Meet our alumni

Vivek Garg

Group Executive, Assistant Controller, Newmont Corporation

Jumping over hurdles

During a recent conversation, Vivek Garg shared his path to accounting, why he’s so passionate about his work, and how his time at PwC was career defining.

What were your early years like?
I grew up in India, and I come from a business-oriented family. My father's an engineer, and his siblings are all engineers. My grandfather was a lawyer and a manager. I sort of stumbled into accounting during school, but once I got there, I realized I really enjoyed it.

What do you like most about accounting?
I like the tangible nature accounting brings to the table. I think of financial statements akin to a book that you're writing for people who are financially astute. You’re translating the results of a company and its operations into a different language to enable them to make informed investment decisions.

How was your experience at PwC?
The years I spent at PwC were really career-defining. If you think about breadth and depth, that experience transformed my knowledge in a critical space and it has been helpful ever since.

How so? Tell us about what you’re doing now at Newmont Corporation.
Newmont is the largest gold mining company in the world and has significant global operations. I am responsible for our SEC reporting and filings, ESG reporting, technical accounting, SOX compliance, and management reporting.

Is ESG reporting evolving, and why is it so important for companies to talk about?
Focusing on ESG practices has been a core part of Newmont’s business for more than 30 years. We have been consistently ranked as a leader in the mining and metal sector S&P Global, and we have been listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (“DJSI World”) since 2007. We acknowledge that human activities contribute to climate change and business has an important role in addressing this global challenge. Investors are increasingly interested in doing the right thing for planet Earth and in understanding the impact of climate change on businesses and their operations. Ultimately, it comes down to creating a sustainable future and meeting investor expectations. You want to give them the information that they consider material in making their investment decisions. That's the bottom line.

It sounds like you have a lot on your plate. How do you avoid stress and burnout?
Someone once told me if you love your job 70% of the time, then you're probably in the right place. I think that applies to me. I'm also just a pretty even-keeled person.

How would you describe your leadership style?
I try to be in the trenches with my team, always there to support them, and I get a lot of joy out of helping people learn. Providing opportunities for growth is very important to me, for my team. In addition, I can be a bit of a demanding leader, but a thoughtful one. I expect good work and high-quality performance and enjoy recognizing successes as a team.

As a result of the pandemic, how has your perspective on work changed?
I think we’ve realized that we don’t need to be in office from a finance perspective. And in many ways, we can be even more productive working from home. Still, I miss that interpersonal, intangible nature of running into people and building relationships in person. So now I typically go into the office at least once a week, and I have an expectation of my team coming together at least once a month.

Reflecting on your career so far, what makes you feel most proud?
Getting my scholarship to study and do research in Australia. That was a key moment in my life for two reasons: First, it helped me get out of India at a time when I couldn't find a job. And second, maybe more importantly, it gave me confidence. There were only four scholarships available to international students from across the world, so, for a guy like me who grew up as an average student, obtaining one of the four scholarships was a turning point.

What helpful advice can you offer others?
Be great at what you do, go after knowledge, and enjoy what you do. Everything else will fall in place.

What’s something about you that might surprise people?
I’m a little bit of an audiophile.

If you could go back in time and give your younger self a piece of advice, what would you say?
There’s no shortcut to hard work. I think life is like a hurdle race. Sure, you can bypass a hurdle and you'll go forward. But that hurdle isn’t going away. So you’re better off jumping it sooner rather than later and just putting in the effort—that's the only way of getting ahead.