I sat down with Pranav Prakash, an experienced finance and sales operations leader who’s worked across Australia and the United States, including with adidas & PUMA Group North America. Our conversation explored how global exposure reshapes perspective, the misunderstood role of finance in growth, and the value of skills over titles.
📍 Q: You’ve worked across Australia and the US. What changed in how you think about business after working in a global market?
Pranav: “Working in the US exposed me to a market that directly contributes to a global brand at scale. The biggest difference was seeing a business operate at its optimal capacity, where ideas, talent, and resources are all aligned. Being in that environment and learning from people who had seen multiple markets gave me a broader perspective. You start understanding what ‘good’ really looks like when everything is set up to perform, and that exposure changes how you think about decision-making and impact.”
📍 Q: You’ve worked closely with sales, merchandising, and supply teams. What’s one thing people misunderstand about the role finance plays in driving growth?
Pranav: “Accountability. Finance takes big targets and breaks them down into smaller, actionable pieces. If the goal is X, finance helps answer how we actually get there, what each stakeholder contributes. It’s about translating high-level numbers into realistic targets people can engage with. There’s a very fine line between ambition and something becoming unachievable. In my experience, finance is the bridge between vision and execution.”
📍 Q: Looking back, what would you do differently in your first five years of work?
Pranav: “I would’ve spent more time intentionally building skills. Early on, I focused a lot on working in a specific industry, sports, rather than on developing transferable skills. Over time, I realised skills carry you further than industry labels. You can move across sectors if your foundation is strong. We’re moving less towards degrees alone and more towards experience, capability, and adaptability.”
📍 Q: One message for the world
Pranav: “We’re living in a very delicate time. I think we all need to spread more love, the world genuinely needs more of it, and each of us can do a little better.”
✨ Key Takeaway:
Pranav’s journey highlights the power of perspective, how global exposure sharpens thinking, how finance anchors growth in reality, and how investing in skills creates long-term flexibility. Sometimes the most meaningful impact starts with clarity, accountability, and a little more kindness.
