Volodymyr Sydorenko
My friends say I am kind, smart, empathetic, loving, inspirational, disciplined, hardworking and ambitious. My passions are traveling, eating food, watching movies, walking, and exploring new places. I love learning new things. I already speak Ukrainian, English, Russian and Spanish, but I would like to learn German, French, Italian, Swedish, and other interesting languages in the future.
"I knew that there would be many opportunities and events that IE University organizes frequently to meet new people and expand my network of connections for my professional life. This is the competitive advantage of IE University, providing students with dozens of opportunities and top-level education from practitioners with international experience."
Building a career in tax advisory: an IE Law School success story
Born in the city of Mukachevo in western Ukraine, “behind the Carpathian Mountains,” as he puts it, it’s been a long journey for Volodymyr to get to the Master of Laws (LL.M.) at IE Law School.
After leaving Ukraine as a teenager, he attended a Canadian high school in Hamilton, Ontario, for three years before eventually enrolling in the Dual Degree in Business Administration & Laws at IE University. This program, which took Volodymyr first to Segovia and then to Madrid for two years, allowed him to earn two bachelor’s degrees and launch his international tax advising career.
After three years in Segovia, he spent a semester at Stockholm University in Sweden in his fourth year as part of an exchange opportunity. For three months, he worked with PwC in their office in the capital, collaborating with a team that focused on private equity, mergers and acquisitions.
As fate had it, Volodymyr continued working for PwC for an additional six months, indeed with the same team, when he returned to Madrid to complete his final year at IE University. According to Volodymyr, this real-world exposure to the Swedish tax industry is precisely why he chose to study at IE Law School. Thanks to this invaluable internship, he found his passion within the tax world, ultimately making it his career path.
Another rewarding part of Volodymyr’s education at IE University has been the mentorship and friendship he has received from Professor Giulio Allevato. When Volodymyr returned to Madrid from Stockholm, he began studying with the tax law expert, receiving his guidance for his undergraduate thesis.
Often, Volodymyr would stay after class and worry about asking too many questions—yet in the end Professor Allevato was a panelist for his first thesis defense and has been a supporter ever since. So, when Volodymyr originally learned about the tax specialization in the Master of Laws (LL.M.) and that Professor Allevato was the program coordinator, he promptly applied.
Before enrolling in the Master of Laws (LL.M.), Volodymyr had already determined that he wanted to pursue a career as a tax advisor, which also informed his decision. In this sense, he felt the program didn’t present any risks. Quite the opposite: Volodymyr had a clear vision of his future, and trusted IE University’s ability to provide him with valuable opportunities to jump-start his career.
Regarding advice to future Master of Laws (LL.M.) students, Volodymyr acknowledges how it may seem risky to those unfamiliar with IE University. Still, he can attest that taking the risks pays off. “It will be the best decision of their lives,” he says firmly.
In the next ten years, Volodymyr envisions himself working as a director or partner in tax audits and tax advisory. Following in the footsteps of his mentor, Professor Allevato, he would also be interested in teaching tax law at institutions like IE Law School.
Volodymyr says that, from the start of his studies in Spain, he’s found IE University to be a place where students can become whoever they aspire to be. That includes feeling free enough to make mistakes as part of their professional journey. In addition to the food, the travel opportunities and the friendships he has formed, Volodymyr also loves that the institution motivates students to be creative when developing new business ideas.
With its culture of innovation, Volodymyr thanks IE University for turning his passion into a promising career path. Not only has it enabled him to gain robust tax advisory knowledge, but it has also taught him to thrive in an environment that encourages growth through making mistakes.