CFO Talks - Idea Sharing for CFOs

Joanne Tanner has proven to be a resilient leader and CFO with an ability to solve problems creatively and implement change through simplifying and eliminating complexity.

A third-generation accountant, Imtiyaaz Abdul-Gaffur, has aspired to be a CFO since his final year of school, and having gained experience over a vast array of industries both locally and overseas, he provides insight on how he achieved his ambition to become a CFO. 

Prinisha Khoosal is highly focused on team leadership and as CFO at Bridgestone Southern Africa she dedicates time to inspiring her team to deliver distinctive results.

Working for the largest blockchain company in the world, Monica Singer believes that innovation is brought into the world by people who are not invested in the current reality, and she provides insights into how blockchain will change the world over the next five to ten years. 

Flexibility and a willingness to learn and work outside his comfort zone, has led Dean Schweizer to journey from South Africa to Mauritius and now working remotely in Switzerland as CFO of Astoria Investments. 

Christopher Holton is part of a growing movement of senior financial guns for hire who are translating their deep experience in the corporate sector to the consulting field.

Nico Serfontein is part of a new generation of accountants coming up the ranks and bringing new skills and analytical ability to the profession, he's got a deep understanding of how technology can guide the accounting profession into the challenges of the future. 

Thembeka Maseko is a highly accomplished c-suite executive with over 12 years of financial services experience, she was recently appointed CFO of one of Standard Bank's most lucrative segments. 

Mercy Phetla wanted to see the status quo of Mamusa changed and services to be delivered when she was appointed CFO but instead, she has received death threats for uncovering corruption and irregular payments in excess of R40 million. 

Michelle Pienaar is CFO at Marsh Africa, the number one insurance broker globally, she has extensive experience in accounting and financial management, and believes in life-long learning to build a skillset for the future. 

Oyinda Akanbi is making a difference beyond finance in her position as CFO at the leading diagnostics provider in Nigeria.

Matthew Kloos quit his London job and returned home to Cape Town to embark on a new venture as CFO at CompariSure, which is focused on giving South Africans access to quality insurance products, making it easier to buy and compare, with the key differentiator being that it's all done via chatbots.

After spending a significant portion of his career working in non-profit organisations across Africa, Christian Campbell has returned to his home country of Sierra Leone to follow his passion and launch his own business focusing on the SME sector. 

Shane Leas is quite comfortable leading the finance function at large and complex organisations, and now as Group CFO at Select Africa Limited, he provides some fascinating insight to the African growth story that is microfinance. 

Having moved from India to Nigeria 16 years ago to take up a position at Tolaram Group, Sandeep Parasramka shares insight to Nigeria's largest FMCG player and its involvement in the development of a free-trade zone in Lagos. 

Fascinated by numbers from a young age, Khuphukile Ndebele, has acquired diverse local and international experience that has equipped him to work as a finance executive in virtually any industry and he brings this wealth of knowledge and skills to his role at Bidvest Electrical Group. 

SAIBA's CEO, Nicolaas van Wyk, provides interesting feedback from the recent CFO World Congress in Mexico, how developments at COP26 will soon change a CFO's reporting obligations, and the trends for CFOs going into 2022.

South African-born Daniel Raubenheimer is a passionate MBA graduate with cross-functional experience in tech, FMCG and manufacturing, he's now CFO at Silon in Atlanta, USA, a leading producer of technical compounds and polyester staple fibres.

Johannes Seefried has spent the last decade in various positions within Hilti and now having relocated to Johannesburg, he's focusing on merging his German experience with his new South African role. 

Raised on a farm, Henk Cronje has returned to his roots as Head of Finance at Agri Technovation, a global innovation business focused on crop performance fuelled by science and technology. 

Inspired to follow in her father's footsteps as a CA, Lindelani Gumbo has carved her own path as a regulatory accountant, a career built on a genuine passion for the financial sector and regulatory space. 

Finance Executive, Chris Strauss, describes his career in the food and food service industry as a life-long passion, and he believes it's critical to understand the intricacies of business if you want to play an influential role in guiding the business.

After gaining experience in a variety of roles at PwC, Roxane Leita, was approached by Investec to assist with the launch of Investec Life as their Head of Finance, where she faced the challenge to create finance processes from the ground up and she shares here the intricacies of this role. 

By her own admission, Gerda Janse van Vuuren believes she was an accountant before she even knew what an accountant was, and here she discusses her natural affinity for numbers, her role as CFO at SA Mint and her obsession with baking sourdough bread. 

Despite being a self-confessed late bloomer, Marius Möller has an impressive CV and extensive experience in senior financial leadership that led to his current position at Business Science Corporation, a fourth industrial revolution enablement company.

Charles Mbale's career experience has been predominantly in the NGO sector but in 2019 he established his own accounting practice and shares valuable insight for other finance professionals considering the same route. 

