ICAS Ambassador for Zurich- Rosie Clark CA

Rosie shares her experience of living and working in Zurich, her tips for things to see and do in the area and how you can connect with the local ICAS community in Switzerland.

Where do you work?

I'm an Accounting Manager, VP at Swiss Re.

How long have you lived in Zurich?

Almost 6 years now. Time really flies by!

Where were you before?

I was living and working in Edinburgh.

Where did you train?

I trained with KPMG in the Audit department in Edinburgh.

What made you decide to get involved and become an ICAS Ambassador, and what have been the biggest takeaways for you personally and professionally?

I really enjoy meeting fellow CA members out here in Zurich, and sharing insights and experiences. So when I was offered the role I was very excited to be able to bring members together, and to provide advice to anyone that's considering a move.

I have found that CA members all have their own individual and truly interesting stories, but there's the familiarity with everyone in Zurich that we all share the same decision to move here, so we also have many things in common and when we meet up it's a really nice environment to be in.

What was it about Zurich that made you want to come here?

I was interested in living abroad again after studying in France for a year while at university, but I also didn't want to be too far away from my family in Edinburgh. So when I found out there was an opportunity in Zurich, just a short flight away, I was really interested for many reasons. I thought Switzerland looked beautiful but I didn't even know the half of it until I moved here, as well as the easy travel opportunities with it being in mainland Europe, skiing opportunities in winter, the list goes on.

Which part of Zurich do you call home?

I'm in the north of the city, which is easily accessible into the heart of the city and the lake, but it's also self-contained with shops, cafes, restaurants, the river, and many things going on in the area, including concerts in the openair stadium and the ice hockey stadium where the Zurich team plays.

What’s the one thing you shouldn’t miss if visiting the area? (e.g tourist attraction, cool area, best food, the outdoors).

The outdoors in general – it's beautiful just walking around. From the lake, along the river, to walking up the small mountain 'Uetliberg' in Zurich, there's a lot of nature to enjoy even in the city. And you'll be shocked at how clean and glistening the river and the lake are, especially on a sunny day.

I’m new to the area, can you recommend somewhere for:

A business lunch – There's so many options, especially around the main street Bahnhofstrasse. Aura or Mandarin Oriental Savoy are good ones or MilchBar for something more casual.
An evening out- Drinks somewhere in the old town, there's many nice bars and especially in the summer evenings sitting outside at a bar by the river has a great atmosphere.
A weekend getaway – In the winter I'd recommend heading to the mountains- my favourite place is Zermatt. Even if you don't ski, there's many beautiful winter trails you can do. In Spring/Summer I'd suggest somewhere along Lake Geneva in the French region. The vineyards along the lake there have breathtaking views.

Describe the local professional community in three words.

Financial, Cultural and Dynamic.

What are the best things about living and working in Zurich?

Mostly I love how from Spring to late Summer, the city comes alive, and there's lots of 'badi's' which are outdoor swimming areas that we spend many weekends at.

I find being by the water, whether outdoor pools or by the lake, makes weekends feel like mini holidays. And in the winter, the ski slopes are only a short drive away, so day trips to the mountains are a regular activity.

Also on Sundays everything is closed except badi's, cafes and restaurants, so Sundays are truly a day of rest which I took some time to get used to but now I love it.

The work life balance and the flexible working options I have at my work are also a big advantage. Having a young child, this is really beneficial for me. Zurich is a small city, very easily accessible on public transport, so limited time is wasted on the daily commute for example. Many small aspects like this can make a big difference to quality of life.

And what are the biggest challenges?

You can live and get by very easily in Zurich without learning the local language, Swiss German. While this can be a big advantage to moving here, it's very hard to learn the language and can be harder to integrate in the local community. Having said that, Zurich city itself is very international, but integrating in the local community or making Swiss friends can be challenging.

Also in the financial job market here there's many highly talented and experienced individuals looking for jobs at the moment. I see this being a real challenge within my Zurich network, and I think it'll continue to be challenging for some time to come.