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The financial services sector has committed to spending some R122 billion over a period of five years on various forms of black economic empowerment (BEE). The 2012 financial sector codes committed banks to R80 billion in empowerment financing over the five years to 2017, and long-term insurers to R42 billion.

“Here come the auditors” is a rally cry that is often heard in organisations. Being in Internal Audit for twenty-five years I have found that there has always been a distinct sense of rivalry and antagonism between the finance department and Internal Audit. Very much like the Blues and the Reds where we - the internal auditors - are seen to be on different teams, fighting each other. With the winner being the one who can either hold out or the one who can attack and get the results.

Investec Plc has said that, currency translations excluded, it expects to report a "solid increase" in operating profit in the 12 months to end March. It added that impairments are expected to be around 20% lower than the previous year.

The University of Fort Hare’s (UFH) accounting department outperformed all other South African universities to score the highest pass rate in the recent South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (Saica) board exam.

The CFO Case Study Competition, for which entries close on 31 March, has gained incredible momentum in recent weeks and has received a record number of entries. As of 22 March, 1120 entries (some 280 teams) had been received from 39 universities across 15 countries and two continents. Of these, 75 also signed up as CFO Brand Ambassadors and 52 as CFO Social Media Contestants.

KPMG’s M&A guru John Geel says he is “quietly confident” that 2016 is going to be a good year for mergers and acquisitions in South Africa. In an exclusive interview with CFO South Africa he reveals that he expects the number of deals to be “at least equal to last year, if not more”.

Having met various benchmarks set by President Barack Obama to allow the import and sales of US meat products, SA will keep preferential access for its farming goods to the world’s biggest market.

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday 24 March Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles "Keep doing what your're doing & you'll fail" - Keith Coats "As you look to the future, the surest way to fail in tomorrow's world is to continue doing what you're doing today." So says Keith Coats, founding partner of TomorrowToday Global, an international consultancy that focuses on the future of leadership, global trends, strategy, diversity and talent. Keith will be speaking at the upcoming CFO Awards, held at Summer Place on 12 May 2016. The crucial role of the risk register: a chat with Aveng Infraset's... Thobeka Ntshiza, Financial Director of Aveng Infraset and a finalist in the 2015 SAICA Top 35-Under-35, is a regular at CFO South Africa events and believes that peer-to-peer learning is a non-negotiable. "You actually cannot afford not to attend such events. It's part of your growth and development as an FD, and in the CFO space," she says. Thobeka also believes in the importance of having your finger on the pulse of the company's financials, and going "into the trenches" to check the health of the business. Local talent in the spotlight at smashing CFO event 'Moving into Af... Innovative ways to identify and develop top local talent in African countries were the hottest topic of conversation during an extremely insightful CFO South Africa event about Moving into (the rest of) Africa, hosted by Standard Bank at its impressive Rosebank premises on 16 March 2016. Vibrant CFO panel discussions alternated with insights from experts from Thomson Reuters and Spencer Stuart, while attending CFOs also had the chance to get involved. Read more exclusive articles on CFO.co.za - Beware the geeks - dinner guests discuss CFO's crucial role as big ... - Bonitas and Liberty discuss merger - Everything CFOs should know about fraud – a chat with EY’s Susan Br... - Sanlam full-year profit mostly unchanged - No shortage of buyers for Barclays Africa - Meet CFO Awards 2016 nominee Deon Fredericks, CFO of Telkom Join the next CFO Event "M&A series - Working on the Business when you're in the Business" Wednesday 6 April 16.00 - 20.00 - Johannesburg We invite you to join us for the CFO South Africa event M&A Series Part 1 - Working ON the Business when you're IN the Business In 2015, domestic and inter- Sub-Saharan African M&A reached $8.3bn, up 39% year-on-year, the highest first nine months total since 2010. This activity is a reminder of the opportunities for growth but how can you take advantage of this climate? Preparation. It isn’t only a willingness to look into opportunities for acquiring a competitive advantage but also doing all you can to position the business for success should an acquirer knock on your door. In this first of a two part series we hear from Imraan Soomra (Group FD, Oceana Group), Deon Fredricks (CFO, Telkom) and Cobus Grove (CFO, Digicore), CFOs who have been immersed in M&A activity in the last two years, about the challenge of working on your business while remaining fully immersed in the business. Is there a clear distinction? How do you prioritize and what drives success? We also get insights from deal makers and advisors on what CFOs should focus on, to be in the driving seat when M&A opportunities present themselves.In 2016 your competitive advantage in Africa will be defined by whether you have clear and simple strategies for people and knowledge. Local know-how and insights are key and our CFO panel members have learned many fundamental lessons on their way to building successful businesses in Africa. Join this CFO event and register here now. Sponsors CFO South Africa Event: 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. Out now. CFO Magazine issue 1 - 2016 The 3rd CFO Magazine CFO South Africa is out now. With 84 pages packed full of need-to-know information delivered in sharp, insightful articles. Read the latest insights from Reeza Isaacs, CFO Woolworths, Vusi Thembekwayo, Mary Vilakazi, CFO MMI Holdings and Lindani Dhlamini, CEO SekelaXabiso and more. As our online member we would like to give you the opportunity to read the CFO Magazine South Africa online and free of charge HERE. (please make sure that you are logged in with your CFO.co.za account). Would you like to also share your story in the next issue? Please contact Shay van Huyssteen at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. Visit Finance Indaba Africa Visit the Finance Indaba 13 & 14 October at the Sandton Convention Centre and boost your profits by 100%. Finance Indaba Africa is the biggest annual expo and conference for finance professionals. It brings together peers technology suppliers, platforms, banks, tools, specialists, CFOs and thought leaders. Over 5,000 visitors tap into a wealth of resources, knowhow and inspiration. Gain unparalleled insights. Cut costs dramatically, send sales & productivity through the roof and boost your company's profits by 100 percent. RSVP now here. Become a partner Are you enabling businesses to cut costs, boost sales, productivity and company profits? Don't miss out the chance to connect with new prospects, to brand your company and to become more successful. Share your ideas at the Finance Indaba and help the country grow. Please contact Graham Fehrsen at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. Diamond Partners http://static.financieel-management.nl/img/pictures/110412.jpg" width="500" /> CFO Awards 2016 - Reserve your table now Buy a table for the CFO Awards and meet 250 of South Africa's leading CFOs. Demonstrate thought leadership, extend your network and develop business. You are seated with CFOs and finance directors from the top companies of South Africa. You are also more than welcome to join the CFO Conference preceding the CFO Awards dinner with your colleagues. Join us Thursday 12 May 2016 at the beautiful Summer Place. Don't wait too long, first come, first served. Become a partner or attend with your finance team and buy a table. Get inspired by thought provoking speakers Professor Wiseman Nkuhlu, professor Mervyn King and Vusi Thembekwayo will be among the most eminent of guests at this year’s CFO Awards. Also we have leading experts Keith Coates and Brian Farley, international leadership experts, Trevor Hoole, CEO KPMG Southern Africa, Clement Chinaka, CEO Corporate Segment Old Mutual and Victor Sekese, CEO SizweNtsalubaGobodo joining us, together with some of the very best CFOs and CEOs sharing their insights and experience. here. For more information have a look at CFOAwards.co.za. Partners CFO Awards 2016 Join the ultimate peer to peer advisory network Various CFOs and finance directors from Eskom, Nedbank, Transnet, Alexander Forbes Standard Charered Bank, Hollard, Absa, Servest, 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. Private sector events in 2016 Apr 6 Johannesburg | M&A Series Part 1 May 12 Johannesburg | CFO Awards 2016 June 22 Johannesburg | The CFO as business partner Public sector events in 2016 Apr 7 Johannesburg | Are you a true business partner? May 12 Johannesburg | CFO Awards 2016 June 21 Johannesburg | Are you an Inspirator? 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 Shay van Huyssteen at [email protected]. Stay connected with CFO South Africa Follow CFO South Africa on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook Stay up to date on what is happening in the world of finance by following us on Twitter @CFOSouthAfrica, LinkedIn and Facebook. 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, Graham Fehrsen Managing Director CFO South Africa | [email protected] To control which emails you receive from CFO South Africa, please change your email preferences at cfo.co.za by selecting under settings "I do not want to receive emails from CFO South Africa | Finance Professionals South Africa"

Two of South Africa’s largest medical schemes‚ Bonitas Medical Fund and Liberty Medical Scheme (LMS)‚ have announced they are in discussions to merge.

"As you look to the future, the surest way to fail in tomorrow's world is to continue doing what you're doing today." So says Keith Coats, founding partner of TomorrowToday Global, an international consultancy that focuses on the future of leadership, global trends, strategy, diversity and talent. Keith will be speaking at the upcoming CFO Awards, held at Summer Place on 12 May 2016.

After raising R2.3 billion from shareholders to pay down debt, Gold Fields fell the most in a month, stock declining 10%, after the company sold 38.9 million new shares at R59.50 each - a 6% discount to the 30-day average.

Thobeka Ntshiza, Financial Director of Aveng Infraset and a finalist in the 2015 SAICA Top 35-Under-35, is a regular at CFO South Africa events and believes that peer-to-peer learning is a non-negotiable. "You actually cannot afford not to attend such events. It's part of your growth and development as an FD, and in the CFO space," she says. Thobeka also believes in the importance of having your finger on the pulse of the company's financials, and going "into the trenches" to check the health of the business.

According to the Bureau for Economic Research (BER), average headline consumer price index (CPI) food price expectations for 2016 and 2017 remained unchanged at 6.2%, relative to the fourth quarter of 2015.

“With fraud the devil is often in the detail,” says Susan Breytenbach, a leading partner in EY’s forensic services department. “For the CFO there is a fine balance between not being in the detail, whilst still maintaining control to ensure that the checking gets done by the appropriate level of person to the appropriate level of detail.”

Sanlam, the largest South Africa-based insurer and which operates in Africa, Europe, the UK, US, India and Malaysia, has seen an increase in full-year profit of just 2.3%.

According to a recent report by Bloomberg, Barclays Africa Group says there is no lack of interest from buyers wanting a stake in the company. This after Barclays announced that it would be selling down its stake to less than 20% over the next two to three years.

State-owned utility Eskom has announced that over the next five years it will increase its capital expenditure by 44% to R324 billion, in order to build new power stations. Eskom added that it had R85 billion of funding – representing nearly all of the capital needed – for 2016 and 2017 in a presentation to parliament.

Turning a blind eye to big data puts your business at risk of being left behind, but CFOs need to know what they want from the data in order to help the ‘geeks’ find the right outcomes. That was one of the many useful lessons during an intimate CFO dinner hosted on 17 March 2016 at the Taj Hotel in Cape Town. See photos of the dinner here.

Tiger Brands, South Africa’s largest food producer, has appointed Lawrence MacDougall (pictured), currently with Mondelez International, as its new CEO. MacDougall's start date is yet to be announced.

Innovative ways to identify and develop top local talent in African countries were the hottest topic of conversation during an extremely insightful CFO South Africa event about Moving into (the rest of) Africa, hosted by Standard Bank at its impressive Rosebank premises on 16 March 2016. Vibrant CFO panel discussions alternated with insights from experts from Thomson Reuters and Spencer Stuart, while attending CFOs also had the chance to get involved.

