a s o n B u r i a n

Chicago Of fice Managing Par tner, CohnReznick

By Sarah Herrmann

National professional ser vices firm CohnReznick has a histor y of helping its young professionals move between of fices and practice areas to develop their skills and exper tise and prepare them for key roles, such as practice leaders and par tners

For Illinois CPA Society member Jason Burian, CPA , working in two dif ferent of fices under four dif ferent leaders each with ver y dif ferent management and mentorship styles and skills gave him the opportunities and guidance he needed to develop his business and leadership skills This ultimately earned him a place in growing the firm’s newer commercial real estate practice Today, 39-year-old Burian is already an of fice managing par tner (OMP) in the firm’s Chicago of fice

Q: What’s so unique about tr ying to lead in these diverse and disruptive times?

While audit and tax will always be par t of CohnReznick’s ser vice deliver y model, the ability to help clients solve a broader range of complex business issues is now par t of my job description CohnReznick no longer wants managers to just be outstanding ser vice providers Instead, we are expected to be trusted business advisors to our clients, helping them distinguish themselves competitively, create more value, and fully manage risk

This means working with clients and prospects to full y understand and address their key business issues including those that extend beyond accounting and compliance

Q: What excites you about being a new OMP?

What is truly exciting is that I have a hands-on role in shaping the capabilities of the Chicago of fice and our employees Beyond the Chicago of fice, I am also enthusiastic about what is taking shape within CohnReznick We are delivering more value-added advisor y ser vices, like corporate per formance improvement, cybersecurity, and transactional consulting In fact, along with a graphic refresh of our logo, we recently changed our ser vices descriptor to Advisor y/Assurance/ Tax to recognize our quest to become trusted advisors

Q: So, where do you see CohnReznick in the next five years, and what impact do you hope to have on the firm?

I believe we can become a top 10 firm through organic growth and possibly some strategic acquisitions/alliances With our recent expansion into Asia and Europe, CohnReznick will continue to grow its global footprint As an OMP, my role will be to suppor t for ward-thinking clients in their growth ef for ts Of course, I will also continue to work with the young people in our of fice and firm to help them acquire new skills and prepare for future leadership positions

Q: What does the future of the profession look like to you?

Ar tificial intelligence and other technologies will transform the accounting profession by making many of our processes, such as compliance testing and verification, much more ef ficient This will free up time for using data analytics and other evaluation tools to deliver deeper insights into our clients’ businesses

As a result, our recruiting focus could change significantly We may hire fewer audit and tax generalists and technical people and, instead, look for consulting, data analytics, cybersecurity, digital innovation, and other specialists that will add value well beyond compliance

Q: Then what’s your advice for the next generations of talent hoping to succeed in the profession?

Finding success in public accounting requires you to go in with your eyes wide open and with the expectation to stay and build a career I encourage ever y professional to be flexible, learn new skills, optimize the use of new technologies, and to jump at the oppor tunities presented to them