Sizwe Nxasana, who took over from Laurie Dippenaar as CEO of banking group FirstRand in 2010, will be stepping down at the end of September. Nxasana's deputy, Johan Burger, will be taking over.

As many CFOs anxiously await further announcements regarding interest rate hikes and how this may affect their business and their budgets, last night's CFO South Africa event was both well timed and well attended.

On Thursday 17 September at 54 on Bath hotel in Rosebank, CFO South Africa held another of its increasingly popular events, this one covering the theme of 'Digital Transformation'. The evening was a resounding success, with the 'Planning, Budgeting and Forecasting in the 21st Century' (PBF) Master Class enjoying a full audience.

Gavin Hattersley, who has served as MillerCoors' interim CEO since 1 July, has been appointed CEO with immediate effect.

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday 17 September Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles Lawrence Weitzman - Guiding Telkom-acquisition BCX through the storm The acquisition by Telkom, the death of its beloved CEO and the need for a major restructuring have kept Lawrence Weitzman, CFO at Business Connexion (BCX), busier than ever. Twice nominated for the annual CFO Awards, Weitzman has successfully navigated his company through the trials and tribulations and is understandably proud the firm has managed to do well. Managing people in the right way and being a trusted leader is the real reason behind the success, says Weitzman, who comes across as a soft-spoken accountant but has established himself a real leader. “I try and give people space to do their own things and to make mistakes.” Tax watchdog Bernard Ngoepe demands more independence The Office of the Tax Ombud should become completely independent from SARS, according to Tax Ombud Bernard Ngoepe. The retired judge announced his demands in a keynote speech during the Tax Indaba at the Sandton Convention Centre on 7 September 2015. From the MD: You can't buy experience You can listen carefully and take notes. You can write a to-do-list and focus on your day to day actions, but the harsh reality of life, and particularly a professional life, is that you can't buy experience. Read more exclusive articles on CFO.co.za - Dumisani Dlamini - 5 ways public sector CFOs can get a clean audit - VW CFO Hans Dieter Pötsch becomes Board Chairman - Smile Telecoms brings internet to Africa - CFO Shabeer Khan achieves clean audit for DTI - Sasol CEO David Constable says company is in good shape - Bidvest profits up, company eyes African expansion Today CFO Event "Digital Transformation" 17 September 16.00 - 20.00 - 54 on Bath Boutique Hotel - Sandton In no time at all digital transformation has had an enormous impact on our organizations and business models. And this is just the beginning. How can we understand this digital transformation, and see the financial opportunities and consequences for the business? Join us for this event, and you will find the inspiration, the examples and the knowledge you need to embrace the opportunities technology has to offer. Program 16.00 Opening & Reception 17.00 Private Sector Round Table - What if Steve Jobs led a public entity? The success of a company like Apple is borne of their ability to radically break with today's conventions. Their way of working is not just based on technological shrewdness. Inspiration, creativity and the will to do things differently are equally important in this case. The vision of Steve Jobs opened the doors to a whole new industry and new ways of value creation. What can we as Private Sector CFOs learn from that? With Fikile Mhlontlo, CFO Denel. 17.00 Master Class Planning, Budgeting & Forecasting in the 21st Century Today, many CFOs are turning to rolling forecasts to inspire and lead their organisations to superior performance. Hear experts on the best practices of strategic planning in today’s fast changing world. They will present the latest insights and the CFO research results on technology driven budgeting and forecasting. Also they will discuss the 5 key points of forecasting and how to master the cutting edge tools and techniques and how to integrate budgeting and rolling forecasts with other management systems to ensure to achieve a superior performance. With Zafar Mohamed, CFO McDonalds SA, Armin Moradi, Territory Manager - Financials Oracle, Seldon Goodwin, Solution Architect Ethoss, Charl du Toit, Associate Director Business Intelligence KPMG, Derik Rothman, Director Futuresense, Carl Janse van Rensburg, Operations Director Intellient and Joël Roerig, Editor CFO South Africa. 17.00 Public Chapter Round Table - What if Steve Jobs led a public entity? The success of a company like Apple is borne of their ability to radically break with today's conventions. Their way of working is not just based on technological shrewdness. Inspiration, creativity and the will to do things differently are equally important in this case. The vision of Steve Jobs opened the doors to a whole new industry and new ways of value creation. What can we as Public CFOs learn from that? With Dumisani Dlamini, CFO National Arts Council. 18.45 Café & 10 things you need to know about Cyber Security Keynote by Nathan Desfontaines, Information Security & Protection & Business Resilience Manager at KPMG. Nathan is a leader in ensuring the success of information security through a combination of business and technical acumen. He is a leading subject matter expert in penetration testing, vulnerability assessments, risk assessments and information security management as well as information security strategy development and implementation. Nathan will update you on the 10 most important things about cyber security every CFO should know but were too afraid to ask. Interact, learn, connect and discuss the challenges that you are facing with, with your peers over a drink at the CFO Café. Build your network and meet other top CFOs and financials. Register here now. Sponsors CFO South Africa Event: Continuous Professional Development Points Did you know all events of CFO South Africa are eligible for SAICA CPD points? By attending CFO South Africa's events and training courses you will stay compliant. Sign up for the next mind-blowing Fintech Event in Stellenbosch Join the FinTech Africa Event 20 October in Stellenbosch. At this meeting 100 insiders, experts, startups and investors discuss the developments and challenges for FinTech in Africa. Program: 15.30 Welcome and introduction to the African FinTech initiative By Graham Fehrsen, Country Manager CFO South Africa and FinTech Africa 16.05 Big organisations are doomed By Martijn Aslander, international speaker and Dave van Niekerk, CEO GetBucks Why small companies are better, smarter and faster and more fun. Why big corporates fear for their future. Why the age of abundance will change everything. 17.00 Panel discussion "The future of FinTech in Africa" Startup, bankers, investors and industry insiders discuss the challenges & opportunities for FinTech in Africa. Are we missing out in Africa?This event is organised by FinTech Africa. The ecosystem that connects FinTech startups, investors, corporates and advisors. Join the next Fintech event in Stellenbosch and register now for Tuesday 20 October - 15.30 - 19.00. Join the ultimate peer to peer advisory network Various CFOs and finance directors from Eskom, Nedbank, Transnet, Alexander Forbes Standard Charered Bank, Hollard, Absa, Business Connexion and Super Group are members of CFO South Africa. Your peers understand best the issues you face and the challenges that impact your business. Together you will share your experiences at CFO South Africa’s events and help you advance in your career, company and knowledge. Get introduced to experienced colleagues that are happy to share their knowledge with you. Peer-to-peer consulting is by far the best and most cost effective way to help you solve problems. Are you interested? Please see our membership page for more information here. Visit Finance Indaba Africa 2016 Finance Indaba Africa is the biggest annual exhibition and conference for financial managers and specialists in Africa. Over 1000 visitors are coming to Finance Indaba Africa to improve financial performance. Visitors are looking for growth, better and faster insights, more control and higher efficiency. Visitors are looking for ideas, inspiration, vendors and advisers and are planning to invest. Visitors are eager to boost their companies, networks and careers. Where & when? Sandton Convention Centre 13 & 14 October 2016. For more information please visit Finance-Indaba.co.za. Would you like to become an exhibitor or you want to visit the indaba? Please contact Graham Fehrsen at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. Read the first CFO Magazine South Africa Who are South Africa's leading CFOs? How do successful CFOs move into Africa? Why should you transform your finance function and how can you do it? How do you attract and retain talent? Who are the preferred advisors to South African CFOs? Read the latest insights from the CFO Award winning CFOs: Simon Ridley, Standard Bank, Anoj Singh, Transnet, Colin Brown, Super Group and Aarti Takoordeen, JSE and also featured interviews with Sizwe Nxasana, CEO Firstrand, Mike Brown, CEO Nedbank, Brett Goschen, CFO MTN, Brooks Mparutsa, CFO Hollard and Irene Singo, CFO Dep. Mineral Resources. As our online member we would like to give you the opportunity to read the first ever CFO Magazine South Africa online and free of charge HERE. Would you like to advertise in the next issue out November? Please contact Jurrien Morsch at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. CFO Awards 2016 - Reserve your table now Buy a table for the CFO Awards and meet 300 of South Africa's leading CFOs. Demonstrate thought leadership, extend your network and develop business. You are seated with CFOs and finance directors from the top companies of South Africa. You are also more than welcome to join the CFO Conference preceding the CFO Awards dinner with your colleagues. Join us Thursday 12 May 2016 at the beautiful Summer Place. Don't wait too long, first come, first served. Become a partner or attend with your finance team and buy a table here. For more information check out CFOAwards.co.za. Upcoming CFO South Africa Events Join the CFO Events with inspiring hosts and experts who will share their insights and experiences with you. Register now for these events and boost your company, network, career and knowledge. CFO South Africa Events in 2015 Sept 17 Johannesburg | Digital Transformation Oct 20 Stellenbosch| Fintech Investment Event Oct 22 Johannesburg | Finance Transformation Nov 19 Johannesburg | Risk, Compliance & Control Register now for one of the upcoming CFO South Africa Events. Please note that all our CFO South Africa events are for senior financial executives. CFO South Africa offers Platinum memberships to CFOs and finance directors. For more information please have a look here and contact Jurrien Morsch at [email protected]. Stay connected with CFO South Africa Follow CFO South Africa on Twitter and LinkedIn Stay up to date on what is happening in the world of finance by following us on Twitter @CFOSouthAfrica and LinkedIn. Next to that you can keep track of newly published interviews with CFOs and CEOs. Feel free to contact us Any suggestions or comments are welcome. Kind Regards, Graham Fehrsen Managing Director CFO South Africa | [email protected] To control which emails you receive from CFO South Africa, please change your email preferences at cfo.co.za by selecting under settings "I do not want to receive emails from CFO South Africa | Finance Professionals South Africa"

South Africa's Department of Trade and Industry (dti), along with several of its entities, has been given a clean audit for 2014/15 by the auditor general of SA, which means the dti's financial statements for the period in question are free of material misstatements.

While many South African CFOs might dream of becoming CEO at some stage in their careers, the recent example at VW in Germany might convince some to dream even bigger.

The acquisition by Telkom, the death of its beloved CEO and the need for a major restructuring have kept Lawrence Weitzman, CFO at Business Connexion (BCX), busier than ever. Twice nominated for the annual CFO Awards, Weitzman has successfully navigated his company through the trials and tribulations and is understandably proud the firm has managed to do well. Managing people in the right way and being a trusted leader is the real reason behind the success, says Weitzman, who comes across as a soft-spoken accountant but has established himself a real leader. “I try and give people space to do their own things and to make mistakes.”

Africa is a continent with immense potential. Indeed, the continent already has a rapidly growing mobile consumer market. As smartphones become more accessible and affordable, so the need for internet access increases – a need which mobile internet firm Smile Telecoms intends to meet.

The National Arts Council (NAC) of South Africa recently received a clean audit and was praised by the Auditor-General South Africa, Thembekile Kimi Makwetu. NAC CFO Dumisani Dlamini is one of our Expert Insight contributors. In this article he discusses 5 things that public sector CFOs should consider in the pursuit of a clean audit.

Sasol CEO, David Constable, believes the company is in good shape despite current oil prices. He also believes the company did the right thing when it implemented a recent cost-cutting and cash-conservation plan to save money, in so doing also protecting itself from low oil prices.

Despite erratic economic conditions, South Africa’s second-largest company by sales, Bidvest Group, which has interests in a variety of businesses from car dealerships to catering, is investigating new ways to boost its growth across Africa.

The Office of the Tax Ombud should become completely independent from SARS, according to Tax Ombud Bernard Ngoepe. The retired judge announced his demands in a keynote speech during the Tax Indaba at the Sandton Convention Centre on 7 September 2015.

The Financial Services Board (FSB) has announced that the Registrar of Credit Rating Agencies has cancelled Fitch Southern Africa's registration as a credit rating agency. The cancellation request came from Fitch itself.

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday 10 September Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles Eskom's acting CFO Anoj Singh: “Exposure the key to career developm... As one of the quiet men behind Transnet's relative success - for a State-Owned Company (SOC) - CFO Anoj Singh was recently drafted as acting Eskom CFO, joining his Transnet chief Brian Molefe at the battling power utility. Singh started working at Eskom and already messages from Megawatt Park have started to become clearer. Only the future will tell if the top executive, who won 2 CFO Awards in both 2014 and 2015, will save Eskom. Expert Insight - 9 potential investment sectors in Ghana The African continent has become the most exciting global economic story over the past decade. That narrative has fuelled optimism in its member states, which are now vying for the attention of international investors and businesses. Ghana is one of those countries. In this Expert Insight Eric Osei, business analyst and author of the recently published book Doing Business in Ghana, lists 9 sectors that are great investment ideas. Change management adds or destroys value: Monna Monnakgotla, KPMG Change management is not something fluffy, but a pivotal process that impacts the bottom line. That is the firm belief of Monna Monnakgotla, Partner in KPMG’s People & Change service line with 18 years of experience in HR and change management. Monnakgotla was one of the experts during our last exclusive CFO Dinner. Afterwards we were able to chat to him, resulting in these 5 questions and answers. Read more exclusive articles on CFO.co.za - Glenn Fullerton new Nampak CFO - Amplats sells Rustenburg mines to Sibanye for R4.5 billion - Editorial: Integrated reporting vs. saving the world - Africa's richest man invests in sub-Saharan Africa - McKinsey: Infrastructure is the way to grow SA's GDP - Cashbuild shows increased revenues and expanded footprint RSVP for CFO Event "Digital Transformation" 17 September 16.00 - 20.00 - 54 on Bath Boutique Hotel - Sandton In no time at all digital transformation has had an enormous impact on our organizations and business models. And this is just the beginning. How can we understand this digital transformation, and see the financial opportunities and consequences for the business? Join us for this event, and you will find the inspiration, the examples and the knowledge you need to embrace the opportunities technology has to offer. Program 16.00 Opening & Reception 17.00 Private Sector Round Table - What if Steve Jobs led a public entity? The success of a company like Apple is borne of their ability to radically break with today's conventions. Their way of working is not just based on technological shrewdness. Inspiration, creativity and the will to do things differently are equally important in this case. The vision of Steve Jobs opened the doors to a whole new industry and new ways of value creation. What can we as Private Sector CFOs learn from that? With Fikile Mhlontlo, CFO Denel. 17.00 Master Class Planning, Budgeting & Forecasting in the 21st Century Today, many CFOs are turning to rolling forecasts to inspire and lead their organisations to superior performance. Hear experts on the best practices of strategic planning in today’s fast changing world. They will present the latest insights and the CFO research results on technology driven budgeting and forecasting. Also they will discuss the 5 key points of forecasting and how to master the cutting edge tools and techniques and how to integrate budgeting and rolling forecasts with other management systems to ensure to achieve a superior performance. With Zafar Mohamed, CFO McDonalds SA, Armin Moradi, Territory Manager - Financials Oracle, Seldon Goodwin, Solution Architect Ethoss, Desmon Botha, Management Consultant Business Intelligence KPMG, Derik Rothman, Director Futuresense, Carl Janse van Rensburg, Operations Director Intellient and Joël Roerig, Editor CFO South Africa. 17.00 Public Chapter Round Table - What if Steve Jobs led a public entity? The success of a company like Apple is borne of their ability to radically break with today's conventions. Their way of working is not just based on technological shrewdness. Inspiration, creativity and the will to do things differently are equally important in this case. The vision of Steve Jobs opened the doors to a whole new industry and new ways of value creation. What can we as Public CFOs learn from that? With Dumisani Dlamini, CFO National Arts Council. 18.45 Café & 10 things you need to know about Cyber Security Keynote by Nathan Desfontaines, Information Security & Protection & Business Resilience Manager at KPMG. Nathan is a leader in ensuring the success of information security through a combination of business and technical acumen. He is a leading subject matter expert in penetration testing, vulnerability assessments, risk assessments and information security management as well as information security strategy development and implementation. Nathan will update you on the 10 most important things about cyber security every CFO should know but were too afraid to ask. Interact, learn, connect and discuss the challenges that you are facing with, with your peers over a drink at the CFO Café. Build your network and meet other top CFOs and financials. Register here now. Sponsors CFO South Africa Event: Continuous Professional Development Points Did you know all events of CFO South Africa are eligible for SAICA CPD points? By attending CFO South Africa's events and training courses you will stay compliant. Sign up for the next mind-blowing Fintech Event in Stellenbosch Join the FinTech Africa Event 20 October in Stellenbosch. At this meeting 100 insiders, experts, startups and investors discuss the developments and challenges for FinTech in Africa. Program: 15.30 Welcome and introduction to the African FinTech initiative By Graham Fehrsen, Country Manager CFO South Africa and FinTech Africa 16.05 Big organisations are doomed By Martijn Aslander, international speaker and Dave van Niekerk, CEO GetBucks Why small companies are better, smarter and faster and more fun. Why big corporates fear for their future. Why the age of abundance will change everything. 17.00 Panel discussion "The future of FinTech in Africa" Startup, bankers, investors and industry insiders discuss the challenges & opportunities for FinTech in Africa. Are we missing out in Africa?This event is organised by FinTech Africa. The ecosystem that connects FinTech startups, investors, corporates and advisors. Join the next Fintech event in Stellenbosch and register now for Tuesday 20 October - 15.30 - 19.00. Join the ultimate peer to peer advisory network Various CFOs and finance directors from Eskom, Nedbank, Transnet, Alexander Forbes Standard Charered Bank, Hollard, Absa, Business Connexion and Super Group are members of CFO South Africa. Your peers understand best the issues you face and the challenges that impact your business. Together you will share your experiences at CFO South Africa’s events and help you advance in your career, company and knowledge. Get introduced to experienced colleagues that are happy to share their knowledge with you. Peer-to-peer consulting is by far the best and most cost effective way to help you solve problems. Are you interested? Please see our membership page for more information here. Visit Finance Indaba Africa 2016 Finance Indaba Africa is the biggest annual exhibition and conference for financial managers and specialists in Africa. Over 1000 visitors are coming to Finance Indaba Africa to improve financial performance. Visitors are looking for growth, better and faster insights, more control and higher efficiency. Visitors are looking for ideas, inspiration, vendors and advisers and are planning to invest. Visitors are eager to boost their companies, networks and careers. Where & when? Sandton Convention Centre 13 & 14 October 2016. For more information please visit Finance-Indaba.co.za. Would you like to become an exhibitor or you want to visit the indaba? Please contact Graham Fehrsen at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. Read the first CFO Magazine South Africa Who are South Africa's leading CFOs? How do successful CFOs move into Africa? Why should you transform your finance function and how can you do it? How do you attract and retain talent? Who are the preferred advisors to South African CFOs? Read the latest insights from the CFO Award winning CFOs: Simon Ridley, Standard Bank, Anoj Singh, Transnet, Colin Brown, Super Group and Aarti Takoordeen, JSE and also featured interviews with Sizwe Nxasana, CEO Firstrand, Mike Brown, CEO Nedbank, Brett Goschen, CFO MTN, Brooks Mparutsa, CFO Hollard and Irene Singo, CFO Dep. Mineral Resources. As our online member we would like to give you the opportunity to read the first ever CFO Magazine South Africa online and free of charge HERE. Would you like to advertise in the next issue out November? Please contact Jurrien Morsch at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. CFO Awards 2016 - Reserve your table now Buy a table for the CFO Awards and meet 300 of South Africa's leading CFOs. Demonstrate thought leadership, extend your network and develop business. You are seated with CFOs and finance directors from the top companies of South Africa. You are also more than welcome to join the CFO Conference preceding the CFO Awards dinner with your colleagues. Join us Thursday 12 May 2016 at the beautiful Summer Place. Don't wait too long, first come, first served. Become a partner or attend with your finance team and buy a table here. For more information check out CFOAwards.co.za. Upcoming CFO South Africa Events Join the CFO Events with inspiring hosts and experts who will share their insights and experiences with you. Register now for these events and boost your company, network, career and knowledge. CFO South Africa Events in 2015 Sept 17 Johannesburg | Digital Transformation Oct 20 Stellenbosch| Fintech Investment Event Oct 22 Johannesburg | Finance Transformation Nov 19 Johannesburg | Risk, Compliance & Control Register now for one of the upcoming CFO South Africa Events. Please note that all our CFO South Africa events are for senior financial executives. CFO South Africa offers Platinum memberships to CFOs and finance directors. For more information please have a look here and contact Jurrien Morsch at [email protected]. Stay connected with CFO South Africa Follow CFO South Africa on Twitter and LinkedIn Stay up to date on what is happening in the world of finance by following us on Twitter @CFOSouthAfrica and LinkedIn. Next to that you can keep track of newly published interviews with CFOs and CEOs. Feel free to contact us Any suggestions or comments are welcome. Kind Regards, Graham Fehrsen Managing Director CFO South Africa | [email protected] To control which emails you receive from CFO South Africa, please change your email preferences at cfo.co.za by selecting under settings "I do not want to receive emails from CFO South Africa | Finance Professionals South Africa"

It was announced earlier today that Anglo American Platinum has sold three of its labour-intensive, loss-making platinum mines to Sibanye Gold for some R4.5 billion ($331 million). Sibanye, South Africa's biggest gold producer, will pay R1.5 billion upfront, and the balance over the next six years.

