‘I had to prove myself a million times over’

Sugendhree Reddy is the chief executive of retail financial services at Alexander Forbes. asked her about her career and what advice she would give to women entering the world of finance.

Believing that I can do anything I put my mind to. Delivering results that create a track record that shows I can be trusted to deliver. I would not have got to where I am today without great mentors and leaders.

I had to fight to ensure I was treated fairly. Working in the days of apartheid was difficult, and I often experienced prejudice based on my colour and gender.

At my first job, I was in the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast team, and I had to travel up to 400km to reach the clients I was auditing in towns such as St Lucia, Richards Bay and Empangeni. There was no accommodation for people of colour. Travelling daily was not an option, so we had to find private accommodation whose standards were not always the best.

Many times, I was left out of teambonding sessions, because I did not participate in “boys’ nights out” and sport, such as rugby. I always had to prove that I was the right person for the job, whereas my male colleagues did not face such challenges. at Standard Bank was an excellent mentor to many women.

Be confident and less emotional. Men think we cannot hear negative feedback and that we behave emotionally. Work against this myth.

Be authentic and use your edge. Women have the edge of being good listeners and connecting emotionally with people. Aim to win people’s hearts and minds.

Always deliver. Results speak for themselves.

Build a strong network that you can lean into when required. Men are great at networking, and business deals often arise from a strong network.