Our latest profile in our BDO CI ‘Future Leaders’ series features Sofia Furness, a Senior Associate in our Audit & Assurance business.
When Sofia joined BDO in Jersey from university, she knew she wanted a career that would give her options. What she may not have expected was that just a few years later she would be celebrating not only completing the ACCA qualification but also being recognised as a global prize winner for one of her final exams.
“It’s a good feeling,” she says. “Accountancy is very broad and opens lots of doors. Now I can start thinking about what I really want to focus on in the future.”
Sofia’s path into the profession was not a traditional one. After studying Criminology at Exeter University, she found herself looking for a career with long-term opportunities and variety.
“I enjoyed my degree and don’t regret it at all, but I realised accountancy could give me a really strong foundation and lots of different career options,” she explains.
That decision set her on a qualification journey that typically takes around two and a half years, alongside the practical experience required to become a fully qualified accountant.
Anyone who has completed a professional qualification will understand the commitment involved. Sofia sat every exam at the earliest opportunity and passed them all first time. Her approach was built on consistency and discipline.
“I used to get into the office at 6am and do a couple of hours of study before work. That way I had my evenings free,” she says.
While some technical areas proved challenging, she believes success ultimately came down to putting in the work.
“It’s a hard qualification, but it’s not impossible. If you put the time in and keep going, the results show.”
Professional qualifications are rarely completed alone and Sofia is quick to acknowledge the role that her BDO Jersey colleagues played in helping her thrive.
“BDO is really good at making sure exams come first,” she says. “You still have responsibilities at work, but people genuinely understand what you’re trying to achieve.”
She particularly highlights the support she received from her line manager, Rhys Powell, who had completed the same qualification.
“He understood exactly what I was going through because he’d been through it himself. When things got busy, he was really good at helping manage workloads and making sure I had the time I needed to focus on exams.”
That shared experience is something Sofia believes makes a real difference.
“Many of our managers have been through the same process, so they understand the pressures and can support you in the right way.”
That support extends beyond the office through BDO Jersey’s relationship with Chapter One, whose structured tuition and exam preparation have been an important part of the qualification journey for Sofia and her colleagues.
For many trainees, the combination of BDO’s workplace support and Chapter One’s specialist training creates the right environment to progress with confidence.
For Sofia, one of the most rewarding aspects of the experience was progressing alongside a cohort of colleagues.
“We all started the journey together and became really close. Everyone understands what you’re going through because they’re on the same path,” she says.
The shared experience created lasting friendships and a strong sense of belonging. “You support each other through revision periods, exams and results days. It’s more than just a qualification.”
Now she is nearing full qualification status, Sofia is excited about the opportunities ahead. The ACCA programme has given her experience across multiple areas of finance and business, helping her build skills that extend beyond audit work alone.
For those considering a similar career path, her advice is simple:
“Don’t write accountancy off before you understand what it really is. Accountancy can take you in lots of different directions and it’s about much more than just the qualification itself.”
When asked to sum up her experience in three words, Sofia chose: ‘positive’, ‘supported’ and ‘finished’! The last word may reflect the relief of completing 13 professional exams, but the first two perhaps say the most about her journey.
At BDO across Jersey and Guernsey, developing future professionals is about more than helping people pass exams. It’s about creating an environment where talented individuals are supported to grow, achieve their ambitions and build rewarding careers.
And judging by Sofia’s success, that approach is working.