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday 17 March Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles Rhinos, tenders & transformation: a chat with SANParks CFO Raje... "SANParks is a large, multifaceted organisation with several focal areas, including tourism, conservation and the management of estates. This mix creates a different level of complexity. I would say SANParks is far more complex than other environment where I've worked," says Rajesh Mahabeer, CFO of South African National Parks (SANParks). Standing up for what’s right - public sector CFOs discuss leadershi... A round table for public sector CFOs took a fascinating turn when one of the participants told how she had stood up against wrongdoing and taken her superiors to court. Hosted by CFO South Africa and partner KPMG the discussion on 15 March 2016 at the Marion on Nicol focused on leadership, and specifically asked whether good leadership and its relationship with fear. KPMG's Ahmed Jaffer: The best finance leaders have an external outlook "I am a firm believer that more CFOs should go outside of the finance department to see what is going on in the rest of the business and outside of it," says Ahmed Jaffer, long-time Partner and Chairman of the Board at KPMG in South Africa. Read more exclusive articles on CFO.co.za - Simplicity key to unlock data for fleets - Aon CFO dinner report - Give African executives opportunity to develop: Pratik Chandaria (A... - CFO Case Study Competition draws huge number of entrants - Ciko Thomas appointed head of retail and business banking at Nedbank - SA has world's highest rate of economic crime, says PwC - Meet CFO Awards 2016 nominee Osman Arbee, CFO of Imperial Holdings Join the next CFO Event "M&A series - Working on the Business when you're in the Business" Wednesday 6 April 16.00 - 20.00 - Johannesburg We invite you to join us for the CFO South Africa event M&A Series Part 1 - Working ON the Business when you're IN the Business In 2015, domestic and inter- Sub-Saharan African M&A reached $8.3bn, up 39% year-on-year, the highest first nine months total since 2010. This activity is a reminder of the opportunities for growth but how can you take advantage of this climate? Preparation. It isn’t only a willingness to look into opportunities for acquiring a competitive advantage but also doing all you can to position the business for success should an acquirer knock on your door. In this first of a two part series we hear from Imraan Soomra (Group FD, Oceana Group), Deon Fredricks (CFO, Telkom) and Cobus Grove (CFO, Digicore), CFOs who have been immersed in M&A activity in the last two years, about the challenge of working on your business while remaining fully immersed in the business. Is there a clear distinction? How do you prioritize and what drives success? We also get insights from deal makers and advisors on what CFOs should focus on, to be in the driving seat when M&A opportunities present themselves.In 2016 your competitive advantage in Africa will be defined by whether you have clear and simple strategies for people and knowledge. Local know-how and insights are key and our CFO panel members have learned many fundamental lessons on their way to building successful businesses in Africa. Join this CFO event and register here now. Sponsors CFO South Africa Event: 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. Out now. CFO Magazine issue 1 - 2016 The 3rd CFO Magazine CFO South Africa is out now. With 84 pages packed full of need-to-know information delivered in sharp, insightful articles. Read the latest insights from Reeza Isaacs, CFO Woolworths, Vusi Thembekwayo, Mary Vilakazi, CFO MMI Holdings and Lindani Dhlamini, CEO SekelaXabiso and more. As our online member we would like to give you the opportunity to read the CFO Magazine South Africa online and free of charge HERE. (please make sure that you are logged in with your CFO.co.za account). Would you like to also share your story in the next issue? Please contact Shay van Huyssteen at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. Visit Finance Indaba Africa Visit the Finance Indaba 13 & 14 October at the Sandton Convention Centre and boost your profits by 100%. Finance Indaba Africa is the biggest annual expo and conference for finance professionals. It brings together peers technology suppliers, platforms, banks, tools, specialists, CFOs and thought leaders. Over 5,000 visitors tap into a wealth of resources, knowhow and inspiration. Gain unparalleled insights. Cut costs dramatically, send sales & productivity through the roof and boost your company's profits by 100 percent. RSVP now here. Become a partner Are you enabling businesses to cut costs, boost sales, productivity and company profits? Don't miss out the chance to connect with new prospects, to brand your company and to become more successful. Share your ideas at the Finance Indaba and help the country grow. Please contact Graham Fehrsen at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. Diamond Partners http://static.financieel-management.nl/img/pictures/110412.jpg" width="500" /> CFO Awards 2016 - Reserve your table now Buy a table for the CFO Awards and meet 300 of South Africa's leading CFOs. Demonstrate thought leadership, extend your network and develop business. You are seated with CFOs and finance directors from the top companies of South Africa. You are also more than welcome to join the CFO Conference preceding the CFO Awards dinner with your colleagues. Join us Thursday 12 May 2016 at the beautiful Summer Place. Don't wait too long, first come, first served. Become a partner or attend with your finance team and buy a table here. For more information have a look at CFOAwards.co.za. Partners CFO Awards 2016 Join the ultimate peer to peer advisory network Various CFOs and finance directors from Eskom, Nedbank, Transnet, Alexander Forbes Standard Charered Bank, Hollard, Absa, Servest, 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 Private sector events in 2016 Apr 6 Johannesburg | M&A Series Part 1 May 12 Johannesburg | CFO Awards 2016 June 22 Johannesburg | The CFO as business partner CFO South Africa Public sector events in 2016 Apr 7 Johannesburg | Are you a true business partner? May 12 Johannesburg | CFO Awards 2016 June 21 Johannesburg | Are you an Inspirator? 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 Shay van Huyssteen at [email protected]. Stay connected with CFO South Africa Follow CFO South Africa on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook Stay up to date on what is happening in the world of finance by following us on Twitter @CFOSouthAfrica, LinkedIn and Facebook. 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, Graham Fehrsen Managing Director CFO South Africa | [email protected] To control which emails you receive from CFO South Africa, please change your email preferences at cfo.co.za by selecting under settings "I do not want to receive emails from CFO South Africa | Finance Professionals South Africa"

Treasury has announced that ratings firm Moody’s will be visiting South Africa this week to decide whether or not to downgrade the country's credit status to just one notch above sub-investment grade.

A round table for public sector CFOs took a fascinating turn when one of the participants told how she had stood up against wrongdoing and taken her superiors to court. Hosted by CFO South Africa and partner KPMG the discussion on 15 March 2016 at the Marion on Nicol focused on leadership, and specifically asked whether good leadership and its relationship with fear.

Nedbank, a subsidiary of the Old Mutual group, has made several changes recently to its group executive committee, including the appointment of Ciko Thomas (pictured) to head of retail and business banking.

"SANParks is a large, multifaceted organisation with several focal areas, including tourism, conservation and the management of estates. This mix creates a different level of complexity. I would say SANParks is far more complex than other environment where I've worked," says Rajesh Mahabeer, CFO of South African National Parks (SANParks).

Wim De Klerk (pictured), currently FD of Exxaro, has been appointed CEO of ArcelorMittal and an executive director to the board, effective 1 September 2016.

Contrary to perceptions, there is a strong potential pool of great local business leaders in Africa," says Pratik Chandaria of Africa Advisory Group, a company specialising in recruiting executives and developing the next generation of leadership for Africa. "The strength of the leadership pool is defined by the potential you see in it. This means you have to be willing to give leadership talent the opportunity to develop; particularly in Africa where leadership skill sets are still developing. I rank the pool highly in terms of potential."

According to a new Global Economic Crime Survey by financial services company PwC, over the last two years South African organisations have reported the highest rate of economic crime in the world.

The CFO Case Study Competition, which will see entrants tackle the topic of strategic threats, opportunities, weaknesses and ethical dilemmas facing key decision-makers in the mobile telecommunications sector, has gained incredible momentum in recent weeks, and there are still two weeks to go before entries close.

In addition to the Reserve Bank awarding African Bank "Good Bank" its banking licence, creditors have voted in favour of an offer to transfer their debt instruments from the failed African Bank to the newly constructed Good Bank.

Simplicity and logic are paramount for CFOs that want to make effective use of big data for their fleet management. That was one of important takeaways during an exclusive CFO dinner on 11 March 2016 at the Saxon Boutique Hotel in Johannesburg .

"I am a firm believer that more CFOs should go outside of the finance department to see what is going on in the rest of the business and outside of it," says Ahmed Jaffer, long-time Partner and Chairman of the Board at KPMG in South Africa.

In the wake of its recent announcement that it was reducing its 62.3% stake in Barclays Africa, Barclays plc has announced its intention to exit its Zimbabwean operations.

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday 10 March Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles Gov should help black investors to buy Barclays Africa, says Vusi T... The decision of Barclays Plc to sell down its 62.3% interest in Barclays Africa could be great for the African continent, says entrepreneur and investor Vusi Thembekwayo. He says the “South African government should step in” and create an opportunity for “a cohort of black investors that are pro-development and behind the National Development Plan”. Join our Moving into Africa event about knowledge & talent on 1... People and knowledge are at the centre of attention during this year’s CFO event Moving into Africa, on Wednesday 16 March at the Standard Bank office in Rosebank on 30 Baker Street. CFOs who will their experiences on the continent will include Alexander Visser (Philips Africa), Mohammed Abdool-Samad (Illovo) and Greg Davis (Standard Bank Africa). Experts from knowledge company Thomson Reuters and executive recruiter Spencer Stuart are also at hand to provide insight. How to succeed in Africa: 5 questions for Kamal Patel (Thomson Reut... Local talent, knowledge and understanding of the local context is crucial for businesses to be successful in African countries north of South Africa, says Kamal Patel, Head of Corporates & Partnerships at Thomson Reuters. Kamal is one of the exciting speakers lined up for our CFO event Moving into Africa on Wednesday 16 March 2016. To get to know him we contacted him - during a business trip in Ethiopia! - and asked him five questions. Read more exclusive articles on CFO.co.za - Brian Joffe, Bidvest Group CEO, to step down - KPMG identifies top influences of FDI into Africa - As growth in SA slows, Santam looks to new markets - Vodacom and Neotel deal falls through - Meet CFO Awards 2016 nominee Evan Tsatsarolakis, CFO of Taste Holdings - What CFOs should learn from baseball - introducing CFO Awards speak... Joint the next CFO Event "Moving into Africa" Wednesday 16 March 17.00 - 20.00 - Standard Bank, Rosebank We invite you to join us for the CFO South Africa event Moving into Africa - Fit to compete or last over the line? In 2016 your competitive advantage in Africa will be defined by whether you have clear and simple strategies for people and knowledge. Local know-how and insights are key and our CFO panel members have learned many fundamental lessons on their way to building successful businesses in Africa. Join CFOs and Africa specialists discussing what really works around talent development to accelerate your business’ potential. Hear how institutional knowledge is being backed up with smart platforms and local insights. Being fit enough is about having a plan and building incrementally - don’t get left behind! Program 17.00 Opening & Reception 17.30 Master Class - Fit to compete or last over the line? 17.40 Panel debate - Building from the ground up. 18.00 Executive hiring - trends in Africa by Moula Mokhbo-Amegashie, Partner sub-Saharan Africa Spencer Stuart. 18.10 Panel debate - Local know how is more important than institutional or corporate knowledge. 18.30 Combining talent and knowledge for business - what does the future hold? by Kamal Patel, Head of Corporates & Partnerships, Thomson Reuters. 18.45 Closing comments CFO Panel: Greg Davis (CFO Rest of Africa, Standard Bank) Mohammed Abdool-Samad (CFO, Illovo Sugar) Alexander Visser (CFO Philips Africa) 19.00 CFO Café Interact, learn, connect and discuss the challenges that you are facing with your peers over a drink at the CFO Café. Build your network and meet other top CFOs and financials. We offer you a great afternoon of peer to peer discussions and knowledge sharing. Register here now. Sponsors CFO South Africa Event: 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. Visit Finance Indaba Africa Visit the Finance Indaba 13 & 14 October at the Sandton Convention Centre and boost your profits by 100%. Finance Indaba Africa is the biggest annual expo and conference for finance professionals. It brings together peers technology suppliers, platforms, banks, tools, specialists, CFOs and thought leaders. Over 5,000 visitors tap into a wealth of resources, knowhow and inspiration. Gain unparalleled insights. Cut costs dramatically, send sales & productivity through the roof and boost your company's profits by 100 percent. RSVP now here. Become a partner Are you enabling businesses to cut costs, boost sales, productivity and company profits? Don't miss out the chance to connect with new prospects, to brand your company and to become more successful. Share your ideas at the Finance Indaba and help the country grow. Please contact Graham Fehrsen at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. Diamond Partners http://static.financieel-management.nl/img/pictures/110412.jpg" width="500" /> CFO Awards 2016 - Reserve your table now Buy a table for the CFO Awards and meet 300 of South Africa's leading CFOs. Demonstrate thought leadership, extend your network and develop business. You are seated with CFOs and finance directors from the top companies of South Africa. You are also more than welcome to join the CFO Conference preceding the CFO Awards dinner with your colleagues. Join us Thursday 12 May 2016 at the beautiful Summer Place. Don't wait too long, first come, first served. Become a partner or attend with your finance team and buy a table here. For more information have a look at CFOAwards.co.za. Partners CFO Awards 2016 Join the ultimate peer to peer advisory network Various CFOs and finance directors from Eskom, Nedbank, Transnet, Alexander Forbes Standard Charered Bank, Hollard, Absa, Servest, 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 2016 Mar 16 Johannesburg | Moving into Africa in 2016 Apr 6 Johannesburg | Capital & Finance May 12 Johannesburg | CFO Awards 2016 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, LinkedIn and Facebook Stay up to date on what is happening in the world of finance by following us on Twitter @CFOSouthAfrica, LinkedIn and Facebook. 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, Graham Fehrsen Managing Director CFO South Africa | [email protected] To control which emails you receive from CFO South Africa, please change your email preferences at cfo.co.za by selecting under settings "I do not want to receive emails from CFO South Africa | Finance Professionals South Africa"