Accountants can save the world, Prof. Mervyn King recently told me. In an interview that will be published in our upcoming CFO Magazine, the celebrated South African - who changed the face of corporate governance around the world - was quick to emphasise that this would not happen by writing reports, however integrated they may be. It is the thinking that needs to be changed. "If integrated thinking becomes common, we can have a sustainable planet by the end of the century," King predicts.

FNB is well known for its innovative banking solutions. Its mobile money service, eWallet, which allows customers to send money to anyone in South Africa provided they have a valid cell phone number, is one such solution. And it is doing extremely well. FNB recently announced that money sent via eWallet topped R1 billion in July 2015.

As one of the quiet men behind Transnet's relative success - for a State-Owned Company (SOC) - CFO Anoj Singh was recently drafted as acting Eskom CFO, joining his Transnet chief Brian Molefe at the battling power utility. Singh started working at Eskom and already messages from Megawatt Park have started to become clearer. Only the future will tell if the top executive, who won 2 CFO Awards in both 2014 and 2015, will save Eskom.

Nigerian billionaire and Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote, has decided that more is more, and recently announced that he will be investing billions of dollars in Zimbabwe to boost development and create employment.

The African continent has become the most exciting global economic story over the past decade. That narrative has fuelled optimism in its member states, which are now vying for the attention of international investors and businesses. Ghana is one of those countries. In this Expert Insight Eric Osei, business analyst and author of the recently published book Doing Business in Ghana, lists 9 sectors that are great investment ideas.

According to a recently released McKinsey Global Institute report entitled, "South Africa's Big Five: Bold priorities to unleash inclusive growth", if we focus on better infrastructure delivery we could boost the country's annual GDP by some R260 billion by 2030.

JSE-listed building material supplier Cashbuild is working hard to expand its footprint and grow its revenue through the addition of several new stores, as well as an acquisition.

Change management is not something fluffy, but a pivotal process that impacts the bottom line. That is the firm belief of Monna Monnakgotla, Partner in KPMG’s People & Change service line with 18 years of experience in HR and change management. Monnakgotla was one of the experts during our last exclusive CFO Dinner. Afterwards we were able to chat to him, resulting in these 5 questions and answers.

Following Gareth Griffiths' retirement as Nampak CFO – a post he held from September 2009 until end June 2015 – Glenn Fullerton will be taking over as head of the company's finance team, effective 1 September.

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday 3 September Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles Unpredictability, transparency, excellence: a chat with RAF CFO Yol... Yolande van Biljon learnt valuable lessons when the IT bubble burst around the turn of the century, grew into a finance leader at Denel and now has the unenviable task of sorting out the cash flow problems at the Road Accident Fund (RAF). Her recipe for success should work for any CFO: “What scares people is uncertainty. It is better to be open, even if you cannot tell people what they want to hear.” 10 steps to a successful exit strategy Exit strategies, involving full or partial change of ownership for the best possible value, are under-publicised and don’t receive much attention in South Africa, with many local businesses on board with Mark Cuban, who said: “Don’t start a company unless it is something you love and an obsession. If you have an exit strategy, it is not an obsession.” Planning, Budgeting & Forecasting in the 21st century? Join us ... Today, many CFOs are turning to rolling forecasts to inspire and lead their organisations to superior performance. On Thursday 17 September 2015 CFO South Africa is putting together another landmark event to share est practices on strategic planning in today’s fast changing world. Hosted by one of the best rated hotels in Africa, the 54 on Bath Boutique Hotel, we will present the latest insights and research results on technology-driven budgeting and forecasting. Read more exclusive articles on CFO.co.za - Isuzu Trucks: Getting the perfect Truck to market faster with the 4... - ACSA CFO pleased with results, despite company's large debt - Black & Veatch CFO announces African expansion - Imperial Holdings seeks acquisitions to expand its African business - Basil Read CEO: company on track to achieve R160 million profit aft... - Coricraft stake sold to Actis RSVP for CFO Event "Digital Transformation" 17 September 16.00 - 20.00 - 54 on Bath Boutique Hotel - Sandton In no time at all digital transformation has had an enormous impact on our organizations and business models. And this is just the beginning. How can we understand this digital transformation, and see the financial opportunities and consequences for the business? Join us for this event, and you will find the inspiration, the examples and the knowledge you need to embrace the opportunities technology has to offer. Program 16.00 Opening & Reception 17.00 Private Sector Round Table - What if Steve Jobs led a public entity? The success of a company like Apple is borne of their ability to radically break with today's conventions. Their way of working is not just based on technological shrewdness. Inspiration, creativity and the will to do things differently are equally important in this case. The vision of Steve Jobs opened the doors to a whole new industry and new ways of value creation. What can we as Private Sector CFOs learn from that? 17.00 Master Class Planning, Budgeting & Forecasting in the 21st Century Today, many CFOs are turning to rolling forecasts to inspire and lead their organisations to superior performance. Hear experts on the best practices of strategic planning in today’s fast changing world. They will present the latest insights and the CFO research results on technology driven budgeting and forecasting. Also they will discuss the 5 key points of forecasting and how to master the cutting edge tools and techniques and how to integrate budgeting and rolling forecasts with other management systems to ensure to achieve a superior performance. With Zafar Mohamed, CFO McDonalds SA, Armin Moradi, Territory Manager - Financials Oracle, Brad McCreedy, Director Business Intelligence KPMG, Derik Rothman, Director Futuresense, Carl Janse van Rensburg, Operations Director Intellient and Joël Roerig, Editor CFO South Africa. 17.00 Public Chapter Round Table - What if Steve Jobs led a public entity? The success of a company like Apple is borne of their ability to radically break with today's conventions. Their way of working is not just based on technological shrewdness. Inspiration, creativity and the will to do things differently are equally important in this case. The vision of Steve Jobs opened the doors to a whole new industry and new ways of value creation. What can we as Public CFOs learn from that? 18.45 Café & 10 things you need to know about Cyber Security Keynote by Nathan Desfontaines, Information Security & Protection & Business Resilience Manager at KPMG. Nathan is a leader in ensuring the success of information security through a combination of business and technical acumen. He is a leading subject matter expert in penetration testing, vulnerability assessments, risk assessments and information security management as well as information security strategy development and implementation. Nathan will update you on the 10 most important things about cyber security every CFO should know but were too afraid to ask. Interact, learn, connect and discuss the challenges that you are facing with, with your peers over a drink at the CFO Café. Build your network and meet other top CFOs and financials. Register here now. Sponsors CFO South Africa Event: Continuous Professional Development Points Did you know all events of CFO South Africa are eligible for SAICA CPD points? By attending CFO South Africa's events and training courses you will stay compliant. Sign up for the next mind-blowing Fintech Event in Stellenbosch Join the FinTech Africa Event 20 October in Stellenbosch. At this meeting 100 insiders, experts, startups and investors discuss the developments and challenges for FinTech in Africa. Program: 15.30 Welcome and introduction to the African FinTech initiative By Graham Fehrsen, Country Manager CFO South Africa and FinTech Africa 16.05 Big organisations are doomed By Martijn Aslander, international speaker and Dave van Niekerk, CEO GetBucks Why small companies are better, smarter and faster and more fun. Why big corporates fear for their future. Why the age of abundance will change everything. 17.00 Panel discussion "The future of FinTech in Africa" Startup, bankers, investors and industry insiders discuss the challenges & opportunities for FinTech in Africa. Are we missing out in Africa?This event is organised by FinTech Africa. The ecosystem that connects FinTech startups, investors, corporates and advisors. Join the next Fintech event in Stellenbosch and register now for Tuesday 20 October - 15.30 - 19.00. Join the ultimate peer to peer advisory network Various CFOs and finance directors from Eskom, Nedbank, Transnet, Alexander Forbes Standard Charered Bank, Hollard, Absa, Business Connexion and Super Group are members of CFO South Africa. Your peers understand best the issues you face and the challenges that impact your business. Together you will share your experiences at CFO South Africa’s events and help you advance in your career, company and knowledge. Get introduced to experienced colleagues that are happy to share their knowledge with you. Peer-to-peer consulting is by far the best and most cost effective way to help you solve problems. Are you interested? Please see our membership page for more information here. Visit Finance Indaba Africa 2016 Finance Indaba Africa is the biggest annual exhibition and conference for financial managers and specialists in Africa. Over 1000 visitors are coming to Finance Indaba Africa to improve financial performance. Visitors are looking for growth, better and faster insights, more control and higher efficiency. Visitors are looking for ideas, inspiration, vendors and advisers and are planning to invest. Visitors are eager to boost their companies, networks and careers. Where & when? Sandton Convention Centre 13 & 14 October 2016. For more information please visit Finance-Indaba.co.za. Would you like to become an exhibitor or you want to visit the indaba? Please contact Graham Fehrsen at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. Read the first CFO Magazine South Africa Who are South Africa's leading CFOs? How do successful CFOs move into Africa? Why should you transform your finance function and how can you do it? How do you attract and retain talent? Who are the preferred advisors to South African CFOs? Read the latest insights from the CFO Award winning CFOs: Simon Ridley, Standard Bank, Anoj Singh, Transnet, Colin Brown, Super Group and Aarti Takoordeen, JSE and also featured interviews with Sizwe Nxasana, CEO Firstrand, Mike Brown, CEO Nedbank, Brett Goschen, CFO MTN, Brooks Mparutsa, CFO Hollard and Irene Singo, CFO Dep. Mineral Resources. As our online member we would like to give you the opportunity to read the first ever CFO Magazine South Africa online and free of charge HERE. Would you like to advertise in the next issue out November? Please contact Jurrien Morsch at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. CFO Awards 2016 - Reserve your table now Buy a table for the CFO Awards and meet 300 of South Africa's leading CFOs. Demonstrate thought leadership, extend your network and develop business. You are seated with CFOs and finance directors from the top companies of South Africa. You are also more than welcome to join the CFO Conference preceding the CFO Awards dinner with your colleagues. Join us Thursday 12 May 2016 at the beautiful Summer Place. Don't wait too long, first come, first served. Become a partner or attend with your finance team and buy a table here. For more information check out CFOAwards.co.za. Upcoming CFO South Africa Events Join the CFO Events with inspiring hosts and experts who will share their insights and experiences with you. Register now for these events and boost your company, network, career and knowledge. CFO South Africa Events in 2015 Sept 17 Johannesburg | Digital Transformation Oct 20 Stellenbosch| Fintech Investment Event Oct 22 Johannesburg | Finance Transformation Nov 19 Johannesburg | Risk, Compliance & Control Register now for one of the upcoming CFO South Africa Events. Please note that all our CFO South Africa events are for senior financial executives. CFO South Africa offers Platinum memberships to CFOs and finance directors. For more information please have a look here and contact Jurrien Morsch at [email protected]. Stay connected with CFO South Africa Follow CFO South Africa on Twitter and LinkedIn Stay up to date on what is happening in the world of finance by following us on Twitter @CFOSouthAfrica and LinkedIn. Next to that you can keep track of newly published interviews with CFOs and CEOs. Feel free to contact us Any suggestions or comments are welcome. Kind Regards, Graham Fehrsen Managing Director CFO South Africa | [email protected] To control which emails you receive from CFO South Africa, please change your email preferences at cfo.co.za by selecting under settings "I do not want to receive emails from CFO South Africa | Finance Professionals South Africa"

Actis, one of the largest private equity firms in Africa, announced on 1 September that it has acquired a significant minority stake in one of South Africa's leading home furniture retailers: Coricraft Group. The group has a South African footprint of 115 stores, as well as several stores in Namibia and Botswana.

Today, many CFOs are turning to rolling forecasts to inspire and lead their organisations to superior performance. On Thursday 17 September 2015 CFO South Africa is putting together another landmark event to share est practices on strategic planning in today’s fast changing world. Hosted by one of the best rated hotels in Africa, the 54 on Bath Boutique Hotel, we will present the latest insights and research results on technology-driven budgeting and forecasting.

While it hasn't been the easiest year thus far for construction giant Basil Read, the remainder of 2015 looks good, says company CEO, Neville Nicolau.

Yolande van Biljon learnt valuable lessons when the IT bubble burst around the turn of the century, grew into a finance leader at Denel and now has the unenviable task of sorting out the cash flow problems at the Road Accident Fund (RAF). Her recipe for success should work for any CFO: “What scares people is uncertainty. It is better to be open, even if you cannot tell people what they want to hear.”

In a bid to counter slower growth in its home market, Imperial Holdings, which owns South Africa's largest network of car dealerships, is in search of new acquisitions that will allow it to expand its logistics business on the continent.

Global engineering, procurement and construction leader Black & Veatch recently opened a South African subsidiary, Black & Veatch South Africa, a welcome extension of this 100-year-old company.

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While there exist valid concerns about the company's current debt, Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) CFO Maureen Manyama is happy with the organisation's most recent results.

