What made you apply to Deloitte, and why Japanese Human Capital?

Given Deloitte’s excellent reputation for the quality of their tax services, I was excited by the prospect of working within a team which could offer access to an array of varied and high-calibre clients, whilst also obtaining respected professional qualifications.

Can you tell us a little bit about the team?

The team provides tax advisory and compliance services to clients of varying sizes, the vast majority of which are Japanese companies (and many clients are very well known household names).

Tell us a typical day for you.

Tasks can be varied and are likely to differ depending on the time of year. The most common tasks include meetings with international client employees to discuss the UK tax implications of their change in work location, Form P11D and tax return preparation, assisting clients with the operation of modified payroll schemes, corresponding with clients in relation to queries, attending team training sessions and assisting in the organisation of client events.

What type of work do you find most interesting?

In my initial year, I have most enjoyed getting involved with client ‘entry and exit briefings’. I find that here you not only get given an excellent opportunity for direct client contact but it’s a fantastic opportunity to widen your technical knowledge and understanding, whilst also building rapport with clients.

What stuff can you get involved with outside of your core work?

The team organises client events such as the quarterly ‘Japan Think Space’ evenings, where presentation and group discussions take place in relation to varying topics which affect client industries. There is much opportunity to both assist with organising these events and to attend events. Within Deloitte, as a firm, there are many opportunities to get involved in community volunteer projects and charity fundraising events, I am currently fundraising for charity by running the “Deloitte Corporate 13.1” Half Marathon. Additionally, Deloitte also has a vast array of social clubs.

Do you need to speak Japanese in your daily work?

There are many opportunities to utilise Japanese language skills on a day basis. However, it is not a necessity to have such skills in order to be an effective member of the team and I myself am not a Japanese speaker. The desire to learn about Japanese culture is also important and there are many opportunities to practice and develop your Japanese language skills should you choose to.

An interview with Matt Curless - Analyst, Tax, Global Employer Services

More about JHC

The Japanese Human Capital team (JHC) sits within International Assignment Services (IAS) and Global Employer Services (GES) in the Tax service line. We are situated in the London office and provide services to over 200 Japanese corporations in the UK and Europe.

We provide employment tax and human capital advisory services to Japanese companies operating in the UK and Europe. In addition to expatriate tax compliance and consulting services, we also work together with our clients to define their global human capital needs and challenges. Our experienced Japanese and bilingual team work alongside subject matter experts from across the Deloitte network to offer valuable, high quality and creative solutions to these challenges.

Our team consists of around 25 members, the majority of whom are qualified tax advisers or currently studying for professional qualifications. Many of us are Japanese native speakers and Japanese-English bilinguals, who have lived in both countries.