Local talent, knowledge and understanding of the local context is crucial for businesses to be successful in African countries north of South Africa, says Kamal Patel, Head of Corporates & Partnerships at Thomson Reuters. Kamal is one of the exciting speakers lined up for our CFO event Moving into Africa on Wednesday 16 March 2016. To get to know him we contacted him - during a business trip in Ethiopia! - and asked him five questions.

The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has renewed the contract of Oscar Onyema (pictured), its CEO, for a further five years. Onyema's initial five-year contract was due to expire on 31 March 2016, as he first took up office with the exchange in April 2011.

"You don't have to have the best ten players to have the best team. You just have to have a group of guys who are really committed and all seeking excellence. You don't have to have perfection," says 55-year-old Brian Farley, an American-born baseball player and coach turned business performance coach. Brian will be speaking at the upcoming CFO Awards, held at Summer Place on 12 May.

According to mobile operator Vodacom, its deal to acquire fixed telco group Neotel has fallen through. Vodacom originally agreed to buy Neotel from Tata Communications in May 2014.

MTN is currently seeking a new group CEO to take over from Phuthuma Nhleko (pictured), acting executive chairman. Addressing those gathered at MTN's recent annual results presentation, Nhleko said that finding the right group CEO was critical to MTN’s success.

People and knowledge are at the centre of attention during this year’s CFO event Moving into Africa, on Wednesday 16 March at the Standard Bank office in Rosebank on 35 Baker Street. CFOs who will their experiences on the continent will include Alexander Visser (Philips Africa), Mohammed Abdool-Samad (Illovo) and Greg Davis (Standard Bank Africa). Experts from knowledge company Thomson Reuters and executive recruiter Spencer Stuart are also at hand to provide insight.

Mike Lysko was up to his elbows in the event space when the makings of a brilliant idea started to take root in his mind. He frequently saw people at events lined up (im)patiently waiting their turn to talk to the flushed assistant at the information desk. He noticed others lugging around reams of print materials handed out at seminars and presentations, or walking in circles around the venue, unsure where their next session was being held. Then there were those surprised to hear post-event that they'd missed a great special valid only on the day, or struggling to get in touch with an exhibitor whose wares had caught their attention but whose business card they'd misplaced. The idea nagged at him until he paid it enough attention for it to germinate properly into a concept, and then, with the help of a tech incubator, BizSpark, into a business: AppYourEvent (AYE). "I always knew I wanted to start a company in the tech space," says Lysko, who has always found the tech sector intriguing. He launched AYE in 2014, though its beginnings were humble, as he could only dedicate time outside of his 8-5 job to the business. His first client was HobbyX, an annual craft and hobby expo that attracts 30 000 attendees, and which he secured through a personal connection. "They were looking for a solution because they wanted to do away with all the print material," explains Lysko. "They could see the trend was there for such a solution." Lysko used HobbyX's database to conduct a survey, asking customers about the pain points they experienced or what features would be useful should HobbyX put together an app for their event. Based on the results of this market research he then developed an app prototype. After the event he dissected the data and tweaked the app accordingly. "It was a great learning experience," he says. "There was about a 30% change." A year later AYE had become busy enough that Lysko left his full-time employment to focus on the company. He bootstrapped it entirely, investing everything he had into the fledgling business. But it paid off, and in little over six months AYE's staff contingent had grown from Lysko alone to six staffers on the payroll. Better still, AYE has already been used at events in 15 countries, and has several high-profile clients on its books, including Sage Pastel, The Rockefeller Foundation, Smart Procurement, and Oracle. While the app was not an entrant in the awards, Lysko and his team were nominated to create the app for the MTN App of the Year awards. "That was a big milestone," he says. Lysko believes the tech has been quite disruptive to the event space. "In the sense that your traditional marketing methods have been changed with this app because you’re alerting users to personalised messages or notifications," he says. Rather that printing out stacks of bulk material for attendees, all the info they need it accessible literally at their fingertips. Better yet, the generated data is incredibly useful for planning of future events, debriefing of past events, or reporting back to sponsors, partners or other event role players. "With the app you are able to say to a client, 'your sponsorship banner received x number of views or taps'," Lysko explains. "So you can give real ROI to sponsors." For users, the uses are myriad, and can be enjoyed at the event as well as before and after. Attendees who download the app ahead of the event can connect with and communicate with other attendees ahead of time, scheduling networking sessions if they so choose or simply exchanging information. They can introduce themselves ahead of time to a speaker or person of importance they might like to meet on the day. And, because the programme for the event is live through the app, any updates, changes and reminders are in real-time, and users can access details of planned presentations, participate in live polls or surveys, or peruse available reading material ahead of a session they might be attending. As with many businesses, there have been some small hiccups along the way. "Getting people to buy into the idea initially was quite a challenge," Lysko says. "There were clients but they were hesitant." It also took some time getting acquainted with the rules and regulations of the Google and Apple app stores, in order to get each app onto the platform for download. "Learning about those submissions and processes was challenging at first, but now I've got a good relationship with them," Lysko says. Each app for each client gets put through this same process before it is made available on the app stores. Thus far, AYE has published close on 35 full apps and 40-plus prototypes, though Lysko anticipates this number will continue to grow, and quickly too.

Santam, a short-term insurer, intends to concentrate on growing its business in the rest of Africa and Southeast Asia, as low GDP growth in its home market of South Africa translates into minimal growth in insurable assets.

A recent KPMG analysis of the factors that attract investors in Africa shows that corruption, poor infrastructure and onerous business conditions do not, in fact, scare off investors, provided the mineral, oil or gas resources are sufficiently attractive in the context of global demand.

The decision of Barclays Plc to sell down its 62.3% interest in Barclays Africa could be great for the African continent, says entrepreneur and investor Vusi Thembekwayo. He says the “South African government should step in” and create an opportunity for “a cohort of black investors that are pro-development and behind the National Development Plan”.

Brian Joffe (pictured), long-time group CEO and founder of Johannesburg-based Bidvest, plans to step down from his executive role and move instead to a director role dealing with strategic issues. Lindsay Ralphs, currently CEO of the company’s South African unit, will take over from him.

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday 3 March Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles Jo Pohl (Telesure): risk should be a competitive advantage What does it mean for a CFO to move jobs and industries? How can you benefit most from the window of opportunity in the first 100 days? How do you quickly find colleagues you can trust? We ask these and other questions in a candid interview with Jo Pohl, an early supporter of CFO South Africa who moved from Standard Chartered Bank to insurance group Telesure in October 2015. “I can’t wait to go to work every day.” CFO Awards: recognising CFOs as leaders, strategists and drivers of... Professors Wiseman Nkuhlu and Mervyn King will be among the most eminent of guests at this year’s CFO Awards – an annual event that has quickly established its status as South Africa’s finance Oscars. This year's edition on 12 May at the elegant Summer Place in Hyde Park promises to be bigger, bolder and better than ever. 5 ways CFOs can save costs on legal services - by Yvonne Wakefield As budgets are reviewed and department heads pressed to justify their spend, Heads of Legal or General Counsels (GCs*) shouldn’t be spared. Legal spend is one budgetary item that need not be as high as it often is. Discerning GCs have their ears to the ground and are aware of the increasing number of cost-saving tools and service providers specifically positioned to help them achieve their goals. Read more exclusive articles on CFO.co.za - CFOs now need to look beyond survival, says KPMG's Alwyn van der Lith - FinTech Africa event: fascinating insights in #blockchain at Barcla... - JSE reports excellent results for 2015 - Barclays to leave Africa - Blue Label Telecoms and Cell C deal near conclusion - Massmart CFO, confirms retailer is making greater moves into Africa - MTN pays Nigerian government R3.8 billion and withdraws court case - Goodwell Investments acquires minority stake in Musoni Services Joint the next CFO Event "Moving into Africa" Wednesday 16 March 17.00 - 20.00 - Standard Bank, Rosebank We invite you to join us for the CFO South Africa event Moving into Africa - Fit to compete or last over the line? In 2016 your competitive advantage in Africa will be defined by whether you have clear and simple strategies for people and knowledge. Local know-how and insights are key and our CFO panel members have learned many fundamental lessons on their way to building successful businesses in Africa. Join CFOs and Africa specialists discussing what really works around talent development to accelerate your business’ potential. Hear how institutional knowledge is being backed up with smart platforms and local insights. Being fit enough is about having a plan and building incrementally - don’t get left behind! Program 17.00 Opening & Reception 17.30 Master Class - Fit to compete or last over the line? 17.40 Panel debate - Building from the ground up. 18.00 Executive hiring - trends in Africa. (Spencer Stuart) 18.10 Panel debate - Local know how is more important than institutional or corporate knowledge. 18.30 Combining talent and knowledge for business - what does the future hold? (Thomson Reuters) 18.45 Closing comments CFO Panel: Greg Davis (CFO Rest of Africa, Standard Bank) Mohammed Abdool-Samad (CFO, Illovo Sugar) Alexander Visser (CFO Philips Africa) 19.00 CFO Café Interact, learn, connect and discuss the challenges that you are facing with your peers over a drink at the CFO Café. Build your network and meet other top CFOs and financials. We offer you a great afternoon of peer to peer discussions and knowledge sharing. Register here now. Sponsors CFO South Africa Event: 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. Visit Finance Indaba Africa Visit the Finance Indaba 13 & 14 October at the Sandton Convention Centre and boost your profits by 100%. Finance Indaba Africa is the biggest annual expo and conference for finance professionals. It brings together peers technology suppliers, platforms, banks, tools, specialists, CFOs and thought leaders. Over 5,000 visitors tap into a wealth of resources, knowhow and inspiration. Gain unparalleled insights. Cut costs dramatically, send sales & productivity through the roof and boost your company's profits by 100 percent. RSVP now here. We are calling for speakers Are you enabling businesses to cut costs, boost sales, productivity and company profits? Don't miss out the chance to connect with new prospects, to brand your company and to become more successful. Share your ideas at the Finance Indaba and help the country grow. Please contact Graham Fehrsen at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. Also read more about the call for speakers. Diamond Partners http://static.financieel-management.nl/img/pictures/110412.jpg" width="500" /> CFO Awards 2016 - Reserve your table now Buy a table for the CFO Awards and meet 300 of South Africa's leading CFOs. Demonstrate thought leadership, extend your network and develop business. You are seated with CFOs and finance directors from the top companies of South Africa. You are also more than welcome to join the CFO Conference preceding the CFO Awards dinner with your colleagues. Join us Thursday 12 May 2016 at the beautiful Summer Place. Don't wait too long, first come, first served. Become a partner or attend with your finance team and buy a table here. For more information have a look at CFOAwards.co.za. Partners CFO Awards 2016 Join the ultimate peer to peer advisory network Various CFOs and finance directors from Eskom, Nedbank, Transnet, Alexander Forbes Standard Charered Bank, Hollard, Absa, Servest, 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 2016 Mar 16 Johannesburg | Moving into Africa in 2016 Apr 6 Johannesburg | Capital & Finance May 12 Johannesburg | CFO Awards 2016 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, LinkedIn and Facebook Stay up to date on what is happening in the world of finance by following us on Twitter @CFOSouthAfrica, LinkedIn and Facebook. 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, Graham Fehrsen Managing Director CFO South Africa | [email protected] To control which emails you receive from CFO South Africa, please change your email preferences at cfo.co.za by selecting under settings "I do not want to receive emails from CFO South Africa | Finance Professionals South Africa"

The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) delivered an excellent financial performance in 2015, with group earnings after tax increasing by 42% to R899 million (2014 – R634 million).

