Name: Nikita Dehal
Designation: Legal Manager
Company: Ozow
What do you do every day?
Professionally, in my role at Ozow, which is a South African FinTech company, my day to day varies. Most days I am reviewing and advising on contracts from both a legal and business perspective, I am driving risk mitigation and regulatory compliance, and I am engaging with various internal and external stakeholders in an effort to improve processes and efficiencies. I am also engaged in building the business’s policy framework and in high-level strategic initiatives.
How did you get into the tech space?
I am passionate about innovation, learning through innovating and contributing to financial inclusion in Africa. I left the traditional law firm environment seeking a place to explore my passions and utilise my skill set and acumen. Having experienced the tech world in the US, I gained exposure to the opportunities for lawyers in tech. I actively sought such a role when returning to South Africa.
What was the best advice anyone ever gave you?
Define your purpose, explore your passions, recognise your worth and reach for stars.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to get into tech?
I would advise that he/she consider their abilities, strengths and weaknesses, conduct their research into the tech environment and look to people with similar backgrounds for mentorship and guidance. I think it is important to ensure that your professional and personal strengths and abilities align with a role in the industry that you are seeking, and an individual in the industry that you look up to. In this way, you can adequately plan a path to achieving your desired professional goals.
What motivates you to get out of bed every day?
I love what I do and feel that I am living out my purpose. This motivates me.
About The Author: Samantha
Samantha Perry is the owner and founder of SJ Perry PR, a small, independent agency that specialises in providing public relations and media relations services to small to medium-sized businesses. She recently served as the JHB Agency Lead for Irvine Partners, an integrated public relations and marketing agency. She has over 20 years' of experience writing for a range of media - print and online - mainly in the ICT sector including Computing SA (editor), ComputerWeek, and Brainstorm magazine (editor). In her capacity as a PR professional and consultant, she has and does work with a variety of companies including Google (South Africa & Nigeria), Salesforce, CLEVVA, Euphoria Telecom, Paymenow and Tiger Content (UK). She also has a Masters degree in ICT Policy & Regulation. She served on the IAB SA Marketing Council as the PR rep, has worked as an independent telecoms researcher for some of the analyst houses in that field and was regularly called upon to comment on telecoms issues in the press. Nowadays she can be found commenting on women in tech issues in the press and speaking at conferences on the subject and the issues women in the sector face.
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