I started my career in 2010 as an external auditor with PwC Pakistan under a structured apprenticeship programme, based out of Karachi. There, I was exposed to a wide spectrum of clients, providing me with an in-depth view of the key business processes and accounting frameworks for a range of industries.
Thereafter, I pursued risk advisory, specialising in the areas of compliance and operational risk. Currently, I am working with Deloitte as a senior manager based in the capital Riyadh, providing compliance and financial crime advisory to clients across the Middle East.
My family has had the greatest influence on my life. They remain a constant source of comfort and resilience, providing me with the confidence to take up any challenge head-on. However, everyone we come across in our life has some impact on us, helping our horizons grow.
Working in practice equipped me with the traits to deal with a variety of challenging situations. The constant learning is enriching and allows me to remain abreast of developments across the globe.
At 24, I accepted a year-long assignment with PwC’s UK office, in business transformation advisory services, before moving to the Middle East. I’ve been engaged in many exciting projects that have taken me outside my comfort zone. It has sometimes been challenging, but I accept that it takes diligence, strategy and determination to achieve your targets.
If I had law-making powers, I would revamp the legislation for financial crime in my home country to harmonise the existing rules and adopt new technologies and approaches.
What I love about my job is that no single day is like any other. My greatest professional accomplishment, though, has been to support a G20 financial sector regulator to successfully set up its fraud risk management function.
If I were not an accountant, I would want to be a civil engineer, inspired by my father. Civil engineers have to think outside the box to solve a wide range of challenges and that has always appealed to me.
