Although there are a large number of women working in finance functions of major corporations, there are disproportionately few women CFOs. Although this gap is quite prominent at present, the industry is witnessing the arrival of some promising women finance officers who are equipped with exceptional technological and leadership skills. Determined to leave a prominent impact within the industry by the virtue of her impeccable professional expertise, Dia Teckchandani is playing a pivotal role as the CFO of St. Jude India ChildCare Centres. Providing hope and homes to families of underprivileged children suffering from cancer, St. Jude India ChildCare Centres provides all the necessary facilities to children and their families through its well-established and costless model of holistic care during the period of the child's treatment. With more than two decades of demonstrated history of working in the financial services industry, Dia is proud to be a part of such a benevolent organization and navigate St. Jude India ChildCare Centres to ace in its financial expeditions and lead it to greater heights.

To highlight her journey as one of the finest CFOs of the country and her association with St. Jude India ChildCare Centres, Dia engages in an exclusive interaction with the Women Entrepreneur magazine.

Share with us the foundation story of St. Jude India ChildCare Centres.

With a shared vision of providing a home-away-from-home for the families of children suffering from pediatric cancer, a small group of individuals with no previous experience in public health came together 15 years ago to lay the foundation of St. Jude India ChildCare Centres. The organization is the dreamchild of Nihal Kaviratne, who was invited to give a speech at the Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, and was astonished to see hordes of masked kids with their heads shorn, really enjoying themselves at the event despite battling cancer. He realized the sorrow behind these smiles, lurking in the eyes of the families of those kids, who would spend days and nights on the pavements outside the hospital or at railway stations as they had no proper place to live during treatment. At that very moment, he decided that these kids should have a clean, loving place to stay while undergoing treatment, leading to the foundation of St. Jude India ChildCare Centres.

How is St. Jude India ChildCare Centres’ innovative model of holistic care assisting the children diagnosed with pediatric cancer and their families?

In India, underprivileged parents from rural areas bring their children diagnosed with cancer to large cities where high-quality treatment is available. Since the child may be an outpatient through this long stretch of the treatment procedure, the families often end up living on the footpath next to the hospital where the child is being treated due to the unaffordability of clean and safe accommodation. While the filth and squalor leave the child vulnerable to secondary infections, the parents don’t have a place to prepare meals or proper toilet facilities. As the overall experience of feeling dejected and demoralization engulf the families, they often abandon treatment and return to their home, increasing the probability of their child gradually yielding to cancer.

Addressing this issue with its innovative model of holistic care, we offer a hygienic, protective, and nurturing environment. Thus, by bridging the gap between what the treating hospitals provide and what a child needs to recoup, recover, and overcome the disease, we have been able to complete the circle of care.

“By bridging the gap between what the treating hospitals provide and what a child needs to recoup, recover, and overcome the disease, we have been able to complete the circle of care”

Throw some light on your professional journey so far and shed some light on the expertise acquired during this journey.

I have handled financial operations for some prominent conglomerates of industry, such as IDFC AMC, TATA-AIA LIFE INSURANCE, WNS, PATKAR & PENDSE, and Datamatics. During my prolific tenure with these organizations, I have gained expertise in management, strategic planning, leadership, finance, and accounting. Acting as an advisory to other departments on financial implications of policies/proposals/regulations, I acquired comprehensive knowledge of budgets, forecasts, audits, and interpretation of financial statements. Harbouring my expertise with a perfect blend of motivation, leadership, and analytical skills, I have consistently proven my ability to lead and improvise system changes, policies & processes. My top 5 strengths as brought out by the Gallup test are Relator, Analytical, Responsibility, Strategic, and Achiever.

How has been the journey of St. Jude India ChildCare Centres since its inception? What are its future plans?

Our core mission of ensuring that no child is denied a safe, hygienic place to stay while undergoing cancer treatment has expanded in vision. We started our journey by caring for eight children and their families in Mumbai alone. Today, we have 37 Centres that look after over 467 families in nine cities, which are Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Chennai, Vellore, Guwahati, Delhi, and Varanasi. In the last decade and a half, over 4,000 children and their families have been given a chance for a new life. We continue to fabricate profound and eloquent relationships with our partner hospitals, relying on their proficiencies to help us accomplish our promise that until ‘cancer doesn’t stop, neither will we’. Over the next five years, we intend to enhance our capacity to support at least 1,000 children and their families every day.

We are building on our strengths and processes; financial, operational or otherwise to ensure we cope and transition into the increased capacity smoothly, efficiently and undisturbed.

Dia Teckchandani, CFO, St. Jude India Childcare Centers

Dia holds a Bachelor of Commerce - BCom focused in Business/Commerce, General from Narsee Monjee College of Commerce and Economics, Mumbai and a Chartered Accountant degree from ICAI, Mumbai. Skilled in financial accounting, data analysis, financial analysis, budgeting, as well as financial reporting, Dia is acknowledged as one of the rising women professionals of the finance domain of the current generation.