Learning as a Leadership Discipline

 

Her Journey

Her career has been built progressively, following a professional trajectory, much like she describes it, structured around three major stages.

She began her career at HSBC, working at the counter. Over the years, she steadily climbed the ranks, eventually becoming Officer in Charge and then Branch Manager, at a relatively young age.
According to her, this first decade represented a real school of discipline and rigor, but also an opportunity to understand the fundamentals of banking and customer service.

The second major turning point came with her arrival at AfrAsia Bank in 2007, during a pivotal period in both her personal and professional life. She joined the then newly established institution when her second child was only two months old. Supported by her spouse and her close circle, she took part in building the bank from its earliest days, during the global financial crisis.

For sixteen years, the experience demanded resilience, commitment, and conviction. Seeing the institution grow to become a systemic bank in Mauritius represented a stage in her journey that was as demanding as it was rewarding.

Joining Stewards Investment Capital marks a new evolution, one that broadens her perspective.

“Moving from traditional banking to an environment more focused on investment has expanded my vision. Stewards is a distinctive company, not only because of the opportunities it offers but also because of its culture. Trust, governance, and values occupy a central place there.” This makes the step particularly significant for her, as it allows her to work within an ambitious international organization that remains deeply human-centered.

In a financial world still largely dominated by men, Suneeta Motala believes that effective leadership rests more on values, skills, resilience, and emotional intelligence than on whether one is a man or a woman.

According to her, individual paths influence careers, but the true strength of an organization lies in the diversity of perspectives and experiences, which enrich decision-making and strengthen organizational culture.

Daring to Move Forward

Her view of the transformation of the financial sector is clear-sighted.

For her, artificial intelligence represents one of the major turning points of our time, already transforming professions such as investment, compliance, portfolio management, risk analysis, and even client relationships. This transformation is redefining the skills required for tomorrow’s jobs.

“If we want to prepare our economy for the future, we must raise greater awareness and support younger generations in developing the skills that will remain relevant in an increasingly digital and technological world,” she emphasizes.

At the same time, she observes increasing competition between financial jurisdictions.

She believes that, to remain attractive, Mauritius must focus on agility, regulatory clarity, speed of execution, and digital readiness.

Despite technological acceleration, she insists on an essential principle:

“Human interaction and excellence in service must remain at the heart of a winning strategy.”

Faced with digitalization and increased scrutiny, she advocates for a balanced approach where innovation and governance progress together.

For her, the real opportunity lies in building systems that are both innovative and responsible, supported by strong ethical standards and rigorous risk management. Equally important, she says, is effective regulation that protects the integrity of the system while avoiding excessive bureaucracy that could discourage serious investors.

To those who aspire to leadership roles, her message is simple and direct:

“Dare, even for simple tasks, to step out of your comfort zone and accept failure as part of the learning process.”

She insists on personal responsibility and perseverance, and on building solid foundations, reminding us that sustainable success is built progressively.

“Growing means learning, unlearning, and relearning continuously.”

And above all, she adds, eliminate the idea that you cannot move forward because you are a woman.