Finding the right environment to grow: Teagan Dai de Bloe’s career at PKF

Teagan shares how joining PKF has given her greater ownership, broader experience and the opportunity to grow as a leader, supported by accessible Partners and clear career development opportunities.  

For experienced professionals, making a career move is often about more than finding the next role. It is about finding an environment where you can continue to develop, take on greater responsibility and build the kind of career you want for the long term.

For Teagan Dai de Bloe, Audit Manager at PKF, these were important considerations when she decided to make her move.

Before joining PKF, Teagan spent five years with Deloitte across Cape Town and Sydney. She completed her CA(SA) articles in Cape Town before relocating to Sydney, where she joined as a Senior and progressed to Manager. Working primarily within financial services external audit, she gained experience across banking and investment management clients.

As she considered the next stage of her career, Teagan began looking closely at the environment in which she wanted to continue developing.

“I was looking for leaders and Partners who were personable and accessible, and people I genuinely wanted to be mentored by,” Teagan says.

“I also wanted opportunities for progression, transparent conversations around my career and the ability to explore different opportunities rather than feeling siloed into a particular role or cohort.” 

Choosing PKF

For Teagan, the recruitment process provided an early indication of what working at PKF would be like.

Her initial conversations with executives, Partners and managers gave her the opportunity to share her ideas and discuss what she wanted from the next stage of her career.

“What stood out to me was the emphasis on the person, rather than simply the role that needed to be filled. I felt valued and listened to from the beginning.”

The people she met throughout the process also played an important role in giving her confidence that PKF was the right fit.

She wanted to work with leaders whose qualities she respected and could learn from and she wanted to treat her own teams and clients in the same way they treated her – with respect and professionalism, while still being real and open. 

Greater ownership and broader experience

Since joining PKF, Teagan says the breadth of her role has given her the opportunity to develop quickly, both technically and as a leader.

She has taken greater ownership of client engagements, developed closer relationships with clients and acted as a key contact on technical and niche matters. She has also been involved in key client meetings, new business opportunities and projects beyond her day-to-day client work.

One of those projects has involved helping to develop a formal performance monitoring tool and process for the Audit team, designed to support the development and retention of talent.

“My rate of growth since joining PKF is something I’m really proud of. A lot of that comes down to the environment and teams I work with, the trust my Partners place in me and the appreciation I receive from my team and manager group.”

That trust has also allowed Teagan to build her leadership experience. Alongside running client engagements from start to finish, she has taken on leadership responsibilities within the People Pillar and a core coaching role with her mentees. 

Access to senior leaders

As careers progress, having access to experienced leaders can make a significant difference to professional development. For Teagan, the accessibility of Partners and senior leaders has been an important part of her experience at PKF.

“Partners and senior leaders make time for you, value your input and trust you to take on work and projects that challenge you. That has been a key factor in my growth.”

Career development is also discussed openly. Regular conversations around progression, goals and KPIs, mentor catch-ups and consideration of the right portfolio mix have helped Teagan identify where she wants to develop next and gain the experience to support that progression. 

Finding the right fit for your next move

Having worked within both a Big Four and mid-tier environment, Teagan says one of the biggest differences has been the opportunity to be visible and recognised for the individual skills she brings to the firm.

“There can be an assumption that a bigger name or brand is always better. What I’ve found at a mid-tier firm is that I’ve had more opportunities and greater visibility with Partners and senior management I feel valued for the personal set of skills I bring, rather than being grouped as part of a large cohort. That motivates me to continue differentiating myself and developing my own personal brand.” Says Teagan.  

For experienced professionals considering whether it is the right time to make a move, Teagan believes it is worth thinking beyond the next job title.

She also recommends considering the strengths you bring to senior management, whether you are being given the opportunity to use them and whether you have mentors around you who genuinely understand and invest in your career.

For those considering PKF as their next move, Teagan’s advice is simple: be prepared to get involved.

“There is ample opportunity to be involved. Put your hand up, say yes, and lean on and learn from your leaders. There is a genuine focus on both firm and individual success, with leaders who want to help you build the path forward.”