certifications. Outside the office, she enjoys sports and fitness activities, including biking with EY colleagues to get to know them better. She also enjoys organizing office activities, such as virtual coffee breaks, a winter step challenge and a cancer fundraiser.