MCO has been growing and is recognized as a leading provider of Conduct Risk Compliance technology globally. Our employees make a significant impact on this success. In the "meet a member of the team" series, we show you the backstage of our operations, bringing you closer to our team members by featuring our people and the great work they do at MCO.
Today, we're delighted to introduce you to a member of our Implementation team based in Singapore – Shareena D'Souza.
Shareena has been with MCO since 2020, and she works closely with our clients in the APAC region, providing implementation infrastructure. The work includes planning, analysis, configuration and much more to ensure a successful implementation experience for MCO customers.
Shareena has vast experience working with Financial Institutions in client-facing roles, as well as collaborating with various cross-functional teams and decision-makers.
She is a culinary enthusiast that loves to travel and try different cuisines wherever she goes.
We asked Shareena a few questions about herself, work and this is what she said.
Describe a typical day at MCO?
A typical day as an Implementation Manager depends on the project phase I am currently working on. The implementation phases have various activities ranging from kick-off meetings, workshops, user training, configurations, data migration, go-live preparations, and transition to Support.
I would have weekly/daily calls with the clients to talk about what we worked on the day/week before, what we intend to work on that day and resolve any potential blockers based on priorities.
What you enjoy most about your job?
Whilst working in the Product Consultation and Implementations domain, I have enjoyed learning and mastering the various product suites. I love having the opportunity to work on different implementations of different scales and learning new things in each engagement. I enjoy working with people – be it the clients or other team members, collaborating and learning from them.
What inspires you to do what you do?
It would be my drive and determination to take things to closure and a desire to keep improving. I am a strong believer that a happy employee is more likely to feel motivated and go the extra mile when happy at work.
What's your favourite thing to do outside of work?
I really enjoy cooking in my spare time. I watch cooking shows to learn new culinary styles and scout the internet for recipes. During the weekend, I am often rummaging the local markets for fresh ingredients. My family and friends have encouraged me to set up my own Instagram page where I can post a new recipe along with a photograph which I think will need to wait until my kids grow up a bit.
I am also a meticulous travel planner. This was pre-Covid times, and it already feels like a decade since my last travel in 2019. I love planning travel itineraries, researching about the countries and creating "to do lists" of escapades and must eat local delicacies.
What do you like best about living in Singapore?
I have lived in Singapore for over nine years now, and I love this country for its cultural diversity, cleanliness, safety and mainly the food options with different world cuisines easily available. The best part for me is Singapore being the travel hub and the ease of travel to the other Asia Pacific countries.
What is your favourite food?
I love food, sometimes too much, and eating different cuisines is always fun. I have tried some insane things that I never thought I would be brave enough to eat, such as grilled scorpions. Now, I have returned to my old favourites, which I grew up eating as a child. Something which always comforts me is a well-cooked bowl of Mangalorean Fish Curry (Fish Curry with traditional ingredients like coconut, tamarind, and plenty of red chillies).
What is something that we would be surprised to know about you?
During one of my backpacking trips in Indonesia, I was all pumped up to hike Mount Bromo. But mid-way, I was too exhausted and ended up riding a donkey to reach the top. It has since been a running joke in the family.