Professors Wiseman Nkuhlu and Mervyn King will be among the most eminent of guests at this year’s CFO Awards – an annual event that has quickly established its status as South Africa’s finance Oscars. This year's edition on 12 May at the elegant Summer Place in Hyde Park promises to be bigger, bolder and better than ever.

British bank Barclays has announced plans to gradually reduce its majority stake in the group's African unit due to net losses having more than doubled last year.

According to Blue Label Telecoms, which is currently buying a 35% stake in telecoms provider Cell C, the effective date of the transaction is set at 1 June 2016. Brett Levy (pictured), Blue Label joint-CEO, has said that while a few hurdles still lie ahead, things are otherwise "looking positive" for the transaction.

As budgets are reviewed and department heads pressed to justify their spend, Heads of Legal or General Counsels (GCs*) shouldn’t be spared. Legal spend is one budgetary item that need not be as high as it often is. Discerning GCs have their ears to the ground and are aware of the increasing number of cost-saving tools and service providers specifically positioned to help them achieve their goals.

South Africa's current economic and retail situation has prompted Massmart to look for more opportunities in Sub-Saharan Africa. Through its Game, Builders Warehouse and DionWired brands the retailer already has exposure to markets including Botswana, Kenya, Nigeria, Mozambique and Zambia. Massmart grew total sales by 8.4% to R84.7 billion for the year to 27 December 2015 and reported growth of 6.7% in comparable stores, while gross margins grew to 18.9%, compared with 18.6% in the previous year. For the period under review Massmart opened five stores outside South Africa, raising its total number of stores to 38. The retailer plans to open a further five stories outside South Africa over the next two years. Johannes van Lierop, Massmart CFO, was quoted in the media as saying that the recently opened stores would boost the company’s full year 2016 results. However, the retailer has said it sees the pace of expansion into the continent as moderate and measured. Van Lierop said:

MTN, as a sign of good faith and without prejudice, has paid the Federal Government of Nigerian some R3.8 billion and also dropped the court case against the government. This in the hopes that a settlement can be reached over the telecoms provider's R60 billion fine.

Goodwell Investments, a company which provides early stage growth capital, has acquired a significant minority stake in Musoni Services, a Dutch micro-finance software company that supports micro-finance institutions (MFIs) with its cloud-based core banking software.

A Dutch “prophet of the future", a forward-thinking Barclays boss and a group of amazing South African FinTech pioneers engaged in some intriguing discussions and short presentations during FinTech Africa’s Blockchain event in Cape Town on 25 February 2016. The gathering of around 80 FinTech professionals and enthusiasts was hosted at the marvelous Rise innovation hub of Barclays Africa at the Bandwidth Barn in Woodstock.

Times have been tough the last two years in the mining and oil & gas industries, and many CFOs are struggling to get out of survival mode, says KPMG partner and experienced industry expert Alwyn van der Lith. “Great CFOs and their teams now need to look beyond survival and focus on growth, expansion and acquisition that will follow the survival phase. It is a given that CFOs are looked at to maintain controls throughout all the other challenges, with less people and less expenditure on systems and process. In addition, the CEOs are looking for more strategic thinking in CFOs. A challenge indeed.”

Old Mutual recently sold all of its shares in Rogge Global Partners to investment manager Allianz Global Investors for an undisclosed sum, leaving it with just two fixed-income businesses.

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday 25 February Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles People, processes and tech key at vibrant Get Smart in 2016 event People, processes and technology took centre stage during an incredibly well-attended CFO event on 23 February 2016 at Summer Place in Hyde Park, Johannesburg. Thanks to the expert contribution of partners WNS, Oracle and KPMG, CFOs received updates on the latest and greatest in business process outsourcing and cloud computing, but also got to discuss the human side of it. Agile teams crucial for CFOs, says Discovery's Terrence Taylor "Being agile requires openness, the reservation of judgement and the ability to turn on a dime," says Terrence Taylor, General Manager: Talent, Analytics, Leadership and Learning at Discovery. Taylor will be giving a keynote address at the upcoming Get Smart event, which will be held on 23 February at Summer Place in Hyde Park. You need people with a cosmopolitan outlook, an open mindset and an eclectic set of experiences, he adds, and a leader who is comfortable sharing leadership and power. Blockchain will revolutionise business, says Bankymoon CEO Lorien G... "Blockchain is going to be a massive disruptive force. This is the next revolution, the next Internet, if you like. It is not an understatement to declare that a new technological revolution is upon us," says Lorien Gamaroff, founder and CEO of Bankymoon, a software company focusing on Blockchain technologies. Gamaroff will be one of the speakers at the much-anticipated FinTech Africa Blockchain Event, taking place on 25 February in Cape Town. Read more exclusive articles on CFO.co.za - The new public sector CFO: agile, empowered, customer-centric - How can finance contribute to agility? Standard Bank Investment Ban... - A tax hike would be good for SA,says Old Mutual's Johann Els - RMB's Africa Outlook 2016 – investors more discriminating - MTN expects full-year earnings to drop by 20% - Rand continues to strengthen against dollar - Moody's downgrades Anglo American to "junk" - Harmony Gold CEO Peter Steenkamp: no debt by end 2016 Joint the next CFO Event "Moving into Africa" Wednesday 16 March 17.00 - 20.00 - Standard Bank, Rosebank We invite you to join us for the CFO South Africa event Moving into Africa - Fit to compete or last over the line? In 2016 your competitive advantage in Africa will be defined by whether you have clear and simple strategies for people and knowledge. Local know-how and insights are key and our CFO panel members have learned many fundamental lessons on their way to building successful businesses in Africa. Join CFOs and Africa specialists discussing what really works around talent development to accelerate your business’ potential. Hear how institutional knowledge is being backed up with smart platforms and local insights. Being fit enough is about having a plan and building incrementally - don’t get left behind! Program 17.00 Opening & Reception 17.30 Master Class - Fit to compete or last over the line? 17.40 Panel debate - Building from the ground up. 18.00 Executive hiring - trends in Africa. (Spencer Stuart) 18.10 Panel debate - Local know how is more important than institutional or corporate knowledge. 18.30 Combining talent and knowledge for business - what does the future hold? (Thomson Reuters) 18.45 Closing comments CFO Panel: Greg Davis (CFO Rest of Africa, Standard Bank) Mohammed Abdool-Samad (CFO, Illovo Sugar) Alexander Visser (CFO Philips Africa) 19.00 CFO Café Interact, learn, connect and discuss the challenges that you are facing with your peers over a drink at the CFO Café. Build your network and meet other top CFOs and financials. We offer you a great afternoon of peer to peer discussions and knowledge sharing. Register here now. Sponsors CFO South Africa Event: 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. Visit Finance Indaba Africa Visit the Finance Indaba 13 & 14 October at the Sandton Convention Centre and boost your profits by 100%. Finance Indaba Africa is the biggest annual expo and conference for finance professionals. It brings together peers technology suppliers, platforms, banks, tools, specialists, CFOs and thought leaders. Over 5,000 visitors tap into a wealth of resources, knowhow and inspiration. Gain unparalleled insights. Cut costs dramatically, send sales & productivity through the roof and boost your company's profits by 100 percent. RSVP now here. We are calling for speakers Are you enabling businesses to cut costs, boost sales, productivity and company profits? Don't miss out the chance to connect with new prospects, to brand your company and to become more successful. Share your ideas at the Finance Indaba and help the country grow. Please contact Graham Fehrsen at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. Also read more about the call for speakers. Diamond Partners http://static.financieel-management.nl/img/pictures/110412.jpg" width="500" /> CFO Awards 2016 - Reserve your table now Buy a table for the CFO Awards and meet 300 of South Africa's leading CFOs. Demonstrate thought leadership, extend your network and develop business. You are seated with CFOs and finance directors from the top companies of South Africa. You are also more than welcome to join the CFO Conference preceding the CFO Awards dinner with your colleagues. Join us Thursday 12 May 2016 at the beautiful Summer Place. Don't wait too long, first come, first served. Become a partner or attend with your finance team and buy a table here. For more information have a look at CFOAwards.co.za. Partners CFO Awards 2016 Join the ultimate peer to peer advisory network Various CFOs and finance directors from Eskom, Nedbank, Transnet, Alexander Forbes Standard Charered Bank, Hollard, Absa, Servest, 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 2016 Mar 16 Johannesburg | Moving into Africa in 2016 Apr 6 Johannesburg | Capital & Finance May 12 Johannesburg | CFO Awards 2016 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, LinkedIn and Facebook Stay up to date on what is happening in the world of finance by following us on Twitter @CFOSouthAfrica, LinkedIn and Facebook. 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, Graham Fehrsen Managing Director CFO South Africa | [email protected] To control which emails you receive from CFO South Africa, please change your email preferences at cfo.co.za by selecting under settings "I do not want to receive emails from CFO South Africa | Finance Professionals South Africa"

Agility, customer-centricity and changing the way people see the public sector CFO were the central themes dominating the CFO public sector round table, held on 23 February 2016 at Summer Place in Hyde Park, Johannesburg. Moderated by Terrence Taylor, General Manager: Talent, Analytics, Leadership and Learning at Discovery, key speakers included Quentin Green, City Power CFO and Edson Magondo, Head of Public Sector KPMG, though the lively discussion elicited comment from nearly all attendees.

People, processes and technology took centre stage during an incredibly well-attended CFO event on 23 February 2016 at Summer Place in Hyde Park, Johannesburg. Thanks to the expert contribution of partners WNS, Oracle and KPMG, CFOs received updates on the latest and greatest in business process outsourcing and cloud computing, but also got to discuss the human side of it.

AngloGold Ashanti, the world’s third-largest gold producer, returned to profit in Q4 of 2015 and delivered a solid operating and financial performance for the year.

Sean Doherty worked for Standard Bank, became a consultant and then rejoined the bank as CFO Investment Banking. We asked him what he learnt ‘on the outside’, how finance can contribute to agility and his doubts about finance transformation.

National Treasury will have to increase taxes even more significantly this year than in previous years, as a ratings downgrade looms, the rand falls and inflation climbs. Unfortunately, consumers stand to bear the brunt of this.

In 2016 investors are even more likely to scrutinise the effectiveness of domestic policies, the strength of governance, the sensitivity to commodities price trends and the sustainability of debt burdens. In this fourth part of RMB's Africa outlook 2016, authors Celeste Fauconnier, Nema Ramkhelawan-Bhana and Neville Mandimika look at the financial markets, Eurobonds and currency risk, as financial markets are becoming more skilled at mitigating the unusual risks presented by African currencies.

