The road to the C-suite wasn’t always clear, but Nirjary M. Desai, MBA, confidently blazed her own trail across three continents before founding her own global organization.
Desai’s forward-looking approach to leadership will be one topic of discussion during her keynote presentation at the 2026 Accounting Scholars Leadership Workshop (ASLW) and 2026 Accounting Inclusion & Impact Symposium (AIIS) this October 14–16 in Atlanta, GA. In the opening session ¾ introduced by Susan Coffey, CPA, CGMA, and CEO of Public Accounting at the AICPA® ¾ Desai will discuss refining priorities, making intentional choices, and allowing yourself to redefine success.
“What I know now is that careers rarely make sense while you're living them,” Desai shared. “Sometimes the job you think is simply your ‘next job’ is teaching you a skill you will need ten years later.”
In this exclusive interview, Desai shares observations from her inspiring career and insights for the future that can benefit students and emerging professionals, fellow leaders, and organizations of all sizes.
What is your current role, and how did you get there?
I’m the Founder and Chief Experience Officer (CXO) of KIS (cubed) Events, where I lead a team creating luxury multicultural celebrations, corporate experiences, and hospitality strategies around the world.
But my career wasn't a perfectly mapped-out path to entrepreneurship.
I was born in Zambia, raised in South Carolina, and educated in London — and those experiences gave me a global lens long before I realized it would become one of my greatest professional assets. My career took me through travel and hospitality with companies including American Airlines, IHG, and Starwood Hotels & Resorts. My career has really been about taking everything I learned along the way, connecting the dots, and having the courage to create a lane when the lane I wanted didn't exist.
What lessons did you learn on your journey?
Early in my career, I didn't walk into rooms with a title that automatically gave me credibility. I had to earn it. I learned how to observe people, understand operations, solve problems, and deliver at a high level. Hospitality was one of my greatest classrooms because you learn very quickly that the experience someone has with your company often comes down to a human interaction.
I also learned what it feels like to enter spaces where you may not see many people who look like you, have your background, or understand your cultural perspective. I could have viewed that only as a disadvantage. Instead, I learned that my difference was actually part of my value.
For anyone getting started, especially students, I think there can be pressure to have your entire career figured out. I certainly didn't. Your first job doesn't have to be your forever job. Be curious. Learn the business. Ask questions. Build relationships. Pay attention to what you're exceptionally good at, and don't underestimate the skills you’re collecting.
Has one-on-one support played a part in your success?
Mentorship has been incredibly important throughout my career, but I also think we need to broaden the way we think about it.
Some mentors are people you formally ask to mentor you. Others are leaders who advocate for you in a room you're not in, someone who gives you an opportunity before you think you're ready, or the person willing to tell you the truth instead of simply telling you what you want to hear.
As I’ve grown as a leader, mentorship has also become part of my responsibility. I spend a lot of time helping emerging professionals and entrepreneurs understand not only how to get into the room, but how to understand their value once they're there. Sometimes that means opening my network. Sometimes it's sharing a lesson I learned the expensive way. Sometimes it's saying, "You are ready. Go do it."
One thing I tell people is not to look for one magical mentor who is supposed to teach you everything. Build your own personal board of directors. Different people will challenge you, champion you, and teach you at different stages of your life.
And when someone opens a door for you, don't just walk through it. As you grow, reach back and hold it open for someone else.
Going beyond paying it forward as an individual, how can organizations develop more inclusive workplaces?
Start with cultural competency, not assumptions.
For me, inclusion is much bigger than who is sitting at the table. The real question is: Once people get there, do they feel safe enough to speak, valued enough to contribute, and understood enough to stay?
Organizations can start by creating a culture of curiosity. Teach leaders to ask instead of assume. Learn how culture, communication styles, lived experiences, and different perspectives influence the way people work and lead. And most importantly, listen to understand rather than listening simply to respond.
I often say that, at the end of the day, we are human beings serving human beings. Policies matter. Representation matters. But inclusion becomes real in the everyday moments: who gets heard, who gets developed, whose ideas receive credit, who gets invited into the room, and who someone is willing to advocate for when that person isn't there.
When people genuinely feel seen, heard, and valued, inclusion stops being an initiative and starts becoming part of the culture.
Opening keynote speaker for AIIS and ASLW
Nirjary M. Desai's journey is a powerful reminder that meaningful careers are rarely linear. While Desai works in another sector, the lessons she’s learned about resilience, relationship building, cultural competency, mentorship, and intentional leadership are highly relevant to today's accounting and finance professionals. Her story reflects many of the same themes at the heart of both the Accounting Inclusion & Impact Symposium (AIIS) and the Accounting Scholars Leadership Workshop (ASLW): embracing diverse experiences, investing in people, and building the skills and relationships that help individuals thrive.
Whether you're a student preparing to enter the profession, an emerging leader navigating your next career move, or an executive shaping workplace culture, Desai's insights challenge us to remain curious, lead with purpose, and create opportunities for others along the way. Join us this October in Atlanta to hear more from Desai and connect with students, practitioners, educators, and other professionals who are helping shape the future of the profession.