Ashburton Investments CFO Meghna Ravjee believes that successful businesses often invest in two important things: people and processes.
Meghna Ravjee, CFO at Ashburton Investments, grew up in eThekwini's fast-paced CBD and has always been drawn to subjects like mathematics and accounting.
She caught the attention of audit firms before leaving matric after being selected for a job-shadower programme with PwC while at high school. “This was an eye-opening experience, just to get a sense of what an auditor does, including tagging along to client visits and seeing how that all unfolded. Coupled with the flair for accounting, I knew it was definitely a path I was going to pursue.”
Meghna went on to do a BCom (with honours) in accounting at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. She then returned to PwC to do her articles. Reflecting on her job-shadow experience with the audit firm, she is grateful for her Durban-based articles as it gave her exposure to a diverse client base, as opposed to working on a single client like some of her young colleagues in Johannesburg.
After completing her articles, Meghna didn’t immediately go into finance. She opted for a learning and development role instead. “I have a great passion for coaching and developing people, something I’m still passionate about to this day,” she says.
“The role gave me a different perspective in terms of learning how to build a network and interact with individuals, and having an impact in growing people’s mindset. It also helped a great deal in testing my technical ability and building on it.”
However, Meghna says a key life event for her was when she and her husband decided to relocate to Johannesburg. It was at this point that she wanted to step into finance. “I started as a financial controller within Absa’s asset management division. I had good leaders and it was quite refreshing that one got appreciated for the impact you made. This made it an incredible experience,” she says.
Meghna went on to occupy another three roles during her time with Absa. This for her was a pivotal moment, but also the time was when she fell pregnant.
“I was on the cusp of a promotion and was nervous I wouldn’t get it, but I did. It was a good life lesson. Slow down – even if you're working towards climbing the corporate ladder.”
New levels
Later, Meghna assumed the role of acting chief financial officer at Absa Wealth, further expanding her leadership portfolio within the group and reinforcing her strategic influence across high-net-worth and investment segments. She describes the position as both daunting and enriching. Being the young person amongst her colleagues – it was a great opportunity to learn from them, while proving herself.
Meghna later joined Stanlib Asset Management as head of finance. Her responsibilities quickly expanded to include oversight of the entire Stanlib Asset Management Africa region.
“I had a much bigger portfolio at this time. It was an opportunity to expand my views on things and how to deal with them. This prepared me for my current role as CFO at Ashburton Investments,”
“Ashburton is an incredible business to work for, a well-rounded asset manager. There are plenty of opportunities. We’ve invested in systems and people and are now looking to take the business to a new level,” she says.
Meghna describes her leadership style as rooted in accountability, resilience and collaboration. She explains that she leads with heart and passion, and has always believed that nothing is impossible. “I also encourage my team to challenge the status quo, speak up and find innovative ways to take the business forward.”
Her leadership style has evolved to one of making more decisive long-term decisions driven by data while keeping her integrity intact.
The concept of work-life balance is important to Meghna. This includes dedicating as much time to her children as she does to her profession. “It’s a give and take. I’m a career-driven person and I have a supportive husband. On some occasions, my career takes the front seat and on other occasions my family deserves my attention. Fortunately, our new ways of working have afforded us some flexibility.
Meghna’s recipe for success within the corporate environment is simple and suggests that it is important to always have self-belief. She believes trust is built through transparency (whether it’s good or bad news), and therefore it is always better to put it on the table.
“Stand your ground as this says a lot about you and the people looking to you for guidance, it helps you grow as a person and puts you in a prime position for a seat at the table,” she adds.
Using data to make strategic decisions
When Meghna joined Ashburton, she came into a fairly new executive team. She had to quickly build an understanding of the business and the asset manager’s strategy. She wasn’t going to attempt to do all this herself and instead leant on data.
“I’ve always believed that data-driven decisions are quite important when making long-term decisions that are essential to the business’s success. I had to partner with executives around the table guiding on margins for the different product ranges, what needed to change and the gaps that needed to be closed,” she says.
And not forgetting every CFO’s main focus area is the costs and identifying efficiencies in the business. Growing the business while keeping costs down has been very successful.
“Looking at technology, we’ve invested over the past few years, especially from a front office perspective. We’ve looked at portfolio management tools for the investment team and in finance, we’ve brought in two systems to enable us from a work perspective. We lean on the broader group’s AI capability as well,” she says.
Meghna’s passion for finance and the people around her keeps her energised and excited to show up every day.
“I genuinely love the people I work with. On a personal level, my children keep me grounded. But nothing brings me more peace than getting my hands in the soil,” she says.
“I’m an avid gardener; you’ll usually find me outside on a sunny day. Gardening teaches me patience, and it’s incredibly calming. I love watching things grow. As they say, if you sow the seeds, you will reap the rewards later.”
