From technical expert to broader leader: 10 lessons from Ancila Desai
Ancila Desai, CFO & CIO of Procurement Australia presenting at NextGen Power Moves
Career growth rarely follows a straight line, and for Ancila Desai, CFO & CIO of Procurement Australia, progression has come through a willingness to keep learning, take on unfamiliar responsibilities and broaden her contribution beyond finance.
At a recent Atlas Partners NextGen Power Moves event, Brett Conley sat down with Ancila for a fireside conversation about career progression, leadership, confidence, family, continuous learning and the changing role of finance professionals. Across the discussion, ten clear themes emerged about what helps people keep progressing as their careers become broader and more complex.
1. You do not need all the answers
“I don’t have all the answers, but I do know the right questions.”
Curiosity has been a consistent driver throughout Ancila's career. Moving across industries and into unfamiliar functions has required a level of comfort with not knowing everything from the outset, and she sees real value in being able to recognise what you do not know, ask the right questions and learn quickly from the people around you.
That mindset has allowed her to step into broader roles without waiting until she feels completely prepared. For Ancila, readiness is less about having every answer and more about having enough understanding to begin, along with the confidence to keep learning as the role evolves.
2. Leadership requires more than technical expertise
“Executive presence doesn’t really come with a title.”
Technical capability provides a strong foundation, particularly in finance, but it becomes less defining as roles become more senior. As responsibilities broaden, value increasingly comes from being able to contribute to the wider business, understand different functions and participate in decisions beyond your own area of expertise.
Ancila sees executive presence as closely connected to how someone shows up, contributes and engages with others. Strong technical skills still matter, but progression into leadership requires a shift from focusing only on your own output to thinking about how you can help the broader business move forward.
Transcript: Read the full conversation between Ancila & Brett
3. Growth often comes with uncertainty
“Sometimes you have to step into it.”
Taking on a bigger role rarely comes with complete confidence, particularly when it involves responsibilities or areas of the business that are new. Ancila sees that uncertainty as a normal part of growth rather than a reason to hold back.
Her approach is to consider whether she knows enough to begin, whether she is willing to learn and whether she is prepared to put in the work required to close the gaps. Waiting until every capability feels fully developed can mean waiting too long, while stepping into the opportunity can create the experience needed to grow into it.
4. Life outside work does not need to be explained away
“I would stop apologising for just living my life.”
Career breaks, parenthood, travel and other personal choices are often treated as interruptions to a professional journey, but Ancila views them as experiences that can add perspective, resilience and a broader understanding of people and priorities.
Her reflections on having children and returning to work reinforce the importance of being confident in the choices you make outside work. Rather than speaking about those experiences as something that needs to be justified, she sees them as part of the broader experience a person brings back into their career.
5. Mentoring and sponsorship play different roles
“Sponsorship is more interesting because it’s not something you can actively pursue.”
Mentoring and sponsorship can both have a significant impact on career progression, but they work in different ways. Mentoring often develops through relationships with people who offer useful feedback, challenge your thinking and help you recognise blind spots that may be difficult to see on your own.
Sponsorship is less visible and often happens when you are not in the room. It is the advocacy that occurs when someone speaks positively about your work, puts your name forward or supports your progression in conversations you may never hear. For Ancila, both are built over time through strong relationships, consistent contribution and being visible in the right way.
Listen: Ancila Desai on Pathways Podcast
6. Learn before you try to change
“I was really keen on learning retail. I wanted to know how stock was moving.”
Broad leadership requires an understanding of how different parts of a business actually work, particularly when stepping into a new industry or taking responsibility for an unfamiliar function. Ancila's approach is to spend time close to the operation, learn from the people doing the work and build context before forming a view on what should change.
That mindset has shaped the way she approaches business partnering and broader leadership roles. Rather than arriving with immediate answers, she focuses first on understanding what matters, what is happening and where she needs to learn more before deciding how she can contribute.
7. Leadership includes listening and giving people a voice
“Being a leader is sometimes just about listening.”
Leadership is not dependent on having the deepest technical knowledge in every area. As roles become broader, leaders are increasingly responsible for teams and functions outside their original area of expertise, which makes listening and creating space for others to contribute even more important.
For Ancila, being present, asking useful questions and giving subject matter experts room to share their perspective are important parts of leading well. She sees leadership as creating the conditions for people to contribute effectively, rather than feeling the need to provide every answer herself.
8. Strong teams need different strengths
“Bring someone who can add to your skill, not bring the same.”
Ancila is conscious of building teams that complement her own strengths rather than simply replicate them. She values people who bring different experiences, perspectives and capabilities, particularly in areas where someone else may have deeper technical expertise.
This creates a broader collective capability across the team and helps avoid environments where everyone thinks and works in the same way. The aim is to build a group of people who can challenge one another, contribute different viewpoints and strengthen the overall quality of decision making.
9. Learning needs to extend beyond your immediate role
“Learning is something that people can’t take from you.”
Continuous learning becomes more important as careers progress and responsibilities become less narrowly defined. For finance professionals in particular, Ancila sees value in developing an understanding of areas such as technology, operations, HR, legal and marketing, rather than focusing only on technical finance knowledge.
That broader understanding makes it easier to work across functions, contribute to wider business decisions and move into more senior roles. As roles continue to evolve, the ability to keep learning across adjacent areas becomes an important part of staying effective.
10. AI still requires human judgment
“What we bring to the table is that unique level of judgment.”
Ancila takes a practical view of AI and its role in the future of work. Rather than focusing only on individual tools or how to write prompts, she is more interested in how AI can improve the way work is done and how leaders can apply it in a way that supports better outcomes.
For finance professionals, judgment remains a critical capability. AI can support analysis, productivity and decision making, but it still requires context, direction and oversight. Ancila sees the opportunity in learning how to use AI well while continuing to apply the human judgment and business understanding that technology cannot replace.
Ancila's career reflects a broader shift in what senior finance leadership looks like. Technical expertise remains important, but progression increasingly depends on curiosity, broader business understanding, strong relationships and the confidence to keep learning as responsibilities expand. Learn more about NextGen Power Moves.
