An Edinburgh-based finance analyst has won the ACCA Gold Medal for attaining the top mark out of 100,000 students worldwide.
Marisha Czoski of BlackRock investment managers sat the March round of exams for entry to the global membership organisation for accountants at the Kaplan Business School in Glasgow.
Her average score topped all other entrants in this round.
In 2016, Czoski graduated with a first class MA in business and finance from Heriot-Watt University, where she also won the Watt Club Medal for distinction in her final year. She began work as a graduate analyst at Blackrock in Edinburgh in August of that year.
Craig Vickery, head of ACCA Scotland, said: “To be awarded the ACCA gold medal – to be the first in the world – is an amazing achievement. Marisha and her employers can be justifiably proud.
“Marisha has demonstrated the strength of talent we have within the Scottish financial services industry. She’s a fantastic example to her colleagues and other ACCA students across the country.”
BlackRock managing director and deputy controller Michelle Daly added: “What an amazing accomplishment to pass all of her exams, but to receive the highest marks globally is a real testament to her hard work and dedication. We are proud and fortunate to have Marisha on our team at BlackRock, and we can’t wait to see what amazing things she will continue to accomplish in her career.”
Czoski said: “There was so much flexibility with ACCA and it was so easy to organise and book the exams.
“It’s very clear, there’s always information being shared about changes to exams – for example we knew about the new Strategic Business Leader case-study one year beforehand. ACCA were very supportive throughout and I always felt like I knew what was going on.”
ACCA is a global network in which finance professionals can develop their qualifications and career. Czoski, who becomes a full member next month, added: “ACCA has a huge amount of prestige globally, and the qualification will be recognised if I were to work elsewhere in the world.
“It’s exciting, I can’t believe how quickly it’s gone. I was a bit overwhelmed in my studies to begin with, but I came to find it all very manageable and felt that I didn’t have to sacrifice too much – the commute from Edinburgh to Kaplan in Glasgow was worth the effort!”