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday 27 August Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles Learning from award-winning Africa CFO Greg Davis (Standard Bank) The Standard Bank Africa CFO also contributed to various of our events. In May this year Davis received the Moving into Africa Award at the CFO Awards. In an exclusive interview we spoke to him about promoting “a culture of sharing and interaction”, his take on the CFO role and the way he sees banking develop in Africa. Plaudits for clean audit National Arts Council For the first time since its inception in 1997, the National Arts Council (NAC) of South Africa has received a clean audit. The Auditor-General South Africa, Thembekile Kimi Makwetu, awarded the entity a clean audit for the 2014/2015 financial period and it was also announced that the NAC has also achieved 90 percent of the targets stated in its Annual Performance Plan. CFOs discuss their role as change agents at intimate dinner Never has there been a time when IT and business have experienced so many synergies and when the need to transform was so consistently urgent. Change management was the topic of an intimate networking dinner organised by CFO South Africa in partnership with Oracle and principal sponsor KPMG – both at the forefront of fast-tracking change – at the prestigious Four Season Westcliff hotel in Johannesburg on Thursday evening, 20 August 2015. Finance executives from various industries took full advantage of the opportunity to swap notes with their peers and expand their knowledge bases. Read more exclusive articles on CFO.co.za - Editorial: the real reason for the #randslide - Aveng attributes loss of share value to economic slowdown - Bad news for SA's GDP - Brimstone reports a R480.1 million loss - Shoprite profits soar, opens 35 new stores across Afric - AngloGold Ashanti generates free cash flow in Q2 RSVP for CFO Event "Digital Transformation" 17 September 16.00 - 20.00 - 54 on Bath Boutique Hotel - Sandton In no time at all digital transformation has had an enormous impact on our organizations and business models. And this is just the beginning. How can we understand this digital transformation, and see the financial opportunities and consequences for the business? Join us for this event, and you will find the inspiration, the examples and the knowledge you need to embrace the opportunities technology has to offer. Program 16.00 Opening & Reception 17.00 Round Table Discussion - The Impact of Digital Transformation A new generation of communication technology, mobile Internet, unlimited data storage and incredibly rapid access to information sources. In no time at all, this transformation has had an enormous impact on our organizations and business models. And this is just the beginning. In the new digital reality, people have the opportunity to freely share their opinions, experiences, ideas, emotions and complaints en masse and anonymously. Markets have never been so transparent, putting the customer back in charge. How can we understand this digital transformation, and see its financial opportunities and consequences for the business? 17.00 Master Class Planning, Budgeting & Forecasting in the 21st Century Today, many CFOs are turning to rolling forecasts to inspire and lead their organisations to superior performance. Hear experts on the best practices of strategic planning in today’s fast changing world. They will present the latest insights and the CFO research results on technology driven budgeting and forecasting. Also they will discuss the 5 key points of forecasting and how to master the cutting edge tools and techniques and how to integrate budgeting and rolling forecasts with other management systems to ensure to achieve a superior performance. With Zafar Mohamed, CFO McDonalds SA, Aarti Mohan, Product Leader Performance Management Oracle Europe & Africa, Brad McCreedy, Director Business Intelligence KPMG, Derik Rothman, Director Futuresense, Carl Janse van Rensburg, Operations Director Intellient and Joël Roerig, Editor CFO South Africa. 17.00 Public Chapter Round Table - What if Steve Jobs led a public entity? The success of a company like Apple is borne of their ability to radically break with today's conventions. Their way of working is not just based on technological shrewdness. Inspiration, creativity and the will to do things differently are equally important in this case. The vision of Steve Jobs opened the doors to a whole new industry and new ways of value creation. What can we as Public CFOs learn from that? 18.45 Café & 10 things you need to know about Cyber Security Keynote by Nathan Desfontaines, Information Security & Protection & Business Resilience Manager at KPMG. Nathan is a leader in ensuring the success of information security through a combination of business and technical acumen. He is a leading subject matter expert in penetration testing, vulnerability assessments, risk assessments and information security management as well as information security strategy development and implementation. Nathan will update you on the 10 most important things about cyber security every CFO should know but were too afraid to ask. Interact, learn, connect and discuss the challenges that you are facing with, with your peers over a drink at the CFO Café. Build your network and meet other top CFOs and financials. Register here now. Sponsors CFO South Africa Event: Continuous Professional Development Points Did you know all events of CFO South Africa are eligible for SAICA CPD points? By attending CFO South Africa's events and training courses you will stay compliant. Sign up for the next mind-blowing Fintech Event in Stellenbosch Join the FinTech Africa Event 20 October in Stellenbosch. At this meeting 100 insiders, experts, startups and investors discuss the developments and challenges for FinTech in Africa. Program: 15.30 Welcome and introduction to the African FinTech initiative By Graham Fehrsen, Country Manager CFO South Africa and FinTech Africa 16.05 Big organisations are doomed By Martijn Aslander, international speaker and Dave van Niekerk, CEO GetBucks Why small companies are better, smarter and faster and more fun. Why big corporates fear for their future. Why the age of abundance will change everything. 17.00 Panel discussion "The future of FinTech in Africa" Startup, bankers, investors and industry insiders discuss the challenges & opportunities for FinTech in Africa. Are we missing out in Africa?This event is organised by FinTech Africa. The ecosystem that connects FinTech startups, investors, corporates and advisors. Join the next Fintech event in Stellenbosch and register now for Tuesday 20 October - 15.30 - 19.00. Join the ultimate peer to peer advisory network Various CFOs and finance directors from Eskom, Nedbank, Transnet, Alexander Forbes Standard Charered Bank, Hollard, Absa, Business Connexion and Super Group are members of CFO South Africa. Your peers understand best the issues you face and the challenges that impact your business. Together you will share your experiences at CFO South Africa’s events and help you advance in your career, company and knowledge. Get introduced to experienced colleagues that are happy to share their knowledge with you. Peer-to-peer consulting is by far the best and most cost effective way to help you solve problems. Are you interested? Please see our membership page for more information here. Visit Finance Indaba Africa 2016 Finance Indaba Africa is the biggest annual exhibition and conference for financial managers and specialists in Africa. Over 1000 visitors are coming to Finance Indaba Africa to improve financial performance. Visitors are looking for growth, better and faster insights, more control and higher efficiency. Visitors are looking for ideas, inspiration, vendors and advisers and are planning to invest. Visitors are eager to boost their companies, networks and careers. Where & when? Sandton Convention Centre 13 & 14 October 2016. For more information please visit Finance-Indaba.co.za. Would you like to become an exhibitor or you want to visit the indaba? Please contact Graham Fehrsen at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. Read the first CFO Magazine South Africa Who are South Africa's leading CFOs? How do successful CFOs move into Africa? Why should you transform your finance function and how can you do it? How do you attract and retain talent? Who are the preferred advisors to South African CFOs? Read the latest insights from the CFO Award winning CFOs: Simon Ridley, Standard Bank, Anoj Singh, Transnet, Colin Brown, Super Group and Aarti Takoordeen, JSE and also featured interviews with Sizwe Nxasana, CEO Firstrand, Mike Brown, CEO Nedbank, Brett Goschen, CFO MTN, Brooks Mparutsa, CFO Hollard and Irene Singo, CFO Dep. Mineral Resources. As our online member we would like to give you the opportunity to read the first ever CFO Magazine South Africa online and free of charge HERE. Would you like to advertise in the next issue out November? Please contact Jurrien Morsch at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. CFO Awards 2016 - Reserve your table now Buy a table for the CFO Awards and meet 300 of South Africa's leading CFOs. Demonstrate thought leadership, extend your network and develop business. You are seated with CFOs and finance directors from the top companies of South Africa. You are also more than welcome to join the CFO Conference preceding the CFO Awards dinner with your colleagues. Join us Thursday 12 May 2016 at the beautiful Summer Place. Don't wait too long, first come, first served. Become a partner or attend with your finance team and buy a table here. For more information check out CFOAwards.co.za. Upcoming CFO South Africa Events Join the CFO Events with inspiring hosts and experts who will share their insights and experiences with you. Register now for these events and boost your company, network, career and knowledge. CFO South Africa Events in 2015 Sept 17 Johannesburg | Digital Transformation Oct 20 Stellenbosch| Fintech Investment Event Oct 22 Johannesburg | Finance Transformation Nov 19 Johannesburg | Risk, Compliance & Control Register now for one of the upcoming CFO South Africa Events. Please note that all our CFO South Africa events are for senior financial executives. CFO South Africa offers Platinum memberships to CFOs and finance directors. For more information please have a look here and contact Jurrien Morsch at [email protected]. Stay connected with CFO South Africa Follow CFO South Africa on Twitter and LinkedIn Stay up to date on what is happening in the world of finance by following us on Twitter @CFOSouthAfrica and LinkedIn. Next to that you can keep track of newly published interviews with CFOs and CEOs. Feel free to contact us Any suggestions or comments are welcome. Kind Regards, Graham Fehrsen Managing Director CFO South Africa | [email protected] To control which emails you receive from CFO South Africa, please change your email preferences at cfo.co.za by selecting under settings "I do not want to receive emails from CFO South Africa | Finance Professionals South Africa"

As of 1 June 2015, Marco Rondelli is the new CFO of Marelli Motori, a company founded more than 100 years ago and which is one of the leading suppliers of generators to the industrial, petrochemical and marine industries sectors. The company services its African business from regional headquarters in Johannesburg.

While many South Africans sit with their fingers crossed most days, hoping the country's economic situation will soon start to improve, it seems this is not the case.

I am often amused or slightly irritated - sometimes both - when I read the daily news about the rand. It is not that I don't care about the occasional ups and the seemingly more frequent downs of our currency, but the reasons given for its tremors are usually suspect to say the least. The president did X, employees strike in sector Y or something about sentiment Z... Common denominator is often that we think that small local upheaval has a lot do with how or currency fares, but the latest plunge - to a 14 year low - is sufficient evidence this isn't the case.

Operating primarily in the infrastructure sector, Aveng Group announced a revenue decrease of 17%, from R53 billion in 2014 to R43.9 billion. Net operating earnings decreased to a loss of R288 million (2014: R799 million profit), while headline earnings per share decreased to a loss of 144,3c (2014: 112,5c profit).

At CFO South Africa we already know Greg Davis for a while, thanks to his great series of Expert Insights on:

AngloGold Ashanti Ltd, a global gold mining company formed in 2004 through the merger of AngloGold and the Ashanti Goldfields Corporation, has announced that it generated $71 million of free cash flow in Q2 of this year, with production and costs beating guidance on the back of what it calls another strong performance from its international mines and a recovery from its South African-based operations.

For the first time since its inception in 1997, the National Arts Council (NAC) of South Africa has received a clean audit. The Auditor-General South Africa, Thembekile Kimi Makwetu, awarded the entity a clean audit for the 2014/2015 financial period and it was also announced that the NAC has also achieved 90 percent of the targets stated in its Annual Performance Plan.

Africa's largest retailer, Shoprite, has increased its market share for the ninth year running, meeting its profit estimates with a 10.8% rise in full-year earnings.

Never has there been a time when IT and business have experienced so many synergies and when the need to transform was so consistently urgent. Change management was the topic of an intimate networking dinner organised by CFO South Africa in partnership with Oracle and principal sponsor KPMG – both at the forefront of fast-tracking change – at the prestigious Four Season Westcliff hotel in Johannesburg on Thursday evening, 20 August 2015. Finance executives from various industries took full advantage of the opportunity to swap notes with their peers and expand their knowledge bases.

Brimstone Investment Corporation Ltd, a South African black-controlled and managed investment company, has reported an H1 loss of R480.1 million. During the same period last year, the company declared a profit of R309.7 million. Intrinsic net asset value also decreased, dropping from R4.9 billion at 31 December 2014 to R4.1 billion, as did gross assets, dropping from R7.9 billion at 31 December 2014 to R7.6 billion.

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday 20 August Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles Prof. Watson: 5 areas of improvement for integrated reports A fellow adjudicator of EY’s Excellence in Integrated Reporting awards asked me to identify 5 areas where companies should be focussing on in order to improve their integrated reports. This is my response based on my review of the 2014 integrated reports of the 100 largest listed companies and 10 largest state owned companies. Triple CFO Award winner Colin Brown raises the bar at Super Group You need to understand what world class means and then raise the bar for your own company.” There is no doubt that Colin Brown knows what he is talking about. In his position as Group CFO, he assisted the Group Chief Executive Officer, Peter Mountford, and the current leadership in rescuing the flailing Super Group from the abyss five years ago, turning it into a profitable transport logistics and mobility group once again. 9 mega trends that shape Africa's future Seven of the 10 fastest growing economies in the world are in Africa and although all sorts of risks need to be negotiated by investors and entrepreneurs in African countries, the continent is getting more and more conducive to business. Seyi Bickersteth, Chairman, KPMG Africa and National Senior Partner of the Nigerian Practice, has listed 9 mega trends that will shape the future of Africa. His original post was published here on the KPMG blog. Read more exclusive articles on CFO.co.za - Simon Ridley retires - CFO of the Year 2014 to leave Standard Bank - Editorial: what about 'once empowered, always empowered'? - Gustav Raubenheimer appointed as CFO of African Bank - Liberty Holdings to invest $80 million in Nigeria Last change to register for the Money Expo 2015 Hear from some of the country's leading experts on innovative financial solutions, ideas and unique perspectives and gain access to 50 invaluable workshops and learning opportunities. Be a part of the experience and join the 5000 attendees and key members of the financial advisory community 21 & 22 August at the Sandton Convention Centre. Speakers include: - Nadir Thokan, Investment Strategist - Kyle Hulett, Head of Multi Asset Class Investments at Argon Asset Management - Haley Parry, Co-Founder of the Money School - Andrew Newell, Head of Business Development at Cannon Asset Managers - Andrew Dittberner, Seniot Portfolio Manager at Cannon Asset Managers - Tim Powell, Director at Forex Capital - Gary Kayle, Co-Founder at The Money School Get insights on smart trading, launching your first start-up, advancing your wealth after 40, maximising investments at 50 and securing your financial comfort in your later years. Register now at TheMoneyExpo.co.za RSVP for CFO Event "Digital Transformation" 17 September 16.00 - 20.00 in Sandton In no time at all digital transformation has had an enormous impact on our organizations and business models. And this is just the beginning. How can we understand this digital transformation, and see the financial opportunities and consequences for the business? Join us for this event, and you will find the inspiration, the examples and the knowledge you need to embrace the opportunities technology has to offer. Program 16.00 Opening & Reception 17.00 Round Table Discussion - What if Steve Jobs led your company? The success of a company like Apple is borne of their ability to radically break with today's conventions. Their way of working is not just based on technological shrewdness. Inspiration, creativity and the will to do things differently are equally important in this case. The vision of Steve Jobs opened the doors to a whole new industry and new ways of value creation. What can we as CFOs learn from that? 17.00 Master Class - Planning, Budgeting & Forecasting in the 21st century Today, many CFOs are turning to rolling forecasts to inspire and lead their organisations to superior performance. Hear experts on the best practices of strategic planning in today’s fast changing world. They will present the latest insights and the CFO research results on technology driven budgeting and forecasting. Also they will discuss the 5 key points of forecasting and how to master the cutting edge tools and techniques and how to integrate budgeting and rolling forecasts with other management systems to ensure to achieve a superior performance. With Zafar Mohamed, CFO McDonalds SA, Aarti Mohan, Product Leader Performance Management Oracle Europe & Africa, Brad McCreedy, Director Business Intelligence KPMG, Derik Rothman, Director Futuresense, Carl Janse van Rensburg, Operations Director Intellient and Joël Roerig, Editor CFO South Africa. 17.00 Public Chapter Round Table Discussion - What if Steve Jobs led a public entity? The success of a company like Apple is borne of their ability to radically break with today's conventions. Their way of working is not just based on technological shrewdness. Inspiration, creativity and the will to do things differently are equally important in this case. The vision of Steve Jobs opened the doors to a whole new industry and new ways of value creation. What can we as Public CFOs learn from that? 18.45 CFO Café Interact, learn, connect and discuss the challenges that you are facing with, with your peers over a drink at the CFO Café. Build your network and meet other top CFOs and financials. Register here now. Sponsors CFO South Africa Event: Continuous Professional Development Points Did you know all events of CFO South Africa are eligible for SAICA CPD points? By attending CFO South Africa's events and training courses you will stay compliant. Sign up for the next mind-blowing Fintech Event in Stellenbosch Join the FinTech Africa Event 20 October in Stellenbosch. At this meeting 100 insiders, experts, startups and investors discuss the developments and challenges for FinTech in Africa. Program: 15.30 Welcome and introduction to the African FinTech initiative By Graham Fehrsen, Country Manager CFO South Africa and FinTech Africa 16.05 Big organisations are doomed By Martijn Aslander, international speaker and Dave van Niekerk, CEO GetBucks Why small companies are better, smarter and faster and more fun. Why big corporates fear for their future. Why the age of abundance will change everything. 17.00 Panel discussion "The future of FinTech in Africa" Startup, bankers, investors and industry insiders discuss the challenges & opportunities for FinTech in Africa. Are we missing out in Africa?This event is organised by FinTech Africa. The ecosystem that connects FinTech startups, investors, corporates and advisors. Join the next Fintech event in Stellenbosch and register now for Tuesday 20 October - 15.30 - 19.00. Join the ultimate peer to peer advisory network Various CFOs and finance directors from Eskom, Nedbank, Transnet, Alexander Forbes Standard Charered Bank, Hollard, Absa, Business Connexion and Super Group are members of CFO South Africa. Your peers understand best the issues you face and the challenges that impact your business. Together you will share your experiences at CFO South Africa’s events and help you advance in your career, company and knowledge. Get introduced to experienced colleagues that are happy to share their knowledge with you. Peer-to-peer consulting is by far the best and most cost effective way to help you solve problems. Are you interested? Please see our membership page for more information here. Visit Finance Indaba Africa 2016 Finance Indaba Africa is the biggest annual exhibition and conference for financial managers and specialists in Africa. Over 1000 visitors are coming to Finance Indaba Africa to improve financial performance. Visitors are looking for growth, better and faster insights, more control and higher efficiency. Visitors are looking for ideas, inspiration, vendors and advisers and are planning to invest. Visitors are eager to boost their companies, networks and careers. Where & when? Sandton Convention Centre 13 & 14 October 2016. For more information please visit Finance-Indaba.co.za. Would you like to become an exhibitor or you want to visit the indaba? Please contact Graham Fehrsen at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. Read the first CFO Magazine South Africa Who are South Africa's leading CFOs? How do successful CFOs move into Africa? Why should you transform your finance function and how can you do it? How do you attract and retain talent? Who are the preferred advisors to South African CFOs? Read the latest insights from the CFO Award winning CFOs: Simon Ridley, Standard Bank, Anoj Singh, Transnet, Colin Brown, Super Group and Aarti Takoordeen, JSE and also featured interviews with Sizwe Nxasana, CEO Firstrand, Mike Brown, CEO Nedbank, Brett Goschen, CFO MTN, Brooks Mparutsa, CFO Hollard and Irene Singo, CFO Dep. Mineral Resources. As our online member we would like to give you the opportunity to read the first ever CFO Magazine South Africa online and free of charge HERE. Would you like to advertise in the next issue out November? Please contact Jurrien Morsch at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. CFO Awards 2016 - Reserve your table now Buy a table for the CFO Awards and meet 300 of South Africa's leading CFOs. Demonstrate thought leadership, extend your network and develop business. You are seated with CFOs and finance directors from the top companies of South Africa. You are also more than welcome to join the CFO Conference preceding the CFO Awards dinner with your colleagues. Join us Thursday 12 May 2016 at the beautiful Summer Place. Don't wait too long, first come, first served. Become a partner or attend with your finance team and buy a table here. For more information check out CFOAwards.co.za. Upcoming CFO South Africa Events Join the CFO Events with inspiring hosts and experts who will share their insights and experiences with you. Register now for these events and boost your company, network, career and knowledge. CFO South Africa Events in 2015 Sept 17 Johannesburg | Digital Transformation Oct 20 Stellenbosch| Fintech Investment Event Oct 22 Johannesburg | Finance Transformation Nov 19 Johannesburg | Risk, Compliance & Control Register now for one of the upcoming CFO South Africa Events. Please note that all our CFO South Africa events are for senior financial executives. CFO South Africa offers Platinum memberships to CFOs and finance directors. For more information please have a look here and contact Jurrien Morsch at [email protected]. Stay connected with CFO South Africa Follow CFO South Africa on Twitter and LinkedIn Stay up to date on what is happening in the world of finance by following us on Twitter @CFOSouthAfrica and LinkedIn. Next to that you can keep track of newly published interviews with CFOs and CEOs. Feel free to contact us Any suggestions or comments are welcome. Kind Regards, Graham Fehrsen Managing Director CFO South Africa | [email protected] To control which emails you receive from CFO South Africa, please change your email preferences at cfo.co.za by selecting under settings "I do not want to receive emails from CFO South Africa | Finance Professionals South Africa"

South Africa's fourth-largest insurer, Liberty Holdings, has announced plans to invest up to $80 million in two deals in Nigeria by end 2015. Casper Troskie, Liberty CFO, noted that the company has been negotiating with parties in Nigeria to acquire stakes in their businesses, and that Liberty has made good progress in this regard

As of end July 2015, Gustav Raubenheimer is CFO Designate of Good Bank (African Bank) and its new holding company.

Rest assured, I am not going to give a verdict on 'once empowered, always empowered'. The topic is simply too complicated and hotly-debated for me to barge in like a bull in a China shop. Fact is though, that this controversial part of B-BBEE is keeping CFOs more than busy. While the policy is still up for debate and legal wrangling, other sectors already had to deal with the scrapping of the policy.

“You need to understand what world class means and then raise the bar for your own company.” There is no doubt that Colin Brown knows what he is talking about. In his position as Group CFO, he assisted the Group Chief Executive Officer, Peter Mountford, and the current leadership in rescuing the flailing Super Group from the abyss five years ago, turning it into a profitable transport logistics and mobility group once again.

Standard Bank Group CFO Simon Ridley will retire next year April. By then he will be 60 years old, the retirement age for executive directors at the bank. On Friday joint CEO Ben Kruger said Standard Bank has not decided on Ridley's successor yet. During the same press conference Ridley announced that the Group has achieved R10.5 billion headline earnings for the group.

A fellow adjudicator of EY’s Excellence in Integrated Reporting awards asked me to identify 5 areas where companies should be focussing on in order to improve their integrated reports. This is my response based on my review of the 2014 integrated reports of the 100 largest listed companies and 10 largest state owned companies.

Seven of the 10 fastest growing economies in the world are in Africa and although all sorts of risks need to be negotiated by investors and entrepreneurs in African countries, the continent is getting more and more conducive to business. Seyi Bickersteth, Chairman, KPMG Africa and National Senior Partner of the Nigerian Practice, has listed 9 mega trends that will shape the future of Africa. His original post was published here on the KPMG blog.

