2024 EY Young Tax Professional of the Year finalists

Tugce is the finalist representing Austria. She received a bachelor’s degree from Vienna (WU Wien) in November 2020 and will receive a master’s degree in January 2024. Her first work experience was a summer internship with a tax consultancy firm where she worked part-time until taking educational leave to focus on her thesis. From a career perspective, she is interested in both the private and public sectors. She would like experience working in government agencies and trade unions, as well as working as a legal advisor for international companies. Tugce likes to read books, in Turkish or German, and loves nature and walking outside. She also enjoys spending time with friends.

Jorg is the finalist representing Belgium. He received his master’s degree in Commercial Science from Hasselt University in 2021 and a postgraduate degree in Tax Law in 2023. He is a junior corporate tax consultant at EY Tax Consultants BV, working on corporate tax advisory projects for multinationals. His career aspirations include being able to navigate complex tax regulations and shaping and influencing tax policies. He is also interested in technological advancements, which is why he studied information technology for a year. His hobbies are skiing and traveling, and he is fluent in Dutch and English. 

Innara is the finalist representing Canada. She received her master’s in International Business and AI in Project Management from SKEMA Business School, and a post-graduation certification in Data Analytics from Purdue University. She is part of the Tax Technology Transformation team at Ernst & Young LLP, and volunteers with EY Ripples, the global EY corporate responsibility program. Prior to joining EY, she worked for a supplier of flash memory and solid state drives as a post sales and reconfiguration specialist and earlier as a business development intern. Innara enjoys traveling, hiking, exploring and meeting new people. She is fluent in English, Hindi, Urdu and Gujarati. 

Lasse is the finalist representing Denmark. He attends Aalborg University (AAU) where he will be receiving a Master of Science in Business Administration and Commercial Law in 2024. For the past year and a half, he has worked part time as a tax intern in an audit firm. He works in the global mobility advisory team assisting colleagues on national and international tax advisory matters. Lasse enjoys spending time with family and friends, indulging in audio books, golf and handball (initially at a competitive level but more recently, on a more social level).  Whenever possible, Lasse enjoys traveling. This past summer he spent a month traveling through Indonesia. His time in Sumba (Indonesian island) was one of the most remarkable travel experiences he has ever had because he feels it offers a diverse tapestry of culture, nature, and scenery.  Lasse speaks Danish and English. 

Franca is the finalist representing Germany. She received a Master of Science in Business Administration – Accounting & Taxation with a focus on corporate taxation at the University of Cologne in March 2023 and a Bachelor of Science in Management and Economics at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz in 2020. She is a consultant in the International Tax and Transaction Services team for Ernst & Young GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft, focusing on transfer pricing controversy and operational transfer pricing. The projects she works on gives her the opportunity to deepen her knowledge in operational transfer pricing and international tax matters. Franca likes to spend her free time refurbishing vintage mid-century modern furniture, visiting second-hand markets and designing her home. She is fluent in German and English. 

James is the finalist representing Greece. He is working toward a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance from Athens University of Economics and Business, graduating in 2025. He helps livestream Sunday mass for the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Athens and has volunteered with efforts to help the homeless. In the summer of 2023, he visited Portugal for two weeks during the Catholic World Youth Day events, which he says was a great experience. James loves learning about history, geography, different cultures and languages, as well as hiking on Greek archaeological sites and mountains. He also enjoys listening to classical, renaissance and folk music. James speaks Greek, English and French. 

Janani is the finalist representing India. She received a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting and Finance in 2020 and is pursuing her Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Company Secretaryship certifications. She is an intern in the Global Compliance & Reporting team with Ernst & Young LLP in India. Janani contributes to diverse tax projects, including tax advisory on intellectual property ownership realignment, legal entity rationalization, and other compliance matters. She also volunteers on weekends for an organization that provides basic necessities for elderly people and children in need. Janani has always been fascinated with colors. She likes to draw and paint during her free time, and is fluent in English, Tamil and Hindi. 

Santa is the finalist representing Japan. He is majoring in Sports and Science, a choice fueled by his lifelong passion for sports. He will be graduating from Doshisha University in March 2025 with a Bachelor of Science. Santa wants to pursue a career in finance with a focus on mergers and acquisitions. His long-term goal is to establish and manage a large-scale business, and he believes that knowledge and experience in law, finance, tax and accounting will help. In addition to his studies, Santa teaches English. He says it brings him joy because there’s nothing like witnessing the moment when students finally grasp a concept or respond to a question with confidence. 

Roberto is the finalist representing Luxembourg. He received a Bachelor of Laws in European Law and a Master of Laws in International and European Tax Law from Maastricht University and a Master of Laws in International Trade and Investment Law from the University of Amsterdam. He is an assistant tax consultant with the ITTS team at Ernst & Young Tax Advisory Services S.à r.l. in Luxembourg. He previously worked as a legal intern at an Italian boutique civil law firm and a Dutch law firm. He also worked as a legal consultant for a foundation that aims to ensure fair pricing for essential medicines. His career aspiration is to develop his tax knowledge and become an expert in the field. In his spare time, Roberto enjoys reading novels, going on hikes and practicing martial arts, particularly Muay Thai. He is fluent in Italian and English. 

