Partner at Mazars, Nargis Yunis CA, on the power of mentoring
London-based CA and Partner at Mazars, Nargis Yunis CA, talks to ICAS about the power of mentoring.
Nargis, who is third generation British-Pakistani from the Midlands, moved to London when she started training as a CA with PwC. Since graduating in 2006, she has built a career in wealth and asset management: “I have enjoyed working with the wealth and asset management sector throughout my career. This included time at the Big Four and also a five-year stint at the global asset management firm BlackRock, which really helped me understand the industry from the inside.
“Earlier this year I moved to Mazars as a Partner in its Asset Management Assurance business where I’m looking forward to supporting the firm in building a stronger competitive landscape as part of the UK audit reform.”
Throughout her career, Nargis has been a staunch advocate for mentoring in all its varying forms, from one-on-one mentoring and speed mentoring to reverse mentoring and platform mentoring. A strong mentoring relationship can help facilitate the sharing of experiences and knowledge, and provide a different perspective in a supportive and confidential environment. “A mentoring relationship can always give an added dimension to what is already available through the traditional line manager or appraising manager,” explains Nargis.
“It can help broaden people’s horizons of what their career might represent.”
Creating a diverse workforce
While mentoring is arguably hugely valuable to all professionals, supporting them to progress within the profession, it can be particularly beneficial to individuals from a disadvantaged or minority background, providing them with more opportunities and helping create a diverse workforce.
“It is widely understood from the Social Mobility Commission and Parker Review Committees’ publications there really aren’t enough people from disadvantaged or minority backgrounds in leadership positions.
“What I found from my own journey and from nurturing individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds towards leadership, is that at a point in their career the power of social confidence, networking with different types of individuals and soft communication skills becomes a real differentiator on whether a candidate for promotion is able to progress or not. All of this behaviour can be learnt and often it just needs someone to take an interest to identify their potential and steer them towards the correct resources and experience.”
Something Nargis firmly believes in is the empowerment that is possible through a good mentor and role model. This empowerment can have a chain effect and not only impact the individual being mentored, but also individuals they come in contact with throughout their own career.
A powerful tool
Mentoring can be a powerful tool for CAs far beyond their early careers and can have a great impact in all stages of their journey: “In every step of a CA’s career there’s a need to learn how to navigate the next chapter.”
A mentor can provide an objective perspective on a particular situation or a bird’s eye view when you’re too close to a situation to think clearly. Mentoring can also help facilitate networking introductions and opportunities that will benefit you as CA.
In her role at Mazars, Nargis organised a ‘speed mentoring’ session for 50 attendees within Mazars at the start of October. Part of a series of events called “Empower”, this gives attendees access to the career journeys of six mentors during three rotations. As well as hearing the stories and career journeys of the mentors they have the opportunity to ask questions and receive advice based on their experiences. It’s a taster of the mentoring experience and provides access to more senior individuals that can inspire and advise how to navigate any obstacles in your career.
“I have run a number of these types of events for a few years now across different firms. Hearing the stories of others can dispel some of the assumptions that people may have about other people’s careers.
“It shows the reality of how different people got to where they are and what challenges they faced on the way.”
Giving back
Mentoring can also be highly rewarding to the mentor as well as the mentee. From seeing the immediate impact from your relationship with the mentee to the long-term impact your mentoring relationship has on an individual. “It’s a gift that keeps on giving. Your impact on an individual then leads them to have an impact on other individuals.
“It’s part of giving back – the feel-good impact of giving back is tremendous.”