Written by Vicky Carson

I recently had the privilege of attending a thought-provoking session hosted by the King’s Entrepreneurship Lab, where Niren Chaudhary, the founder of Ra Inspired Leadership, delivered an impactful talk on values-based leadership. Drawing from his personal and professional journey, Chaudhary highlighted the crucial need for aligning one’s core values with their actions. His poignant narrative about the loss of his daughter led him to realise the immense significance of courage and gratitude when faced with challenging situations, and the imperative of maintaining congruence between values and actions.

One of the standout messages of the discussion was that business leaders cannot genuinely champion a purpose-driven organisation unless that purpose is intertwined with profitability. Chaudhary calls this inter-relationship the “virtuous cycle” and underscored that congruence is essential across all facets of leadership, requiring leaders to embody the values and vision of their organisations in every decision they make, thereby nurturing a culture of trust and authenticity.

This enlightening session reinforced the understanding that values-based leadership is more than just an aspirational concept; it is a practical necessity for achieving sustainable success. By ensuring that actions align with values, leaders lay a solid groundwork for organisational growth and employee engagement. The practical benefit is that this attracts and retains the right people to the business. The team finds its groove, and this cohesion increases engagement and satisfaction. Having a more “bought in”, engaged and happy team creates a culture where individuals feel heard and empowered to effect change.

A striking illustration of Chaudhary’s teachings is embodied in the name of his company. ‘Ra’ references the ancient Egyptian sun god, who is said to carry the sun across the sky by day and navigate the underworld at night, only to rise again each morning. This enduring symbol of resilience has inspired generations and continues to epitomise the strength of perseverance.

In my case as a small business owner, I can attest that congruence truly is a vital component for success. Recently, my business registered as a B-Corp and actively supported initiatives such as the HMT Women in Finance charter — a cause that resonates deeply with me. Chaudhary’s point that purpose must align with profit emphasises how critical it is for our clients to value such efforts. It is widely acknowledged that diversity is essential for effective business practices and high-quality products. The burning question, however, is do investors truly factor in the values and commitments of their asset managers when deciding where to entrust their capital? So far, it appears to me that only a minority of investors seem to pay attention to this aspect, and even fewer actively reach out to ask for more information. More often, the focus is on thematic alignment and historic performance metrics. There has however been a notable push to raise awareness about how diverse teams positively influence profitability and service quality. I am optimistic that through further advancement in technology and ongoing democratisation of investing, society will actively adopt Chaudhary’s principle of the virtuous cycle in their wealth management practices.

In today’s climate, where DEI initiatives and budgets face scrutiny and are being curtailed, Chaudhary’s stories of courage, resilience, gratitude, and congruence during challenging times shine like rays of sunshine.

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