Hi, I'm Mishka.
Assistant Director, Strategy, Risk & Transactions Advisory and classical dancer, London
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My journey so far…
I grew up in Cape Town in South Africa, but I’d always dreamed of coming to London to work. Before joining Deloitte in 2019, I was working for an Investment Bank at home. When a former colleague told me there was an opening here to work on a project across London and the Netherlands, I jumped at the chance to apply! I was a strong candidate because of my technical background coupled with my ability to speak Afrikaans, which means I can understand elements of Dutch. After landing the role I moved across and began exploring the city, which I’ve really enjoyed.
My little girl was born in 2021, and I returned to work in the summer of 2022. Throughout this transition, I have been hugely supported by my team. Inclusion is really important here, and we appreciate each other’s differences whether that be lifestyle, cultures, upbringings, or anything else.
For example, people know I sometimes have to be flexible with my hours to pick up my daughter, or juggle work and my daughter being sick. Everyone is really accommodating and understanding about this.
“I’m passionate about helping people to meet their goals, both at work and in my home life. Whether that’s supporting a client through a really challenging deal or giving my friends advice in a crisis, it’s gratifying to know I’m making a positive difference to the people around me.”
Work that matters
I’m an Assistant Director in the Debt and Capital Advisory team, which is part of Mergers and Acquisitions in Strategy, Risk & Transactions Advisory. Primarily, I work with financial sponsors, helping them secure financing to support their investments. My role is all about understanding their business needs, finding the most appropriate lenders and working out the best way to solve pain points when navigating these major transactions. I enjoy knowing that the work I do with clients is helping them to make a positive impact in our society. For example, during the pandemic, I helped to finance a business which provides environmentally safe fuel storage. This was being used to power the mobile testing centres for Covid-19, which made it possible for more people to get tested and vaccinated.
At the moment, one of the challenges that my team is facing is the rise in interest rates. With less access to borrowing, companies may struggle to deliver to their full potential. This means our role in identifying all the relevant sources of funding and delivering the best finance packages possible is even more important.
Alongside my role, I also run Lunch-and-Learn sessions, where I get the opportunity to give back and help my colleagues engage with important topics that will help them to really excel.
Highlights from my week
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I helped another mum who has recently returned from maternity leave to juggle her workload with her parenting duties, sharing tips based on my own return to work. | I chose to work from home today which means I was able to spend more time with my little girl after work. It’s great that we have total flexibility in our hybrid working rather than needing to go to the office for a set number of days. | I attended an industry conference where I was able to meet people from different institutions across Europe and the UK. It was great to learn about new trends that will impact the work we’re doing. | I received some really positive feedback from my senior managers about my work since returning from maternity leave. Having a period out of work can be tough, and that feedback really helped to build my confidence. | I reached out to a potential client who we haven’t worked with before to pitch our firm. It went well – they’ll be inviting us to pitch the next time they need to do a major transaction. Great news to start the weekend! |
My weekend looks like
I’ve been a dancer since I was three, specialising in Indian classical dancing. I’m currently doing Odissi dancing in London every Saturday, which is a really fun, creative outlet. My husband and I are big foodies, so we like to try out new restaurants and food markets. We also spend a lot of time with friends and family and enjoy being outdoors - when the weather allows it!
3 things I've learned
Every day’s a school day
There’s so much to learn at Deloitte. We work together as a team on learning activities, as well as having opportunities to choose specific training courses.
Remember to be grateful
Gratitude is a word that keeps coming back to me. The more you aim to be grateful for what you have and what you’ve achieved, the happier and more content you feel.
Communication is key
I always knew the power of good communication, but it’s become even clearer to me since returning from maternity leave. You can do anything you put your mind to provided you communicate your needs and goals effectively with your team.
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Mishka's book recommendation
Indra Nooy
My Life in Full
Indra Nooyi is the former CEO of PepsiCo and this book is all about her journey to succeed in her career as a working mother. She emphasises the importance of staying true to yourself and being authentic in all aspects of life, which I relate to. As a mum myself, she provides really valuable insights and inspiration on how to overcome obstacles and achieve success while maintaining a fulfilling family life.
