Success Works has warmly welcomed Malika Siyali as a new Board Member and Treasurer.
Malika is exceptionally well placed for these new roles as she has over 25 years of experience in commercial and strategic executive leadership roles, as well as being a Certified Practicing Accountant working in tax advisory, tax and accounting compliance and organisational transformation. She is deeply passionate about diversity and inclusion, and empowering women to thrive and fulfil their career aspirations.
Malika comes to Success Works reflecting on her very fulfilling and successful working life, having reached a point in her personal and professional life where many of her goals have been achieved, “but I really wanted to do something where I could give back.”
As she said in an interview with fellow board members Prudence Black and Di van den Broek,
…when I think about my own career, where I’ve been very fortunate [is] where I’ve been able to do anything I wanted to put my mind to … I think that is a really big and powerful statement to say, [and] why shouldn’t others have that same opportunity?
As well as career opportunities Malika also recognises the opportunities she has had in her personal life. She was one of the first children to be adopted from overseas into Australia. She only knows her adoptive parents. Her father was from India and her mother was from the Isle of Man in the UK. They met in Australia, where her father was studying to do civil engineering and her mother to study law. They got married but they couldn’t have children of their own,
So, they decided to adopt from India. “I was born in India [but] I see myself as 100% Australian. I have always known that I’m adopted, and I’ve always been very grateful for that, and I am who I am, and I have done what I’ve done because of that.”
It is this background that Malika draws from and drives her forward:
“I want to make sure that what I’m doing is creating a legacy beyond just [having had] this great career. I’ve done everything I wanted to do in my career to date. What can I now do to give back? Because I’ve been so fortunate in my life…that’s ingrained in who I am, is to give back.”
Malika also has a wider understanding about the women that participate in the Success Works services. She recognises that there are many underlying reasons why women may have a criminal record, or:
“…been in a situation that they may not have necessarily wanted to be. It wasn’t something that they wanted to do. For me [it] was very much well, why shouldn’t they be given a fair go? And that’s very much an Australian thing too. Give people a fair go. Don’t just judge them because they’ve done something without knowing the context.”
Having parents with a social conscience has also informed Malika’s own everyday practices. Her mother’s work as a lawyer meant,
“She did a lot of pro bono work. She really believed in social justice. And I think part of that was me connecting to that concept of…. why shouldn’t women that have been incarcerated or been marginalised have an opportunity to have a job just like anybody else. Why should they be treated differently?”
It is easy to see how Malika will be a vital member of the Success Works team with her strong background in taxation, accounting and leadership as well as her core values around fairness and equal opportunity for women affected by the criminal justice system. We know you will be an amazing asset to the Success Works Board.
Success Works believes that volunteering is an enormously effective and beneficial process for women affected by the criminal justice system. We particularly acknowledge the essential and valuable contribution mentors make in providing support and empowerment to women who are committed to seeking, securing, and maintaining employment. We are currently looking for new mentors. Could you change a woman’s life?
We are currently looking for new Mentors. Could you change a woman’s life?
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