Isabella, based in Mexico, is one of three finalists representing Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela. She graduated in 2022 from Tecnológico de Monterrey where she studied International Relations. She is part of the Immigration Team within People Advisory Services in Mancera S.C. While at Tecnológico de Monterrey, she completed a semester abroad in Madrid, and while there, worked as an export assistant for an industrial cement multinational. Isabella hopes to improve her knowledge of immigration policies while taking on increasing responsibilities and developing leadership skills. She wants to get involved in innovative projects to drive positive changes for clients, communities and the EY organization. Isabella enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, doing Pilates and indoor cycling, going to the movies, trying new places to eat and walking her dog. She is fluent in Spanish and English and speaks some German. 

Marie is the finalist representing Norway. She received a Bachelor’s in Business Law and Economics and will receive a Master of Laws from the University of Oslo in 2027. She finds law exciting and aspires to become a partner at a corporate law firm. She was an intern with the law team at another Big Four, where she contributed to a  financial regulatory project in Oslo. She has some experience as a broker assistant after a summer internship at a private investment firm. Skiing has been Marie’s passion for the past 13 years. She was a semi-professional alpine skier, attended a high school for elite sports training and skiing and is currently a children’s alpine skiing coach. She also enjoys skiing, boat trips, and playing golf and tennis. Marie speaks both English and Norwegian. 

Aliya is the finalist representing the Philippines. She will receive a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from the University of the Cordilleras in September 2024, and she plans to take the exam to become a certified Public Accountant. She recently finished the Nurturing Leaders Internship Program at SGV & Co. where she was an Assurance intern. She aspires to become a managing partner in an audit firm and be a catalyst for innovation in the world of audit. Aliya loves reading novels that center on foreign culture and history, and spending time with her dogs. During the pandemic, she learned how to sew face masks and make face shields, then she and her family donated hundreds to health workers and frontline workers. She is fluent in Filipino, English and Ilocano.

Zhi Hong is the finalist representing Singapore. He is studying accountancy and business analytics at Nanyang Technological University and will graduate in 2024. Previous work experience includes an internship with EY Corporate Advisors Pte. Ltd. where he completed a 10-month rotation in Assurance and a three-month rotation in Tax. While in the Tax team, Zhi Hong focused on transfer pricing documentation, market research on tax laws and regulations and tax advisory. He hopes to become a tax consultant, and, because he thinks they provoke critical thinking and in-depth analysis, finds tax advisory and tax audit very interesting. Zhi Hong's hobbies include cooking and baking, especially with family and friends. He is also interested in traditional Chinese medicine and will be going to the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine in December 2023 on a cultural exchange to learn more about it.

Borja is the finalist representing Spain. He is pursuing a double master’s degree in Legal Studies and an LLM. (Corporate Tax Advisory) at IE Law School. He hopes to take a Legal English course to refresh and expand his knowledge in this area. He had an internship at a railway company while completing his bachelor's degree, working with the Head of Tax. This experience allowed him to gain valuable insights into corporate taxation, and he says that he discovered that working in a tax department is far from monotonous or boring. Borja likes spending time with friends and family. He enjoys all kinds of sports, especially skiing. He is fluent in Spanish, Catalan and English. 

Agathe is the finalist representing Switzerland. She graduated with a double master’s in Business Law and Business Management from EDHEC Business School in Lille (France) in May 2021. She is expected to graduate with a Tax LL.M from the University of Geneva in December 2024. Although now a senior consultant at Ernst & Young AG, she first joined the EY team as an intern in 2020. Her responsibilities include supporting companies in their transfer pricing documentation requirements and advising on other transfer pricing matters. She hopes to increase her tax knowledge and have more of a client-facing role, where she can help support companies as they make strategic decisions. Agathe’s hobbies include cooking, running and traveling. She backpacked across Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam on her own for a month, discovering new cultures and testing new food. 

Purita is the finalist representing Thailand. She graduated from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University in Singapore, majoring in Economics and Finance. Purita is a Transfer Pricing Consultant at EY Corporate Services Limited, helping the Transfer Pricing team prepare draft reports and financial calculations. Previously, Purita was a search engine optimization (SEO) specialist intern at a digital performance marketing agency. Before graduation, she was a finance trainee with an international hotel chain, where she networked with finance leaders from hotels in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar, and worked on gathering and analyzing data from different hotels. Purita enjoys listening to true crime podcasts and is fluent in Thai, English and Mandarin Chinese.

Gökdeniz is the finalist representing Turkiye. He is a fourth-year Economics student at the Middle East Technical University. With elective courses such as Technology and Development and International Economics, he looks forward to starting his career while expanding his worldview. Previously, he held an internship with the Turkish Ministry of Treasury and Finance, learning about public debt management and public finance. He enjoys auteur cinema and music, solo traveling and experiencing other cultures, cities and lifestyles. He is enthusiastic about modern Turkish politics and watching new documentaries. He is fluent in Turkish and English. 

Sukhmani is the finalist representing the United Kingdom. She graduated from the London School of Economics and Political Science in 2022 and is working at Ernst & Young Services Limited in London as an assistant tax advisor in the International Tax and Transaction Services team. She is a part qualified chartered accountant (CA) and is working on her Test of Professional Expertise from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS). Sukhmani has always been passionate about problem solving. She believes it is important to approach problems from multiple angles and consider various factors in any given situation. She approaches client work in the same way – believing they present a unique set of complex requirements that demand adaptability and effective problem solving. In her spare time, Sukhmani is a GCSE and A-level math tutor. She enjoys painting, specifically digital art, traveling, and taking her golden retriever – Champ – on long walks.