Sanchita, Director, Fidelity Institutional Technology, Fidelity Investments India, shares highlights of her career journey with the firm that have molded her into a technology leader who continuously seeks out opportunities to learn, grow, and contribute towards Fidelity’s success and future.

Describe your journey so far.

After graduating from the University of Visvesvaraya College of Engineering (UVCE), Bangalore as an electronics and communication engineer, with excitement and fear in equal proportion, I entered the software industry with Fidelity Investments as my first employer. Like any other new joiner, I started out at the firm with the perception that it is a norm to change one’s job every few years. However, here I am today, as excited and ready to face new challenges and opportunities every day as I was the first day at Fidelity, even as I complete 18 years of my career journey with Fidelity.

What made you choose Fidelity as a preferred employer?

Following my graduation from my engineering course, all I wanted to do was work in a multinational company that would pay well and had a good brand in the market. With a couple of offers in hand, the reason I chose to join Fidelity was because its business was financial services, which fascinated me.

How would you describe your journey with Fidelity so far?

From my journey as a graduate trainee engineer to being a director of technology today, I have had opportunities to play many key roles in the software development lifecycle across multiple business units of Fidelity. With the exposure I have gained through various business and technology roles during my tenure, I have been able to appreciate the varying points of view of different stakeholders and apply strategies that I have learnt from these experiences in all the roles I have played so far. The career mobility opportunities I have had across multiple business units have helped me to understand the requirements of various stakeholders and how to offer solutions accordingly.

Fidelity is a customer-obsessed company. The rich and diverse assignments that I have been privileged to get exposed to over the years have helped me to contribute my bit towards building the organization of the future.

I think that with most of the roles I have applied for through my career, I have known only 50% of each of them. However, I would apply for each role because I wanted to try it out as I hadn’t had the opportunity to do so yet. I believe I had the audacity to apply for, get interviewed, and perform each role successfully because of two critical factors:

1) The culture at Fidelity Investments, where mobility, risk-taking, and curiosity are encouraged

2) A big list of mentors I have had throughout my career journey, who have helped me become who I am today

As I have benefited from the mentorship of many experienced leaders, I am a big advocate of mentorship programs and casual connects with leaders. In an effort to pay it forward, I am currently leading two such programs for my business unit in India. These programs cater to woman associates across a spectrum of roles and work experiences.

In your view, what are the attributes that are required to be a successful leader at Fidelity?

I believe in nurturing a positive and respectful work environment, where every individual can grow and achieve what they aspire for themselves.

It is very important for me to enjoy the work that I am doing every day. I am a person who looks forward to Mondays. I richly benefit from the exposure to so many talented colleagues across the US, India, and Ireland, which adds to my overall Fidelity experience. Developing products and solutions for the business in collaboration with my colleagues across shores helps me and my team have a deep sense of accomplishment in our professional lives.

Share your most cherished moment at Fidelity so far.

My most cherished moment at Fidelity so far was when I got to know that I was selected for the prestigious rotational General Management Apprenticeship (GMA) program.

The program gave me the opportunity to work across multiple business units and locations and gain enriching perspectives. It was an intensive and immersive career vitality accelerator program, through which I could share my expertise with the teams I worked with while learning from them and their varied experiences.

What is the best advice you have received as a professional?

“When you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance.” – Lee Ann Womack

This attitude of showing up, being comfortable with adversities, and having the boldness to face challenges head on keeps me going.

What are some of the attributes you look for in a person you would want to hire for your team?

I look for candidates who have both a good attitude and aptitude. One without the other doesn’t help build a strong, cohesive team.

Describe a hurdle you were proud of crossing.

Joining work once again with a lot of anticipation after my maternity break, with my six-month-old daughter at home, I wondered how I would be able to manage both home and the office, as both were equally important to me. I am proud to say that I am an ambitious mother. I had to ensure I had job satisfaction both as a mother and as a professional, without one aspiration hurting the other. With the support of my family and wonderful colleagues at Fidelity Investments, this journey was a smooth ride and a big relief compared to what I had thought I would go through. While compartmentalizing and planning helped me stay focused and play both roles comfortably, I received immense support from my family, colleagues, and leaders during this journey. I still remember how at office some of us created a small group for women like me, naming it ‘Share & Care’, through which we helped one another manage this phase of life seamlessly.

What is your favorite quote/saying?

“If you want to be happy, be.” – Leo Tolstoy.

I truly believe that I can only go on as a well-oiled machine if I am happy. That’s my constant fuel.

Views expressed are as of the date indicated and may change. Unless otherwise noted, the opinions provided are those of the author, and not necessarily those of Fidelity Investments.

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