Scouring the world for accountants

What with the shortage of ACAs in England, it seems banks are going for CAs in Scotland and ACAs in Singapore instead.

"The Scottish finance community has a continual battle to keep hold of CA staff," says Tristan Dunkley, a consultant in the Glasgow office of accountancy recruitment firm Poolia. "Scottish accountants are being poached more frequently now than they have ever been - a newly qualified CA from one of the Big Four can earn 35k here and 55k in London."

Steve Leeson, associate director for permanent finance recruitment at Morgan McKinley, is looking even further afield - at accountants based in the likes of Singapore, Tokyo and Hong Kong. He says demand for product control accountants is "hugely above the talented supply" - especially those with two to four years' post-qualified experience. He adds that all the "big brand banks" are recruiting.

Dunkley confirms that the dearth of ACAs and Scottish CAs is encouraging employers to accept CIMA and ACCA-qualified accountants instead - although he adds that because many accountants currently employed by banks have ACAs, they tend to hire in their own mould.