Rosanne Lok

What is your academic background?

After my pre-university studies, I left the Veluwe region and headed north to study Business Administration at the University of Groningen. After completing my Business Administration degree, with a specialisation in Accounting & Controlling, I was tempted by Tax Law. Having completed a pre-Master's, I then finished my Master's in 2021.

How did you end up at PwC?

Thanks to an exam training session in International Tax Law at the PwC office in Groningen. After speaking to the trainer, I became increasingly enthusiastic about tax law and decided to spend a day in the office, shadowing the tax advisers. This was an important moment because that's when I decided to change my career path and become a tax specialist. I eventually started at PwC as a working student specialising in tax law. I liked it so much that I never left.

Why did you choose PwC?

PwC offers development possibilities, including courses in other countries. In addition, PwC has a lot of tax specialists. There is always someone who specialises in a particular issue. This gives me the opportunity to quickly improve my professional know-how. Finally, I heard some great stories about the social events at PwC. I have attended a few in the meantime, so that says more than enough!

What exactly do you do?

I am a tax adviser in corporate tax within the Middle Market Public Sector team. I advise a wide range of clients. For instance, I often work for municipalities, care institutions and housing associations, as well as international (family) businesses. I not only help clients with issues concerning corporation income tax, but also with business succession, dividend tax, inheritance tax, gift tax (ANBI), income tax and international tax law.

What caught your intention when you first started at PwC?

That there are so many different teams at PwC! That can be a bit overwhelming when you first arrive, but thankfully, there was an onboarding process after the pandemic. This also helped me to learn many new people, and I also got a better idea about what all the different teams do, as well as everything that PwC can do for clients.

What does your working day look like?

I am a bit of an early bird, which means I always try to start early. The planned activities are different every single day. For instance, my activities involve compiling and devising advice, attending internal meetings for sparring purposes, having lunch with the team, supervising working students, and occasionally having client meetings. In addition, I am following training provided by the Dutch Association of Tax Advisers (NOB). Finally, our day-to-day activities are regularly interrupted by social events. For example, I went to Antwerp for two days together with our team, and we also sailed on the canals in Utrecht.

What do you enjoy about your work?

The variety. Each client is different, and that has an impact on our advice and our activities. That is why no two days are the same. In addition, I like that we have so much client contact. You are involved in client discussions from the very outset, and before you know it, you are their first point of contact.

What do you think about the work-life balance at PwC?

I like the work-life balance. The working hours at PwC are very flexible. There are no fixed start and end times, which gives you the freedom to plan your own work.

How does PwC help you in your chosen career path?

PwC offers a lot of opportunities for personal development. For instance, you follow standard training for tax adviser, although other internal training can also be used to maximise personal development. For instance, thanks to a multi-day training course in Prague, I was able to gain a better insight into tax-related international developments.

What would you like to say to your future colleagues?

Working for PwC is a real experience! I would advise everyone to start as a working student, and to see for yourself whether PwC is the firm for you.