Secondment Spotlight: From Uruguay to Spain
Agustin Caiafa, Audit Supervisor from ECOVIS Uruguay in Montevideo, spent six weeks on secondment at the office of ECOVIS Grosclaude & Partners in Madrid, from 1st October to 12th November.
We asked Agustin to share details of his experience, reflecting on how the secondment supported his professional development and engagement with the global Ecovis network.
What motivated you to take part in a secondment with another ECOVIS office?
I was motivated by the opportunity to meet and work with professionals from another country, learn about different working methodologies, and acquire new tools that I can later implement in our Uruguay office. Taking part in this experience was fundamental for me to gain a deeper understanding of Ecovis at a global level.
How do you feel the secondment contributed to your professional development, or supported the Host Office?
I believe this experience contributed significantly to my professional development, not only because of the ideas I took with me to implement in my home country, but also because of the contacts and strong professional relationships I was able to build. This aspect is especially important in the professional field, and even more so when working for a global firm such as Ecovis. I hope to be able to continue along this path of building new connections in the future.
Were there any standout moments during your secondment, for example anything that was especially rewarding or memorable?
I believe the most rewarding aspect was the way I was welcomed by the team at the Madrid office and their positive attitude from the very first day. I felt very comfortable and well-integrated. As standout moments, I would highlight the week of training sessions, which provided a great opportunity to exchange views on how work is carried out in Spain and in Uruguay, as well as to discuss the differences in the respective legal frameworks.
What advice would you give to someone preparing for their first secondment to another ECOVIS office?
Do some prior research about the office they will be joining, to approach the experience with an open and humble mindset to learn new ways of working and new tools, and most importantly, to take full advantage of the opportunity to build new contacts and professional relationships. In my view, this is the most valuable benefit of being part of a global network.
What skills, knowledge or experience were you hoping to gain during your secondment?
When I travelled to Spain, I did so with the expectation of participating in specific audit projects, mainly in the planning stage. At the same time, I was also eager to learn about the software used in that office, namely Caseware, as well as their training methodologies, the way they prepare fee proposals for potential clients, and how artificial intelligence is used in tasks that currently add little value.
Did the experience strengthen your connection to the global ECOVIS community? If so, how?
Without a doubt, and closely related to the previous question, the experience strengthened my connection with the global Ecovis community, as I had the opportunity to meet, work with, and exchange ideas with the Madrid team. Additionally, a few days after the end of this experience, I had the opportunity to attend the annual Partner Meeting as a companion, held this year in Paris, which allowed me to reconnect with part of the Madrid team and also meet professionals from many other countries.
Did you encounter any challenges during your secondment (e.g., cultural differences, new work processes)? How did you overcome them?
From a cultural perspective, although Uruguay shares many similarities with Spain, there are some differences in working hours. For example, in Madrid the workday starts much earlier than in Uruguay, which required me to begin my day earlier as well. However, I was able to adapt without any major difficulties. Regarding work practices, the most significant change I noticed was related to digitalization and the use of artificial intelligence. The Madrid office has a highly developed digital workflow and is increasingly advancing in the use of AI, enabling the automation of tasks that add limited value.