MTN has issued a trading statement warning that it anticipates a 20 percent drop in headline earnings for the full year ending December 2015. The telecoms provider cited the company's performance in Nigeria as the main reason for the decline.

Following talk that the Reserve Bank may hike interest rates once again, the rand is continuing its recovery from record lows against the dollar.

Moody’s Investor Service has downgraded Anglo American Plc’s debt to "junk", citing a deterioration in commodities market conditions and doubts over how long it would take the company to reduce debt levels as reasons for the change. Moody’s said in a statement:

"Blockchain is going to be a massive disruptive force. This is the next revolution, the next Internet, if you like. It is not an understatement to declare that a new technological revolution is upon us," says Lorien Gamaroff, founder and CEO of Bankymoon, a software company focusing on Blockchain technologies. Gamaroff will be one of the speakers at the much-anticipated FinTech Africa Blockchain Event, taking place on 25 February in Cape Town.

"Being agile requires openness, the reservation of judgement and the ability to turn on a dime," says Terrence Taylor, General Manager: Talent, Analytics, Leadership and Learning at Discovery. Taylor will be giving a keynote address at the upcoming Get Smart event, which will be held on 23 February at Summer Place in Hyde Park. You need people with a cosmopolitan outlook, an open mindset and an eclectic set of experiences, he adds, and a leader who is comfortable sharing leadership and power.

According to Peter Steenkamp (pictured), CEO of Harmony Gold, the company intends to do away with its debt by the end of this year. Steenkamp was appointed CEO effective 1 January 2016, following Graham Briggs' retirement.

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday 18 February Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles International investors are eyeing African healthcare, says KPMG's ... While money is increasingly flowing into Africa for private healthcare initiatives and South Africa is embarking on the rollout of the National Health Insurance (NHI) system, there is a high demand for multi-skilled finance leaders to deal with that inflow. “We need a whole generation of multi-skilled, passionate people with an interest in healthcare,” says Dr Anuschka Coovadia, head of Healthcare Africa for KPMG. Richemont CFO and Old Mutual FD among SA's best paid execs Following the release at end 2015 of the Sunday Times' list of SA's wealthiest businessmen comes Business Tech's list of SA's best paid execs and SA's top earning bankers. Richemont CFO Gary Saage was fifth on the list of best paid execs, while Old Mutual's FD Ingrid Johnson was second on the top earning bankers list. Anbann Chetti, CFO Nedbank Wealth: “Stand out from the rest” A focus on people and communication has been instrumental during the first 100 days as CFO of Nedbank Wealth, says Anbann Chetti, who last year was promoted from his previous role as Nedbank – Corporate Banking CFO. “The move has been phenomenal and the learning has been fantastic.” Read more exclusive articles on CFO.co.za - Super Group announces 21% profit increase - KPMG scoops Reporting Accountants awards at DealMakers Gala - Gold Brands Limited lists on the JSE - Dean Subramanian, ArcelorMittal CFO, appointed Acting CEO - RMB's Africa Outlook 2016 – fiscal indiscipline weakens policy effects - EY: Distress and divestments to dominate mining deals in 2016 - Arno Daehnke appointed group FD for Standard Bank RSVP CFO Event "Get Smart in 2016" Tuesday 23 February 16.00 - 20.00 - Summer Place - Sandton We invite you to join us for the CFO South Africa event Get Smart in 2016 - Move like a butterfly - sting like a bee. How can we improve the agility and resilience of your organisation in volatile and uncertain times? How do you create flexibility and ensure your scarce resources are allocated to the most critical tasks? Join us as we consider the options available to CFOs in creating agile, flexible and responsive finance functions and organisations. Finance functions that are 2016 and 2017 ready and are able to deliver superior value to the business. Program 16.00 Opening & Reception 16.30 Master Class - Move like a butterfly, sting like a bee Do you sometimes wish you could be as fast and flexible as a startup? Without losing the strength and stability of a well established corporate? Let’s investigate and discuss if and how we can make this possible! The answer should be somewhere in the way we align our People, Process and Technology. Some questions to consider: Is BPO the answer to flexibility? It might offer us the solutions to time, accuracy, transparency and business partnering challenges. What about the possibilities of new technologies like cloud solutions? Or is the answer in the way we manage people? Speakers: - Krishnan Raghunathan, Group Chief Capability Officer WNS - Bikash Prasad, CFO Africa Olam International - Sean Doherty, CFO Investment Bank, Standard Bank - Dee Houchen, Oracle, Senior Principal Product Marketing Director - ERP - Alida Taylor, Partner KPMG - Terrence Taylor, General Manager Talent, Leadership and Learning, Discovery 16.30 Public Sector round table smart government Being able to provide an outstanding service and experience to citizens is an important task for governments around the world. Not only does it make for happy citizens but it also saves costs, time and improves the morale of civil servants. Restoring citizens' confidence in public institutions means demonstrating competence in providing better value for their hard-earned tax money. What can finance teams in government do to improve agility and customer focus? How can you allocate scarce resources to ensure critical tasks are assured but your organisation remains forward looking and customer centric. Facilitated by KPMG - with Quentin Green, CFO City Power, Irene Singo, CFO Department of Mineral Resources and Edson Magondo, Director KPMG. 18.00 CFO Café Interact, learn, connect and discuss the challenges that you are facing with your peers over a drink at the CFO Café. Build your network and meet other top CFOs and financials. We offer you a great afternoon of peer to peer discussions and knowledge sharing. Register here now. Sponsors CFO South Africa Event: 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. Sign up for the next Fintech Event in Cape Town - 25 Feb Fuelled by stellar investments the biggest ever disruption in finance - blockchain - finally breaks through. Scaring the crap out of leading IT suppliers and financial institutions. The blockchain has limitless potential to disrupt and to bring prosperity. How will the blockchain technology change finance and accounting in Africa? Why are so many financial institutions investing in the blockchain technology? Who is afraid? These are the questions that will be discussed and answered during the Fintech Africa Blockchain Event hosted by Barclays Africa at the Barclays Accelerator in Woodstock. ?100 insiders, experts, startups and investors will discuss the developments and challenges for the blockchain in Africa. Several FinTech companies present themselves. Get inspired, extend your network and develop business. Program: 15.30 Welcome and introduction By Graham Fehrsen, Managing Director FinTech Africa and CFO South Africa 16.00 - 17.00 Blockchain: scaring the crap out of leading IT suppliers and financial institutions Keynote by Martijn Aslander, international speaker. We we are in a new age of innovation. Everything will be better, cheaper and faster. Banking too. Blockchain scares leading IT-providers and banks the crap. Banks fear for their future. 17.00 - 18.00 Blockchain = Ubuntu Panel discussion with experts about the blockchain. With Brett Loubser, Head of WeChat Africa. WeChat has recently entered into the digital wallet and has partnered with a financial institution that has invested into their blockchain technology. With Lorien Gamaroff, CEO and founder of Bankymoon, a South African FinTech startup which is focused on providing blockchain-based solutions. With Martijn Aslander, guru. Expert speaker from Barclays to be announced. 18.00 - 20.00 Closing thoughts, drinks & networking Wrap up and closing comments by Graham Fehrsen, MD of CFO South Africa and FinTech South Africa. If you're interested to profile your business at this event please contact: Graham Fehrsen, Managing Director FinTech Africa, [email protected] or at +27 (0)79 898 0227. Join the next Fintech event at the Barclays Accelerator in Cape Town and register now for Tuesday 25 February - 15.30 - 20.00. The FinTech Africa Blockchain event is supported by Barclays and Rise, the physical and virtual global community that facilitates collaboration and fintech innovation. Visit Finance Indaba Africa Visit the Finance Indaba 13 & 14 October at the Sandton Convention Centre and boost your profits by 100%. Finance Indaba Africa is the biggest annual expo and conference for finance professionals. It brings together peers technology suppliers, platforms, banks, tools, specialists, CFOs and thought leaders. Over 5,000 visitors tap into a wealth of resources, knowhow and inspiration. Gain unparalleled insights. Cut costs dramatically, send sales & productivity through the roof and boost your company's profits by 100 percent. RSVP NOW HERE. We are calling for speakers Are you enabling businesses to cut costs, boost sales, productivity and company profits? Don't miss out the chance to connect with new prospects, to brand your company and to become more successful. Share your ideas at the Finance Indaba and help the country grow. Please contact Graham Fehrsen at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. Also read more about the call for speakers. Diamond Partners http://static.financieel-management.nl/img/pictures/110412.jpg" width="500" /> CFO Awards 2016 - Reserve your table now Buy a table for the CFO Awards and meet 300 of South Africa's leading CFOs. Demonstrate thought leadership, extend your network and develop business. You are seated with CFOs and finance directors from the top companies of South Africa. You are also more than welcome to join the CFO Conference preceding the CFO Awards dinner with your colleagues. Join us Thursday 12 May 2016 at the beautiful Summer Place. Don't wait too long, first come, first served. Become a partner or attend with your finance team and buy a table here. For more information have a look at CFOAwards.co.za. Partners CFO Awards 2016 Join the ultimate peer to peer advisory network Various CFOs and finance directors from Eskom, Nedbank, Transnet, Alexander Forbes Standard Charered Bank, Hollard, Absa, Servest, 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 2016 Feb 23 Johannesburg | Get Smart in 2016 Mar 16 Johannesburg | Moving into Africa in 2016 Apr 6 Johannesburg | Capital & Finance May 12 Johannesburg | CFO Awards 2016 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, LinkedIn and Facebook Stay up to date on what is happening in the world of finance by following us on Twitter @CFOSouthAfrica, LinkedIn and Facebook. 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, Graham Fehrsen Managing Director CFO South Africa | [email protected] To control which emails you receive from CFO South Africa, please change your email preferences at cfo.co.za by selecting under settings "I do not want to receive emails from CFO South Africa | Finance Professionals South Africa"

Super Group, the listed transport logistics and mobility group whose finance division is headed up by CFO Colin Brown (pictured), also a CFO Awards winner, has grown headline earnings by 21.2 percent a share in the six months to December.

Professional services firm KPMG won both Reporting Accountants awards during the 15th annual DealMakers Gala Awards Banquet on 16 February at the Sandton Convention Centre. A broadly smiling CFO South Africa MD Graham Fehrsen handed the two prizes (Deal Flow & Deal Value) to KPMG's Corporate Finance MD John Geel, in the presence of DealMakers director Marylou Greig.

Gold Brands Limited listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange on Friday 12 February, making it the third company to list on the JSE this year and the second company to list on the AltX board. Praxia Nathanael, CEO Gold Brands Investment, said the listing adds value to Gold Brands' proposition to its franchise owner-operators, its BEE partners and staff, and prospective future partners.

A focus on people and communication has been instrumental during the first 100 days as CFO of Nedbank Wealth, says Anbann Chetti, who last year was promoted from his previous role as Nedbank – Corporate Banking CFO. “The move has been phenomenal and the learning has been fantastic.”

Following the resignation of Paul O’Flaherty as CEO and executive director of ArcelorMittal South Africa, company CFO Dean Subramanian (pictured) has been appointed Acting CEO, effective immediately. Gerhard Van Zyl, a senior manager in the finance function, acted as CFO prior to the appointment of Subramanian as CFO, and will again act as CFO until Subramanian resumes his duties here. Van Zyl's appointment is also effective immediately. According to the company - a JSE-listed multinational steel manufacturing corporation company - the recruitment process for a new CEO is already well underway.

