Awusu received his MBA from the University of Wales after completing the University of Cape Coast Bachelor of Commerce programme. It was then that he set his sights on the world of finance and accounting.

"It was clear that it was a career I wanted. And, my dream was to work with a Big Four Firm, ultimately KPMG," he recalls.

BYP partner and global professional services firm KPMG provides leading organisations with audit, tax, and advisory services. Named one of Fortune Magazine's 100 Best Companies to Work For list for 16 straight years, the company strives to "support the UK in a connected way."

Career Journey and Countering Imposter Syndrome with Mentorship

In 2005, Awusu officially joined the firm and from there took on a few memorable roles, including being an Assistant Compliance Manager and a Department Training Manager in Milton Keynes, before his current role as Audit Director in London. He left the UK office a couple times to join the KPMG Ghana office, and so likes to think of himself as the “repeated returner” of both.

Presently, as Audit Director in KPMG’s Private Enterprise department, he leads teams to provide audit and other assurance services to clients across multiple sectors.

Despite the longevity of his time at KPMG, he faced a few obstacles. Awusu is a prime example of the power of resilience and persistence, as it was only in his fourth attempt over a few years of applying to join the firm that he was eventually successful. His desire to be an auditor with KPMG is what motivated him to continue pursuit. Each time he didn’t make it through, he did not allow that failure to put an end to his dream but rather took learnings from it to improve.

When Awusu first joined KPMG, he encountered very few fellow Black colleagues and so wondered if he could build a successful career in the firm. "When I joined the firm, the first thing I did was reach out to somebody, another Black heritage colleague, who was already with the firm, just to ask, 'I'm here; what do I need to do to succeed?” Believing in the power of community, he sought mentorship within KPMG.

This experience left an impression on Awusu as he gained some key perspectives, inspiring him to invest in mentoring people from diverse backgrounds, particularly ethnic minorities.

"I encourage everybody going into a career in any organisation; once you get there, find others at different grade levels, including those in leadership, with a similar background as you, so you can leverage on their experience."

Moving the next generation of Black talent forward

In February 2021, Awusu became one of KPMG UK's first Black Audit Directors. This accomplishment has made him an inspiring role model in KPMG and beyond. He enjoys sharing his experience with and mentoring people from ethnic minority backgrounds on how they could make similar achievements.

KPMG launched its "Black Lives Action Plan" in 2020, committing to double the number of Black partners and directors at the firm and ensure that all black colleagues join and progress through the firm equitably. Through programmes like this and KPMG’s collaboration with BYP, Awusu and other Black mentors at KPMG are helping Black professionals advance.

What is Awusu's advice for young Black professionals?

• For every role that I put myself in, I ask myself what “good” looks like and engage my superiors to also understand from their perspective what they expect of me, in order to shine in the role. Use that to see how you can be better with each passing day.

• Invest in reading, such as leadership and personal development books; and listening to other helpful podcasts. One of my favourite books is ‘Attitude is Everything’ by Keith Harrell - the right attitude for me is very critical. We need to have a positive attitude toward the things that happen to us.

• Believe you are or can be as good as any other person. Don’t hesitate to contact other senior Black heritage colleagues for help. Leverage the support.

• Smile with sincerity. It is a sign of welcome and comfort.

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