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday 13 August Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles Meet Colin Brown (Super Group), winner Finance & Technology Awa... I am not telling any secrets when I say that Colin Brown was one of the hot favourites for the CFO of the Year Award 2015. After scooping up two major awards during the first CFO Awards in 2014 - Strategy Execution and Digital Transformation - the Super Group story had only gotten better and Brown is considered one of the key engineers of the remarkable turnaround and renewed ascend of the South African firm. However, the panel of judges felt that Deon Viljoen's remarkable work at Alexander Forbes deserved the recognition and Brown was pipped to the post. Spur CFO Ronel van Dijk: tasting and testing the Spur DNA She visited our very first CFO event in Cape Town, featured in one of our first interviews way back in 2012 and recently gave some sizzling insight in the international expansion and IT innovation at the Spur Group. This year Ronel van Dijk (favourite food: ribs) was nominated for the 2015 CFO Awards and we spoke to her about her relationship with CEO Pierre van Tonder, her take on coaching, her deep involvement in everything strategy - from testing the equipment to tasting the food - and her passion for the Spur Foundation. KPMG: Recent developments offer significant opportunities in Nigeria It is no secret that doing business in Nigeria is not for the faint-hearted. A tricky security situation combined with rampant corruption and fuzzy policies make it hard for entrepreneurs and big businesses to make money in the West-African country, despite its large economy and population. In a recent 2 part feature on the blog of our principal sponsor KPMG, Laurens Kreuze - a Dutch KPMG Partner stationed in Lagos - concludes that the new wind that is blowing after Muhammadu Buhari was elected president. Read more exclusive articles on CFO.co.za - Liberty wins 2015 EY Integrated Reporting award Register for the Money Expo 2015 Hear from some of the country's leading experts on innovative financial solutions, ideas and unique perspectives and gain access to 50 invaluable workshops and learning opportunities. Be a part of the experience and join the 5000 attendees and key members of the financial advisory community 21 & 22 August at the Sandton Convention Centre. Speakers include: - Nadir Thokan, Investment Strategist - Kyle Hulett, Head of Multi Asset Class Investments at Argon Asset Management - Haley Parry, Co-Founder of the Money School - Andrew Newell, Head of Business Development at Cannon Asset Managers - Andrew Dittberner, Seniot Portfolio Manager at Cannon Asset Managers - Tim Powell, Director at Forex Capital - Gary Kayle, Co-Founder at The Money School Get insights on smart trading, launching your first start-up, advancing your wealth after 40, maximising investments at 50 and securing your financial comfort in your later years. Register now at TheMoneyExpo.co.za RSVP for CFO Event "Digital Transformation" 17 September 16.00 - 20.00 in Sandton In no time at all digital transformation has had an enormous impact on our organizations and business models. And this is just the beginning. How can we understand this digital transformation, and see the financial opportunities and consequences for the business? Join us for this event, and you will find the inspiration, the examples and the knowledge you need to embrace the opportunities technology has to offer. Program 16.00 Opening & Reception 17.00 Round Table Discussion - What if Steve Jobs led your company? The success of a company like Apple is borne of their ability to radically break with today's conventions. Their way of working is not just based on technological shrewdness. Inspiration, creativity and the will to do things differently are equally important in this case. The vision of Steve Jobs opened the doors to a whole new industry and new ways of value creation. What can we as CFOs learn from that? 17.00 Master Class - Planning, Budgeting & Forecasting in the 21st century Today, many CFOs are turning to rolling forecasts to inspire and lead their organisations to superior performance. Hear experts on the best practices of strategic planning in today’s fast changing world. They will present the latest insights and the CFO research results on technology driven budgeting and forecasting. Also they will discuss the 5 key points of forecasting and how to master the cutting edge tools and techniques and how to integrate budgeting and rolling forecasts with other management systems to ensure to achieve a superior performance. With Aarti Mohan, Product Leader Performance Management Oracle Europe & Africa and Derik Rothman, Director Futuresense. More speakers will be confirmed soon. 17.00 Public Chapter Round Table Discussion - What if Steve Jobs led a public entity? The success of a company like Apple is borne of their ability to radically break with today's conventions. Their way of working is not just based on technological shrewdness. Inspiration, creativity and the will to do things differently are equally important in this case. The vision of Steve Jobs opened the doors to a whole new industry and new ways of value creation. What can we as Public CFOs learn from that? 18.45 CFO Café Interact, learn, connect and discuss the challenges that you are facing with, with your peers over a drink at the CFO Café. Build your network and meet other top CFOs and financials. Register here now. Sponsors CFO South Africa Event: Continuous Professional Development Points Did you know all events of CFO South Africa are eligible for SAICA CPD points? By attending CFO South Africa's events and training courses you will stay compliant. Sign up for the next mind-blowing Fintech Event in Stellenbosch Join the FinTech Africa Event 20 October in Stellenbosch. At this meeting 100 insiders, experts, startups and investors discuss the developments and challenges for FinTech in Africa. Program: 15.30 Welcome and introduction to the African FinTech initiative By Graham Fehrsen, Country Manager CFO South Africa and FinTech Africa 16.05 Big organisations are doomed By Martijn Aslander, international speaker and Dave van Niekerk, CEO GetBucks Why small companies are better, smarter and faster and more fun. Why big corporates fear for their future. Why the age of abundance will change everything. 17.00 Panel discussion "The future of FinTech in Africa" Startup, bankers, investors and industry insiders discuss the challenges & opportunities for FinTech in Africa. Are we missing out in Africa?This event is organised by FinTech Africa. The ecosystem that connects FinTech startups, investors, corporates and advisors. Join the next Fintech event in Stellenbosch and register now for Tuesday 20 October - 15.30 - 19.00. Join the ultimate peer to peer advisory network Various CFOs and finance directors from Eskom, Nedbank, Transnet, Alexander Forbes Standard Charered Bank, Hollard, Absa, Business Connexion and Super Group are members of CFO South Africa. Your peers understand best the issues you face and the challenges that impact your business. Together you will share your experiences at CFO South Africa’s events and help you advance in your career, company and knowledge. Get introduced to experienced colleagues that are happy to share their knowledge with you. Peer-to-peer consulting is by far the best and most cost effective way to help you solve problems. Are you interested? Please see our membership page for more information here. Visit Finance Indaba Africa 2016 Finance Indaba Africa is the biggest annual exhibition and conference for financial managers and specialists in Africa. Over 1000 visitors are coming to Finance Indaba Africa to improve financial performance. Visitors are looking for growth, better and faster insights, more control and higher efficiency. Visitors are looking for ideas, inspiration, vendors and advisers and are planning to invest. Visitors are eager to boost their companies, networks and careers. Where & when? Sandton Convention Centre 13 & 14 October 2016. For more information please visit Finance-Indaba.co.za. Would you like to become an exhibitor or you want to visit the indaba? Please contact Graham Fehrsen at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. Read the first CFO Magazine South Africa Who are South Africa's leading CFOs? How do successful CFOs move into Africa? Why should you transform your finance function and how can you do it? How do you attract and retain talent? Who are the preferred advisors to South African CFOs? Read the latest insights from the CFO Award winning CFOs: Simon Ridley, Standard Bank, Anoj Singh, Transnet, Colin Brown, Super Group and Aarti Takoordeen, JSE and also featured interviews with Sizwe Nxasana, CEO Firstrand, Mike Brown, CEO Nedbank, Brett Goschen, CFO MTN, Brooks Mparutsa, CFO Hollard and Irene Singo, CFO Dep. Mineral Resources. As our online member we would like to give you the opportunity to read the first ever CFO Magazine South Africa online and free of charge HERE. Would you like to advertise in the next issue out November? Please contact Jurrien Morsch at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. CFO Awards 2016 - Reserve your table now Buy a table for the CFO Awards and meet 300 of South Africa's leading CFOs. Demonstrate thought leadership, extend your network and develop business. You are seated with CFOs and finance directors from the top companies of South Africa. You are also more than welcome to join the CFO Conference preceding the CFO Awards dinner with your colleagues. Join us Thursday 12 May 2016 at the beautiful Summer Place. Don't wait too long, first come, first served. Become a partner or attend with your finance team and buy a table here. For more information check out CFOAwards.co.za. Upcoming CFO South Africa Events Join the CFO Events with inspiring hosts and experts who will share their insights and experiences with you. Register now for these events and boost your company, network, career and knowledge. CFO South Africa Events in 2015 Sept 17 Johannesburg | Digital Transformation Oct 20 Stellenbosch| Fintech Investment Event Oct 22 Johannesburg | Finance Transformation Nov 19 Johannesburg | Risk, Compliance & Control Register now for one of the upcoming CFO South Africa Events. Please note that all our CFO South Africa events are for senior financial executives. CFO South Africa offers Platinum memberships to CFOs and finance directors. For more information please have a look here and contact Jurrien Morsch at [email protected]. Stay connected with CFO South Africa Follow CFO South Africa on Twitter and LinkedIn Stay up to date on what is happening in the world of finance by following us on Twitter @CFOSouthAfrica and LinkedIn. Next to that you can keep track of newly published interviews with CFOs and CEOs. Feel free to contact us Any suggestions or comments are welcome. Kind Regards, Graham Fehrsen Managing Director CFO South Africa | [email protected]

I am not telling any secrets when I say that Colin Brown was one of the hot favourites for the CFO of the Year Award 2015. After scooping up two major awards during the first CFO Awards in 2014 - Strategy Execution and Digital Transformation - the Super Group story had only gotten better and Brown is considered one of the key engineers of the remarkable turnaround and renewed ascend of the South African firm. However, the panel of judges felt that Deon Viljoen's remarkable work at Alexander Forbes deserved the recognition and Brown was pipped to the post.

She visited our very first CFO event in Cape Town, featured in one of our first interviews way back in 2012 and recently gave some sizzling insight in the international expansion and IT innovation at the Spur Group. This year Ronel van Dijk (favourite food: ribs) was nominated for the 2015 CFO Awards and we spoke to her about her relationship with CEO Pierre van Tonder, her take on coaching, her deep involvement in everything strategy - from testing the equipment to tasting the food - and her passion for the Spur Foundation.

Liberty Group has won the 2015 EY Excellence in Integrated Reporting Awards. The prize, announced earlier today, is a great feather in the cap of CFO Casper Troskie, who has been with the financial services company since 2010. We spoke to Troskie earlier this year during an exclusive interview, in which has recalled his proudest moments, elaborated on the culture change that Liberty and gave some valuable advice for ambitious CAs. The former Standard Bank CFO said he is "in the best job I have ever been in... It has been a great journey, but I see the task only as a third of the way done.”

It is no secret that doing business in Nigeria is not for the faint-hearted. A tricky security situation combined with rampant corruption and fuzzy policies make it hard for entrepreneurs and big businesses to make money in the West-African country, despite its large economy and population. In a recent 2 part feature on the blog of our principal sponsor KPMG, Laurens Kreuze - a Dutch KPMG Partner stationed in Lagos - concludes that the new wind that is blowing after Muhammadu Buhari was elected president.

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday 6 August Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles Hollard CFO Brooks Mparutsa goes international, replaced by Absa ace It has never been a secret that Brooks Mparutsa has international ambitions. He told me as much during the candid CFO of the Week interview that we published earlier this year. Brooks, who was nominated for the 2015 CFO Awards, has a real passion for Africa and a recent executive reshuffle at the Hollard Insurance is making is possible to follow his dreams, with Brooks being appointed Executive Director: International from 1 January 2016. Lessons from Alexander Forbes at inspiring CFO Master Class "If you think you have a good deal, look at all the stakeholders again and craft an exceptional deal." That was one of the messages from Deon Viljoen, CFO at Alexander Forbes, at the CFO event 'Executing an effective growth strategy' at the Nedbank headquarters in Johannesburg on 30 July 2015. Viljoen was elected CFO of the Year in May and his rendition of the way he has dealt with the turbulent recent history at the country's biggest pension funds administrator made it clear why. "I have aged in dog years, but also have gained dog years experience," he said. Denel CFO Fikile Mhlontlo: from bailouts to superiority Denel CFO Fikile Mhlontlo has been instrumental in cost cutting, efficiency drives and improving financial ratios. Together with the other executives he has changed the state-owned aerospace and defence technology conglomerate from a loss-making public enterprise into a successful, profit-making company with an increasingly international focus. Denel’s international image is now superior, says Mhlontlo. “The strategy of decentralisation and partnering has worked wonders.” Read more exclusive articles on CFO.co.za - Expert Insight - 10 reasons to do business in Ghana Register for the Money Expo 2015 Hear from some of the country's leading experts on innovative financial solutions, ideas and unique perspectives and gain access to 50 invaluable workshops and learning opportunities. Be a part of the experience and join the 5000 attendees and key members of the financial advisory community 21 & 22 August at the Sandton Convention Centre. Speakers include: - Nadir Thokan, Investment Strategist - Kyle Hulett, Head of Multi Asset Class Investments at Argon Asset Management - Haley Parry, Co-Founder of the Money School - Andrew Newell, Head of Business Development at Cannon Asset Managers - Andrew Dittberner, Seniot Portfolio Manager at Cannon Asset Managers - Tim Powell, Director at Forex Capital - Gary Kayle, Co-Founder at The Money School Get insights on smart trading, launching your first start-up, advancing your wealth after 40, maximising investments at 50 and securing your financial comfort in your later years. Register now at TheMoneyExpo.co.za Register for CFO Event "Digital Transformation" 17 September 16.00 - 20.00 in Sandton In no time at all digital transformation has had an enormous impact on our organizations and business models. And this is just the beginning. How can we understand this digital transformation, and see the financial opportunities and consequences for the business? Join us for this event, and you will find the inspiration, the examples and the knowledge you need to embrace the opportunities technology has to offer. Interact, learn, connect and discuss the challenges that you are facing with, with your peers over a drink at the CFO Café. Build your network and meet other top CFOs and financials. Register here now. Sponsors CFO South Africa Event: Continuous Professional Development Points Did you know all events of CFO South Africa are eligible for SAICA CPD points? By attending CFO South Africa's events and training courses you will stay compliant. Sign up for the next mind-blowing Fintech Event in Stellenbosch Join the FinTech Africa Event 20 October in Stellenbosch. At this meeting 100 insiders, experts, startups and investors discuss the developments and challenges for FinTech in Africa. Program: 15.30 Welcome and introduction to the African FinTech initiative By Graham Fehrsen, Country Manager CFO South Africa and FinTech Africa 16.05 Big organisations are doomed By Martijn Aslander, international speaker and Dave van Niekerk, CEO GetBucks Why small companies are better, smarter and faster and more fun. Why big corporates fear for their future. Why the age of abundance will change everything. 17.00 Panel discussion "The future of FinTech in Africa" Startup, bankers, investors and industry insiders discuss the challenges & opportunities for FinTech in Africa. Are we missing out in Africa?This event is organised by FinTech Africa. The ecosystem that connects FinTech startups, investors, corporates and advisors. Join the next Fintech event in Stellenbosch and register now for Tuesday 20 October - 15.30 - 19.00. Visit Finance Indaba Africa 2016 Finance Indaba Africa is the biggest annual exhibition and conference for financial managers and specialists in Africa. Over 1000 visitors are coming to Finance Indaba Africa to improve financial performance. Visitors are looking for growth, better and faster insights, more control and higher efficiency. Visitors are looking for ideas, inspiration, vendors and advisers and are planning to invest. Visitors are eager to boost their companies, networks and careers. Where & when? Sandton Convention Centre 13 & 14 October 2016. For more information please visit Finance-Indaba.co.za. Would you like to become an exhibitor or you want to visit the indaba? Please contact Graham Fehrsen at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. Upcoming CFO South Africa Events Join the CFO Events with inspiring hosts and experts who will share their insights and experiences with you. Register now for these events and boost your company, network, career and knowledge. CFO South Africa Events in 2015 Sept 17 Johannesburg | Digital Transformation Oct 20 Stellenbosch| Fintech Investment Event Oct 22 Johannesburg | Finance Transformation Nov 19 Johannesburg | Risk, Compliance & Control Register now for one of the upcoming CFO South Africa Events. Please note that all our CFO South Africa events are for senior financial executives. CFO South Africa offers Platinum memberships to CFOs and finance directors. For more information please have a look here and contact Jurrien Morsch at [email protected]. Stay connected with CFO South Africa Follow CFO South Africa on Twitter and LinkedIn Stay up to date on what is happening in the world of finance by following us on Twitter @CFOSouthAfrica and LinkedIn. Next to that you can keep track of newly published interviews with CFOs and CEOs. Feel free to contact us Any suggestions or comments are welcome. Kind Regards, Melle Eijckelhoff Director CFO South Africa | [email protected]

It has never been a secret that Brooks Mparutsa has international ambitions. He told me as much during the candid CFO of the Week interview that we published earlier this year. Brooks, who was nominated for the 2015 CFO Awards, has a real passion for Africa and a recent executive reshuffle at the Hollard Insurance is making is possible to follow his dreams, with Brooks being appointed Executive Director: International from 1 January 2016.

Denel CFO Fikile Mhlontlo has been instrumental in cost cutting, efficiency drives and improving financial ratios. Together with the other executives he has changed the state-owned aerospace and defence technology conglomerate from a loss-making public enterprise into a successful, profit-making company with an increasingly international focus. Denel’s international image is now superior, says Mhlontlo. “The strategy of decentralisation and partnering has worked wonders.”

Ghana is generally considered as the well-behaved little brother of Nigeria by CFOs and investors from South Africa and across the globe. In this Expert Insight Eric Osei, business analyst and author of the recently published book Doing Business in Ghana, lists 10 reasons businesses should consider the friendly West African country.

"If you think you have a good deal, look at all the stakeholders again and craft an exceptional deal." That was one of the messages from Deon Viljoen, CFO at Alexander Forbes, at the CFO event 'Executing an effective growth strategy' at the Nedbank headquarters in Johannesburg on 30 July 2015. Viljoen was elected CFO of the Year in May and his rendition of the way he has dealt with the turbulent recent history at the country's biggest pension funds administrator made it clear why. "I have aged in dog years, but also have gained dog years experience," he said.

