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Andrew Collins

As a Forensic consultant, I help organisations respond rapidly to instances of alleged fraud, bribery and other misconduct, as well as law enforcement and regulatory inquiries.

What's your job about?

As a Forensic consultant, I help organisations respond rapidly to instances of alleged fraud, bribery and other misconduct, as well as law enforcement and regulatory inquiries. Within the Forensic & Integrity Services teams, there is a range of service offerings, and therefore projects can differ substantially. For example, I can be using Forensic Data Analytics to understand instances and trends of fraudulent transactions or conducting a Fraud Risk Assessment workshop to help a client identify potential fraud and corruption risks associated with their day to day business operations.

What's your background?

I’m originally from South Africa but spent 16 years growing up in Dubai, UAE as my parents moved there for work. Living as an expat in Dubai was an incredible experience, I was fortunate to learn about many different cultures and now I’m lucky enough to have friends located all around the world. Once I completed high school in Dubai, I decided to move to Brisbane and study at the University of Queensland whilst residing at King’s College.

During my time at UQ, I embraced various opportunities, from working for a FinTech start-up to managing a Rugby Program that saw us compete on an international scale. Not only were these experiences super fun, but they also provided me with core soft skills that have set me up for success when working with EY clients.

In my final year of university (and after my fair share of undergraduate networking events), I applied for the EY Graduate Program and was pleased to find out that I was accepted into the Forensic & Integrity Service team. I have now been in the position for over 8 months and have never looked back. I love what EY stands for and I am truly proud to work at EY.

Could someone with a different background do your job?

Yes, I believe people with other backgrounds could do my job, and a large part of that is a testament to EY and how they embrace diversity. However, whilst a different background might mean you can do the job, there are some key traits that are both highly respected and appreciated at EY. The first, ambition for growth and development, and the second, a positive attitude. From my experience to date, both enable a strong and positive start to a career.

What's the coolest thing about your job?

As Forensic and Integrity Services is a national team we are fortunate enough to travel and work on engagements across Australia and New Zealand. As consultants, this gives us an amazing opportunity to work with different teams across Oceania, whilst gaining exposure to various industries, sectors and challenges. Since starting my job at EY, I have worked on over a dozen clients across multiple sectors.

Investigations are great fun too, tapping into the problem-solving skills and pulling the pieces together to uncover the reason behind why and how the fraud took place is always extremely satisfying.

What are the limitations of your job?

In our investigations and compliance function, a lot of our work has the potential to go through the courts and judicial system. Therefore, high quality needs to be maintained throughout the engagement, combined with quick turnaround times which puts a substantial amount of responsibility on the engagement team. Given that investigations often require a rapid response, determination and long hours are sometimes required to meet client deadlines and expectations. But don’t worry, we also have plenty of downtime throughout the year!

3 pieces of advice for yourself when you were a student...

  1. Find your purpose. Figure out what it is that you are passionate about and follow that passion.
  2. Experience, experience & experience. I would encourage all students to get outside their comfort zones and get some unique and interesting experiences under their belt.
  3. Network – it’s no surprise that opportunities come to people that go the extra mile and ask for opportunities. Get out there and build your professional network!