As Joelene Pierce prepares to take the helm as CEO of KPMG in South Africa, her focus is on keeping trust the cornerstone of everything the firm does - and turning that into a competitive advantage. From 144 handwritten letters to one of the biggest jobs in town, she is ready to cement her legacy.
“I accepted this role because it’s also an opportunity to be a role model and to show other women, even those who don’t know me personally, that you can step into spaces like this. These roles are meant to help you grow as an individual,” says Joelene Pierce.
After spending 26 years at KPMG in important roles like head of financial services and member of the KPMG policy board, she is now ready to lead the firm into a new era. “Officially I start on 1 March 2026, but in reality, the handover has already begun.”
It’s a destination she didn’t always see coming, one that began in a small Pietermaritzburg community called Eastwood.
“I come from a single-parent home where my mother raised me,” she says. “And like many families of that era, a grandmother played a big role. There was a time when my mom was establishing her nursing career and I lived with my grandmother. She probably had as significant a role in my direction of profession as anyone else. She inspired me, believe it or not, to go into chartered accountancy.”
Even though her grandmother had only studied until Standard four, working first as a dressmaker and later becoming a housewife, she was well-read and on top of what was happening both locally and beyond.
Between her grandmother’s perspective and her mother’s ambition, Joelene grew up with a mindset of thinking ahead and was motivated to see beyond the narrow career options that had been available to women in the past.
“At that point in my mother’s generation, you either became a teacher, a nurse, or an artisan, but they wanted me to see that your environment doesn’t dictate your potential,” she says.
That ethos came to life when, in Grade 11, her mother took her to the University of Pietermaritzburg to collect a booklet of bursary opportunities. “I wrote 144 handwritten letters to companies asking for applications. Five replied – and I was awarded three bursaries.”
She chose the offer, which covered most of her tuition and gave her early corporate exposure through vacation work and through that connection, she secured her articles in KPMG’s small Pietermaritzburg office.
“Many of my colleagues came from parents who had small businesses or worked in corporate. I felt I had to invest in myself to be at their level,” she says.
The turning point for her was finding a life-long mentor in the late Imran Vanker, then a manager at KPMG and later an influential figure at the Auditor-General, The Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors (IRBA), and as an audit committee member at the United Nations. “He saw something in me and took me under his wing. He made me realise there’s a wider KPMG out there and a lot could lie ahead for me if I took the initiative to make it happen.”
Over the years, Joelene has worn many hats at KPMG as member of the South Africa policy board, head of the financial services audit business and a technical partner signing opinions for major banks. This comes with her ability to thrive in high-pressure, complex projects.
“I love working with teams, painting the bigger picture and helping them see why we do what we do. I’m results-driven, but collaboration is key. I want people to feel empowered, find their voice and grow,” she says.
Those traits, she suspects, factored into her CEO appointment as she is set to move from balancing books to balancing the firm’s future. “I had just transitioned an audit from one of the large banks and still saw some runway with that, but I believe in signs. I prayed about it, spoke to my family and thought at the least I’ll grow as a leader through the process.”
The board’s confidential selection process involved multiple assessments and while she doesn’t know all the deciding factors, she suspects her leadership style and track record in navigating change played a role.
Highlighting what makes KPMG different in a competitive Big Four market, she notes resilience forged in crisis and a client culture that looks beyond technical delivery. She feels something positive has come out of KPMG’s dark period, during which it was associated with state capture and breaches of trust in the audit profession.
“The challenges of 2018 made us bond together to survive, not just to be profitable. It shaped who we are. Coming out of an era, where trust was at the centre of everything, I think it’s now about keeping trust as our cornerstone while also helping our clients grow in a tough economic environment.”
Clients, she says, consistently note KPMG’s culture as a differentiator. “When we work with them, the tone and commitment are different. We think about how what we do impacts the country as a whole. That comes from our journey. It’s the public that gives you the licence to operate. Never forget that and keep it in safe hands.”
As someone who works closely with some of South Africa’s most influential CFOs, she believes these lessons extend to all business leaders and CFOs. “Surround yourself with the right people with the right skills. The environment changes quickly, and you need diverse points of view to avoid blind spots. And remember culture eats strategy for breakfast. Everyone must understand what you stand for and row in the same direction.”
While the prospect of the CEO role can be daunting, Joelene is motivated by the legacy she wants to build. “You really don’t have to have it all figured out,” she says. “You can’t, and that’s okay. Growth happens as you go and it’s in that journey that leadership is truly forged.”
She pauses thoughtfully, reflecting on the weight of expectations. “The most daunting part is living up to your own expectations – the goals you set for yourself and what you hope to achieve. I’ve set really high standards because, to me, it’s not just about what you leave behind; it’s about what you build while you’re in the role. Building a legacy, taking everyone on the journey with you is what matters. If I achieve that, then I’ve met the expectations I’ve set for myself. But above all, I need to hold myself accountable for the big goals I’ve set.”
Her life after hours is one firmly grounded in family. “Above all, I’m a wife and a mom. We have dinner together every evening at 6:30pm or 7pm, and that’s non-negotiable.”
“We’re also very outdoorsy, love camping and road trips. Two years ago we drove 6,000 km to just below the border of Tanzania in my husband’s 20 year old Defender with no aircon. My kids still say it was the best holiday ever.”
And as if a step up to the helm of KPMG South Africa is not enough of a challenge, Joelene is looking to steer even more ships in the right direction. “My family is now learning to sail together,” she smiles. “And I am working on my skipper’s licence.”
