Episode 11

Female & Minority CEOs in Accounting: Avani Desai

On behalf of the Accounting Influencers Broadcast Network (AIBN), this is the "Success in Accounting" show, going live every Monday. In this episode 11 of the brand new Success in Accounting podcast, we begin a series of deep dive interviews with prominent and influential female leaders in the accounting world.

This week, it's Avani Desai, Chief Executive Officer at Schellman, the largest niche cybersecurity assessment firm in the world that focuses on technology assessments. Avani is an accomplished executive with domestic and international experience in information security, operations, P&L, oversight, and marketing involving both start-up and growth organizations. She has been featured in Forbes, CIO.com, and the Wall Street Journal, and is a sought-after speaker as a voice on a variety of emerging topics, including security, privacy, information security, future technology trends, and the expansion of young women involved in technology.

Also passionate about strategic philanthropy, Avani sits on the board of Arnold Palmer Medical Center, Philanos, Audit Committee chairwoman at the Central Florida Foundation, and is the co-chair of 100 Women Strong, a female-only venture capitalist based giving circle that focuses on solving community-based problems specific to women and children by using data analytics and big data.

Listen to her share insights on the challenges and opportunities for women and minorities in accounting, leadership advice, being and searching for role models, finding career advocates and champions, making mistakes and what lessons get learned, the accounting profession at large, what separates the good accountants and firms from the great ones and much more.

Avani is also an avid runner, always looking to sign up for the next Disney marathon. She considers her greatest accomplishment to be personal rather than professional—she is the proud mother to her 10 year old son, Sahil, 7 year old daughter, Sareena, and newborn son, Hastin.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/avani-d-596366/

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A reminder of 5 great shows in the Accounting Influencers Broadcast Network:

❶ Success in Accounting - MONDAYS. Our flagship main show featuring panels, highlights, combinations, panels, topics, live interviews and best ofs.

❷ Insights in Accounting - TUESDAYS. The best news, analysis, commercial awareness, news under microscope, podcast mentions and recommendations.

❸ Influencers in Accounting - WEDNESDAYS. Deep dive 1-1 interviews with leaders, experts, influencers from around the world.

❹ Best Practice in Accounting - THURSDAYS. Practice development, growth, management, consulting, examples, stories and practical here's what works stuff for accountants, bookkeepers and the fintech/software people who serve them.

❺ UK Matters in Accounting - FRIDAYS. A UK focused show featuring UK related topics, news items, events and interviews.

Find them all on your preferred podcast app, platform or channel. Thanks for subscribing, sharing and listening!

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About the Podcast

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Accounting Voices Podcast
Accounting Voices helps people in the accounting world stay relevant visible and vocal. Host Rob Brown interprets trends reshaping the profession and gives listeners insight to build authority influence and a stronger voice in firms and markets.

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About your host

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Rob Brown

Rob Brown is the founder and host of the Accounting Voices Podcast, the flagship solo show of the Accounting Voices Network. Each episode offers sharp analysis and commentary on the trends, ideas and people shaping the global accounting profession.

Through this Accounting Voices Podcast, Rob helps accounting firm leaders, decision makers and professionals stay relevant and make sense of disruption in areas like AI, automation, M&A, private equity and soft skills beyond the tech. His perspective blends clarity, insight and curiosity, making complex issues relevant and practical for professionals and decision makers across accounting and finance.

He also leads two monthly panel shows, Accounting M&A and Accounting AI, which bring together senior voices to explore consolidation, strategy and the impact of technology on firms and people.

Rob is the author of the bestselling book Build Your Reputation (Wiley) and a TEDx speaker whose talk The Personal Brand of You has more than 400,000 views. Over his career he has hosted and moderated more than 1,000 conversations with accounting and fintech leaders worldwide.

Based in Nottingham UK, Rob is a stroke survivor living with epilepsy, a black belt in kickboxing, a decent chess player and an average player of four musical instruments.