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday 30 July Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles FinTech Africa event: as it happened (with all the tweets!) Disruption, the value of failure, attitude, innovation and collaboration were some of the keywords during a riveting FinTech Africa event at GIBS Business School in Johannesburg on Tuesday 28 July 2015. With lifehacker Martijn Aslander as keynote speaker, FinTech guru Nicole Anderson and Wizzit CEO Brian Richardson as presenters and a bunch of the most exciting FinTech experts on a lively panel, the energy in the room was palpable. With well over 100 people from the FinTech ecosystem attending the event, we're already looking forward to putting together the next one. FinTech innovators and capital need to partner - Charles Savage, GT... In South Africa entrepreneurs tend to be very poor at articulating or selling their ideas to capital, that’s according to Charles Savage, Chief Executive Officer at online trading company GT247.com. “When it comes to valuing an income statement, we can compete with the best in the world, but when it comes to valuing a business plan, not so much, because it requires a greater leap of faith,” says Savage. Grant Morgan, Dimension Data: making savings in the cloud "We used to treat our servers like pets, giving them nicknames like Superman... Now we have entire farms of nameless “creatures”. This is automation. Cloud solutions never have IP conflicts or bring down your network and you only pay for what you use,” Grant Morgan, General Manager of Cloud at Dimension Data told the delegates at the inaugural MyBroadband Cloud & Hosting Conference at Gallagher Estate, Midrand, on 9 June. “The motor industry was mechanised to provide quantity and quality at the same time. Machines make fewer mistakes. Today, the same thing is happening in IT." Read more exclusive articles on CFO.co.za - FinTech - MFS starts intra-African remittances revolution through m... Register for the Money Expo 2015 Hear from some of the country's leading experts on innovative financial solutions, ideas and unique perspectives and gain access to 50 invaluable workshops and learning opportunities. Be a part of the experience and join the 5000 attendees and key members of the financial advisory community 21 & 22 August at the Sandton Convention Centre. Speakers include: - Nadir Thokan, Investment Strategist - Kyle Hulett, Head of Multi Asset Class Investments at Argon Asset Management - Haley Parry, Co-Founder of the Money School - Andrew Newell, Head of Business Development at Cannon Asset Managers - Andrew Dittberner, Seniot Portfolio Manager at Cannon Asset Managers - Tim Powell, Director at Forex Capital - Gary Kayle, Co-Founder at The Money School Get insights on smart trading, launching your first start-up, advancing your wealth after 40, maximising investments at 50 and securing your financial comfort in your later years. Register now at TheMoneyExpo.co.za Today CFO Event "Executing an effective growth strategy for 2016 and beyond” Part 2: Executing an effective growth strategy for 2016 and beyond Today at the Nedbank Head Office, Johannesburg 16.00 - 20.00 Numerous business leaders and finance executives have long recognized the need for CFOs to step out of a numbers-focused role and into a true partnership with the business - by participating in strategic planning, providing essential input on funding, managing growth plans and helping to maximize shareholder returns. But now, a growing chorus is calling for a significant new shift in the finance function toward truly business partnership activity and engagement. In this two part series we bring CFOs insights that will help drive their own perspectives and strategies and share best practice for becoming a genuine business partner. Join the CFO South Africa Event today. Program: 16.00 Opening & Reception By Managing Director CFO South Africa, Graham Fehrsen 17.00 Master Class - Executing an effective growth strategy We ask Deon Viljoen, CFO of the Year 2015 (Alexander Forbes), Anthonie de Beer (Ethos Private Equity), Karel Janse van Rensburg (Nedbank) and Natalie Kolbe (Actis) who have been there and done that, what some of the key challenges are and how they see CFOs delivering effectively. 18.30 CFO Café Interact, learn, connect and discuss the challenges that you are facing with, with your peers over a drink at the CFO Café. Build your network and meet other top CFOs and financials. Register here now. Sponsors CFO South Africa Event: Continuous Professional Development Points Did you know all events of CFO South Africa are eligible for SAICA CPD points? By attending CFO South Africa's events and training courses you will stay compliant. Sign up for the next mind-blowing Fintech Event in Stellenbosch Join the FinTech Africa Event 20 October in Stellenbosch. At this meeting 100 insiders, experts, startups and investors discuss the developments and challenges for FinTech in Africa. Program: 15.30 Welcome and introduction to the African FinTech initiative By Graham Fehrsen, Country Manager CFO South Africa and FinTech Africa 16.05 Big organisations are doomed by Martijn Aslander, international speaker Why small companies are better, smarter and faster and more fun. Why big corporates fear for their future. Why the age of abundance will change everything. 17.00 Panel discussion "The future of FinTech in Africa" Startup, bankers, investors and industry insiders discuss the challenges & opportunities for FinTech in Africa. Are we missing out in Africa?This event is organised by FinTech Africa. The ecosystem that connects FinTech startups, investors, corporates and advisors. Join the next Fintech event in Stellenbosch and register now for Tuesday 20 October - 15.30 - 19.00. Upcoming CFO South Africa Events Join the CFO Events with inspiring hosts and experts who will share their insights and experiences with you. Register now for these events and boost your company, network, career and knowledge. CFO South Africa Events in 2015 July 30 Nedbank Johannesburg | Executing a growth strategy for 2016 Sept 17 Johannesburg | Digital Transformation Oct 15 Johannesburg | Finance Transformation Oct 20 Stellenbosch| Fintech Investment Event Nov 19 Johannesburg | Risk, Compliance & Control Register now for one of the upcoming CFO South Africa Events. Please note that all our CFO South Africa events are for senior financial executives. CFO South Africa offers Platinum memberships to CFOs and finance directors. For more information please have a look here and contact Jurrien Morsch at [email protected]. Stay connected with CFO South Africa Follow CFO South Africa on Twitter and LinkedIn Stay up to date on what is happening in the world of finance by following us on Twitter @CFOSouthAfrica and LinkedIn. Next to that you can keep track of newly published interviews with CFOs and CEOs. Feel free to contact us Any suggestions or comments are welcome. Kind Regards, Melle Eijckelhoff Director CFO South Africa | [email protected] To control which emails you receive from CFO South Africa, please change your email preferences at cfo.co.za by selecting under settings "I do not want to receive emails from CFO South Africa | Finance Professionals South Africa"

Disruption, the value of failure, attitude, innovation and collaboration were some of the keywords during a riveting FinTech Africa event at GIBS Business School in Johannesburg on Tuesday 28 July 2015. With lifehacker Martijn Aslander as keynote speaker, FinTech guru Nicole Anderson and Wizzit CEO Brian Richardson as presenters and a bunch of the most exciting FinTech experts on a lively panel, the energy in the room was palpable. With well over 100 people from the FinTech ecosystem attending the event, we're already looking forward to putting together the next one.

In South Africa entrepreneurs tend to be very poor at articulating or selling their ideas to capital, that’s according to Charles Savage, Chief Executive Officer at online trading company GT247.com. “When it comes to valuing an income statement, we can compete with the best in the world, but when it comes to valuing a business plan, not so much, because it requires a greater leap of faith,” says Savage.

"We used to treat our servers like pets, giving them nicknames like Superman... Now we have entire farms of nameless “creatures”. This is automation. Cloud solutions never have IP conflicts or bring down your network and you only pay for what you use,” Grant Morgan, General Manager of Cloud at Dimension Data told the delegates at the inaugural MyBroadband Cloud & Hosting Conference at Gallagher Estate, Midrand, on 9 June. “The motor industry was mechanised to provide quantity and quality at the same time. Machines make fewer mistakes. Today, the same thing is happening in IT."

“Mobile wallet use is finally getting to scale across Africa," says Dare Okoudjou, Founder and CEO of Mobile Financial Services Africa (MFS Africa). No longer a phenomenon limited to M-Pesa in Kenya, mobile wallets are showing their potential to transform financial services across the continent. "This presents an enormous opportunity to improve the remittance experience for Africans across the continent and for the diaspora abroad.”

South Africa should be “leading the charge” in the continent and create an environment that helps innovative FinTech companies flourish and draws investors willing to take risks. Globally, hubs are sprouting up for companies that disrupt the financial sector with technology and Africa is in danger of missing the boat. “The time is now,” says Nicole Anderson, the South African-born and educated CEO and Co-founder at FINTECH Circle Innovate in London.

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday 23 July Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles Meet Imraan Soomra (Oceana), winner Transformation & Empowermen... Just a few days after this year's CFO Awards, Oceana Group announced a game-changing R4.6 billion purchase of the American fish-meal and -oil specialist Daybrook Fisheries. In his interview with the panel of judges for the awards, CFO Imraan Soomra had already explained that the traditionally conservative fishing company (already Africa's biggest) was planning to use its debt-less and asset-rich position to become a serious player on the global market. After the acquisition of the Louisiana-based Daybrook, Oceana is now the sixth-biggest fishing company in the world. Is award-winning CFO Anoj Singh Eskom's saviour? Transnet CFO Anoj Singh will join his CEO Brian Molefe at the struggling power utility Eskom on 1 August 2015. The award-winning Finance boss will be responsible for the Finance strategy, including the R250 billion funding plan. Singh has not been known to get nervous by big numbers, as he has been driving an investment program worth R336 billion at Transnet, together with Molefe. "Time for FinTech Africa is now" - Q&A with FinTech guru Nicole... South Africa should be “leading the charge” in the continent and create an environment that helps innovative FinTech companies flourish and draws investors willing to take risks. Globally, hubs are sprouting up for companies that disrupt the financial sector with technology and Africa is in danger of missing the boat. “The time is now,” says Nicole Anderson, the South African-born and educated CEO and Co-founder at FINTECH Circle Innovate in London. Read more exclusive articles on CFO.co.za - Why should a CFO bring a voice recorder to a board meeting? - 9 things CFOs should know about tax in francophone Africa - Amazon’s Michael Needham discusses Cloud trends in Africa Register for the CFO Event "Executing an effective growth strategy for 2016 and beyond” Part 2: Executing an effective growth strategy for 2016 and beyond Thursday 30 July at the Nedbank Head Office, Johannesburg 16.00 - 20.00 Numerous business leaders and finance executives have long recognized the need for CFOs to step out of a numbers-focused role and into a true partnership with the business - by participating in strategic planning, providing essential input on funding, managing growth plans and helping to maximize shareholder returns. But now, a growing chorus is calling for a significant new shift in the finance function toward truly business partnership activity and engagement. In this two part series we bring CFOs insights that will help drive their own perspectives and strategies and share best practice for becoming a genuine business partner. Join the CFO South Africa Event today. Program: 16.00 Opening & Reception By investment mogul and motivational speaker Vusi Thembekwayo. 17.00 Master Class - Executing an effective growth strategy We ask Deon Viljoen, CFO of the Year 2015 and CFO of Alexander Forbes, Anthonie de Beer, Partner of Ethos Private Equity and Natalie Kolbe, Partner South African and West Africa at Actis who have been there and done that, what some of the key challenges are and how they see CFOs delivering effectively. 18.30 CFO Café Interact, learn, connect and discuss the challenges that you are facing with, with your peers over a drink at the CFO Café. Build your network and meet other top CFOs and financials. Register here now. Sponsors CFO South Africa Event: Continuous Professional Development Points Did you know all events of CFO South Africa are eligible for SAICA CPD points? By attending CFO South Africa's events and training courses you will stay compliant. Sign up for the next mind-blowing Fintech Event at GIBS Join the FinTech Africa Event 28 July at the Gordon Institute of Business Science in Illovo, Johannesburg. At this meeting 100 insiders, experts, startups and investors discuss the developments and challenges for FinTech in Africa. Program: 16.00 Welcome and introduction to the African FinTech initiative By Graham Fehrsen, Country Manager CFO South Africa and FinTech Africa 16.05 Big organisations are doomed by Martijn Aslander, international speaker Why small companies are better, smarter and faster and more fun. Why big corporates fear for their future. Why the age of abundance will change everything. 17.00 FinTech Pitches/Insider's view - FinTech Circle Innovate We hear from CEO and co-founder Nicole Anderson on the accelerating global FinTech community, funding trends and some of the most interesting FinTech trends and why the African landscape offers such potential. - Wizzit - bringing banking to the unbanked through cell phone technology We hear from MD Brian Richardson on the challenges and successes of this business. 17.20 Panel discussion "The future of FinTech in Africa" Startup, bankers, investors and industry insiders discuss the challenges & opportunities for FinTech in Africa Panel members include Charles Savage (CEO, Purple Capital Limited), Paul Steenkamp (Head of Innovation Capability, Standard Bank), Colin Vallis (Private equity and investment professional), Dominique Collett-Antolik (Senior Investment Executive, RMI Holdings) and Matthew Birtch (Faculty GIBS - Strategy and finance) This event is organised by FinTech Africa. The ecosystem that connects FinTech startups, investors, corporates and advisors. Join the next Fintech event in Johannesburg and register here now for Tuesday 28 July from 16.00 - 19.00 at the Gordon Institute of Business Science in Sandton. Visit Finance Indaba Africa 2016 Finance Indaba Africa is the biggest annual exhibition and conference for financial managers and specialists in Africa. Over 1000 visitors are coming to Finance Indaba Africa to improve financial performance. Visitors are looking for growth, better and faster insights, more control and higher efficiency. Visitors are looking for ideas, inspiration, vendors and advisers and are planning to invest. Visitors are eager to boost their companies, networks and careers. Where & when? Sandton Convention Centre 13 & 14 October 2016. For more information please visit Finance-Indaba.co.za. Would you like to become an exhibitor or you want to visit the indaba? Please contact Graham Fehrsen at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. Read the first CFO Magazine South Africa Who are South Africa's leading CFOs? How do successful CFOs move into Africa? Why should you transform your finance function and how can you do it? How do you attract and retain talent? Who are the preferred advisors to South African CFOs? Read the latest insights from the CFO Award winning CFOs: Simon Ridley, Standard Bank, Anoj Singh, Transnet, Colin Brown, Super Group and Aarti Takoordeen, JSE and also featured interviews with Sizwe Nxasana, CEO Firstrand, Mike Brown, CEO Nedbank, Brett Goschen, CFO MTN, Brooks Mparutsa, CFO Hollard and Irene Singo, CFO Dep. Mineral Resources. As our online member we would like to give you the opportunity to read the first ever CFO Magazine South Africa online and free of charge HERE. Would you like to advertise in the next issue? Please contact Jurrien Morsch at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. Upcoming CFO South Africa Events Join the CFO Events with inspiring hosts and experts who will share their insights and experiences with you. Register now for these events and boost your company, network, career and knowledge. CFO South Africa Events in 2015 July 28 GIBS Johannesburg | Fintech Africa: Challenges & developments July 30 Nedbank Johannesburg | Executing a growth strategy for 2016 Sept 17 Johannesburg | Digital Transformation Oct 15 Johannesburg | Finance Transformation Nov 19 Johannesburg | Risk, Compliance & Control Register now for one of the upcoming CFO South Africa Events. Please note that all our CFO South Africa events are for senior financial executives. CFO South Africa offers Platinum memberships to CFOs and finance directors. For more information please have a look here and contact Jurrien Morsch at [email protected]. Stay connected with CFO South Africa Follow CFO South Africa on Twitter and LinkedIn Stay up to date on what is happening in the world of finance by following us on Twitter @CFOSouthAfrica and LinkedIn. Next to that you can keep track of newly published interviews with CFOs and CEOs. Feel free to contact us Any suggestions or comments are welcome. Kind Regards, Melle Eijckelhoff Director CFO South Africa | [email protected] To control which emails you receive from CFO South Africa, please change your email preferences at cfo.co.za by selecting under settings "I do not want to receive emails from CFO South Africa | Finance Professionals South Africa"

CFOs sometimes do outrageous, weird or wrong things. Sometimes they do dubious things, but they have a good reason for it. I am wondering if South African Airways CFO Wolf Meyer's decision to smuggle a recording device into the boardroom qualifies as the latter?

Just a few days after this year's CFO Awards, Oceana Group announced a game-changing R4.6 billion purchase of the American fish-meal and -oil specialist Daybrook Fisheries. In his interview with the panel of judges for the awards, CFO Imraan Soomra had already explained that the traditionally conservative fishing company (already Africa's biggest) was planning to use its debt-less and asset-rich position to become a serious player on the global market. After the acquisition of the Louisiana-based Daybrook, Oceana is now the sixth-biggest fishing company in the world.

“In 1997, Amazon CEO Jeff Bizos said: ‘This is Day One for the Internet. We still have so much to learn.’” Twenty years later, he still talks about the Internet as an uncharted world, with new surprises all the time. But if we accept that it is Day One and around midday in the USA and Europe, in Africa, it is still early in the morning,” Amazon Principal Solutions Architect Michael Needham told the delegates at the inaugural MyBroadband Cloud & Hosting Conference at Gallagher Estate in Midrand on 9 June.

In March CFO South Africa's principal sponsor KPMG brought a team of its most eminent tax experts from all corners of Africa to Johannesburg to speak to a gathering of CFOs during the Moving into Africa event in the Michelangelo Hotel in Sandton.

Transnet CFO Anoj Singh will join his CEO Brian Molefe at the struggling power utility Eskom on 1 August 2015. The award-winning Finance boss will be responsible for the Finance strategy, including the R250 billion funding plan. Singh has not been known to get nervous by big numbers, as he has been driving an investment program worth R336 billion at Transnet, together with Molefe.