In the face of waning economic growth, countercyclical fiscal policies are only viable in countries which boast low levels of public debt like Botswana. In this third part of RMB's Africa outlook 2016, authors Celeste Fauconnier, Nema Ramkhelawan-Bhana and Neville Mandimika look at the fiscal policy across the continent and the tax potential across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

According to a recently released report by EY, financial distress among mining and metals companies will shape M&A activity in the sector in 2016. Furthermore, divestments are expected to pick up pace on the back of volatility and uncertainty on the timing of a recovery. Wickus Botha (pictured), EY Africa Mining & Metals Sector Leader, said:

Following the release at end 2015 of the Sunday Times' list of SA's wealthiest businessmen comes Business Tech's list of SA's best paid execs and SA's top earning bankers. Richemont CFO Gary Saage was fifth on the list of best paid execs, while Old Mutual's FD Ingrid Johnson was second on the top earning bankers list.

Arno Daehnke (pictured), who has headed the Standard Bank Group's treasury and capital management division since 2010, has been appointed group FD.

While money is increasingly flowing into Africa for private healthcare initiatives and South Africa is embarking on the rollout of the National Health Insurance (NHI) system, there is a high demand for multi-skilled finance leaders to deal with that inflow. “We need a whole generation of multi-skilled, passionate people with an interest in healthcare,” says Dr Anuschka Coovadia, head of Healthcare Africa for KPMG.

State-owned Transnet has permanently appointed Garry Pita (pictured) as Group CFO, with effect from 1 February 2016. In August last year, Pita was appointed acting Group CFO, taking the place of Anoj Singh, who was seconded to Eskom.

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday 11 February Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles Balancing the stakeholders - the success of Alexander Forbes CFO De... Being a business partner is extremely important, but a CFO should never forget to bring his or her financial acumen to the table, says CFO of the Year 2015 Deon Viljoen. As money boss at Alexander Forbes he has guided the company through a rebirth that included a delisting and a relisting on the JSE. These days ‘higher purpose’ and ‘balancing stakeholders’ are key success factors at South Africa’s largest retirement fund administrator, he reveals. CFOs should know PE firms want asset growth in Africa, says KPMG's ... What are the latest investment priorities within private equity firms? What should CFOs know about tax? Why does Michael Rudnicki want to be famous? Those are three of the questions that can only be answered by the new head of KPMG’s Southern African Private Equity (PE) practice. SA to see poor economic growth in 2016, says FocusEconomics According to FocusEconomics, provider of economic analysis and forecasts for some 127 countries, South Africa will be among the worst economic performers in Sub-Saharan Africa this year, with overall growth in the region expected to accelerate only marginally. Read more exclusive articles on CFO.co.za - FinTech Africa Blockchain event – the tech of the future is here! - Tsundzukani Mhlanga new FD of Ascension Properties - Clean audit for Pikitup CFO Suren Maharaj - S&P gives African Bank negative outlook - RMB's Africa Outlook 2016 – hawkish monetary policy predicted - Deon Viljoen acting CEO of Alexander Forbes - Grooming future leaders: the CFO Case Study Challenge RSVP CFO Event "Get Smart in 2016" Tuesday 23 February 16.00 - 20.00 - Summer Place - Sandton We invite you to join us for the CFO South Africa event Get Smart in 2016 - Move like a butterfly - sting like a bee. How can we improve the agility and resilience of your organisation in volatile and uncertain times? How do you create flexibility and ensure your scarce resources are allocated to the most critical tasks? Join us as we consider the options available to CFOs in creating agile, flexible and responsive finance functions and organisations. Finance functions that are 2016 and 2017 ready and are able to deliver superior value to the business. Program 16.00 Opening & Reception 16.30 Master Class - Move like a butterfly, sting like a bee Do you sometimes wish you could be as fast and flexible as a startup? Without losing the strength and stability of a well established corporate? Let’s investigate and discuss if and how we can make this possible! The answer should be somewhere in the way we align our People, Process and Technology. Some questions to consider: Is BPO the answer to flexibility? It might offer us the solutions to time, accuracy, transparency and business partnering challenges. What about the possibilities of new technologies like cloud solutions? Or is the answer in the way we manage people? Speakers: - Krishnan Raghunathan, Group Chief Capability Officer WNS - Bikash Prasad, CFO Africa Olam International - Sean Doherty, CFO Investment Bank, Standard Bank - Dee Houchen, Oracle, Senior Principal Product Marketing Director - ERP - Alida Taylor, Partner KPMG - Terrence Taylor, General Manager Talent, Leadership and Learning, Discovery 16.30 Public Sector round table smart government Being able to provide an outstanding service and experience to citizens is an important task for governments around the world. Not only does it make for happy citizens but it also saves costs, time and improves the morale of civil servants. Restoring citizens' confidence in public institutions means demonstrating competence in providing better value for their hard-earned tax money. What can finance teams in government do to improve agility and customer focus? How can you allocate scarce resources to ensure critical tasks are assured but your organisation remains forward looking and customer centric. Facilitated by KPMG - with Quentin Green, CFO City Power, Irene Singo, CFO Department of Mineral Resources and Edson Magondo, Director KPMG. 18.00 CFO Café Interact, learn, connect and discuss the challenges that you are facing with your peers over a drink at the CFO Café. Build your network and meet other top CFOs and financials. We offer you a great afternoon of peer to peer discussions and knowledge sharing. Register here now. Sponsors CFO South Africa Event: 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. Sign up for the next Fintech Event in Cape Town - 25 Feb Fuelled by stellar investments the biggest ever disruption in finance - blockchain - finally breaks through. Scaring the crap out of leading IT suppliers and financial institutions. The blockchain has limitless potential to disrupt and to bring prosperity. How will the blockchain technology change finance and accounting in Africa? Why are so many financial institutions investing in the blockchain technology? Who is afraid? These are the questions that will be discussed and answered during the Fintech Africa Blockchain Event hosted by Barclays Africa at the Barclays Accelerator in Woodstock. ?100 insiders, experts, startups and investors will discuss the developments and challenges for the blockchain in Africa. Several FinTech companies present themselves. Get inspired, extend your network and develop business. Program: 15.30 Welcome and introduction By Graham Fehrsen, Managing Director FinTech Africa and CFO South Africa 16.00 - 17.00 Blockchain: scaring the crap out of leading IT suppliers and financial institutions Keynote by Martijn Aslander, international speaker. We we are in a new age of innovation. Everything will be better, cheaper and faster. Banking too. Blockchain scares leading IT-providers and banks the crap. Banks fear for their future. 17.00 - 18.00 Blockchain = Ubuntu Panel discussion with experts about the blockchain. With Brett Loubser, Head of WeChat Africa. WeChat has recently entered into the digital wallet and has partnered with a financial institution that has invested into their blockchain technology. With Lorien Gamaroff, CEO and founder of Bankymoon, a South African FinTech startup which is focused on providing blockchain-based solutions. With Martijn Aslander, guru. Expert speaker from Barclays to be announced. 18.00 - 20.00 Closing thoughts, drinks & networking Wrap up and closing comments by Graham Fehrsen, MD of CFO South Africa and FinTech South Africa. If you're interested to profile your business at this event please contact: Graham Fehrsen, Managing Director FinTech Africa, [email protected] or at +27 (0)79 898 0227. Join the next Fintech event at the Barclays Accelerator in Cape Town and register now for Tuesday 25 February - 15.30 - 20.00. A Fintech Africa Event in cooperation with: Visit Finance Indaba Africa Visit the Finance Indaba 13 & 14 October at the Sandton Convention Centre and boost your profits by 100%. Finance Indaba Africa is the biggest annual expo and conference for finance professionals. It brings together peers technology suppliers, platforms, banks, tools, specialists, CFOs and thought leaders. Over 5,000 visitors tap into a wealth of resources, knowhow and inspiration. Gain unparalleled insights. Cut costs dramatically, send sales & productivity through the roof and boost your company's profits by 100 percent. RSVP NOW HERE. We are calling for speakers Are you enabling businesses to cut costs, boost sales, productivity and company profits? Don't miss out the chance to connect with new prospects, to brand your company and to become more successful. Share your ideas at the Finance Indaba and help the country grow. Please contact Graham Fehrsen at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. Also read more about the call for speakers. Diamond Partners CFO Awards 2016 - Reserve your table now Buy a table for the CFO Awards and meet 300 of South Africa's leading CFOs. Demonstrate thought leadership, extend your network and develop business. You are seated with CFOs and finance directors from the top companies of South Africa. You are also more than welcome to join the CFO Conference preceding the CFO Awards dinner with your colleagues. Join us Thursday 12 May 2016 at the beautiful Summer Place. Don't wait too long, first come, first served. Become a partner or attend with your finance team and buy a table here. For more information check out CFOAwards.co.za. Join the ultimate peer to peer advisory network Various CFOs and finance directors from Eskom, Nedbank, Transnet, Alexander Forbes Standard Charered Bank, Hollard, Absa, Servest, 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 2016 Feb 23 Johannesburg | Get Smart in 2016 Mar 16 Johannesburg | Moving into Africa in 2016 Apr 6 Johannesburg | Capital & Finance May 12 Johannesburg | CFO Awards 2016 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, LinkedIn and Facebook Stay up to date on what is happening in the world of finance by following us on Twitter @CFOSouthAfrica, LinkedIn and Facebook. 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, Graham Fehrsen Managing Director CFO South Africa | [email protected] To control which emails you receive from CFO South Africa, please change your email preferences at cfo.co.za by selecting under settings "I do not want to receive emails from CFO South Africa | Finance Professionals South Africa"

University student societies from across the globe are frenetically forming teams to enter the CFO Case Study Competition, where they will tackle the topic of strategic threats, opportunities, weaknesses and ethical dilemmas facing key decision-makers in the mobile telecommunications sector.

What do YOU know about the blockchain? Probably not nearly enough. Join us on 25 February 2016 in Woodstock, Cape Town, for an in-depth session led by world-respected experts as we delve into the revolutionary topic of the blockchain.

Deon Viljoen, CFO of Alexander Forbes, has been appointed interim group CEO with immediate effect following the announcement that Edward Kieswetter, current CEO, will be taking an early retirement. (Pictured here are Deon Viljoen and Bongani Nqwababa (Sasol), both of whom have been appointed as CEO from CFO at their respective companies since the 2015 CFO Awards.)

Being a business partner is extremely important, but a CFO should never forget to bring his or her financial acumen to the table, says CFO of the Year 2015 Deon Viljoen. As money boss at Alexander Forbes he has guided the company through a rebirth that included a delisting and a relisting on the JSE. These days ‘higher purpose’ and ‘balancing stakeholders’ are key success factors at South Africa’s largest retirement fund administrator, he reveals.

Times Media recently announced several key editorial appointments, including the appointment of Tim Cohen (pictured) as editor of Business Day, following the resignation of Songezo Zibi from this post.

Hawkish monetary policies are likely across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and the temptation to manipulate interest rates will be on the increase in 2016. In this second part of RMB's Africa outlook 2016, authors Celeste Fauconnier, Nema Ramkhelawan-Bhana and Neville Mandimika look at the monetary policy across the continent and the measures that are considered to pursue echange rate stability.

Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P) has given African Bank a preliminary "B+/B" global scale rating, placing it four scores below investment grade rating and giving it a negative outlook. This comes ahead of African Bank's April re-launch as Good Bank.

According to FocusEconomics, provider of economic analysis and forecasts for some 127 countries, South Africa will be among the worst economic performers in Sub-Saharan Africa this year, with overall growth in the region expected to accelerate only marginally. FocusEconomics’ panel of economic analysts expects SA’s economy to expand by 1.3% this year and by 2% in 2017. The company said:

Pikitup, under the guidance of CFO Suren Maharaj (pictured), achieved a clean audit for the 2014/2015 financial year. Together with becoming solvent for the first time in the company's 14-year history, this is a notable achievement.

What are the latest investment priorities within private equity firms? What should CFOs know about tax? Why does Michael Rudnicki want to be famous? Those are three of the questions that can only be answered by the new head of KPMG’s Southern African Private Equity (PE) practice.

