Kenny McClymont

I am a fourth year student at the Edinburgh campus of Heriot-Watt University, having studied in Malaysia for my second year. I am certain in my choice of degree (MA Accountancy and Finance) after having relevant experience within audit. I am excited to further develop my skills in finance through an internship in summer, while helping me solidify my future career path.

During my time as an Audit Intern I developed my skills and knowledge in key areas:

Developed practical audit skills by performing substantive and control testing across client-provided financial data, ensuring accuracy and compliance with audit standards.
Utilised Excel to reconcile balances, analyse variances and prepare working papers for review by senior managers. 
Communicated professionally with clients to request supporting documentation and for clarification of previously provided information. 
Completed on-the-job training to build technical knowledge of audit software, compliance procedures, while quickly adapting to firm specific processes.

Overall the 6 weeks was an extremely beneficial experience, which helped me grow professionally and personally

I am currently in my fourth year at Heriot-Watt University Studying MA (Hons) Accountancy and Finance. 

Core subjects studied include:

Intermediate Financial Accounting

• Developed an in-depth understanding of financial statements (Statement of financial position, Cash flow statement and Statement of profit or loss).
• Analysed a public limited company’s annual report and accounts in respect of PPE, producing a report that could be used by users such as actual or potential investors.   
• Gained a thorough understanding of the International Financial Reporting Standards, following the standards to ensure consistency and comparability when creating financial statements.  

Corporate Financial Theory

• Calculating systematic, unsystematic and total risk of portfolios, applying findings to the utility theory to find the most optimal portfolio for the investor. 
• Applying investment appraisal techniques to proposed investments to ensure only profitable investments are accepted. 
• Proved my attention to detail after receiving 91% in both mid-term and final exam, receiving the highest mark for both within the Edinburgh campus. 

Quantitative methods

• Used Excel’s functions to solve Binomial and Poisson distribution problems while also undertaking hypothesis testing. 
• Graphing the solutions to create a visual aid when presenting solutions to the class.

GoGlobal programme:

• Confidently embarked on an academic year of study in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, during my 2nd year (2023-2024). Developed my intercultural skills while navigating a different culture and environment. 
• ‘Intercultural issues in business and management’. I gained a very strong understanding of cultural differences and intercultural issues that could arise in multinational organisations.