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday 16 July Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles Meet Greg Davis, winner Moving into Africa Award 2015 “It isn't so frightening north of the Limpopo. There are huge opportunities and huge talent," said Greg Davis, CFO Africa for Standard Bank, when he received the Moving into Africa Award at the 2015 CFO Awards. He dedicated the award to his Finance team across the continent and said he hopes that "other companies will join us in venturing into Africa”. Notorious disruptor Martijn Aslander lined up for FinTech Africa event After he shook up a number of CFO events earlier this year, the Dutchman Martijn Aslander was swiftly invited to several South African boardrooms to help the executives brainstorm about doing business in an age of disruption. This month the self-proclaimed 'lifehacker' will be descending on South African shores again as one of the most exciting tickets at the FinTech Africa event, which will be hosted at GIBS Business School on 28 July. Nkosi Kumalo, Vodacom: partnerships crucial in the cloud Our managing director Graham Fehrsen recently met up with Luvuyo Masinda, deputy CFO Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) at Standard Bank. A meaningful conversation ensued about the power of first impressions and the tremendous value CFO South Africa's events have to offer thanks to its "diversity and calibre of CFOs". Two minutes - that’s all it takes to form an impression. In an age of instant gratification, Google search and LinkedIn you’re likely to have offered someone a first impression without knowing it, whether you’re a professional or an organisation. Read more exclusive articles on CFO.co.za - Safari Distributors chooses SAP business from 4most for greater con... Register for the CFO Event "Executing an effective growth strategy for 2016 and beyond” Part 2: Executing an effective growth strategy for 2016 and beyond Thursday 30 July at the Nedbank Head Office, Johannesburg 16.00 - 20.00 Numerous business leaders and finance executives have long recognized the need for CFOs to step out of a numbers-focused role and into a true partnership with the business - by participating in strategic planning, providing essential input on funding, managing growth plans and helping to maximize shareholder returns. But now, a growing chorus is calling for a significant new shift in the finance function toward truly business partnership activity and engagement. In this two part series we bring CFOs insights that will help drive their own perspectives and strategies and share best practice for becoming a genuine business partner. Join the CFO South Africa Event today. Program: 16.00 Opening & Reception By investment mogul and motivational speaker Vusi Thembekwayo. 17.00 Master Class - Executing an effective growth strategy We ask Deon Viljoen, CFO of the Year 2015 and CFO of Alexander Forbes, Anthonie de Beer, Partner of Ethos Private Equity and Natalie Kolbe, Partner South African and West Africa at Actis who have been there and done that, what some of the key challenges are and how they see CFOs delivering effectively. 18.30 CFO Café Interact, learn, connect and discuss the challenges that you are facing with, with your peers over a drink at the CFO Café. Build your network and meet other top CFOs and financials. Register here now. Sponsors CFO South Africa Event: Continuous Professional Development Points Did you know all events of CFO South Africa are eligible for SAICA CPD points? By attending CFO South Africa's events and training courses you will stay compliant. Sign up for the next mind-blowing Fintech Event at GIBS Join the FinTech Africa Event 28 July at the Gordon Institute of Business Science in Illovo, Johannesburg. At this meeting 100 insiders, experts, startups and investors discuss the developments and challenges for FinTech in Africa. Program: 16.00 Welcome and introduction to the African FinTech initiative By Graham Fehrsen, Country Manager CFO South Africa and FinTech Africa 16.05 Big organisations are doomed by Martijn Aslander, international speaker Why small companies are better, smarter and faster and more fun. Why big corporates fear for their future. Why the age of abundance will change everything. 17.00 FinTech Pitches/Insider's view - FinTech Circle Innovate We hear from CEO and co-founder Nicole Anderson on the accelerating global FinTech community, funding trends and some of the most interesting FinTech trends and why the African landscape offers such potential. - Wizzit - bringing banking to the unbanked through cell phone technology We hear from MD Brian Richardson on the challenges and successes of this business. 17.20 Panel discussion "The future of FinTech in Africa" Startup, bankers, investors and industry insiders discuss the challenges & opportunities for FinTech in Africa Panel members include Charles Savage (CEO, Purple Capital Limited), Paul Steenkamp (Head of Innovation Capability, Standard Bank), Colin Vallis (Private equity and investment professional), Dominique Collett-Antolik (Senior Investment Executive, RMI Holdings) and Matthew Birtch (Faculty GIBS - Strategy and finance) This event is organised by FinTech Africa. The ecosystem that connects FinTech startups, investors, corporates and advisors. Join the next Fintech event in Johannesburg and register here now for Tuesday 28 July from 16.00 - 19.00 at the Gordon Institute of Business Science in Sandton. Visit Finance Indaba Africa 2016 Finance Indaba Africa is the biggest annual exhibition and conference for financial managers and specialists in Africa. Over 1000 visitors are coming to Finance Indaba Africa to improve financial performance. Visitors are looking for growth, better and faster insights, more control and higher efficiency. Visitors are looking for ideas, inspiration, vendors and advisers and are planning to invest. Visitors are eager to boost their companies, networks and careers. Where & when? Sandton Convention Centre 13 & 14 October 2016. For more information please visit Finance-Indaba.co.za. Would you like to become an exhibitor or you want to visit the indaba? Please contact Graham Fehrsen at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. Read the first CFO Magazine South Africa Who are South Africa's leading CFOs? How do successful CFOs move into Africa? Why should you transform your finance function and how can you do it? How do you attract and retain talent? Who are the preferred advisors to South African CFOs? Read the latest insights from the CFO Award winning CFOs: Simon Ridley, Standard Bank, Anoj Singh, Transnet, Colin Brown, Super Group and Aarti Takoordeen, JSE and also featured interviews with Sizwe Nxasana, CEO Firstrand, Mike Brown, CEO Nedbank, Brett Goschen, CFO MTN, Brooks Mparutsa, CFO Hollard and Irene Singo, CFO Dep. Mineral Resources. As our online member we would like to give you the opportunity to read the first ever CFO Magazine South Africa online and free of charge HERE. Would you like to advertise in the next issue? Please contact Jurrien Morsch at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. Upcoming CFO South Africa Events Join the CFO Events with inspiring hosts and experts who will share their insights and experiences with you. Register now for these events and boost your company, network, career and knowledge. CFO South Africa Events in 2015 July 28 GIBS Johannesburg | Fintech Africa: Challenges & developments July 30 Nedbank Johannesburg | Executing a growth strategy for 2016 Sept 17 Johannesburg | Digital Transformation Oct 15 Johannesburg | Finance Transformation Nov 19 Johannesburg | Risk, Compliance & Control Register now for one of the upcoming CFO South Africa Events. Please note that all our CFO South Africa events are for senior financial executives. CFO South Africa offers Platinum memberships to CFOs and finance directors. For more information please have a look here and contact Jurrien Morsch at [email protected]. Stay connected with CFO South Africa Follow CFO South Africa on Twitter and LinkedIn Stay up to date on what is happening in the world of finance by following us on Twitter @CFOSouthAfrica and LinkedIn. Next to that you can keep track of newly published interviews with CFOs and CEOs. Feel free to contact us Any suggestions or comments are welcome. Kind Regards, Melle Eijckelhoff Director CFO South Africa | [email protected] To control which emails you receive from CFO South Africa, please change your email preferences at cfo.co.za by selecting under settings "I do not want to receive emails from CFO South Africa | Finance Professionals South Africa"

After he shook up a number of CFO events earlier this year, the Dutchman Martijn Aslander was swiftly invited to several South African boardrooms to help the executives brainstorm about doing business in an age of disruption. This month the self-proclaimed 'lifehacker' will be descending on South African shores again as one of the most exciting tickets at the FinTech Africa event, which will be hosted at GIBS Business School on 28 July.

“It isn't so frightening north of the Limpopo. There are huge opportunities and huge talent," said Greg Davis, CFO Africa for Standard Bank, when he received the Moving into Africa Award at the 2015 CFO Awards. He dedicated the award to his Finance team across the continent and said he hopes that "other companies will join us in venturing into Africa”.

Partnerships are the key to harnessing the power of cloud computing, says Nkosi Kumalo, Executive Head of Vodacom’s Cloud Computing division.

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CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday 9 July Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles Meet Cobus Grove (Digicore), winner Governance & Compliance Awa... When Cobus Grove joined Digicore two years ago the company’s share price was a measly 125. After an impressive reorganisation that share price was 325 last December. The success of Grove and temporarily returned founder and CEO Nick Vlok didn’t go unnoticed. Last month, just after Grove was presented the Compliance and Governance Award at this year’s CFO Awards, Nasdaq-listed Novatel Wireless made an offer over R1 billlon on the company – and the share price shot up to 410. Fintech - Wizzit CEO Brian Richardson aims at the 'unbanked' Banking both the world’s unbanked and underbanked population through the use of mobile technology is what Wizzit International hopes to achieve. "Our primary focus is on financial inclusion and empowerment. In the world there are 3 billion people without access to financial services. In Africa there are 700 million people who do not even have a basic bank account,” says Brian Richardson, Wizzit International’s Chief Executive Officer. Meeting Luvuyo Masinda, Standard Bank - powerful 1st impressions Our managing director Graham Fehrsen recently met up with Luvuyo Masinda, deputy CFO Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) at Standard Bank. A meaningful conversation ensued about the power of first impressions and the tremendous value CFO South Africa's events have to offer thanks to its "diversity and calibre of CFOs". Two minutes - that’s all it takes to form an impression. In an age of instant gratification, Google search and LinkedIn you’re likely to have offered someone a first impression without knowing it, whether you’re a professional or an organisation. Read more exclusive articles on CFO.co.za - Chris Yelland: Shedding light on the power crisis Register for the CFO Event "Executing an effective growth strategy for 2016 and beyond” Part 2: Executing an effective growth strategy for 2016 and beyond Thursday 30 July at the Nedbank Head Office, Johannesburg 16.00 - 20.00 Numerous business leaders and finance executives have long recognized the need for CFOs to step out of a numbers-focused role and into a true partnership with the business - by participating in strategic planning, providing essential input on funding, managing growth plans and helping to maximize shareholder returns. But now, a growing chorus is calling for a significant new shift in the finance function toward truly business partnership activity and engagement. In this two part series we bring CFOs insights that will help drive their own perspectives and strategies and share best practice for becoming a genuine business partner. Join the CFO South Africa Event today. Program: 16.00 Opening & Reception By investment mogul and motivational speaker Vusi Thembekwayo. 17.00 Master Class - Executing an effective growth strategy We ask Deon Viljoen, CFO of the Year 2015 and CFO of Alexander Forbes, Anthonie de Beer, Partner of Ethos Private Equity and industry experts across deal advisory, banking, private equity and law who have been there and done that, what some of the key challenges are and how they see CFOs delivering effectively. 18.30 CFO Café Interact, learn, connect and discuss the challenges that you are facing with, with your peers over a drink at the CFO Café. Build your network and meet other top CFOs and financials. Register here now. Sponsors CFO South Africa Event: Continuous Professional Development Points Did you know all events of CFO South Africa are eligible for SAICA CPD points? By attending CFO South Africa's events and training courses you will stay compliant. Sign up for the next mind-blowing Fintech Event at GIBS Renowned international speaker Martijn Aslander and one of the best motivational speakers alive today, Vusi Thembekwayo, Co-Founder Talent10 Holdings Colin Vallis and CEO GT247.com, Charles Savage will inspire 100 insiders, experts, startups and investors and will discuss the developments and challenges for FinTech in Africa. Why small companies are better, smarter and faster and more fun. Why big corporates fear for their future. Why the age of abundance will change everything. Several FinTech companies present themselves. This event is organised by FinTech Africa. The ecosystem that connects FinTech startups, investors, corporates and advisors. Join the next Fintech event in Johannesburg and register here now for Tuesday 28 July from 16.00 - 19.00 at the Gordon Institute of Business Science in Sandton. Visit Finance Indaba Africa 2016 Finance Indaba Africa is the biggest annual exhibition and conference for financial managers and specialists in Africa. Over 1000 visitors are coming to Finance Indaba Africa to improve financial performance. Visitors are looking for growth, better and faster insights, more control and higher efficiency. Visitors are looking for ideas, inspiration, vendors and advisers and are planning to invest. Visitors are eager to boost their companies, networks and careers. Where & when? Sandton Convention Centre 13 & 14 October 2016. For more information please visit Finance-Indaba.co.za. Would you like to become an exhibitor or you want to visit the indaba? Please contact Graham Fehrsen at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. Read the first CFO Magazine South Africa Who are South Africa's leading CFOs? How do successful CFOs move into Africa? Why should you transform your finance function and how can you do it? How do you attract and retain talent? Who are the preferred advisors to South African CFOs? Read the latest insights from the CFO Award winning CFOs: Simon Ridley, Standard Bank, Anoj Singh, Transnet, Colin Brown, Super Group and Aarti Takoordeen, JSE and also featured interviews with Sizwe Nxasana, CEO Firstrand, Mike Brown, CEO Nedbank, Brett Goschen, CFO MTN, Brooks Mparutsa, CFO Hollard and Irene Singo, CFO Dep. Mineral Resources. As our online member we would like to give you the opportunity to read the first ever CFO Magazine South Africa online and free of charge HERE. Would you like to advertise in the next issue? Please contact Jurrien Morsch at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. Upcoming CFO South Africa Events Join the CFO Events with inspiring hosts and experts who will share their insights and experiences with you. Register now for these events and boost your company, network, career and knowledge. CFO South Africa Events in 2015 July 28 GIBS Johannesburg | Fintech Africa: Challenges & developments July 30 Nedbank Johannesburg | Executing a growth strategy for 2016 Sept 17 Johannesburg | Digital Transformation Oct 15 Johannesburg | Finance Transformation Nov 19 Johannesburg | Risk, Compliance & Control Register now for one of the upcoming CFO South Africa Events. Please note that all our CFO South Africa events are for senior financial executives. CFO South Africa offers Platinum memberships to CFOs and finance directors. For more information please have a look here and contact Jurrien Morsch at [email protected]. Stay connected with CFO South Africa Follow CFO South Africa on Twitter and LinkedIn Stay up to date on what is happening in the world of finance by following us on Twitter @CFOSouthAfrica and LinkedIn. Next to that you can keep track of newly published interviews with CFOs and CEOs. Feel free to contact us Any suggestions or comments are welcome. Kind Regards, Melle Eijckelhoff Director CFO South Africa | [email protected] To control which emails you receive from CFO South Africa, please change your email preferences at cfo.co.za by selecting under settings "I do not want to receive emails from CFO South Africa | Finance Professionals South Africa"

When Cobus Grove joined Digicore two years ago the company’s share price was a measly 125. After an impressive reorganisation that share price was 325 last December. The success of Grove and temporarily returned founder and CEO Nick Vlok didn’t go unnoticed. Last month, just after Grove was presented the Compliance and Governance Award at this year’s CFO Awards, Nasdaq-listed Novatel Wireless made an offer over R1 billlon on the company – and the share price shot up to 410.

Banking both the world’s unbanked and underbanked population through the use of mobile technology is what Wizzit International hopes to achieve. "Our primary focus is on financial inclusion and empowerment. In the world there are 3 billion people without access to financial services. In Africa there are 700 million people who do not even have a basic bank account,” says Brian Richardson, Wizzit International’s Chief Executive Officer.

South African energy expert Chris Yelland warned corporates and consumers alike to expect load-shedding and power issues to continue over the medium term and insisted that generation capacity alone was not to blame in a though-provoking keynote address at the inaugural MyBroadband Cloud and Hosting Conference at Gallagher Estate, Midrand, on 9 June.

Our managing director Graham Fehrsen recently met up with Luvuyo Masinda, deputy CFO Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) at Standard Bank. A meaningful conversation ensued about the power of first impressions and the tremendous value CFO South Africa's events have to offer thanks to its "diversity and calibre of CFOs".

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday 2 July Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles Standard Bank CFO Simon Ridley "blown away" by CFO Awards During his short keynote speech at the CFO Awards 2015, last year's CFO of the Year Simon Ridley (Standard Bank) didn't only give a glowing endorsement to CFO South Africa, but also listed the key aspects of a good CFO. Due to popular demand, we'll be introducing video clips of Simon's speech today - and other highlights of the awards ceremony at the magnificent Summer Place will follow. Kevin Attard, Oracle: talk about digital transformation, not about ... “CFOs are expanding across the whole business,” according to Kevin Attard, Country Leader South Africa for multinational computer technology corporation Oracle. After an impressive career in his home country Malta, Austria and the United Kingdom, Attard has recently arrived in South Africa and the energy he has brought to the Oracle office in Woodmead is palpable. Our CEO Melle Eijckelhoff and I spoke to Attard last week. CFO event: the pillars of the CFO as Business Partner CFO Deon Viljoen of Alexander Forbes summarised Thursday’s CFO event at KPMG’s Wanooka Place as “really stimulating and brilliant discussion”, a telling qualification by the man who was elected CFO of the Year just last month. Participants eventually went home with many insights to mull over after an afternoon that didn’t only see a star-studded line up, but also provided a platform for deep meaningful conversations about the way CFOs can influence and drive growth as business partners. Read more exclusive articles on CFO.co.za - 2 questions for FinTech companies, a chat to RMI's Dominique Collett Register for the CFO Event "Executing an effective growth strategy for 2016 and beyond” Part 2: Executing an effective growth strategy for 2016 and beyond Thursday 30 July at the Nedbank Head Office, Johannesburg 16.00 - 20.00 Numerous business leaders and finance executives have long recognized the need for CFOs to step out of a numbers-focused role and into a true partnership with the business - by participating in strategic planning, providing essential input on funding, managing growth plans and helping to maximize shareholder returns. But now, a growing chorus is calling for a significant new shift in the finance function toward truly business partnership activity and engagement. In this two part series we bring CFOs insights that will help drive their own perspectives and strategies and share best practice for becoming a genuine business partner. Join the CFO South Africa Event today. Program: 16.00 Opening & Reception By investment mogul and motivational speaker Vusi Thembekwayo. 17.00 Master Class - Executing an effective growth strategy We ask Deon Viljoen, CFO of the Year 2015 and CFO of Alexander Forbes and industry experts across deal advisory, banking, private equity and law who have been there and done that, what some of the key challenges are and how they see CFOs delivering effectively. 18.30 CFO Café Build a network of peers facing your challenges at discussion sessions, over meals or a drink. Take your new contacts back to the office and network. They need you too! Interact, learn and connect with your peers during the CFO Café and discuss the latest insights on current issues and topics. During the CFO Café you can meet top CFOs and financials while enjoying free snacks and drinks. Don’t miss this opportunity to join us. Register here now. Sponsors CFO South Africa Event: Continuous Professional Development Points Did you know all events of CFO South Africa are eligible for SAICA CPD points? By attending CFO South Africa's events and training courses you will stay compliant. Sign up for the next mind-blowing Fintech Event at GIBS Renowned international speaker Martijn Aslander and one of the best motivational speakers alive today, Vusi Thembekwayo, Co-Founder Talent10 Holdings Colin Vallis and CEO GT247.com, Charles Savage will inspire 100 insiders, experts, startups and investors and will discuss the developments and challenges for FinTech in Africa. Why small companies are better, smarter and faster and more fun. Why big corporates fear for their future. Why the age of abundance will change everything. Several FinTech companies present themselves. This event is organised by FinTech Africa. The ecosystem that connects FinTech startups, investors, corporates and advisors. Join the next Fintech event in Johannesburg and register here now for Tuesday 28 July from 16.00 - 19.00 at the Gordon Institute of Business Science in Sandton. Read the first CFO Magazine South Africa Who are South Africa's leading CFOs? How do successful CFOs move into Africa? Why should you transform your finance function and how can you do it? How do you attract and retain talent? Who are the preferred advisors to South African CFOs? Read the latest insights from the CFO Award winning CFOs: Simon Ridley, Standard Bank, Anoj Singh, Transnet, Colin Brown, Super Group and Aarti Takoordeen, JSE and also featured interviews with Sizwe Nxasana, CEO Firstrand, Mike Brown, CEO Nedbank, Brett Goschen, CFO MTN, Brooks Mparutsa, CFO Hollard and Irene Singo, CFO Dep. Mineral Resources. As our online member we would like to give you the opportunity to read the first ever CFO Magazine South Africa online and free of charge HERE. Would you like to advertise in the next issue? Please contact Jurrien Morsch at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. Upcoming CFO South Africa Events Join the CFO Events with inspiring hosts and experts who will share their insights and experiences with you. Register now for these events and boost your company, network, career and knowledge. CFO South Africa Events in 2015 July 28 GIBS Johannesburg | Fintech Africa: Challenges and developments July 30 Nedbank Johannesburg | Executing a growth strategy for 2016 Sept 17 Johannesburg | Digital Transformation Oct 15 Johannesburg | Finance Transformation Nov 19 Johannesburg | Risk, Compliance & Control Register now for one of the upcoming CFO South Africa Events. Please note that all our CFO South Africa events are for senior financial executives. CFO South Africa offers Platinum memberships to CFOs and finance directors. For more information please have a look here and contact Jurrien Morsch at [email protected]. Stay connected with CFO South Africa Follow CFO South Africa on Twitter and LinkedIn Stay up to date on what is happening in the world of finance by following us on Twitter @CFOSouthAfrica and LinkedIn. Next to that you can keep track of newly published interviews with CFOs and CEOs. Feel free to contact us Any suggestions or comments are welcome. Kind Regards, Melle Eijckelhoff Director CFO South Africa | [email protected] To control which emails you receive from CFO South Africa, please change your email preferences at cfo.co.za by selecting under settings "I do not want to receive emails from CFO South Africa | Finance Professionals South Africa"

During his short keynote speech at the CFO Awards 2015, last year's CFO of the Year Simon Ridley (Standard Bank) didn't only give a glowing endorsement to CFO South Africa, but also listed the key aspects of a good CFO. Due to popular demand, we'll be introducing video clips of Simon's speech today - and other highlights of the awards ceremony at the magnificent Summer Place will follow.

