2026 EY Young Tax Professional of the Year finalists

Mathilde is the finalist representing France. She received a Masters in Business and Law (Diplôme de Juriste Conseil d'Entreprise) from the University of Strasbourg, as well as a specialization certificate in taxation. She is currently preparing for the French Bar. She has had internships at law firms, including a recent one that focused on tax law, and also worked with the wealth engineering team at a bank. These experiences gave her insight into wealth, corporate and international taxation, and she developed strong analytical abilities. Mathilde’s career aspiration is to become a tax lawyer because the field requires technical expertise and strategic thinking. She finds tax law particularly stimulating because it is constantly evolving in response to legislative and international developments. She enjoys running, reading thrillers and traveling. She has visited capital cities such as London and Barcelona and wants to explore more. She practiced competitive dance for about 10 years and hopes to return to it.

Charmaine, based in Hong Kong, is the finalist representing Greater China. She recently graduated with a Bachelor of Laws from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, complemented by specialized studies at Peking University in Chinese and International Law. She has built a strong foundation in international dispute resolution and cross-border legal practice through her experience at legal institutions. She is planning a career in international compliance, cross-border dispute resolution and legal diplomacy — combining her Greater China specialization, arbitration background and policy-driven mindset. Charmaine has a passion for traveling and enjoys recreating dishes, adding her own twist. She also likes to bake, experimenting with fusion recipes that blend flavors from different cultures. She enjoys drawing and photography, often merging the two by sketching from her photographs. Charmaine is fluent in English, Putonghua, Cantonese and Shanghainese.

Milla is the finalist representing Japan. She is currently studying national security and trade policy, and will receive a Faculty of Policy Management from Keio University in September 2025. She will start in the transfer pricing team at Ernst & Young Tax Co. in Tokyo in October. Her aspiration is to work globally in the transfer pricing field. After spending a year abroad in London, she is driven to build a career that allows her to contribute in diverse, international environments and meet people from around the world. Milla enjoys visiting art galleries, reading and long-distance running. This year, her goals are to hike and to travel to all prefectures of Japan. Milla is fluent in Japanese and English.

Kamilla, based in Kazakhstan, is the finalist representing Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. She received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from the International School of Economics. She works with the People Advisory Services Tax team at EY Kazakhstan in Astana. She focuses on private tax, specifically personal income tax and individual reporting obligations, international taxation, and controlled foreign companies. She was an intern for Astana Financial Services Authority, maintaining internal databases of registered firms, analyzing share capital structures and helping assess system functionalities. She hopes to grow as a professional in taxation, focusing on cross-border compliance and strategic advisory. She believes her current position gives her a great opportunity for this. Outside of work, Kamilla is passionate about urban and spatial planning, drawing inspiration from global architecture and city development history during her travels. She also enjoys playing volleyball, running marathons, going to the gym and video editing. She is fluent in Kazakh, Russian and English. 

Erdina is the finalist representing Malaysia. She will receive a Bachelor of Accountancy in January 2026 from International Islamic University. She is a Transfer Pricing intern at an oilfield services company, supporting tax audits across Malaysia and offshore entities. She previously interned for an accounting firm in Malaysia, where she audited private entities and a major public company. This involved reviewing financial documents, conducting client interviews and verifying compliance with audit requirements, an experience that sharpened her analytical and communication skills. Her goal is to become a consultant, driven by her passion for solving complex business problems and delivering meaningful impact. Erdina enjoys diving into deep thoughts through philosophy, unwinding with true crime shows, and staying active with pickleball and hiking. She is fluent in English and Malay. 

Ulrik is the finalist representing Norway. He will receive a master’s degree in law from the University of Oslo in December 2026. He believes that work must be either challenging or meaningful to be enjoyable, preferably both; tax law has provided this for him. He hopes to excel in tax law and in some way impact law in his country. He is currently a trainee at an accounting firm, works at a pub and volunteers at the Oslo law students’ annual music festivals. Ulrik enjoys hikes in the nature surrounding Oslo, working out, cooking and listening to all kinds of music. He is fluent in Norwegian and English.

Kai is the finalist representing Singapore. He will graduate with a degree in accountancy with the highest distinction from Nanyang Technological University in July 2026. In July 2026 he will be joining EY Corporate Advisors Pte. Ltd with the Corporate Tax team. He completed a summer internship in that team, which reaffirmed his passion to pursue a career in the field. He aspires to become a certified tax advisor and achieve the highest rank possible. He also hopes to leverage his experience, credibility and academic and professional journey to advise and inspire young people, helping them navigate their own paths. Kai enjoys feeding and playing with stray cats, going on long hikes, playing video games, working out at the gym, playing snooker and darts, watching movies, and spending time with friends.

Klara is the finalist representing Sweden. She will receive a Master of Laws in January 2026 from The School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg. She is currently working at the Faculty of Law as a teacher’s assistant and recently completed a semester abroad at Ruprecht-Karl University, Heidelberg in Germany. Klara hopes to work internationally with tax law, specifically in transfer pricing with cross-border compliance and the challenges that brings. She finds it fascinating how laws affect real people and economies, and she wants to be part of shaping smart and fair solutions and policies. Klara is training for Ironman 70.3 in 2026, enjoys reading and listening to books, and dreams of visiting all the European countries. So far, she has visited 26! Klara enjoys seeing wonderful places, meeting people from other backgrounds and eating amazing local food. She is fluent in Swedish and English.

Ece is the finalist representing Türkiye. She received a Faculty of Law from Koç University in 2025 and is working at Kuzey Yeminli Mali Musavirlik ve Bagimsiz Denetim A.S. (EY Türkiye) in the International Tax and Transaction Services team. The work she does allows her to combine legal analysis with practical tax advisory work, conduct research across multiple jurisdictions and contribute to complex cross-border projects. Her primary career aspiration is to develop a strong knowledge base in taxation and contribute to fair and effective tax practices by upholding fundamental principles such as equality, proportionality and balance in taxation. Beyond theoretical knowledge, she wants to gain strong practical experience to deliver solutions that create tangible impact. Ece enjoys attending theater, orchestral and musical performances. She is also passionate about songwriting, composing and singing. Her favorite food is “Manti,” a traditional Turkish dish served with yogurt and a touch of garlic, which brings back warm memories of family meals and festive gatherings. Ece is fluent in Turkish and English.