Meet Madhavi Ananth
Madhavi Ananth is a corporate finance professional, and in recent months, has been sharing financial literacy tips on her corporate finance website. With a strong conviction that financial literacy has the ability to transform communities and the lives of others, she remains steadfast in her commitment to share her insights online and through in-person delivery.
Madhavi Ananth is a Director of Finance with comprehensive and eminent expertise in Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A). Working in credit risk, regulatory and capital planning and financial forecasting, Madhavi Ananth has built a solid repertoire of financial knowledge she’s eager to share with others.
“I’ve conducted financial literacy workshops with high school students, and it has been fulfilling to see them acquire new skills that they can eventually use in their everyday lives,” says Madhavi Ananth. “The young people of tomorrow need to have financial knowledge to excel, maintain their households and reduce future potential financial burden.”
Madhavi Ananth has always had a knack for numbers, however understands that the financial landscape can be intimidating to many, especially when first starting out from zero knowledge. That’s why she stresses the importance of learning the basics. Basic financial knowledge alone is a foundation that goes a long way, and it’s often underestimated.
According to recruiting company Zippia, 71% of Americans believe they have high financial literacy levels, however that is far from the truth. While the average American rates their financial literacy on average at about 6.2 out of 10, the average American only answers 35-55% of the questions correctly on financial literacy tests. In addition to this startling fact, only 16% of Millennials understand basic financial principles.
In an age when information is more accessible than ever, it seems that young people are more inundated than ever and not actually learning the basic financial principles necessary to excel in today’s financial landscape and economy.
Madhavi Ananth sees it as a personal duty to bridge that gap and to give back to her community in addition to her corporate role.
“Understanding personal finance, budgeting and saving has the ability to save you dividends in the long-run, and I recommend everybody start with the minimum. After you learn the basics, you can always learn more if finance intrigues you,” she goes on to say.
Madhavi Ananth’s career has seen her in various financial roles, however her favorite has been getting to work with corporations, reporting to shareholders and advising executive teams. Ananth says it’s both exciting and fulfilling to be able to share insights with decision makers, because the takeaways gleaned go on to inform future business practices.
“I feel like I’m making a difference, and I’m also honing my communication skills,” says Ananth.
The truth is that finance professionals, especially for those in Madhavi Ananth’s position, require excellent communication skills.
“It’s about more than just running the numbers and understanding them yourself, but about ensuring your colleagues also understand the takeaways and that everyone is on the same page.”
To learn more about Madhavi Ananth and for the latest corporate finance insights, you can visit her personal website.