"When FinTech companies come in to see us, we typically ask two basic questions. Firstly do they have a unique product offering, secondly do they have the ability to execute on the strategy.” That’s how Dominique Collett, Rand Merchant Insurance’s senior executive decides on whether or not there’s a possibility to fund a company.

“CFOs are expanding across the whole business,” according to Kevin Attard, Country Leader South Africa for multinational computer technology corporation Oracle. After an impressive career in his home country Malta, Austria and the United Kingdom, Attard has recently arrived in South Africa and the energy he has brought to the Oracle office in Woodmead is palpable. Our CEO Melle Eijckelhoff and I spoke to Attard last week.

CFO Deon Viljoen of Alexander Forbes summarised Thursday’s CFO event at KPMG’s Wanooka Place as “really stimulating and brilliant discussion”, a telling qualification by the man who was elected CFO of the Year just last month. Participants eventually went home with many insights to mull over after an afternoon that didn’t only see a star-studded line up, but also provided a platform for deep meaningful conversations about the way CFOs can influence and drive growth as business partners.

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday 25 June Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles Aarti Takoordeen, CFO JSE: Role of the CFO in Africa The role of Chief Financial Officer has never been more complex than it is today. This is due to the fact that the CFO’s operating environment is typified by managing stringent regulation, and managing increasing shareholder scrutiny and economic uncertainty. By Aarti Takoordeen, CFO at the JSE Limited Vusi Thembekwayo hosting today's CFO event Investment mogul and motivational speaker Vusi Thembekwayo will be hosting our CFO as Business Partner event tomorrow at KPMG Wanooka Place in Johannesburg. As MC Vusi made an enormous success of last month's CFO Awards. “Top class!” “Very engaging, knowledgeable and entertaining.” “Very innovative.” Those were just some of the compliments he received from the CFOs that attended that event. GIBS Business School to host FinTech event 28 July The second FinTech Africa event will be hosted by the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) in Illovo on 28 July 2015. During the event 100 insiders, experts, startups and investors will discuss the developments and challenges for FinTech in Africa, with a particular focus on South Africa. The Dutch life hacker Martijn Aslander will be one of the exciting speakers, GIBS experts will give insight into recent trends and hot and happening companies will present themselves. Read more exclusive articles on the CFO Awards 2015 - FinTech - Nomanini CEO Vahid Monadjem chats about its prepaid vendi... Last chance to join the CFO Event "The CFO as business partner” Part 1: Influencing and driving a growth strategy - the CFO as a genuine business partner Thursday 25 June at KPMG Wanooka, Johannesburg 16.00 - 20.00 Numerous business leaders and finance executives have long recognized the need for CFOs to step out of a numbers-focused role and into a true partnership with the business - by participating in strategic planning, providing essential input on funding, managing growth plans and helping to maximize shareholder returns. But now, a growing chorus is calling for a significant new shift in the finance function toward truly business partnership activity and engagement. In this two part series we bring CFOs insights that will help drive their own perspectives and strategies and share best practice for becoming a genuine business partner. Join the CFO South Africa Event today. Program: 16.00 Opening & Reception By Vusi Thembekwayo. 17.00 Master Class Corporate Finance Hear leading CEOs discuss their perspective on strategy formulation and the undeniably important role of a CFO. During this masterclass we will also ask CEOs to talk about the future of the CFO role and how they believe it will evolve. Panel discussion and presentations from: - Bongani Nqwababa, CFO at Sasol - Mark Wainer, Executive Chairman at Redefine Properties - Nicky Newton-King, CEO at JSE 18.30 CFO Café This unique reception offers you the chance to meet your peers and discuss the latest insights on current issues and topics. During the CFO Café you can meet top CFOs and financials while enjoying free snacks and drinks. Don’t miss this opportunity to join us. Also join Part 2: Executing an effective growth strategy for 2016 Thursday 30 July at Nedbank Johannesburg, 16.00 - 20.00 We ask industry experts across deal advisory, banking, private equity, law and, of course, CFOs who have been there and done that, what some of the key challenges are and how they see CFOs delivering effectively. Register here now. Principal Sponsor CFO South Africa: Continuous Professional Development Points Did you know all events of CFO South Africa are eligible for SAICA CPD points? By attending CFO South Africa's events and training courses you will stay compliant. Sign up for the next mind-blowing Fintech Event at GIBS Renowned international speaker Martijn Aslander and one of the best motivational speakers alive today, Vusi Thembekwayo will inspire 100 insiders, experts, startups and investors and will discuss the developments and challenges for FinTech in Africa. Several FinTech companies present themselves. This event is organised by FinTech Africa. The ecosystem that connects FinTech startups, investors, corporates and advisors. Join the next Fintech event in Johannesburg and register here now for Tuesday 28 July from 16.00 - 19.00 in Sandton. Read the first CFO Magazine South Africa Who are South Africa's leading CFOs? How do successful CFOs move into Africa? Why should you transform your finance function and how can you do it? How do you attract and retain talent? Who are the preferred advisors to South African CFOs? Read the latest insights from the CFO Award winning CFOs: Simon Ridley, Standard Bank, Anoj Singh, Transnet, Colin Brown, Super Group and Aarti Takoordeen, JSE and also featured interviews with Sizwe Nxasana, CEO Firstrand, Mike Brown, CEO Nedbank, Brett Goschen, CFO MTN, Brooks Mparutsa, CFO Hollard and Irene Singo, CFO Dep. Mineral Resources. As our online member we would like to give you the opportunity to read the first ever CFO Magazine South Africa online and free of charge HERE. Would you like to advertise in the next issue? Please contact Jurrien Morsch at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. Upcoming CFO South Africa Events Join the CFO Events with inspiring hosts and experts who will share their insights and experiences with you. Register now for these events and boost your company, network, career and knowledge. CFO South Africa Events in 2015 July 28 GIBS Johannesburg | Fintech Africa: Challenges and developments July 30 Nedbank Johannesburg | Executing a growth strategy for 2016 Sept 17 Johannesburg | Digital Transformation Oct 15 Johannesburg | Finance Transformation Nov 19 Johannesburg | Risk, Compliance & Control Register now for one of the upcoming CFO South Africa Events. Please note that all our CFO South Africa events are for senior financial executives. CFO South Africa offers Platinum memberships to CFOs and finance directors. For more information please have a look here and contact Jurrien Morsch at [email protected]. Stay connected with CFO South Africa Follow CFO South Africa on Twitter and LinkedIn Stay up to date on what is happening in the world of finance by following us on Twitter @CFOSouthAfrica and LinkedIn. Next to that you can keep track of newly published interviews with CFOs and CEOs. Feel free to contact us Any suggestions or comments are welcome. Kind Regards, Melle Eijckelhoff Director CFO South Africa | [email protected] To control which emails you receive from CFO South Africa, please change your email preferences at cfo.co.za by selecting under settings "I do not want to receive emails from CFO South Africa | Finance Professionals South Africa"

22seven is one of SA’s most innovative FinTech companies, which through its web-based app promises to help customers automatically create a budget. When you link all your store, cheque and credit cards to the platform it will enable you to see all your financial transactions in one place. “22seven automatically gathers all your transactions, then sorts them into categories for you so you can see how much you spend on what,” says 22seven Chief Financial Officer Ari Fonarov.

Investment mogul and motivational speaker Vusi Thembekwayo will be hosting our CFO as Business Partner event tomorrow at KPMG Wanooka Place in Johannesburg. As MC Vusi made an enormous success of last month's CFO Awards. “Top class!” “Very engaging, knowledgeable and entertaining.” “Very innovative.” Those were just some of the compliments he received from the CFOs that attended that event.

The second FinTech Africa event will be hosted by the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) in Illovo on 28 July 2015. During the event 100 insiders, experts, startups and investors will discuss the developments and challenges for FinTech in Africa, with a particular focus on South Africa. The Dutch life hacker Martijn Aslander will be one of the exciting speakers, GIBS experts will give insight into recent trends and hot and happening companies will present themselves.

Financial technology companies are all about disruption, but it’s very rare to find a company that can make a payment solution specifically targeted for the informal market. Nomanini is a small FinTech company whose product is specifically designed for “the rigours of the informal market, where electricity is not always available” says Chief Executive Officer Vahid Monadjem.

The role of Chief Financial Officer has never been more complex than it is today. This is due to the fact that the CFO’s operating environment is typified by managing stringent regulation, and managing increasing shareholder scrutiny and economic uncertainty.

Sasol's new CFO Bongani Nqwababa and CEO Nicky Newton-King of the JSE Limited are the biggest draw cards at CFO South Africa's event on Thursday 25 June 2015. Together with Mark Wainer, Executive Chairman at Redefine Properties, they will be sharing their thoughts on 'The CFO as Business Partner' at KPMG Wanooka Place in Johannesburg.

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday 18 June Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles Allianz (AGCS) and CFO South Africa discover mutual passion Last week CFO South Africa manager Graham Fehrsen met with Delphine Maïdou, CEO Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty Africa. Delphine is a great supporter of CFO South Africa and we ran two great interviews with her in the past about South Africa as springboard for Allianz (2013) and the need for CFOs to think about succession planning (2014). Graham and Delphine spoke mostly about knowledge sharing - here is his report. Free trade revolution, an Expert Insight by Venter Labuschagne The establishment of a free trade area in 26 African countries is going to be a revolutionary development for the continent. In this article Venter Labuschagne, Head: Trade & Customs at KPMG, outlines the opportunities and challenges the creation of the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) provide. By Venter Labuschagne, Head: Trade & Customs at KPMG Africa Editorial: celebrating Youth Day the CFO way Youth Day was a massive moment to reflect, not only for the country, but also for CFOs. First of all, the day remains a reminder where we come from - and how far South Africa still has to go. The Soweto Uprising against Afrikaans as school language - and by extension against the apartheid regime - started on 16 June 1976 and its violent repression took the life of about 176 South Africans. Not something we should forget. Read more exclusive articles on the CFO Awards 2015 - Accenture CFO Dinner: CFOs test their thinking and share insights Join the CFO Event "The CFO as business partner” Part 1: Influencing and driving a growth strategy - the CFO as a genuine business partner Thursday 25 June at KPMG Wanooka, Johannesburg 16.00 - 20.00 Numerous business leaders and finance executives have long recognized the need for CFOs to step out of a numbers-focused role and into a true partnership with the business - by participating in strategic planning, providing essential input on funding, managing growth plans and helping to maximize shareholder returns. But now, a growing chorus is calling for a significant new shift in the finance function toward truly business partnership activity and engagement. In this two part series we bring CFOs insights that will help drive their own perspectives and strategies and share best practice for becoming a genuine business partner. Join the CFO South Africa Event today. Program: 16.00 Opening & Reception 17.00 Master Class Corporate Finance Hear leading CEOs discuss their perspective on strategy formulation and the undeniably important role of a CFO. During this masterclass we will also ask CEOs to talk about the future of the CFO role and how they believe it will evolve. Panel discussion and presentations from: - Bongani Nqwababa, CFO at Sasol - Mark Wainer, Executive Chairman at Redefine Properties - Nicky Newton-King, CEO at JSE 18.30 CFO Café This unique reception offers you the chance to meet your peers and discuss the latest insights on current issues and topics. During the CFO Café you can meet top CFOs and financials while enjoying free snacks and drinks. Don’t miss this opportunity to join us. Also join Part 2: Executing an effective growth strategy for 2016 Thursday 30 July at Nedbank Johannesburg, 16.00 - 20.00 We ask industry experts across deal advisory, banking, private equity, law and, of course, CFOs who have been there and done that, what some of the key challenges are and how they see CFOs delivering effectively. Register here now. Principal Sponsor CFO South Africa: Continuous Professional Development Points Did you know all events of CFO South Africa are eligible for SAICA CPD points? By attending CFO South Africa's events and training courses you will stay compliant. Sign up for the next mind-blowing Fintech Event at GIBS 100 insiders, experts, startups and investors will discuss the developments and challenges for FinTech in Africa. Several FinTech companies present themselves. This event is organised by FinTech Africa. The ecosystem that connects FinTech startups, investors, corporates and advisors. Join the next Fintech event in Johannesburg and register here now for Tuesday 28 July from 16.00 - 19.00 in Sandton. Read the first CFO Magazine South Africa Who are South Africa's leading CFOs? How do successful CFOs move into Africa? Why should you transform your finance function and how can you do it? How do you attract and retain talent? Who are the preferred advisors to South African CFOs? Read the latest insights from the CFO Award winning CFOs: Simon Ridley, Standard Bank, Anoj Singh, Transnet, Colin Brown, Super Group and Aarti Takoordeen, JSE and also featured interviews with Sizwe Nxasana, CEO Firstrand, Mike Brown, CEO Nedbank, Brett Goschen, CFO MTN, Brooks Mparutsa, CFO Hollard and Irene Singo, CFO Dep. Mineral Resources. As our online member we would like to give you the opportunity to read the first ever CFO Magazine South Africa online and free of charge HERE. Would you like to advertise in the next issue? Please contact Jurrien Morsch at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. Upcoming CFO South Africa Events Join the CFO Events with inspiring hosts and experts who will share their insights and experiences with you. Register now for these events and boost your company, network, career and knowledge. CFO South Africa Events in 2015 June 25 KPMG Johannesburg | Influencing and driving a growth strategy July 28 GIBS Johannesburg | Fintech Africa: Challenges and developments July 30 Nedbank Johannesburg | Executing a growth strategy for 2016 Sept 17 Johannesburg | Digital Transformation Oct 15 Johannesburg | Finance Transformation Nov 19 Johannesburg | Risk, Compliance & Control Register now for one of the upcoming CFO South Africa Events. Please note that all our CFO South Africa events are for senior financial executives. CFO South Africa offers Platinum memberships to CFOs and finance directors. For more information please have a look here and contact Jurrien Morsch at [email protected]. Stay connected with CFO South Africa Follow CFO South Africa on Twitter and LinkedIn Stay up to date on what is happening in the world of finance by following us on Twitter @CFOSouthAfrica and LinkedIn. Next to that you can keep track of newly published interviews with CFOs and CEOs. Feel free to contact us Any suggestions or comments are welcome. Kind Regards, Melle Eijckelhoff Director CFO South Africa | [email protected] To control which emails you receive from CFO South Africa, please change your email preferences at cfo.co.za by selecting under settings "I do not want to receive emails from CFO South Africa | Finance Professionals South Africa"

Yesterday's Youth Day was a massive moment to reflect, not only for the country, but also for CFOs. First of all, the day remains a reminder where we come from - and how far South Africa still has to go. The Soweto Uprising against Afrikaans as school language - and by extension against the apartheid regime - started on 16 June 1976 and its violent repression took the life of about 176 South Africans. Not something we should forget.

Last Thursday a selected group of South African CFOs had the privilege of having dinner with David Axson, Accenture's global top expert for everything CFO. CFO South Africa's manager Graham Fehrsen moderated the exclusive evening discussion at the beautiful Saxon Boutique Hotel in Johannesburg. Earlier we published an 'official article' on the event. Here is Graham's impression of the evening.

The establishment of a free trade area in 26 African countries is going to be a revolutionary development for the continent. In this article Venter Labuschagne, Head: Trade & Customs at KPMG, outlines the opportunities and challenges the creation of the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) provide. By Venter Labuschagne, Head: Trade & Customs at KPMG Africa

An impressive selection of South African CFOs came together in the evening of Thursday 11 June 2015 to discuss volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA) with David Axson, the global CFO Strategies expert of management consulting firm Accenture. During a copious dinner at the Saxon Boutique Hotel in Johannesburg, Axson shared his vision, insight and inspiration with finance leaders of companies like Allianz, Standard Bank, Business Connexion, Neotel, Primedia, Barclays Africa and Nedbank.

Last week CFO South Africa manager Graham Fehrsen met with Delphine Maïdou, CEO Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty Africa. Delphine is a great supporter of CFO South Africa and we ran two great interviews with her in the past about South Africa as springboard for Allianz (2013) and the need for CFOs to think about succession planning (2014). Graham and Delphine spoke mostly about knowledge sharing - here is his report.

