Retail, engineering and mining finance leaders are demonstrating how purpose-driven strategies can accelerate sustainable growth and long-term organisational value.
Sustainability is no longer a peripheral concern. CFOs are embedding purpose into strategy, reinventing business models and driving innovation to build organisations that endure. CFO South Africa explores how these visionary leaders are balancing profitability and social responsibility.
As group CFO of Mr Price, Praneel Nundkumar is leading finance in a fast-paced, seasonal retail environment. Appointed at 39 and the youngest member of the executive committee, he has embraced the challenge of driving value in a consumer-focused, fashion-driven organisation. “Our customers love fashion, and our ability to provide this at value-price points makes Mr Price the people’s value champion,” he said.
At the year’s first CFO Summit, top finance leaders, including Riaan Davel, Joe Ndala, Taryn Woodbridge, Michelle Pienaar and Stephen Mahlare, unpacked what it means to build a purpose-driven strategy. Their conversation highlighted the shift towards balancing stakeholder impact with financial performance.
For Alex Smith, CFO at e4, innovation is a non-negotiable priority. His background in risk, treasury and M&A places him at the intersection of finance and future value creation. He cautions that allowing innovation to slip under profitability pressure is a long-term risk.
Sandvik CFO Nerissa Jalim has built her career across logistics, manufacturing and industrial engineering. In this feature, she reflects on transformation in finance, digital evolution, sustainability and the purpose-driven leadership principles shaping the modern CFO.
Over the years, the CFO role has become more expansive, and Nerissa has felt that shift firsthand. “In today’s world, agility is a prerequisite in the CFO role. Financial stewardship is dynamic and so is business transformation.”