Teboho Makakane represents the quintessential modern CFO, from humble beginnings as a motor mechanic, his diverse career and experiences have led him to being awarded the CFO (SA) designation, and he shares his expectations as he prepares to join SAIBA's delegation to the CFO World Congress in Mexico. 

Responsible for a budget of R7.8 billion, Sarika Lakraj-Naidoo is a CFO who has always challenged the status quo and she continues to do so as she strives to ensure that state money is used for its intended purpose at Johannesburg's Public Safety Department 

RiSA's Nishal Lalla has solid financial experience, along with valuable skills that he's gained throughout his career that enables him to be involved with all aspects of business at South Africa's trade association for record companies. 

Having spent her career in the motor industry, Catherine Campbell-Ferreira admits that it's an industry that's in her blood and which she loves, but she also shares her views here on the role of women in accounting and how they can assist in the post-Covid recovery.

Fatima Darsot's shares how her career has been enriched through her love for teaching and mentoring graduates by empowering them with practical knowledge that allows students to have greater confidence to advance their careers. 

Kulani Caroline Thuketane highlights the importance of soft skills, something that she finds is becoming essential for the modern finance executive, as this dynamic role is no longer defined by technical skills only. 

Dhiren Maharaj has proven to be an adaptable and flexible finance executive, with extensive experience and a creative application of knowledge, while empowering and inspiring his team at LexisNexis. 

IMEF will be hosting a conference in November this year focusing on the economic reactivation for the post-pandemic era. National President, Angel Garcia-Lascurain Valero, confirms that the chief economist of the World Bank and two Nobel Prize winners will be providing presentations. 

Pedro De Matos brings a depth of experience to his position as Group CFO at Ingenia Polymers, and he provides insights into what makes a well-rounded CFO and how the next generation of CFOs can be developed. 

Lynette Mutsekwa joined Europ Assistance earlier this year, and being an Africa specialist, Lynette is a CFO who has acquired substantial experience in South Africa, as well as other Africa markets, experience that she can draw on as Europ Assistance grows their presence into the continent.  

Jace Subramoney of Goldline Industries highlights how the responsibilities of the senior finance executive go beyond the bottom line to incorporate a broader social responsibility, ensuring that staff and suppliers were not detrimentally affected during the recent lockdowns. 

When the only certainty is the uncertainty of the economy, a CFO requires critical skills and stamina to manage in such a dynamic environment, skills that Believe Dirorimwe has honed over the past 12 years at African Sun Hotels. 

Matome Modika has established a thriving accounting practice in Tzaneen, along with a college specialising in business studies, which is not surprising for a man who believes in continuous career development. 

Thungela Resources was recently spun out of Anglo American as Anglo exited coal, CFO of Thungela, Deon Smith provides insight to the opportunities that lie ahead despite the longer-term uncertainty around fossil fuels. 

Initially expecting to work in the Congo for a year, Raymond Chinyani fell in love with the culture and lifestyle of Kinshasa, where he has been head of finance at Bensiwe for the past six years. 

Therese Cilliers lives by her own words of being adjustable and adaptable to remain relevant in the ever-changing finance profession, with an ability to multi-task with ease, Therese has gained a wealth of experience and skills in her career. 

By her own admission, Sharon Naidoo has a very generalised personality that has led to a diversified career, most notably her experience in sales, which has provided her with valuable empathy for the functions and roles of all staff in an organisation. 

Carina Spangenberg is the epitome of determination through adversity, overcoming each challenge in her career with grace and grit, and has now united her passion for both finance and design in her position as head of finance at Ideas Cartel. 

Returning to his home of Kenya, Douglas Tuva, decided to take the plunge and move from corporate companies to a startup, where he is CFO at Kyosk Digital Services, connecting informal retailers directly to fast-moving consumer goods by leveraging a tech platform.

Always enticed to look for new opportunities, Francois Herbst started his first business at the age of 15, this maverick entrepreneur then went on to establish a host of other businesses over the years, now including House of Growth where, amongst other services, he has a passion for coaching entrepreneurs. 

Averen Deonanan's career spans 14 years across a variety of industries, which has led him to be head of finance at Allen & Overy, one of the world's most prestigious law firms, now at the forefront of introducing new client-centric technology to the African market. 

James Vanreusel spent many years working in finance in New York and California before launching his own CFO and corporate consultancy in San Francisco, and with a lot of capital floating around in the Bay Area, his consultancy has seen quite a big inflow of potential clients.

A man of integrity with a depth of experience, particularly in the non-profit sector, Kevin Woolward highlights the challenges of the past year for the South African Dental Association and provides some invaluable advice for up-and-coming accountants. 

Emmanuel Millard has had an illustrious career, gaining experience at some of the world’s most foremost financial institutions and then moving into the public sector to serve his country, now recently elected as President of the National Association of Finance Executives, he shares some fascinating insights of his career journey. 

Johnathan Dillon heads up JDCV Consult, with services ranging from corporate finance consulting to funding great entrepreneurial ideas. Through his passion for people and teaching he aims to unlock the potential that we have in South Africa from people being doers to value adders.