David Herbinet joined the Mazars Paris office in 1992 after studying Accountancy and Finance. He is now a Partner and Head of Corporate and Public Interest Markets (CAPIM) and oversees the technology, media and telecomms group.
What's an average day like for you?
I don’t really have an average day. New things crop up pretty much every hour and I need to be flexible to deal with them. It’s not much good if you like routine – two weeks ago I wrote five things on a ‘to do’ list and I’ve still only had time to do one of them!
Is there anything you particularly remember about your interviews with Mazars?
I remember one interview with a senior manager who had to stop the interview and speak on the phone to one of his clients.
Was that a good thing or a bad thing?
It was different! But I loved it. It made me feel that what was going on here was real, that these guys were on the go. Other interviews I went to felt a bit artificial - too many smiles while pouring coffee.
As a partner, you have grads working in your teams. How do they fit in?
Well, they’re not bag carriers. As soon as their week-long induction is over they’re doing proper work for clients with the rest of the team. One of the things we do is push them to learn the skills they don’t get through their exams.
How do you mean?
The grad scheme here is deliberately flexible. In some firms, grads can spend months doing the same small thing for the same big client. Here, placements are more fluid across services and sectors. Grads might be working with a drinks company one week, then the defence sector the next; an audit one week and a due diligence the next. It gives them a much broader business brain and trains people to think on their feet.
What advice would you give to people reading this?
There’s a shoe that fits every foot. Accountancy may be the career for you if you have strong analytical skills and a good understanding of the business world.