Tsundzukani Mhlanga (pictured) has been appointed FD of Ascension Properties, a listed subsidiary of Rebosis Property Fund Limited (Rebosis).

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday 4 February Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles Skilled local resources key in Africa, says Illovo CFO Mohammed Abd... CFO South Africa spoke to Mohammed during an exclusive interview after the CFO Awards 2015, for which he was nominated. Mohammed has been instrumental in driving the strategy to transform Illovo “from a traditional pure sugar business into a business that is fully integrated into downstream activities such as co-generation, ethanol and furfural production". He says refinancing a loan in Zambia was one of the toughest decisions he had to make, but it has led to significant savings despite volatile currency risk. Krishnan Raghunathan (WNS): great CFOs have entrepreneurial flair “A good CFO is an effective controller, but also has an entrepreneurial flair,” says Krishnan Raghunathan, global Chief Capability Officer at business process outsourcing giant, WNS. Krishnan is one of the speakers at CFO South Africa’s Get Smart in 2016 event on 23 February 2016, flying out of India especially for the occasion. In preparation for the event, we spoke to him about his interesting job title, his professional achievements, his take on the position of CFO, and the role finance leaders should play in Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), which incidentally is being accepted as Business Process Management (BPM) the world over. Judges 2016 CFO Awards swap notes during exclusive dinner The mood was warm and jovial during an exclusive dinner for the panel of judges of the 2016 CFO Awardsand winners of last year's awards, hosted by CFO South Africa at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Rosebank on 27 January 2016. The gathering allowed the judges to prepare for the judging process for this year's prestigious awards, but - most of all - gave them an opportunity to catch up and network. The dinner brought together the CFOs of the Year from 2014 and 2015, Simon Ridley (Standard Bank) and Deon Viljoen (Alexander Forbes), and a host of other business leaders. Read more exclusive articles on CFO.co.za - RMB's Africa Outlook 2016 – GDP growth in a slump - CFO Anoj Singh appointed Eskom treasurer - Lamelle research laboraties takes the next step with 4Most - CIMA updates the Certificate in Business Accounting - Sub-Saharan Africa seen as promising consumer market, says Agility ... - SA reports trade surplus of R8.2 billion - Ratings outlook for Africa 2016 RSVP CFO Event "Get Smart in 2016" Tuesday 23 February 16.00 - 20.00 - Summer Place - Sandton We invite you to join us for the CFO South Africa event Get Smart in 2016 - Move like a butterfly - sting like a bee. How can we improve the agility and resilience of your organisation in volatile and uncertain times? How do you create flexibility and ensure your scarce resources are allocated to the most critical tasks? Join us as we consider the options available to CFOs in creating agile, flexible and responsive finance functions and organisations. Finance functions that are 2016 and 2017 ready and are able to deliver superior value to the business. Program 16.00 Opening & Reception 16.30 Master Class - Move like a butterfly, sting like a bee Do you sometimes wish you could be as fast and flexible as a startup? Without losing the strength and stability of a well established corporate? Let’s investigate and discuss if and how we can make this possible! The answer should be somewhere in the way we align our People, Process and Technology. Some questions to consider: Is BPO the answer to flexibility? It might offer us the solutions to time, accuracy, transparency and business partnering challenges. What about the possibilities of new technologies like cloud solutions? Or is the answer in the way we manage people? Speakers: Specialists from KPMG, Oracle & WNS. Panel: Bikash Prasad, CFO Olam International, Belinda O'Neill, Executive Finance MTN & Sean Doherty, CFO IB Standard Bank. 16.30 Public Sector round table smart government Being able to provide an outstanding service and experience to citizens is an important task for governments around the world. Not only does it make for happy citizens but it also saves costs, time and improves the morale of civil servants. Restoring citizens' confidence in public institutions means demonstrating competence in providing better value for their hard-earned tax money. What can finance teams in government do to improve agility and customer focus? How can you allocate scarce resources to ensure critical tasks are assured but your organisation remains forward looking and customer centric. Facilitated by KPMG - with Edson Magondo, Director KPMG. 18.00 CFO Café Interact, learn, connect and discuss the challenges that you are facing with your peers over a drink at the CFO Café. Build your network and meet other top CFOs and financials. We offer you a great afternoon of peer to peer discussions and knowledge sharing. Register here now. Sponsors CFO South Africa Event: 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. Visit Finance Indaba Africa Visit the Finance Indaba 13 & 14 October at the Sandton Convention Centre and boost your profits by 100%. Finance Indaba Africa is the biggest annual expo and conference for finance professionals. It brings together peers technology suppliers, platforms, banks, tools, specialists, CFOs and thought leaders. Over 5,000 visitors tap into a wealth of resources, knowhow and inspiration. Gain unparalleled insights. Cut costs dramatically, send sales & productivity through the roof and boost your company's profits by 100 percent. RSVP NOW HERE. We are calling for speakers Are you enabling businesses to cut costs, boost sales, productivity and company profits? Don't miss out the chance to connect with new prospects, to brand your company and to become more successful. Share your ideas at the Finance Indaba and help the country grow. Please contact Graham Fehrsen at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. Also read more about the call for speakers. Diamond Partners CFO Awards 2016 - Reserve your table now Buy a table for the CFO Awards and meet 300 of South Africa's leading CFOs. Demonstrate thought leadership, extend your network and develop business. You are seated with CFOs and finance directors from the top companies of South Africa. You are also more than welcome to join the CFO Conference preceding the CFO Awards dinner with your colleagues. Join us Thursday 12 May 2016 at the beautiful Summer Place. Don't wait too long, first come, first served. Become a partner or attend with your finance team and buy a table here. For more information check out CFOAwards.co.za. Join the ultimate peer to peer advisory network Various CFOs and finance directors from Eskom, Nedbank, Transnet, Alexander Forbes Standard Charered Bank, Hollard, Absa, Servest, 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 2016 Feb 23 Johannesburg | Get Smart in 2016 Mar 16 Johannesburg | Moving into Africa in 2016 Apr 6 Johannesburg | Capital & Finance May 12 Johannesburg | CFO Awards 2016 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, LinkedIn and Facebook Stay up to date on what is happening in the world of finance by following us on Twitter @CFOSouthAfrica, LinkedIn and Facebook. 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, Graham Fehrsen Managing Director CFO South Africa | [email protected] To control which emails you receive from CFO South Africa, please change your email preferences at cfo.co.za by selecting under settings "I do not want to receive emails from CFO South Africa | Finance Professionals South Africa"

Following Caroline Henry's resignation as treasurer of Eskom, the state-owned power utility appointed group CFO and multiple CFO South Africa Awards winner, Anoj Singh (pictured), as treasurer, effective 1 February 2016.

“A good CFO is an effective controller, but also has an entrepreneurial flair,” says Krishnan Raghunathan, global Chief Capability Officer at business process outsourcing giant, WNS. Krishnan is one of the speakers at CFO South Africa’s Get Smart in 2016 event on 23 February 2016, flying out of India especially for the occasion. In preparation for the event, we spoke to him about his interesting job title, his professional achievements, his take on the position of CFO, and the role finance leaders should play in Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), which incidentally is being accepted as Business Process Management (BPM) the world over.

In a bid to remain relevant in today's fast-paced world of business, the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) has updated the CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting (Cert BA) in accord with global standards. Zahra Cassim (pictured), Head of CIMA South Africa, says the qualification is designed to help people develop their skills and potential, and elevate them to success. She said:

Africa is complex and diverse, so here’s a secret tip from Mohammed Hoosen Abdool-Samad, finance director at Illovo Sugar. “To succeed, you need to have a deep understanding of the political and macroeconomic landscape. This can only be done by having skilled and experienced local resources that understand the business environment. Overreliance on expats can result in the business being ‘unplugged’ from the local business environment."

In December 2015, South Africa posted a trade surplus of R8.2 billion; this as a result of factories cutting down on machinery and equipment imports during the year-end Christmas and holiday season.

Oil-exporting economies like Nigeria and Angola will continue to be hardest hit when it comes to the slowing momentum of GDP growth in Africa. In this first part of RMB's Africa outlook 2016, authors Celeste Fauconnier, Nema Ramkhelawan-Bhana and Neville Mandimika look at the expected real GDP growth in selected economies and the long list of risks to growth.

The recently released 'Agility Emerging Markets Logistics Index 2016' offers interesting insight into worldwide markets. It also pegs consumer spending by a fast-growing middle class as important a growth driver for Africa as mineral and resource demand. In the survey, industry executives ranked South Africa, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria as the most promising markets in Sub-Saharan Africa. According to the more than 1,100 executives who responded to the survey, poor infrastructure, lack of power generation and corruption pose the greatest risk to African economies.

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According to Fitch Ratings, lower commodity prices this year, along with a stronger US dollar, could exert downward pressure on credit ratings in emerging markets, including the Middle East, Africa and Latin America.

The mood was warm and jovial during an exclusive dinner for the panel of judges of the 2016 CFO Awardsand winners of last year's awards, hosted by CFO South Africa at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Rosebank on 27 January 2016. The gathering allowed the judges to prepare for the judging process for this year's prestigious awards, but - most of all - gave them an opportunity to catch up and network. The dinner brought together the CFOs of the Year from 2014 and 2015, Simon Ridley (Standard Bank) and Deon Viljoen (Alexander Forbes), and a host of other business leaders.

