Under the spotlight: Sharanjit Paddam
Sharanjit Paddam describes himself as an actuary who loves making a difference. Principal at Deloitte Actuaries & Consultants, Sharanjit goes under the spotlight to share some of his most personal thoughts.
My interesting/quirky hobbies… EVE Online computer game – A simulated dystopian universe set in the future, known for its difficulty and punishing gameplay, and its player driven storyline.
The sport I most like to watch… Test match cricket.
The last book I read (and when)… Proof of love by Catherine Hall, a tragic story of a mathematician set in the Lake District of England. Highly recommended. Read on holiday in 2014.
My favourite artist/album/film… London Grammar has been on continuous loop on my iPhone for the last few years. I still love the Shawshank Redemption. Anish Kapoor has been my favourite artist since I first saw his work in London in the 1990s.
What gets my goat… is how vested interests and political expediency stop society making good long term decisions, like our failure to address climate change.
Not many people know this but I… actually like spending time on my own.
Four words that sum me up… obsessive, sociable, creative, irreverent.
My favourite energetic pursuit… Chasing my sons around the house pretending to be a monster.
The person I’d most like to cook for… my family. Preparing and serving food has always been a deep expression of love in my family.
I’m most passionate about…making sure that my children get to see the Great Barrier Reef when they grow up.
If I hadn’t become an actuary, I would be… a politician.
Why and how I became an actuary… I thought it’d have something to do with maths. I was mostly wrong. Luckily, I liked it.
Where I studied to become an actuary and qualifications obtained… I studied mathematics at Cambridge, and did all the actuarial exams whilst working at PwC.
My work history… I started work at PwC in London for eight years, then a couple of years with Suncorp in Brisbane, followed by nearly 12 years with Taylor Fry in Sydney, and I started at Deloitte this year.
What I find most interesting about my current role… I love collaborating with others across the Deloitte network to bring new, innovative and commercial solutions for the world.
My role’s greatest challenges… trying to keep up with all the ideas I have, and prioritising all the things I want to do.
Who has been the biggest influence on my career (and why)… my first manager – Paul Delbridge, who taught me to be passionate and driven about my work, and to bill early and often.
My proudest career achievement to date is … winning the Taylor Fry prize for the paper on Climate Change that I wrote with Jon Harwood, Andy Pitman and Jessica Egan.
When I retire, my legacy will be… bringing actuarial methods to new spaces.
Why I’m proud to be an actuary… at our best we can help bring about real changes in people’s lives and ensure their wellbeing.
The most valuable skill an actuary can possess is … humility and empathy.
If I were President of the Institute, one thing I would improve is… removing the misconception that an actuarial career is a ticket to rest on our laurels.
If I could travel back in time I would… probably make all the same mistakes again.
My best advice for younger actuaries… find someone who inspires you and work for them, everything else isn’t important.
Contact Sharanjit: spaddam@deloitte.com.au
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