Hi – I’m Dharti Patel. I work in Moloco’s Finance team as Chief Accounting Officer. 

I grew up in a city called Stone Mountain which is right outside of Atlanta, Georgia. I knew nothing about what it meant to be an accountant until my senior year of high school, and even then I didn’t have a full appreciation of what exactly a career in accounting would mean.  From a young age, I loved math.  Every problem had a solution, and it was that element of certainty that I found appealing about accounting. That one class in highschool sent me down a path to earn a degree in accounting and become a CPA. Ironically, what has kept me in this field for nearly 25 years is critical thinking and professional judgment that is involved

A recurring theme in my career, whether the company is 300 people or 18,000 people, is that fast growing companies always experience growing pains. The size of the company and the rate of growth may dictate the specific challenges that they will face, but they are always there. Being adaptable, pragmatic and prepared has been my approach to navigating these growing pains. For me, it is rewarding to partner with the business to build processes, policies and teams that are sustainable that meet the needs of the business today and beyond. It can be painful to put in place but it almost always has a profound impact. So you see, being an accountant is much more than dealing with numbers. It can be a cross-functional role helping influence change and drive transformation at the company.

Life outside of work stays pretty full with four teenagers and a little chihuahua. One thing we love to do as a family is watch sports. Football is by far my favorite and during football season you’ll find me watching games while constantly checking on my fantasy teams. We are lucky to live near some great local wineries where we can enjoy a nice hike, wine tasting or watch a summer concert. During more extensive time off, I would want to travel. We always try and find something adventurous to try wherever we go. The most exotic trip I have taken so far has been to Africa and I hope to add many more exciting destinations to the list.