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday 28 January Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles Major business risks identified According to the 2016 Allianz Risk Barometer, which surveyed over 800 risk managers and insurance experts from more than 40 countries, the top three leading risks for businesses in Africa and the Middle East are macroeconomic developments (44%), market developments (44%) and changes in legislation and regulation (32%). CFO South Africa sponsors DealMakers Award CFO South Africa will be the sponsor of the Reporting Accountants category during the 15th DealMakers Annual Gala Awards Banquet on 16 February 2016 at The Ballroom of the Sandton Convention Centre. Regarded as the Oscars of the South African M&A world, the awards celebrate the best performing M&A services firms over the past year. Dean Thompson appointed CEO of EnviroServ Dean Thompson has been appointed group CEO of waste management company, EnviroServ. Thompson takes over from Des Gordon, who served as the company's CEO for 18 years, resigning at the end of 2015 for personal reasons. The company believes Thompson's background makes him an exceptional fit for this role. Read more exclusive articles on CFO.co.za - Bikash Prasad, Africa CFO Olam International: Africa can feed the w... - African Bank Good Bank re-launch on track - CFO South Africa partners with Thomson Reuters - JSE opens Cape Town office - Jason Kazilimani, CEO KPMG Zambia: power and agri biggest opportuni... - Junior Ngulube appointed CEO of new Sanlam Corporate division RSVP CFO Event "Get Smart in 2016" Tuesday 23 February 16.00 - 20.00 - Summer Place - Sandton We invite you to join us for the CFO South Africa event Get Smart in 2016 - Move like a butterfly - sting like a bee. How can we improve the agility and resilience of your organisation in volatile and uncertain times? How do you create flexibility and ensure your scarce resources are allocated to the most critical tasks? Join us as we consider the options available to CFOs in creating agile, flexible and responsive finance functions and organisations. Finance functions that are 2016 and 2017 ready and are able to deliver superior value to the business. Program 16.00 Opening & Reception 16.30 Master Class - Move like a butterfly, sting like a bee Do you sometimes wish you could be as fast and flexible as a startup? Without losing the strength and stability of a well established corporate? Let’s investigate and discuss if and how we can make this possible! The answer should be somewhere in the way we align our People, Process and Technology. Some questions to consider: Is BPO the answer to flexibility? It might offer us the solutions to time, accuracy, transparency and business partnering challenges. What about the possibilities of new technologies like cloud solutions? Or is the answer in the way we manage people? Speakers: Specialists from KPMG, Oracle & WNS. Panel: Bikash Prasad, CFO Olam International, Belinda O'Neill, Executive Finance MTN & Sean Doherty, CFO IB Standard Bank. 16.30 Public Sector round table smart government Being able to provide an outstanding service and experience to citizens is an important task for governments around the world. Not only does it make for happy citizens but it also saves costs, time and improves the morale of civil servants. Restoring citizens' confidence in public institutions means demonstrating competence in providing better value for their hard-earned tax money. What can finance teams in government do to improve agility and customer focus? How can you allocate scarce resources to ensure critical tasks are assured but your organisation remains forward looking and customer centric. Facilitated by KPMG - with Edson Magondo, Director KPMG. 18.00 CFO Café Interact, learn, connect and discuss the challenges that you are facing with your peers over a drink at the CFO Café. Build your network and meet other top CFOs and financials. We offer you a great afternoon of peer to peer discussions and knowledge sharing. Register here now. Sponsors CFO South Africa Event: 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. Visit Finance Indaba Africa Visit the Finance Indaba 13 & 14 October at the Sandton Convention Centre and boost your profits by 100%. Finance Indaba Africa is the biggest annual expo and conference for finance professionals. It brings together peers technology suppliers, platforms, banks, tools, specialists, CFOs and thought leaders. Over 5,000 visitors tap into a wealth of resources, knowhow and inspiration. Gain unparalleled insights. Cut costs dramatically, send sales & productivity through the roof and boost your company's profits by 100 percent. RSVP NOW HERE. We are calling for speakers Are you enabling businesses to cut costs, boost sales, productivity and company profits? Don't miss out the chance to connect with new prospects, to brand your company and to become more successful. Share your ideas at the Finance Indaba and help the country grow. Please contact Graham Fehrsen at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. Also read more about the call for speakers and see the latest Business Day advertisement. Diamond Partners CFO Awards 2016 - Reserve your table now Buy a table for the CFO Awards and meet 300 of South Africa's leading CFOs. Demonstrate thought leadership, extend your network and develop business. You are seated with CFOs and finance directors from the top companies of South Africa. You are also more than welcome to join the CFO Conference preceding the CFO Awards dinner with your colleagues. Join us Thursday 12 May 2016 at the beautiful Summer Place. Don't wait too long, first come, first served. Become a partner or attend with your finance team and buy a table here. For more information check out CFOAwards.co.za. Join the ultimate peer to peer advisory network Various CFOs and finance directors from Eskom, Nedbank, Transnet, Alexander Forbes Standard Charered Bank, Hollard, Absa, Servest, 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 2016 Feb 23 Johannesburg | Get Smart in 2016 Mar 16 Johannesburg | Moving into Africa in 2016 Apr 6 Johannesburg | Capital & Finance May 12 Johannesburg | CFO Awards 2016 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, LinkedIn and Facebook Stay up to date on what is happening in the world of finance by following us on Twitter @CFOSouthAfrica, LinkedIn and Facebook. 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, Graham Fehrsen Managing Director CFO South Africa | [email protected] To control which emails you receive from CFO South Africa, please change your email preferences at cfo.co.za by selecting under settings "I do not want to receive emails from CFO South Africa | Finance Professionals South Africa"

According to the 2016 Allianz Risk Barometer, which surveyed over 800 risk managers and insurance experts from more than 40 countries, the top three leading risks for businesses in Africa and the Middle East are macroeconomic developments (44%), market developments (44%) and changes in legislation and regulation (32%).

CFO South Africa will be the sponsor of the Reporting Accountants category during the 15th DealMakers Annual Gala Awards Banquet on 16 February 2016 at The Ballroom of the Sandton Convention Centre. Regarded as the Oscars of the South African M&A world, the awards celebrate the best performing M&A services firms over the past year.

Dean Thompson has been appointed group CEO of waste management company, EnviroServ. Thompson takes over from Des Gordon, who served as the company's CEO for 18 years, resigning at the end of 2015 for personal reasons.

A conversation with Bikash Prasad always includes exclamations like “I am passionate about Africa” and “we are very bullish about the continent”. The finance wizard, nominated for the 2015 CFO Awards, readily dishes up facts and figures about Africa’s economic opportunities. “Olam’s investment in Africa in the last five years is over a billion dollars. It is humongous.”

Monday 4 April 2016 has been designated the official launch date of African Bank Good Bank. The institution was granted its banking license in December 2015, on the condition that it diversified. This diversification will take the form of new customers, products and channels.

CFO South Africa announced that Thomson Reuters, the world's leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals, will be among the key sponsors of the CFO South Africa events and CFO Awards in 2016.

The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) has decided to open an office in Cape Town - a city which is becoming an increasingly important hub in the country's financial services industry.

“CFOs that don’t read and don’t network, won’t grow,” says Jason Kazilimani, senior partner and chief executive officer at KPMG Zambia. According to the senior partner there are two types of CFOs in the country: modern, world-class finance executives with international experience and “some others that call themselves CFOs, and yet only do the bean counting”. That is why there is enormous potential to improve the skills and networking capacity of Zambian CFOs, he says. “I would like to see much more emphasis on strategy.”

Insurance group Sanlam recently launched a new division called Sanlam Corporate, which will offer its corporate clients a comprehensive employee benefits solution, including life, health and general insurance, financial planning and advice, among other things. The division will be headed by Junior John Ngulube (pictured), former CEO of Munich Reinsurance Company of Africa.

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday 21 January Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles Tough year ahead for SA, says KPMG CEO Trevor Hoole With economic growth of just 1.5% expected for 2015, it is almost certain that South Africa will only narrowly escape a technical recession, say experts. With a marginal rise in GDP growth (to 1.7%) predicted for 2016, many are concerned about the continued regressive growth in the economy. According to Trevor Hoole, CEO of KPMG South Africa, 2015 was a tough year; one which saw lower macroeconomic numbers globally but particularly in developing economies. Spectacular line-up of speakers at Finance Indaba Africa 2016 If you are a finance professional and you are wondering if there are any dates in your calendar that you should keep open, wonder no longer. The Finance Indaba Africa at the Sandton Convention Centre - on 13 and 14 October 2016 - will be the pivotal gathering for number crunchers, money wizards and finance leaders. Those dates might be far away still, but behind the scenes CFO South Africa is putting together a fantastic program - with a line-up of speakers that should entice any accountant to head over to Sandton. Old Mutual's PE unit makes multiple new investments The private equity (PE) unit of Old Mutual has bought a stake in In2Food, a local producer of ready-made meals and snacks and which makes private-label products for various supermarket chains. According to Jacci Myburgh (pictured), Old Mutual’s head of PE, the company paid between R200 million and R600 million for what he called a “significant minority stake in the company. He was unable to divulge further details due to confidentiality agreements. Read more exclusive articles on CFO.co.za - Paul Marten, CFO Microsoft SA: talking products within finance - AB InBev lists on JSE - 5 questions for Bikash Prasad, Olam's new Africa CFO - Tesla to open SA office - Edson Magondo (KPMG): diplomatically discuss inconvenient truths in... - Weak rand complicates monetary policy RSVP CFO Event "Get Smart in 2016" Tuesday 23 February 16.00 - 20.00 - Summer Place - Sandton We invite you to join us for the CFO South Africa event Get Smart in 2016 - Move like a butterfly - sting like a bee. How can we improve the agility and resilience of your organisation in volatile and uncertain times? How do you create flexibility and ensure your scarce resources are allocated to the most critical tasks? Join us as we consider the options available to CFOs in creating agile, flexible and responsive finance functions and organisations. Finance functions that are 2016 and 2017 ready and are able to deliver superior value to the business. Program 16.00 Opening & Reception 16.30 Master Class - Move like a butterfly, sting like a bee Do you sometimes wish you could be as fast and flexible as a startup? Without losing the strength and stability of a well established corporate? Let’s investigate and discuss if and how we can make this possible! The answer should be somewhere in the way we align our People, Process and Technology. Some questions to consider: Is BPO the answer to flexibility? It might offer us the solutions to time, accuracy, transparency and business partnering challenges. What about the possibilities of new technologies like cloud solutions? Or is the answer in the way we manage people? Speakers: Specialists from KPMG, Oracle & WNS. Panel: Bikash Prasad, CFO Olam International, Belinda O'Neill, Executive Finance MTN & Sean Doherty, CFO IB Standard Bank. 16.30 Public Sector round table smart government Being able to provide an outstanding service and experience to citizens is an important task for governments around the world. Not only does it make for happy citizens but it also saves costs, time and improves the morale of civil servants. Restoring citizens' confidence in public institutions means demonstrating competence in providing better value for their hard-earned tax money. What can finance teams in government do to improve agility and customer focus? How can you allocate scarce resources to ensure critical tasks are assured but your organisation remains forward looking and customer centric. Facilitated by KPMG - with Edson Magondo, Director KPMG. 18.00 CFO Café Interact, learn, connect and discuss the challenges that you are facing with your peers over a drink at the CFO Café. Build your network and meet other top CFOs and financials. We offer you a great afternoon of peer to peer discussions and knowledge sharing. Register here now. Sponsors CFO South Africa Event: 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. Visit Finance Indaba Africa Visit the Finance Indaba 13 & 14 October at the Sandton Convention Centre and boost your profits by 100%. Finance Indaba Africa is the biggest annual expo and conference for finance professionals. It brings together peers technology suppliers, platforms, banks, tools, specialists, CFOs and thought leaders. Over 5,000 visitors tap into a wealth of resources, knowhow and inspiration. Gain unparalleled insights. Cut costs dramatically, send sales & productivity through the roof and boost your company's profits by 100 percent. RSVP NOW HERE. We are calling for speakers Are you enabling businesses to cut costs, boost sales, productivity and company profits? Don't miss out the chance to connect with new prospects, to brand your company and to become more successful. Share your ideas at the Finance Indaba and help the country grow. Please contact Graham Fehrsen at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. Also read more about the call for speakers and see the latest Business Day advertisement. Diamond Partners CFO Awards 2016 - Reserve your table now Buy a table for the CFO Awards and meet 300 of South Africa's leading CFOs. Demonstrate thought leadership, extend your network and develop business. You are seated with CFOs and finance directors from the top companies of South Africa. You are also more than welcome to join the CFO Conference preceding the CFO Awards dinner with your colleagues. Join us Thursday 12 May 2016 at the beautiful Summer Place. Don't wait too long, first come, first served. Become a partner or attend with your finance team and buy a table here. For more information check out CFOAwards.co.za. Join the ultimate peer to peer advisory network Various CFOs and finance directors from Eskom, Nedbank, Transnet, Alexander Forbes Standard Charered Bank, Hollard, Absa, Servest, 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 2016 Feb 23 Johannesburg | Get Smart in 2016 Mar 16 Johannesburg | Moving into Africa in 2016 Apr 6 Johannesburg | Capital & Finance May 12 Johannesburg | CFO Awards 2016 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, LinkedIn and Facebook Stay up to date on what is happening in the world of finance by following us on Twitter @CFOSouthAfrica, LinkedIn and Facebook. 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, Graham Fehrsen Managing Director CFO South Africa | [email protected] To control which emails you receive from CFO South Africa, please change your email preferences at cfo.co.za by selecting under settings "I do not want to receive emails from CFO South Africa | Finance Professionals South Africa"

With economic growth of just 1.5% expected for 2015, it is almost certain that South Africa will only narrowly escape a technical recession, say experts. With a marginal rise in GDP growth (to 1.7%) predicted for 2016, many are concerned about the continued regressive growth in the economy.

If you are a finance professional and you are wondering if there are any dates in your calendar that you should keep open, wonder no longer. The Finance Indaba Africa at the Sandton Convention Centre - on 13 and 14 October 2016 - will be the pivotal gathering for number crunchers, money wizards and finance leaders. Those dates might be far away still, but behind the scenes CFO South Africa is putting together a fantastic program - with a line-up of speakers that should entice any accountant to head over to Sandton.