What I enjoy most about my job is the direct impact it has on our success, right across the business. Whether it is the IPO that we are preparing or my analysis of the numbers, I like to discover how decisions based on my insights work out in practice.
My journey in accounting started when I was at school. My dad is a chartered accountant and was my early inspiration for a career in the profession, so I joined KPMG in India, ultimately spending four years in audit with the firm. I qualified with ACCA in 2021.
Keen to achieve my longer-term objectives I moved on and joined TVS, a company providing supply chain solutions to the automotive, consumer goods, defence and utility sectors. At the time, TVS had 72 subsidiaries, and I was responsible for consolidating them for statutory reporting. The pressure was intense, and I was required me to coordinate with many different stakeholders, but the experience was a strong foundation and a worthy start in the corporate world.
Finding IT professionals with the skills to get the job done is difficult
Wanting a wider knowledge of the business world, I next moved to LatentView Analytics. There, I headed the financial planning and analysis team, checking whether our numbers were in sync with business and industry trends, and working closely with the CFO in presenting to the board and investors – an experience that cemented my decision to stay in the IT sector. Earlier this year, I joined my current employer, iLink Digital. It was a not-to-be-missed opportunity as the business is planning to go public soon and I have been appointed to lead the team involved in the initial public offering.
The software sector in India is facing some challenges. The number of IT professionals available is abundant, but finding people with the right skills to get the job done is difficult, so tackling this is becoming essential.
There are also macroeconomic issues. Most IT companies have clients in North America or Europe and operate from India as an offshore unit, employing client-facing staff in Europe or the US. Therefore, they are vulnerable to political and economic changes in India, as well as the US or Europe.
That said, there are opportunities for the sector too, especially in scalability. Given the pricing power of IT companies, it is easier to scale and find new work from clients based outside India. This automatically encourages higher growth of these businesses and hence the country. The IT sector is also one of the key fulcrums for the government in achieving its aim of a US$5trn economy by 2027. Tax breaks are being offered, alongside incentives for IT startups.
It might sound vain, but I like this quote: ‘One of the signs on my path to success is when my signature becomes another person’s autograph.’
Being an ACCA is my biggest achievement in work and life so far. However, I still have greater things to conquer. My short-term objective is to become a CFO by the age of 30 and work for a larger company by the time I am 40. Looking further ahead, I would like to take on a CEO role, or maybe start my own business.
I would strengthen the judiciary system to allow for swifter justice
I have always respected the way things are set up by the constitution and the government in India. However, if I did have law-making powers, I would strengthen the judiciary system to allow for swifter justice. Under current arrangements, it can take years for suits to be resolved.
If I wasn’t in finance, I would have been a chef. This was always my back-up option if I found that accounting wasn’t for me.
In my spare time I enjoy playing cricket and football with my friends. Recently, I have found a new passion in playing the guitar.
