I am the Director of Operations of Vistra (Mauritius) Limited (“Vistra”), heading the operations teams for funds, corporate, trust, accounting and transfer agency. I am with Vistra since May 2018 following the acquisition of the Corporate Services business of Deutsche Bank by Vistra Group. Prior to joining Vistra in May 2018, I was Assistant Vice President and Head of Client Services at Deutsche International Trust Corporation (Mauritius) Limited, the corporate services provider of Deutsche Bank Group in Mauritius.

I have more than 15 years of experience in the global business sector acquired at leading fund and corporate services providers in Mauritius and has in depth knowledge in, fund/company set up, company secretarial and administration, good governance, risk and compliance matters. I am also a member of the Mauritius Institute of Directors and also acts as director on various Global Business Companies.

What makes you a Risky Woman?

I have been assigned the role of Director of Operations start of this year and this was a major challenge. I am required to oversee the teams and ensure that a common approach is adopted which is much in line with the One Vistra initiative. Operational complexity has increased. The number and diversity of operational-risk types have enlarged, as important specialized-risk categories become more defined, including unauthorized trading, third-party risk, fraud, new-product risk, cyberrisk, and operational resilience.

Name your top 3 achievements

1. The Covid pandemic turned out to be a catalyst for new ways of doing things in terms of innovation and development. Managing operational risk in this dynamic environment has been a major challenge.
2. Legacy processes and controls have to be updated to begin with, but we can also look upon the imperative to change as an improvement opportunity. Against these challenges, I have been able to develop better tools, frameworks, and talent by discarding the “rearview mirror” approach.
3. To manage my teams effectively, achieve the target of the Company and be a happy wife and mum.

What is the biggest risk you’ve taken in your career?

To transition to a new challenging role and meet all expectations. I have struggled to control operational risk - loss due to errors, breaches, interruption or damages.

What’s something most people don’t know about you?

Being promoted to a management role may seem like a great accomplishment, but many professionals find the responsibility to be more challenging than they imagined. Merely being someone's boss doesn't mean you are a good leader. I am someone who believes in my team, inspiring them to innovate, think creatively and strive for perfection.

What is the best quality for successful leaders in Risk?

Ownership and responsibility.