I come from Madagascar and started my working life as a management information systems professional at Unicef in the island’s capital city Antananarivo. However, I had developed an interest in accounting, so decided to pursue an MBA with a major in finance at a leading university in Madagascar.
My passion for numbers has been the driving force in my career, and enabled me to integrate my IT background with my finance expertise. I spent 10 years as an IT professional and then over 15 years as a finance specialist.
Working for the UN has taken me far from my roots. It has provided an opportunity to contribute to global initiatives and address pressing international issues, enabling me to contribute to meaningful causes. The sense of purpose is highly rewarding and aligns with my values and aspirations. Working with professionals from diverse backgrounds from all around the world has enriched my professional experience and expanded my global perspective.
NGOs are under continual pressure to do more with fewer resources
NGOs face issues that closely mirror those in the public sector. These include increased pressure on public funding and the continual need to do more with fewer resources. Such financial constraints necessitate adaptation and innovation, such as leveraging available technological tools in the training and research domains.
Having worked with various UN organisations in Africa and Europe, I settled in Switzerland at the turn of the century, joining a project team supporting management systems at the UN Office in Geneva. Since then, I have gradually advanced through a range of roles from finance officer to chief of accounting operations, while also earning my ACCA qualification.
If I had law-making powers, I would promote transparency, accountability and ethical conduct
Recently, I took up the position of chief of finance and budget at the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). In this role I oversee all aspects of corporate financial and budget operations and regularly interact with the chief executive, providing financial insights for UNITAR’s strategic objectives.
As the principal training arm of the UN, UNITAR operates in every region of the world. By empowering governments, NGOs and individuals through knowledge and learning, we enable them to effectively overcome all the challenges they encounter.
My favourite quote comes from Winston Churchill: ‘Difficulties mastered are opportunities won.’ This perfectly sums up my career, which has involved overcoming many challenges and having to face intense learning curves, such as in IPSAS financial reporting. It has also helped me to acquire skills and confidence, and to grow in my profession.
Accountants are not just number crunchers but vital business partners and enablers
If I had law-making powers, I would promote transparency, accountability and ethical conduct in corporate financial reporting. I would enhance the use of reporting standards to improve consistency of financial statements and develop ongoing education and development for accounting professionals.
What I enjoy most about my job is supporting my organisation in achieving its mandates. It is immensely fulfilling as an occupation. Accountants are not just number crunchers but vital business partners and enablers, playing a pivotal role. I consider myself privileged to be involved in decision-making and to be able to view the ‘big picture’. The dynamic nature of accounting presents a constant stream of challenges and scenarios, making the job inherently interesting and engaging.
The idea of being an astronaut travelling into space has always captivated me
My biggest achievement was playing a crucial role in the successful implementation of three major enterprise resource planning systems in UN organisations. Surviving and thriving through such significant transformations within the same organisation is a rare accomplishment, which I am very proud of.
Being an accountant is never boring, but the idea of being an astronaut travelling into space has always captivated me. Astronauts were my childhood heroes, and the thought of exploring the cosmos was my dream.
In my spare time I have a deep love for sports, and I play tennis intensively, participating in many UN inter-agency games, which are like an ‘Olympic’ tournament for UN staff worldwide. I also like sharing days out with my family, and especially seeing my newborn grandson.
