To be ambitious is a great thing, but what’s better is to embrace every single ounce of opportunity that one gets. Ambition is what helps us succeed and gives a purpose in life to fight for things we truly believe in. The majority of the people who have achieved great success and rewards were undervalued personalities that had the drive to prove the world wrong.
As a child, when Saleem Beebeejaun was asked what he wanted to be when he grew up, he would reply enthusiastically “a successful person.” And here he is today, the Chairman of the Warwyck Private Bank, the first and only private bank operating in Mauritius. He hails from a family of well-renowned professionals who have been influential in their own ways in the Mauritian community. But just like a lot of people who’ve had successful careers, Saleem Beebeejaun earned his own share of success, but gradually.
It’s not usual that someone starts a bank. A bank that now manages more than USD 1.3 billion and prides in being the only operational private bank in Mauritius. There’s no shortcut to build that kind of business. In the early days of his career, after completing his License – ès Sciences Economiques from the University of Montpellier, France, he embarked upon his professional journey by working in the agricultural sector as a supervisor with his grandfather. Eventually, he went on to pursue higher studies in Insurance and graduated as a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute. Following this, he enrolled for the Advanced Management Program of the Harvard Business School and continues to be an active Harvard alumnus today.
Saleem Beebeejaun’s achievements do not end here. Saleem Beebeejaun today is a Chief Strategy Officer of TWZ Law, a South African law firm based in Mauritius. He has also served as the Honorary Consul of Malaysia to Mauritius since 2008. He has been an active member and helped organize many visits of Malaysian dignitaries to Mauritius.
Saleem Beebeejaun believes in what he’s working towards and believes that he can make his mark in not just Mauritius, but the whole world. Taking a look at his career ladder, in the past, he has served as a board member of over 50 companies in Mauritius and overseas including Kenya, Malta, and Zimbabwe. He now serves as a board member of Rio Zim Ltd. – a listed mining company based in Zimbabwe, and Murowa Diamonds – a Zimbabwe-based diamond mining company.
Saleem Beebeejaun has come a long way since, and has explored and witnessed different business markets across the globe. His goals are now beyond his community, his mission has become all the more ambitious.