I am a South Asian Indian born and raised in Kuwait. Having also lived in India, Canada, and now the UK I have always considered myself a global citizen, and my lived experiences in each of these unique countries continue to shape my outlook on life and my passion for DE&I.
I completed my first degree in Human Resources Management while also building a career at Royal Bank of Canada in Toronto, in relationship management in retail banking and in global custody & asset servicing. I wanted to elevate my career, and combining my love for travel and experiencing different cultures with my passion for, and commitment to personal growth led me to pursue a MBA from City University in London.
I am an introvert and I’ve always pushed myself out of my comfort zone. My MBA was a first step in a lifelong journey to shedding cultural stereotypes (there is a wider world beyond engineers, lawyers, and doctors!), further building my confidence and embracing new possibilities, and developing leadership skills and a broader understanding of the world.
I joined the Aladdin business at BlackRock UK as a Regional Client Services Manager shortly after, and my most recent role was in the Civil Service, as the sector lead for asset management with the Department for Business and Trade. ‘Diverse talent’ is often quoted as one of the strengths of the UK’s Financial Services industry – which makes for an even stronger case for ethnic and gender diversity in senior roles within both the industry and the public sector in the UK.
I am forever grateful to my parents for raising me with the strong belief that I deserve any and every opportunity to build a successful life and career and I have always sought to create a ‘safe space’ for everyone to bring their authentic selves to the table. I am delighted to join the Diversity Project as an Ambassador, where I will have the opportunity to drive change to foster a safe, diverse, and inclusive workplace environment and champion the positive and impactful work of the Project in the investment management industry.
Outside of work I enjoy singing, mentoring, volunteering, and travelling.