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday 11 June Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles Meet Bongani Nqwababa (Sasol), winner Finance Transformation Award ... After Sasol CFO Bongani Nqwababa had given an impressive and well-received talk about his tenure at Anglo American Platinum during the Stategy Execution round table discussion at the 2015 CFO Awards, he told me he doesn't like to speak off-the-cuff. "As an accountant I am rather big on structure and order," he had already explained during the interview with the panel of awards judges. "When you talk, you can’t do that in free-flow without using key messages and without knowing what you want from a meeting. Jan Hnizdo, CFO Teraco: Outsource your data centre Why trust service providers with your sensitive data? During the kick off of the MyBroadband Cloud & Hosting Conference at Gallagher Estate on 9 June 2015 this question was tackled head on by Jan Hnizdo, Chief Financial Officer of Teraco Data Environments, the first provider of resilient, vendor-neutral data environments in South Africa. Risk in Africa - an Expert Insight by Dianna Games African stalwart and Shoprite chief executive Whitey Basson is well known for looking on the bright side of risk in African markets. The tougher the country, the less competition there is likely to be, he maintains. He has benefited not just from early mover advantage in Africa, where the company is the market leader by far, but by leaving nothing to chance. Read more exclusive articles on the CFO Awards 2015 - Technology’s impact on South Africa’s supply services industry - FinTech - Mobile money transforms access to financial services Join the CFO Event "The CFO as a genuine business partner” Part 1: Influencing and driving a growth strategy - the CFO as a genuine business partner Thursday 25 June at KPMG Wanooka, Johannesburg 16.00 - 20.00 Numerous business leaders and finance executives have long recognized the need for CFOs to step out of a numbers-focused role and into a true partnership with the business - by participating in strategic planning, providing essential input on funding, managing growth plans and helping to maximize shareholder returns. But now, a growing chorus is calling for a significant new shift in the finance function toward truly business partnership activity and engagement. In this two part series we bring CFOs insights that will help drive their own perspectives and strategies and share best practice for becoming a genuine business partner. Join the CFO South Africa Event today. Program: 16.00 Opening & Reception 17.00 Master Class Corporate Finance Hear leading CEOs discuss their perspective on strategy formulation and the undeniably important role of a CFO. During this masterclass we will also ask CEOs to talk about the future of the CFO role and how they believe it will evolve. Panel discussion and presentations from: - Bongani Nqwababa, CFO at Sasol - Mark Wainer, Executive Chairman at Redefine Properties - Nicky Newton-King, CEO at JSE 18.30 CFO Café This unique reception offers you the chance to meet your peers and discuss the latest insights on current issues and topics. During the CFO Café you can meet top CFOs and financials while enjoying free snacks and drinks. Don’t miss this opportunity to join us. Also join Part 2: Executing an effective growth strategy for 2016 Thursday 30 July at Nedbank Johannesburg, 16.00 - 20.00 We ask industry experts across deal advisory, banking, private equity, law and, of course, CFOs who have been there and done that, what some of the key challenges are and how they see CFOs delivering effectively. Register here now. Principal Sponsor CFO South Africa: Continuous Professional Development Points Did you know all events of CFO South Africa are eligible for SAICA CPD points? By attending CFO South Africa's events and training courses you will stay compliant. Sign up for the next mind-blowing Fintech Event at GIBS 100 insiders, experts, startups and investors will discuss the developments and challenges for FinTech in Africa. Several FinTech companies present themselves. This event is organised by FinTech Africa. The ecosystem that connects FinTech startups, investors, corporates and advisors. Join the next Fintech event in Johannesburg and register here now for Tuesday 28 July from 16.00 - 19.00 in Sandton. Read the first CFO Magazine South Africa Who are South Africa's leading CFOs? How do successful CFOs move into Africa? Why should you transform your finance function and how can you do it? How do you attract and retain talent? Who are the preferred advisors to South African CFOs? Read the latest insights from the CFO Award winning CFOs: Simon Ridley, Standard Bank, Anoj Singh, Transnet, Colin Brown, Super Group and Aarti Takoordeen, JSE and also featured interviews with Sizwe Nxasana, CEO Firstrand, Mike Brown, CEO Nedbank, Brett Goschen, CFO MTN, Brooks Mparutsa, CFO Hollard and Irene Singo, CFO Dep. Mineral Resources. As our online member we would like to give you the opportunity to read the first ever CFO Magazine South Africa online and free of charge HERE. Would you like to advertise in the next issue? Please contact Jurrien Morsch at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. Visit Finance Indaba Africa 2016 Finance Indaba Africa is the biggest annual exhibition and conference for financial managers and specialists in Africa. Over 1000 visitors are coming to Finance Indaba Africa to improve financial performance. Visitors are looking for growth, better and faster insights, more control and higher efficiency. Visitors are looking for ideas, inspiration, vendors and advisers and are planning to invest. Visitors are eager to boost their companies, networks and careers. Where & when? Sandton Convention Centre 13 & 14 October 2016. For more information please visit Finance-Indaba.co.za. Would you like to become an exhibitor or you want to visit the indaba? Please contact Graham Fehrsen at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. Upcoming CFO South Africa Events Join the CFO Events with inspiring hosts and experts who will share their insights and experiences with you. Register now for these events and boost your company, network, career and knowledge. CFO South Africa Events in 2015 June 25 KPMG Johannesburg | Influencing and driving a growth strategy July 28 GIBS Johannesburg | Fintech Africa: Challenges and developments July 30 Nedbank Johannesburg | Executing a growth strategy for 2016 Sept 17 Johannesburg | Digital Transformation Nov 19 Johannesburg | Risk, Compliance & Control Register now for one of the upcoming CFO South Africa Events. Please note that all our CFO South Africa events are for senior financial executives. CFO South Africa offers Platinum memberships to CFOs and finance directors. For more information please have a look here and contact Jurrien Morsch at [email protected]. Stay connected with CFO South Africa Follow CFO South Africa on Twitter and LinkedIn Stay up to date on what is happening in the world of finance by following us on Twitter @CFOSouthAfrica and LinkedIn. Next to that you can keep track of newly published interviews with CFOs and CEOs. Feel free to contact us Any suggestions or comments are welcome. Kind Regards, Melle Eijckelhoff Director CFO South Africa | [email protected] To control which emails you receive from CFO South Africa, please change your email preferences at cfo.co.za by selecting under settings "I do not want to receive emails from CFO South Africa | Finance Professionals South Africa"

Why trust service providers with your sensitive data? During the kick off of the MyBroadband Cloud & Hosting Conference at Gallagher Estate on 9 June 2015 this question was tackled head on by Jan Hnizdo, Chief Financial Officer of Teraco Data Environments, the first provider of resilient, vendor-neutral data environments in South Africa. Among other advantages, Hnizdo argued, externally managed data centres offer:

A dominant theme in FinTech, particularly in Africa, is the convergence of financial services and telecommunications. In the last month, FNB became the first South African bank to launch its own mobile services that integrate with its banking systems, while both Moody's Investors Service, mobile operators body GSMA and communications technology provider Ericsson presented insightful reports on banking and mobile applications.

After Sasol CFO Bongani Nqwababa had given an impressive and well-received talk about his tenure at Anglo American Platinum during the Stategy Execution round table discussion at the 2015 CFO Awards, he told me he doesn't like to speak off-the-cuff. "As an accountant I am rather big on structure and order," he had already explained during the interview with the panel of awards judges. "When you talk, you can’t do that in free-flow without using key messages and without knowing what you want from a meeting."

African stalwart and Shoprite chief executive Whitey Basson is well known for looking on the bright side of risk in African markets. The tougher the country, the less competition there is likely to be, he maintains. He has benefited not just from early mover advantage in Africa, where the company is the market leader by far, but by leaving nothing to chance.

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CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday 4 June Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles Meet Brett Tromp (Discovery Health), double CFO Award winner 2015 Can someone who introduces a whole new way of reporting - the fourth bottom line - be a CFO? Can somebody who is at the forefront of innovation in the pharmacy industry be a CFO? Can someone with a happy and popular team be a CFO? Or someone who coaches many colleagues and authors articles for magazines for fun? And what about someone who says his church pastor is his example in life or someone who never misses any of his kid's cricket matches? Can he be a CFO? Announcement: public sector CFO events to the next level Due to the huge success of our public sector chapter, CFO South Africa is proud to announce that we have scheduled no less than 9 events in 2015 and 2016 where finance leaders from departments, provinces and other government agencies can compare notes, learn from each other, network and have fun. The public sector initiative launched on 13 November 2014 and has been of great value to the participants and event partners like the National Treasury and audit firm SizeNtsalubaGobodo. 7 things CFOs should know about tax in East Africa In March CFO South Africa's principal sponsor KPMG brought a team of its most eminent tax experts from all corners of Africa to Johannesburg to speak to a gathering of CFOs during the Moving into Africa event in the Michelangelo Hotel in Sandton. Read more exclusive articles on the CFO Awards 2015 - Editorial: what to make of Walmart's slow growth in Africa? Join the CFO Event - “Influencing and driving a growth strategy - the CFO as a genuine business partner” Part 1: Influencing and driving a growth strategy - the CFO as a genuine business partner Thursday 25 June at KPMG Wanooka, Johannesburg 16.00 - 20.00 Numerous business leaders and finance executives have long recognized the need for CFOs to step out of a numbers-focused role and into a true partnership with the business - by participating in strategic planning, providing essential input on funding, managing growth plans and helping to maximize shareholder returns. But now, a growing chorus is calling for a significant new shift in the finance function toward truly business partnership activity and engagement. In this two part series we bring CFOs insights that will help drive their own perspectives and strategies and share best practice for becoming a genuine business partner. Join the CFO South Africa Event today. Program: 16.00 Opening & Reception 17.00 Master Class Corporate Finance Hear leading CEOs discuss their perspective on strategy formulation and the undeniably important role of a CFO. During this masterclass we will also ask CEOs to talk about the future of the CFO role and how they believe it will evolve. 18.30 CFO Café This unique reception offers you the chance to meet your peers and discuss the latest insights on current issues and topics. During the CFO Café you can meet top CFOs and financials while enjoying free snacks and drinks. Don’t miss this opportunity to join us. Also join Part 2: Executing an effective growth strategy for 2016 Thursday 30 July at Nedbank Johannesburg, 16.00 - 20.00 We ask industry experts across deal advisory, banking, private equity, law and, of course, CFOs who have been there and done that, what some of the key challenges are and how they see CFOs delivering effectively. Register here now. Principal Sponsor CFO South Africa: Continuous Professional Development Points Did you know all events of CFO South Africa are eligible for SAICA CPD points? By attending CFO South Africa's events and training courses you will stay compliant. Sign up for the next mind-blowing Fintech Event 100 insiders, experts, startups and investors will discuss the developments and challenges for FinTech in Africa. Several FinTech companies present themselves. This event is organised by FinTech Africa. The ecosystem that connects FinTech startups, investors, corporates and advisors. Join the next Fintech event in Johannesburg and register here now for Tuesday 28 July from 16.00 - 19.00 in Sandton. Read the first CFO Magazine South Africa Who are South Africa's leading CFOs? How do successful CFOs move into Africa? Why should you transform your finance function and how can you do it? How do you attract and retain talent? Who are the preferred advisors to South African CFOs? Read the latest insights from the CFO Award winning CFOs: Simon Ridley, Standard Bank, Anoj Singh, Transnet, Colin Brown, Super Group and Aarti Takoordeen, JSE and also featured interviews with Sizwe Nxasana, CEO Firstrand, Mike Brown, CEO Nedbank, Brett Goschen, CFO MTN, Brooks Mparutsa, CFO Hollard and Irene Singo, CFO Dep. Mineral Resources. As our online member we would like to give you the opportunity to read the first ever CFO Magazine South Africa online and free of charge HERE. Would you like to advertise in the next issue? Please contact Jurrien Morsch at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. Visit Finance Indaba Africa 2016 Finance Indaba Africa is the biggest annual exhibition and conference for financial managers and specialists in Africa. Over 1000 visitors are coming to Finance Indaba Africa to improve financial performance. Visitors are looking for growth, better and faster insights, more control and higher efficiency. Visitors are looking for ideas, inspiration, vendors and advisers and are planning to invest. Visitors are eager to boost their companies, networks and careers. Where & when? Sandton Convention Centre 13 & 14 October 2016. For more information please visit Finance-Indaba.co.za. Would you like to become an exhibitor or you want to visit the indaba? Please contact Graham Fehrsen at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. Upcoming CFO South Africa Events Join the CFO Events with inspiring hosts and experts who will share their insights and experiences with you. Register now for these events and boost your company, network, career and knowledge. CFO South Africa Events in 2015 June 25 KPMG Johannesburg | Influencing and driving a growth strategy July 30 Nedbank Johannesburg | Executing a growth strategy for 2016 Sept 17 Johannesburg | Digital Transformation Nov 19 Johannesburg | Risk, Compliance & Control Register now for one of the upcoming CFO South Africa Events. Please note that all our CFO South Africa events are for senior financial executives. CFO South Africa offers Platinum memberships to CFOs and finance directors. For more information please have a look here and contact Jurrien Morsch at [email protected]. Stay connected with CFO South Africa Follow CFO South Africa on Twitter and LinkedIn Stay up to date on what is happening in the world of finance by following us on Twitter @CFOSouthAfrica and LinkedIn. Next to that you can keep track of newly published interviews with CFOs and CEOs. Feel free to contact us Any suggestions or comments are welcome. Kind Regards, Melle Eijckelhoff Director CFO South Africa | [email protected] To control which emails you receive from CFO South Africa, please change your email preferences at cfo.co.za by selecting under settings "I do not want to receive emails from CFO South Africa | Finance Professionals South Africa"

Ever since the American retail giant Walmart bought Massmart as part of their 'Africa strategy', there has been an idea that its brands like Game, Makro, Dion Wired and Builders Warehouse would be popping up like mushrooms across the continent. But is hasn't gone all that quickly. A recent Reuters describes the growth of Massmart as disappointing.

Can someone who introduces a whole new way of reporting - the fourth bottom line - be a CFO? Can somebody who is at the forefront of innovation in the pharmacy industry be a CFO? Can someone with a happy and popular team be a CFO? Or someone who coaches many colleagues and authors articles for magazines for fun? And what about someone who says his church pastor is his example in life or someone who never misses any of his kid's cricket matches? Can he be a CFO?

Due to the huge success of our public sector chapter, CFO South Africa is proud to announce that we have scheduled no less than 9 events in 2015 and 2016 where finance leaders from departments, provinces and other government agencies can compare notes, learn from each other, network and have fun. The public sector initiative launched on 13 November 2014 and has been of great value to the participants and event partners like the National Treasury and audit firm SizeNtsalubaGobodo.

In March CFO South Africa's principal sponsor KPMG brought a team of its most eminent tax experts from all corners of Africa to Johannesburg to speak to a gathering of CFOs during the Moving into Africa event in the Michelangelo Hotel in Sandton.

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday 28 May Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles Meet Anoj Singh (Transnet), double CFO Award winner 2015 When Transnet CEO Brian Molefe was 'redeployed' to save Eskom earlier this year, that was largely due to his successful tenure at the state-owned company responsible for South Africa's rail, ports and pipelines. And it's an open secret that Molefe's success at Transnet is for a big part thanks to the man behind much of the strategy and the numbers: Chief Financial Officer Anoj Singh. Expert Insight: The evolution of the CFO The CFO has become a very popular animal to study. If you want to learn more about its behaviour in the wild, you can read about CFOs in hundreds of research papers and reports that are available on the web. Most researchers are looking for what the world’s most successful CFOs have in common. So what are they learning as they explore boardrooms and C-suites for signs of typical CFO behaviour? 5 things CFOs should know about tax in West Africa In March CFO South Africa's principal sponsor KPMG brought a team of its most eminent tax experts from all corners of Africa to Johannesburg to speak to a gathering of CFOs during the Moving into Africa event in the Michelangelo Hotel in Sandton. After a general introduction by Devon Duffield, Chairman: Tax & Legal at KPMG, one of the most impressive speakers was Victor Onyenkpa, Partner and Head of Tax Regulatory and People Services at KPMG in Nigeria. He focuses on the English-speaking countries in West Africa: Nigeria, Ghana and Sierra Leone. Here are 5 things CFOs should know about tax in West Africa. Read more exclusive articles on the CFO Awards 2015 - Editorial: View from the top Join the CFO Event - “Influencing and driving a growth strategy - the CFO as a genuine business partner” Thursday 25 June at KPMG Wanooka, Johannesburg 16.00 - 20.00 Numerous business leaders and finance executives have long recognized the need for CFOs to step out of a numbers-focused role and into a true partnership with the business - by participating in strategic planning, providing essential input on funding, managing growth plans and helping to maximize shareholder returns. But now, a growing chorus is calling for a significant new shift in the finance function toward truly business partnership activity and engagement. In this two part series we bring CFOs insights that will help drive their own perspectives and strategies and share best practice for becoming a genuine business partner. Join the CFO South Africa Event today. Program: 16.00 Opening & Reception 17.00 Master Class Corporate Finance Hear leading CEOs discuss their perspective on strategy formulation and the undeniably important role of a CFO. During this masterclass we will also ask CEOs to talk about the future of the CFO role and how they believe it will evolve. 17.00 Round Table Corporate Finance This exclusive get-together will offer you the unique opportunity to share your vision and ideas with a select group of CFOs from South Africa’s top companies. 18.30 CFO Café This unique reception offers you the chance to meet your peers and discuss the latest insights on current issues and topics. During the CFO Café you can meet top CFOs and financials while enjoying free snacks and drinks. Don’t miss this opportunity to join us. Principal Sponsor CFO South Africa: Continuous Professional Development Points Did you know all events of CFO South Africa are eligible for SAICA CPD points? By attending CFO South Africa's events and training courses you will stay compliant. Read the first CFO Magazine South Africa Who are South Africa's leading CFOs? How do successful CFOs move into Africa? Why should you transform your finance function and how can you do it? How do you attract and retain talent? Who are the preferred advisors to South African CFOs? Yes. The first CFO South Africa Magazine answers all the questions that keep CFOs awake and throws in great ideas every CFO should consider to keep up with the latest trends and technologies to stay ahead of the competition. The first CFO Magazine CFO South Africa was launched last week at the CFO Awards. Expect 84 pages packed full of need-to-know information delivered in sharp, insightful articles. Also read the latest insights from the CFO Award winning CFOs: Simon Ridley, Standard Bank, Anoj Singh, Transnet, Colin Brown, Super Group and Aarti Takoordeen, JSE and also featured interviews with Sizwe Nxasana, CEO Firstrand, Mike Brown, CEO Nedbank, Brett Goschen, CFO MTN, Brooks Mparutsa, CFO Hollard and Irene Singo, CFO Dep. Mineral Resources. As our online member we would like to give you the opportunity to read the first ever CFO Magazine South Africa online and free of charge HERE. Would you like to advertise in the next issue? Please contact Jurrien Morsch at [email protected] or at +27 11 083 7515. Upcoming CFO South Africa Events Join the CFO Events with inspiring hosts and experts who will share their insights and experiences with you. Register now for these events and boost your company, network, career and knowledge. CFO South Africa Events in 2015 June 25 KPMG Johannesburg | Influencing and driving a growth strategy July 30 Nedbank Johannesburg | Corporate Growth Sept 17 Johannesburg | Digital Transformation Nov 19 Johannesburg | Risk, Compliance & Control Register now for one of the upcoming CFO South Africa Events. Please note that all our CFO South Africa events are for senior financial executives. CFO South Africa offers Platinum memberships to CFOs and finance directors. For more information please have a look here and contact Jurrien Morsch at [email protected]. Stay connected with CFO South Africa Follow CFO South Africa on Twitter and LinkedIn Stay up to date on what is happening in the world of finance by following us on Twitter @CFOSouthAfrica and LinkedIn. Next to that you can keep track of newly published interviews with CFOs and CEOs. Feel free to contact us Any suggestions or comments are welcome. Kind Regards, Melle Eijckelhoff Director CFO South Africa | [email protected] To control which emails you receive from CFO South Africa, please change your email preferences at cfo.co.za by selecting under settings "I do not want to receive emails from CFO South Africa | Finance Professionals South Africa"

As editor of CFO South Africa I often have the privilege of visiting Finance bosses in their offices. One day I find myself navigating the grimy labyrinth of Germiston on my way to see Interwaste FD André Broodryk, the next day I park next to a shiny specimen of the latest Badger infantry combat vehicle on my way to see Denel’s FD Fikile Mhlontlo in Irene. And then there’s the special elevator in the Standard Bank building in downtown Johannesburg – built on top of an old gold mine – that only goes to the executive floor, nowhere else. After going up in style I always feel a little bit important by the time I shake the hand of ‘the quagga’, Group FD Simon Ridley.

When Transnet CEO Brian Molefe was 'redeployed' to save Eskom earlier this year, that was largely due to his successful tenure at the state-owned company responsible for South Africa's rail, ports and pipelines. And it's an open secret that Molefe's success at Transnet is for a big part thanks to the man behind much of the strategy and the numbers: Chief Financial Officer Anoj Singh.

The CFO has become a very popular animal to study. If you want to learn more about its behaviour in the wild, you can read about CFOs in hundreds of research papers and reports that are available on the web. Most researchers are looking for what the world’s most successful CFOs have in common. So what are they learning as they explore boardrooms and C-suites for signs of typical CFO behaviour?