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Orla Collins

Head of Compliance and Customer Care, Bank of Ireland Private Banking Limited, Ireland

For Orla Collins, other than completing her ACCA studies, learning to walk again after a serious accident over four years ago was a major achievement. Since then, she has moved the goal posts to include work on reducing her golf handicap and completing a Masters in Strategic Management.

With over 13 years' experience, Orla has performed a variety of job roles in the banking sector from branch banking and financial control to internal audit and asset management. She is currently holds the position of Compliance Manager with Bank of Ireland Private Banking Limited, responsible for all compliance and risk matters. 'I didn't start out with the objective of doing the job I have now - things have happened through a culmination of hard work and seizing opportunities as they presented themselves,' she reports.

For her, ACCA was the natural choice for me after completing the AAT qualification. 'ACCA has the reputation as one of the best business qualifications in Ireland,' she elaborates, adding: 'ACCA members are logical thinkers who can take on a significant number of roles in any organisation - not just within the finance.'

Orla's friends and work colleagues found it hard to understand the commitment involved in completing the ACCA examinations. But she believes the time and effort was worthwhile. 'I pride myself in being part of the biggest professional business organisation in the world,' she says, explaining that it has enabled her to meet a wealth of like-minded, vibrant and interesting people, some of which are among her closest circle of friends.