Newsletter: The power of a CFO | Choose consumer over product | Join CFO Events Get Smart in 2015 in JHB and CT

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday December 4 Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles CFOs in the winelands - Platinum Member and VIP Tour “It’s very interesting that when you look at some of the international benchmarks, South Africa is ranked tenth in the world when it comes to protecting investors from directors. That’s a CFO’s responsibility,” said Wesgro CEO Nils Flaatten. Flaatten said this showed SA’s CFOs were serious about their jobs and that there was a regulatory framework to support them. CFO of the Week: Austin McDonald (Promasidor): choose the consumer over the product When Austin McDonald became a Chartered Accountant, he was already “the world’s worst engineer”. Although he is a self-professed “maverick” the Finance world has clearly suited him much better than engineering did, especially after he joined the family’s business: Promasidor. Now his CV boasts a successful rescue operation, a handsome R9 billion annual turnover and unequalled insight into African opportunities. “When looking at African countries, be consumer driven and not product driven,” he advises. Editorial: The power of a CFO, Moving into Africa & what to think of brain... Yesterday I had the privilege of chatting to Casper Troskie, the experienced CFO of Liberty Holdings. He re-affirmed what CFOs have started telling me over the last year or so: communication skills are a crucial asset for a Chief Financial Officer or Finance Director these days. Whether talking to investors, customers, unions, analysts or the general public, a simple, transparent, unison message from the board – and all other employees of a company– is very important. These days, particular attention is being paid when a CFO opens his or her mouth. A CFO that can communicate clearly and confidently is therefore in an extremely powerful position. Read more exclusive articles on cfo.co.za - Expert insight: Stanford Payne: Does a CFO on ‘sabbatical’ actually have burnout? Join CFO Events Get Smart in 2015 in JHB & CT Discuss your agenda for 2015 As global economic growth recovers there will be opportunities and risks for South Africa's economy, CFOs must ensure that the financial choices you make maintain the recent gains in competitiveness. During the first CFO Events of 2015 we will discuss the new economy, value creation, complementary economics, networking, ideas to make te world a better place and we share smart ideas to improve your business. We offer a great opportunity to learn from your peers and get new ideas. Keynote by professional lifehacker Martijn Aslander Our new network society demands that we work faster and more efficient in a world where competing is done with knowledge. Martijn offers tools to do this, such as lifehacking and how to utilise a great network. Lifehacking: tracing information, organizing, filtering and sharing it in a way where you keep track of it all. Martijn is a Dutch national and a very experienced speaker at several Forums as CFO Day the Netherlands and the Public Finance Conference. Join this event free of charge with and don’t miss out on the first CFO Events of 2015 from 4pm - 8pm and register now: - February 17th at the JSE, register here. - February 19th at the Cape Town Club, register here. Partners CFO Events Get Smart in 2015: Continuous Professional Development Points Did you know all events of CFO South Africa are eligible for SAICA CPD points? By attending CFO South Africa's events and training courses you will stay compliant. Join the ultimate peer to peer advisory network Various CFOs and finance directors from Eskom, Nedbank, Transnet, SAB, Nike, Standard Charered Bank, Hollard, Absa, Business Connexion and Super Group are members of CFO South Africa. Your peers understand best the issues you face and the challenges that impact your business. Together you will share your experiences at CFO South Africa’s events and help you advance in your career, company and knowledge. Get introduced to experienced colleagues that are happy to share their knowledge with you. Peer-to-peer consulting is by far the best and most cost effective way to help you solve problems. Are you interested? Please see our membership page for more information here. Upcoming CFO South Africa Events Join the CFO Events with inspiring hosts and experts who will share their insights and experiences with you. Register now for these events and boost your company, network, career and knowledge. CFO South Africa Events in 2015 Feb 17 Johannesburg | Get Smart in 2015 Feb 19 Cape Town | Get Smart in 2015 Mar 19 Johannesburg | Moving into Africa Apr 16 Johannesburg | Capital & Finance May 14 Johannesburg | CFO Awards 2015 July 30 Johannesburg | Corporate Growth Sept 17 Johannesburg | Digital Transformation Nov 19 Cape Town | Risk, Compliance & Control Register now for one of the upcoming CFO South Africa Events. Please note that all our CFO South Africa events are for senior financial executives. CFO South Africa offers Platinum memberships to CFOs and finance directors. For more information please have a look here and contact Jurrien Morsch at [email protected]. Stay connected with CFO South Africa Follow CFO South Africa on Twitter and LinkedIn Stay up to date on what is happening in the world of finance by following us on Twitter @CFOSouthAfrica and LinkedIn. Next to that you can keep track of newly published interviews with CFOs and CEOs. Feel free to contact us Any suggestions or comments are welcome. Kind Regards, Melle Eijckelhoff Director CFO South Africa | [email protected]