I have been immersed in accounting since the age of thirteen, though my childhood dream was to become a singer. Accounting was never on my list of desired careers, yet but life had its own plans.
My uncle was a renowned professor of “Theory of Probabilities.” He was a man who can predict the outcome of events with unsettling accuracy. The affinity for numbers ran through my family like a shared legacy. Encouraged by my parents I found myself studying accounting four hours a day for four years in the Economic College. Naturally, I continued on this path, earning a master’s degree in accounting after six more years of study in the University.
After a few years working as a junior accountant, I realised that the routine number-crunching wasn’t enough for me. I wanted more than just recording transactions – I wanted to investigate, analyze, and uncover the “why” behind the numbers. Instead of simply balancing books, I was asking myself about the real stories behind the numbers.
I discovered another strength of mine that I thrive on turning problems into solutions seeing the missing pieces in the puzzle to be arranged. My approach wasn’t just about finding errors – it was about understanding the intent behind them and to spot the behavioral patterns and recognise the red flags.
The discovery of my investigative and research abilities led me to apply for a job in the tax authority.
INDIRECT TAX MANAGER IN BIG 4 IRELAND (10/2021 – 04/2025 )
VAT, INTRASTATE , VIES, OSS, CESOP , EORI registration and compliance
My journey in Big 4 began with a deep curiosity for complex structures. I wanted to challenge myself in a totally different environment from the known tax authorities.
I have honed my skills in VAT and cross-border taxation, working alongside global clients to navigate intricate tax scenario. The technical knowledge in Alteryx, Datasnipper, and Power BI combined with a solid tax background, has helped me to bring an optimisation of the compliance processes.
One of my most rewarding experiences was leading a tax transformation project for several global companies. We implemented digital tools to streamline VAT reporting.
Through collaboration with IT and finance teams, we automated tax processes, reducing compliance risk and saving the company significant resources.
INDIRECT TAX PFIZER, IRELAND (05/2020 – 10/2021)
International VAT, cross-border taxation,
My career in Pfizer was absolutely inspiring. I managed the VAT compliance for Pfizer’s branches established in nine countries – Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia, Romania, Greece, Lithuania and Latvia. I was dealing with the local tax authorities about their audit interventions. Working in a multinational environment was a great pleasure.
ASSISTANCE PRINCIPAL AUDITOR, REVENUE COMMISSIONERS, IRELAND
(02/2019 – 03/2020)
Transfer pricing
PRINCIPAL TAX AUDITOR
(01/2018 – 02/2019)
SENIOR TAX INSPECTOR
(01/2010 – 01/2028)
TAX INSPECTOR (01/2003 – 01/2010)
NATIONAL REVENUE AGENCY, BULGARIA
VAT, CT, TP, INTRASTATE, VIES, MULTINATIONAL AND E-AUDITS
I still remember my first working day at the Bulgarian Revenue. It was a cold, snowy day, and I was so excited that the cold didn’t bother me at all. Winning the competition to get this job was like a dream come true. At the beginning I was engaged in interventions supporting the large audits which continued three years.
The more I became involved in audits, the more I found myself enjoying the investigative nature and the complexities of working with tax. With each audit, my enthusiasm was growing, and I discovered a genuine passion for uncovering details and ensuring compliance.
I led audits in various types of taxation, including Value Added Tax, Corporation Tax, Income Tax, and Payroll.
When I built enough skills and gained experience, in 2010, I successfully passed the competition for Senior Inspector. This opened up new opportunities for me.
I was included in the several multinational tax audit projects where I presented the Bulgarian tax authority.
One of the multinational audits I completed resulted in an assessments of 8,5 million euros.
Anna Valchanova 