The high-octane networking event lit the spark for valuable connections.
As the sun set over Johannesburg, casting a warm orange glow over the city in the midst of winter, dropping temperatures even lower, the crème de la crème of South Africa's financial sphere gathered at the opulent The Venue, nestled in the heart of the vibrant Melrose Arch precinct.
Suited and with coats on, they stepped into an electric atmosphere on the evening of 16 July as CFO South Africa's partners prepared to take to the stage with a show-stopping presentation that would leave a lasting impression and forge meaningful partnerships.
CFO South Africa’s trusted Principal Partner, MakwaIT, Executive Partners BDO SA, Stanlib and Workday, and Associate Partners Allan Gray, Caseware Africa, AICPA & CIMA, Coupa and SAS were each given just four minutes to impress a packed venue with their innovative business technology solutions.
The dimly lit room was abuzz with the soft hum of conversation, the clinking of glasses and the occasional burst of laughter, setting the tone for an evening of high-octane networking. As the lights dimmed, the spotlight shone brightly on the presenters, each poised to showcase their expertise, creativity and passion to capture the attention of their peers and potential partners.
But first, a special treat was in store for the attendees. Nicholas Goliath, the renowned comedian and MC for the evening, put finance leaders in a great mood with his humorous anecdotes, and provided a much-needed pick-me-up after a hard day's work. He had the crowd in stitches with his quick wit and infectious energy, setting the perfect tone for the exciting presentations to come.
With beautiful ambience created by the stage lighting and warm energy, Georgina Guedes, CFO South Africa executive community director, took to the stage to explain how the interactive evening would work and introduced all the presenting partners. She laid down the ground rules: four minutes to present, and anything over that, you get buzzed off stage.
Ready, steady, go…
Ahmed Moola, the CFO of MakwaIT, Jannie Malan, solution consulting lead at Workday South Africa, and Nevellan Moodley, FS advisory leader at BDO South Africa, were the first trio to attempt to beat the four-minute mark, and they delivered their pitches within the allocated time, proving that time really is money.
As a CFO who is now working in an environment where he provides essential IT solutions, Ahmed emphatically pointed out how MakwaIT has found efficient ways to solve issues.
“We have found a niche solution to identify whether the problem is internal or external. It helps businesses to know where to focus their budgets and ensure that money is spent well. We provide world-class relevant solutions for your business,” he said.
Jannie reassured everyone in the room that the changes they are facing are not unique to their respective companies. “We live in a world of uncertainty; we know that CFOs are dealing with a lot of change – daily. CFOs benefit from the artificial intelligence and machine learning we provide at Workday to ensure that they eliminate inefficiencies, save time and manage risks and predict outcomes to optimise business processes and acceleration,” he explained.
Key to his delivery was the point on how automation is a non-negotiable “We have automated a lot of processes to ensure that supplier invoices are seamless. CFOs need to become value creators and financial futurists, and be a rock star of business,” he added.
Nevellan hammered home the importance of cost management, especially on IT-related technology.
“We are living in a world of AI. You have IT line items and they are almost always over budget when they do the costing. We got to an organisation where CFOs said they are spending a lot of money on IT. A lot of technology they have has low usage, even though they have been paying a lot of money over the past few years,” he said.
He left the finance leaders pondering the question: “IT people want to play with the latest technology. But how do you maximise return on these investments?”
Easy does it
To take a break from the seriousness of impressing a packed venue with their innovative business technology solutions, next up on the programme was an interactive segment – a live poll. Nicholas took to the stage next, and explained how this fun and engaging part of the evening would work. The poll was distinctively and engagingly conducted by the CFO South Africa team, and it focused on three main questions.
Straight after this, Nicholas wasted no time and introduced the second Pitch Parade session and invited them to the stage. It consisted of Tariro Mutizwa, the regional vice president Africa at AICPA & CIMA, together with Mica Townsend, the specialist umbrella funds at Allan Gray. Meagan Booth, the corporate team leader at Caseware Africa was the third pitcher of this group.
Meagan and Tariro concisely detailed how their respective companies are services that companies need now to propel them to the future with a guarantee to succeed.
Tariro reminded everyone of the importance of collective prosperity. “What is close to my heart is prosperity, which is success on an individual level and for the communities we serve. You need management accountants as much as you need financial accountants. For your staff, encourage them to take CGMA professional qualifications. You are going to see immediate results.
She also added, “As CFOs and financial experts, be curious, and start a CGMA journey. Even in your busy schedules, you will also see its value with time.”
Again, the trio kept to the clock, showing preparedness and precision in their deliveries. Then it was time to dine and network, allowing everyone in the room to reflect on the pitches and allow them to ponder over a delicious buffet dinner prepared by the chefs at The Venue.
Closing it off nicely
With the clock ticking, the presentations unfolded at a rapid-fire pace, each one a masterclass in brevity, clarity, and impact. From innovative financial solutions to cutting-edge technologies, the ideas flowed thick and fast, leaving the audience enthralled and eager for more.
Then it was time to welcome the third and final pitch parade session. Charlene Klohn, head of corporate cash solutions at Stanlib was joined by Yash Singh, senior principal solutions consultant at Coupa, And last but most certainly not least, the third pitcher was Itumeleng Nomlomo, senior business solutions manager at SAS.
Itumeleng focused on business transformation, specifically the business of digital transformation, while Yash opened the eyes of the CFO community to what he termed community-generated AI. He described it as the future, ensuring that it provides a source to pay systems that are a margin multiplier.
Charlene asked a straightforward question, “Are you optimising your cash and management thereof?” She drew everyone’s attention to how they are spending their money and whether it is management in a way that reflects accountability.
As the final presentation drew to a close, the room erupted into applause, the energy palpable, and the sense of connection and community unmistakable. It was clear that this was more than just a networking event – it was a celebration of the power of collaboration, creativity and innovation in the financial sphere.
