Kick-starting a career - Rogelio Avalos Andrade

"The learning curve doesn't stop when a secondment ends," says Mexican member firm partner Rogelio Avalos Andrade. After returning from secondment in New York, he found that his newly acquired skills and international expertise boosted his career back home.

"My career really kick-started when I was seconded to New York in 1998. I was assigned to the US member firm's National Standards Group. My timing was perfect: I arrived during the development of the Horizon audit methodology and the Explorer audit software tool. I was lucky enough to get involved with testing the software, developing the first Help System, and carrying out pilot training in electronic execution.

On returning to Mexico, I was able to apply the additional knowledge I gained to the benefit of the firm's assurance clients. I was also appointed Explorer representative for the Americas, which entailed passing on my knowledge to all firms in Latin America. Since then, I have been involved in all Grant Thornton International projects on audit methodology, along with improvements to the software tools. I am currently in charge of regionalising Explorer and auditCARE, Grant Thornton International's specialist audit technologies. This means I help set up regional training programmes, participate as an instructor, and develop region-specific training materials."