Nishit Gandhi, CPA
Using the Designation to Open Doors and Give Back to the Community
October 31, 2023
With a background as a Chartered Accountant from India and experience in finance leadership roles at US and British organizations in Asia and Europe, Nishit came to Canada in the fall of 2019 and completed his MBA at the University of Saskatchewan. After looking for corporate finance roles, he soon realized that a CPA designation would be necessary to open the doors to these roles in Canada.
Wanting to be part of a profession that creates economic value for stakeholders and holds a position of trust in society, Nishit enrolled in the CPA program in the summer of 2020 and was quickly promoted to his current role as a Senior Finance Analyst at the First Nations Bank of Canada (FNBC) after successfully writing the CFE in May 2021.
Banking is a heavily regulated industry, and Nishit is responsible for periodic reporting to the regulator in addition to a variety of responsibilities which involve reporting, budgeting & forecasting, management reporting/analysis, and accounting. The variety of work provides him with many opportunities for continuous learning - something he really enjoys. Nishit values the impact his work has and describes FNBC as a unique organization in that decisions aren’t made solely based on the bottom line but are instead based on their contribution to the overall mission, vision, and values.
“I feel privileged to be part of an organization involved in Truth and Reconciliation efforts by creating financial inclusion and economic opportunities for the First Nation communities of Canada.”
Since earning his designation, Nishit has felt fortunate to contribute to the profession and the community by volunteering to facilitate numerous financial literacy sessions in Saskatchewan through CPA Canada’s Financial Literacy Program. Volunteering allows him to share his skills and knowledge as a CPA and engage with young adults and newcomers about their financial queries and challenges while providing them with useful information that enable them to make better financial decisions.
“The Financial Literacy Program is an excellent mechanism to share knowledge and provide information to a wider audience about the CPA profession”, he notes.
Nishit credits the CPA program with enabling CPAs to add value in both for-profit business and not-for-profit organizations by imparting technical financial skills like accounting, assurance, tax, and finance, as well as enabling CPAs to understand businesses strategically - especially when proposing solutions to senior leadership. He also credits the CPA program with enhancing his governance and risk-management skills, time management, and ability to find the most appropriate solution within given constraints. These skills assist Nishit in providing technically sound recommendations while serving the greater purpose in both his career and volunteer positions.
When asked about whether pursuing his Canadian CPA designation was worth it, Nishit’s response was clear,
“Pursing [my designation] has been worth it. It has given me the tools to understand the financial and economic landscape of Saskatchewan and Canada. It has opened opportunities in various finance roles. Finally, I have been able to share some of the knowledge that I gained with newcomers to Canada and young adults by being part of the Financial Literacy Volunteer Program run by CPA Canada.”