Isha Jagawat
Qualification
CA + CFA (Level 1)
Professional experience prior to joining Aria
As a Chartered Accountant and CFA Level I professional, my career has been defined by a dual focus on Business Finance and Transaction Advisory. I began my journey in the pharmaceutical sector, where I acted as a Finance Controller, leveraging capital investment evaluations (NPV/IRR), budgeting, and financial reporting to drive operational decision-making and strengthen internal controls.
I later transitioned to Price Waterhouse & Co. LLP within the Deal Advisory team. There, I specialized in income-tax due diligence, waterfall distribution analysis for Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs), and the structuring of domestic and cross-border investment vehicles, with a particular emphasis on GIFT City setups. My role required navigating complex SEBI, FEMA, and DTAA regulations to ensure seamless investment execution. Most recently, I have complemented this experience through independent financial consulting, where I developed advanced Excel-based models to analyze business performance and assess investment opportunities for diverse clients.
Areas of Expertise
My core strengths lie in financial planning, compliance, and building structured, reliable processes. I specialize in budgeting, financial tracking, and reporting, ensuring that systems are rigorously documented and aligned with organizational and stakeholder requirements. I focus on creating clarity through standardized workflows and practical financial tools, such as automated trackers for quarterly financial positions that help teams anticipate shortfalls and take corrective action in advance.
I am highly proficient in developing complex spreadsheets and financial models, including multi-year budgeting frameworks, quarterly planning tools, and automated cash flow projections incorporating scenario-based analysis. My approach combines analytical thinking with practical execution, enabling teams to make informed decisions, respond proactively, and manage resources more effectively.
What are your primary focus areas or responsibilities at Aria?
At Aria, my primary focus areas are financial planning, compliance, and process management. On a day-to-day basis, I work on grant reporting, utilisation documentation, statutory and donor compliance, and maintaining audit-ready financial records. I also support annual budgeting, grant-wise allocations, cost tracking, variance analysis, and regular cash flow monitoring, while managing the day-to-day functioning of the finance teams.
In addition, I build and manage financial trackers, dashboards, and planning models that help teams stay aligned on budgets, timelines, and resource requirements. I work closely with leadership, program teams, and the finance team to support financial decision-making, anticipate funding gaps, and ensure projects operate with clarity, accountability, and well-structured processes.
What part of your work do you enjoy the most?
What I enjoy most about my work is bringing clarity to complexity. I find it energising to take scattered information, financial data, or evolving requirements and turn them into structured systems and actionable insights. There’s a strong sense of satisfaction in building tools and processes that not only solve immediate challenges but also make future planning smoother and more proactive.
I am particularly motivated when financial planning translates into real operational impact, whether it’s helping teams anticipate funding gaps, allocate resources more effectively, or execute projects with greater confidence and accountability. Contributing to that clarity and stability gives my work a strong sense of purpose.
What draws you to the social / development sector?
What draws me to the social and development sector is the opportunity to apply strong financial planning and systems thinking to work that has a tangible, real-world impact. I find it meaningful when financial discipline, compliance, and structured processes directly support program effectiveness and responsible use of resources.
At the same time, the sector presents complex operational and funding challenges, which makes the role of finance more strategic. Being able to build clear systems, improve transparency, and support sustainable planning is both professionally engaging and personally fulfilling.
One thing you enjoy outside of work
Outside of work, I enjoy exploring new cafés, long walks by the sea, and discovering quiet, hidden corners of the city. Slow conversations with friends and time in nature help me reset, reflect, and stay creatively energised.
