Patrick Joseph Houlihan, Fund Accountant, HedgeServ

Degree subject BA Hons Finance and Accounting, Maynooth University
Job title Fund Accountant
Employer HedgeServ

How you become interested in a career in the finance sector?

I’ve always had an interest in finance from an early age so it came as no surprise to anyone that my CAO form was populated with various accountancy courses.

How did your degree contribute to you landing your current job, and how has it assisted you in your ACCA studies?

My degree has played an integral role in my ACCA studies, entitling me to seven exemptions, meaning I only have to complete seven exams in total. HedgeServ is financially assisting me to achieve these exams in its ACCA programme through reimbursement once I successfully complete each exam.

What does your daily role involve, and what’s been one of the biggest challenges so far and what did it teach you about yourself?

I perform cash, trade position and market value reconciliations on investment funds between HedgeServ, brokers and my team’s assigned client on a daily basis.
Trading on these funds can become complex. My role, along with my team, is to resolve these discrepancies in timely manner, ensuring we meet our deadlines consistently. This can be the most challenging aspect of the role but I have dealt with stringent deadlines in the past through my studies and in previous roles before joining HedgeServ. I have learned that the skills and experiences I have gathered from my previous roles have helped me to succeed in my current career path.

What’s exciting about your job?

The sector is a growing rapidly and Dublin is the top location in the world for management companies to source the administration and servicing of their funds. Depending on your role and the type of funds you deal with, it could provide
opportunities for travel across the world.

What advice would you have for students and graduates seeking to pursue a similar career path?

Fund administration is a highly specialised type of accounting career. The role can be very rewarding with opportunities to progress through the ranks for those who have the flair for fund administration and a drive to succeed. However, being so specialised makes transferring to other areas of accounting limited. If someone is thinking of pursuing a career in fund administration they should research the industry in depth and have a clear understanding of what the job will entail as it will likely be a long term career path.

How do you hope to see your career developing over the next few years?

My current objective is to complete the last of my ACCA exams. As I gather experience and get more exposure to fund administration, I’d like to see myself progress to more senior roles where I am a team leader, handling the intricate details of
correspondences and negotiations with clients.