Senior Manager – People and Purpose Team at Deloitte Malta
Michelle Vassallo Pulis is a Senior Manager within the People and Purpose Team at Deloitte Malta, where she is responsible for devising the strategy involving the recruitment, onboarding and development journey of students joining the firm. With over 20 years of experience in the field of accounting, Michelle is a seasoned professional and a role model for aspiring accountants.
Michelle’s journey into accounting started when she was just 17 years old, as an Accounts Clerk with a local manufacturing firm. After five years in this role and whilst reading for the Bachelor of Accountancy course at the University of Malta, Michelle took a step further and joined Deloitte as a tax intern. Following her graduation, Michelle worked as an accountant and in internal audit, before eventually joining BPP Malta first as a lecturer and then as a joint director of studies. At the same time, she joined the University of Malta to deliver tutorials in financial accounting. In 2008, Michelle was instrumental in establishing the Richard Clarke Academy (RCA) in Malta and served as a lecturer and managing director of the academy. In December 2017, PwC Malta acquired RCA and Michelle joined PwC’s Academy, heading the ACCA pillar besides also lecturing a number of papers.
Michelle’s passion for education and development of accountants is evident from her 20-year long career. During these years, she has built strong relationships with numerous students and has seen many of them flourish into successful accountants and auditors. Michelle’s approach to teaching is centred around the student as a person, and she has always been there to support and empathise with her students, whether they pass their exams or not.
Michelle describes the accounting profession as ever-evolving, with technology bringing about huge changes in the way work is carried out. In her opinion, today’s accountants are required to have strong analytical skills and must be ready to learn new skills and adapt to an ever-changing environment. The profession has also seen increased regulatory oversight following several financial scandals, and it is of utmost importance that accountants keep abreast of these changes.
Michelle never regretted becoming an accountant and believes that an accounting qualification opens a world of opportunities, with many options to pursue and great potential for career progression. Michelle’s inspiring career is a testament to the opportunities and rewards that a career in accounting can bring. Her advice to aspiring accountants is ‘When I started my accounting career, I never imagined it would be so much rewarding. Today, the opportunities have increased. With the right guidance, commitment and determination, you can become part of a very dynamic profession.”
