Forensic accounting in Asia has only recently taken on the role of a mature service line and provided accountants with a formalised career path - a fact that has challenged accounting firms' recruitment plans for these specialist roles, particularly at mid-to-senior management ranks.
While the number of people interested in forensic work is rising, thanks in part to television series such as CSI, a leisure interest in what can be very challenging work simply isn't enough, according to Mark Bowra, a partner in the forensic division at KPMG Advisory (China).
'We need people with an enquiring mindset and a multitude of different skills, and they must be able to apply those skills in a logical manner,' Bowra said. 'Accounting expertise is useful but in our line of work we're looking for someone who is a little different, someone who can solve practical problems.'
Forensic work is not driven by processes or schedules like some other accounting areas. Bowra described it as an analytical form that merges three disciplines: accounting, law and pure investigation. The technical definition is that it is accounting where people or facts may disagree.
'Forensics is about understanding the numbers, situations, facts, transactions, accounts, events and individuals' backgrounds and motivations,' he said. 'Our role is to understand what drives people to do things that may be both in the interests of the company and against the interests of the company.'
Much of the work of a forensic accountant involves interviewing people within companies, so a diverse set of skills is required in order to make the most of the information and understand it.