Kush Padia appointed CFO at Santam Re & International

Koketso Kekana has joined Microsoft South Africa as chief financial officer, bringing experience across retail finance, commercial strategy and revenue management.

Traditional financial planning and analysis metrics often prioritise forecast accuracy over adaptability. In a volatile business environment, agile FP&A teams need to be measured by how quickly they turn market changes into actionable insights, adapt to uncertainty and support strategic business decisions.

Dale Taylor, CFO and COO of Cosnova South Africa, has been nominated for the 2026 CFO Awards, recognising his more than 25 years of experience across finance, investment banking, private equity and operational leadership.

AI is reshaping finance and accounting by automating repetitive work, amplifying human judgement and creating opportunities for professionals to become more strategic advisers. Alfred Ramosedi, the president at CIMA and co-chair of AICPA, explores how the profession can harness AI while managing its risks and responsibilities.

South Africa’s public sector has much to gain from AI, but outdated policies, data security concerns, limited resources and fear of unintended consequences are making officials wary of embracing the technology.

As artificial intelligence, automation and cloud technologies transform the finance function, today’s CFOs are expected to do far more than oversee the numbers. Joy Malete, regional finance director for Africa, Middle East and Asia Emerging at Sage, explains why finance leaders must balance innovation with governance, invest in strong data foundations and embrace technology as a strategic driver of resilience, insight and long-term business growth.