“As a professional, I have always strived to give the best of myself at every stage” – Divya Goolaup

The WIFIN spotlight series is designed to motivate and inspire the next generation of emerging finance and investment leaders and provide a platform for them to meet and network with their peers, role models and industry professionals.

 

This week, WIFIN is featuring Divya Goolaup – Investment Analyst at MUA Mauritius & East Africa. An investment enthusiast, Divya shares with us her journey in becoming an investment analyst.

Back in the days when you were still a student, did you aspire to be a financial professional in the future? If yes, what was your motivation or what nurtured such an ambition?

During my initial days at college, working in the finance field was not my choice of career. I was more attracted and interested by the science subjects, yet my favourite subject was Mathematics. I always felt at ease with numbers. I thought and still think Mathematics is one of the subjects that always keep you on your toes. My journey with numbers never felt monotonous. I thoroughly enjoy crunching numbers and diving into them until a solution is found. Finance, for me, is just an extended version of Mathematics. Every day I come across arrays of challenging problem-solving situations. I find joy in taking financial numbers and turning them into meaningful information that helps in the decision-making process. The element of novelty is what spurred me to work in a financial environment. Intrigued by the professionalism of Big 4 companies, banks, and other financial services as well as the curiosity of learning about the profit maximisation strategies of a business pushed me further to achieve a position among them.

How has been your journey so far as a working woman in the Finance and Investment industry in Mauritius?

Hectic but an enjoyable and fruitful journey. I have done numerous internships in different sectors such as hotels, insurance companies and financial companies. Steadily, I put into practice the knowledge I acquired and gathered during the course of my professional experiences. Thereafter, I got the opportunity to work with highly qualified professionals at one of the Big 4 company. Gradually this enriching journey has moulded me into the person I am today, both professionally and personality-wise.  I would say that was the best learning phase of my entire career till now. Since my goal has been to always broaden my professional horizon, I opted to diversify further under the investment domain – mostly related to portfolio management. The set of skills that I have developed, ensured that I am able to continually adapt to changes and challenges in a business environment. As a professional, I have always strived to give the best of myself at every stage. Mauritius is now developing further to become an international financial centre – and working in such a field offers opportunities to innovate and progress.

As a young woman working in the Finance sector, would you share with us any tips on how you keep your competitive edge to stay on top of your professional game?

I have always looked out for ways of developing my existing professional skills and develop new ones. Whether you have been in a lower position or higher position or you have been in a company for 5 years or 5 months, there is always room to learn. With new technology and new ideas explored every day – it is always beneficial to look up to opportunities to practice different skills, implement new processes or take on new responsibilities. As I have always been a firm believer in being in control of your own doing, one should always make the first step towards progress. I chose to be independent over-relying on people to get the job done. One should always try to invest in oneself by constantly developing his/her professional capabilities.

My past experiences have taught me that challenging oneself from time to time both professionally and personally helps in empowering oneself. Find something that inspires you and go for it – you shall enjoy the process, as you challenge yourself in becoming a fearless person.

Most of the time, I let my work ethics speak for myself through dedication, discipline, productivity, integrity and professionalism. To meet the requirement, it is necessary to spend time wisely on tasks that align with your objectives, demonstrate a sense of responsibility by being accountable for your actions, engage in teamwork and provide assistance to others when needed, show discipline and commitment for the job.

Post pandemic, what will be your 2021 mantra to keep you motivated, both professionally and personally?

Motivation is an inner drive to act, to create and achieve. My professional mantra will be to always be mindful on my long-term goals, sectionalise these goals into doable tasks and celebrate the small wins when it is achieved. It is important to be guided by good coaches as well since they boost self-motivation and help develop new ideas. Besides, negativity kills motivation, so it is important to be surrounded by positive and supportive people. With the work from the home policy implemented across several companies, it is very important to strike a work-life balance and engage in other activities like sports. To sustain motivation, it is also crucial to get sufficient rest and take breaks for relaxation to avoid burnout.

What advise would you like to give to the younger generation of female aspiring to be a woman leader in the finance and investment industry?

It is very important for the young generation to know that hard work always pay off and they need to see failure as another chance to rise strongly. The younger females should be proud of being a woman first and never feel inferior to any other counterparty. Professionally, it is important to focus on cultivating strengths such as avoid comparing oneself with other, being confident and take risks. In order to earn respect, do not try to be a boss instead be a leader in the finance world – act fairly, give credit to others, cheer another person’s success and avoid unhealthy competition.

Disclaimer: *Divya’s views are her own and do not represent the views of her employer.

Thank you for joining us!

WIFIN Spotlight Series 2021