Commonwealth Bank of Australia
Anitha Subramanian, 27, completed a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of New South Wales and in 2003 qualified with the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia. She commenced a job in 2006 with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia preparing the listed bank’s Financial Statements, Profit Announcement and US GAAP reporting.
Can you describe your route to your current role?
While completing my CA, I worked for two years as an analyst in the audit division at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu – I was recruited via their graduate recruitment program during the second-last year of my degree. At Deloitte I worked as part of teams mostly auditing financial services companies - funds managers, life insurance, and stockbrokers. The CA studies took about 10 hours a week on top of my day work. I then moved to a large insurance and funds management company, where I led the consolidations process, including implementation and transition of the International Financial Reporting Standards.
What made you go into banking?
A career in Financial Services had always been of interest to me - this industry is dynamic, challenging and offers a great deal of variety and opportunities. The exposure I gained in my previous roles made my move into CBA, a key player in the financial services industry, a natural fit. Moreover, the opportunity to work with a highly qualified, motivated and energetic team was very attractive and it has been a significant step in my career.
What skills do you need to stand out?
Financial services companies want people of high calibre. With a professional degree, you’ve already proven your intelligence and ability, but you also need to be deeply committed to your career, work and the quality of your work. The work could be overwhelming if you are not able to organise your time effectively - you have to work smarter rather than longer. Strong communication and interpersonal skills are also necessary to drive innovation and change in an ever-dynamic environment. With the right mix of such qualities, there is excellent scope for recognition, rewards and opportunities.
What’s the future hold for you?
I would like to be involved in the Bank’s strategic decisions, and for this, I need to develop a deeper understanding of the bank and its operations first. For now, I’d like to get behind the numbers more, understand all the profit and value drivers, and provide high-quality analysis to enable strategic decision-making.
Anitha’s tips:
- Bring as much creativity to your work as you can - always be ready to present things from a different perspective, challenge the status quo, aim for high quality and bring in your own personality.
- Be sincere and honest in dealing with people.
- Be careful with your time management, especially when studying for your CA. Plan your time wisely so that you have enough flexibility in your life to do all the things you want to do.
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