Becoming a partner at a major accounting firm is a path that only a few will ever get to walk. Yet Botswana’s group finance director of Sefalana Group Mohamed Osman found himself turning down the role twice.
Most accounting professionals spend their careers chasing partnership at a Big Four firm. It is the summit – the validation of years of sacrifice, discipline and ambition.
Mohamed Osman reached that summit. And then he walked away. Twice.
Today, as group finance director of Sefalana Group, one of Botswana’s largest listed businesses, Mohamed reflects on a journey shaped not only by professional drive, but by something deeper – conviction.
“It wasn’t an easy decision,” he says quietly. “But I’ve learnt that sometimes success means choosing what matters most, not what looks most glamorous. Ultimately things happen for a reason and it always works out for the better in the end.”
The first turning point
Mohamed grew up in Botswana, a childhood filled with family, community and a sense of belonging that never quite left him. After completing his A-levels, he moved to the UK to study his BCom honours in accounting and finance at the University of Birmingham.
Like many young budding professionals abroad, he threw himself into building a career. He joined KPMG, qualified as a chartered accountant, and spent years honing his craft. Later, he moved to Ernst & Young where he was promoted to senior manager. His trajectory was clear. Partnership was within reach.
Then life intervened.
In his final year at EY, Mohamed became a father. “When my son was born, everything shifted,” he recalls. “I started asking myself what kind of life I wanted for him. If I became a partner, I knew I would be committing to staying in the UK long term. And I wasn’t sure that was what I wanted for my family.”
He thought about his own childhood in Botswana: the openness, the connection to extended family, the cultural grounding.
“I wanted my children to have that same experience. An African upbringing. The sense of home. I wanted them to be close to their grandparents and I wanted to look after my parents for everything they had done and sacrificed for my siblings and I. There was no way I would live a life separate from them – 15 years away was long enough.”
Leaving EY meant stepping away from a dream many would never relinquish. But Mohamed packed up, said goodbye to a 15-year chapter abroad, and came home.
The second crossroads
Back in Botswana, he rejoined KPMG. His international experience accelerated his progression. Within two years, he was promoted to associate director and again placed on the partner track.
He had rebuilt the very opportunity he had left behind. And yet, something felt incomplete.
“I began to question whether audit was still my long-term calling. I had spent 15 years in that world. I wondered what it would feel like to be inside a business – not reviewing it from the outside.”
It was a quiet but persistent restlessness.
When the deputy finance director role at Sefalana became available, it struck an emotional chord. As a child, he had walked the aisles of Sefalana stores with his parents. He never imagined he would one day consider leading the group’s finances.
For days, he and his wife talked through the implications. Security versus uncertainty. Familiarity versus growth. “With her support, I decided to take the leap. I told myself: what is meant to be, will be.”
And so, for the second time, Mohamed walked away from partnership prospects.
Thrown into the deep end
The industry had changed, it was messier, more fast-paced and more exposed.
Within a year at Sefalana, Mohamed wanted more responsibility. He found energy not just in reporting numbers, but in shaping decisions.
Then came the moment that would define him.
His boss at the time, the group finance director resigned unexpectedly during a critical financial period. Mohamed was suddenly at the centre of it all – board meetings, strategic decisions, investor scrutiny.
“I won’t pretend it wasn’t intimidating,” he admits. “Sitting in the boardroom for the first time, fully accountable for one of the largest listed companies on the Botswana Stock Exchange, that weight is real.”
There were long nights. Moments of doubt. A steep learning curve. “But I decided I wasn’t going to shrink from it. I leaned in.”
It took about a year to feel fully at home in the role. When that confidence settled, it unlocked something else – vision.
Rebuilding belief
Sefalana was a respected name, but its brand had faded in places. Mohamed believed it needed renewal.
Convincing a board to rebrand a 30-year institution required courage. It also required trust. “It wasn’t about change for the sake of change,” he explains. “It was about restoring belief, internally and externally. Getting the support took a while but eventually my boss and my board trusted me and gave me the latitude to do it.
Over a period of one year, I worked with brand specialists to re-energise the Sefalana brand. The move successfully revitalised the business and its brand awareness. But it was only the beginning. We were about to become more than just a strong brand in Botswana. My boss and I had bigger ambitions.”
Beyond borders
The acquisition of Metro Cash & Carry in Namibia marked Sefalana’s first bold step outside Botswana. It was the group’s largest deal at the time and a risk. It was a territory they had no experience in.
Today, that business has grown from 12 to 34 stores, with turnover increasing from R700 million to R6 billion. It now contributes nearly a third of group profitability.
“There’s something deeply fulfilling about seeing an idea turn into sustained value. It’s the careful and clear evaluations and considerations we made prior to the investment that helped shape our success,” Mohamed says.
Expansion followed into Lesotho. Then came South Africa, approached strategically through partnership rather than confrontation. And eventually, Australia. “We spent two years studying the market before committing,” he says. “We knew others had failed there. We wanted to understand why.”
The venture began with four small stores. Today it operates ten large-format stores and ranks among the top performers in its buying group region. For Mohamed, the lesson is simple.
“You cannot copy and paste success. You have to listen. Understand the customer. Respect the market. Then give it your best shot at success.”
When Mohamed joined Sefalana in March 2012, the group turnover was around P2.1 billion, profit was P0.1 billion a share price was P2.75 and market capitalisation of P0.5bn. Today the group turnover exceeds P12 billion, profitability exceeds P0.5 billion, the share price sits at P16.00 with a market capitalisation of just over P4 billion.
“I am honoured to be part of the transformational change and success of the group over the last 14 years,” says Mohamed modestly.
The man behind the title
Despite the scale of responsibility, Mohamed speaks humbly and most animatedly about balance.
“I’ve always believed you perform better when you create space to think, and include spirituality in life. These two elements help me remain grounded.”
Two years ago, he discovered padel tennis. What began as curiosity became a ritual. “It clears my mind. If I play badly, I know my focus wasn’t right that week. It’s the one sport I find that needs me to switch off from work life and focus on playing the game.”
He laughs easily when he says this – a reminder that behind the executive role is a father of three who prioritises family above all else.
Weekends are sacred. Swimming, padel, movies, dinners. His eldest studies in the UK – a quiet symmetry to his own journey – while his younger two children are growing up in Botswana, just as he hoped.
Choosing what matters
Looking back, Mohamed does not frame his decisions as sacrifices.
“I don’t see it as walking away from partnership,” he reflects. “I see it as walking towards something more aligned with who I am. I definitely made the right decision and would do it all over again.”
His story is not about rejecting ambition. It is about redefining it.
For Sefalana’s shareholders, his choices have delivered growth, diversification and resilience. For his family, they have delivered a presence.
And for Mohamed, they have delivered something rarer than partnership: peace and contentment with his decisions.
“I am eternally grateful to those who have given me support and the opportunity to grow and succeed – family, friends, mentors and business partners. Without them, this would never have been a possibility. I have been a CA for 25 years now – it's been an amazing journey so far. Here’s to another 25 years.”
