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?

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 20 May Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles Alexander Forbes CFO Deon Viljoen named CFO of the Year 2015 Deon Viljoen, Chief Financial Officer at South Africa’s largest retirement fund administrator Alexander Forbes, has been named South Africa’s CFO of the Year 2015. The award was presented on Thursday 14 May 2015 at the end of an inspirational conference and gala event at Summer Place in Hyde Park, Johannesburg. Brett Tromp (Discovery Health) was named Young CFO of the Year, while Anoj Singh (Transnet) retained his title as Public CFO of the Year. Productivity Ninja Martijn Aslander shows CFOs the future at Awards... Lifehacker and “productivity ninja” Martijn Aslander delivered a thought-provoking Master Class, entitled “The exponential organisation – surviving the 21st century” at Thursday's CFO Conference before the annual CFO Awards ceremony at Summer Place in Hyde Park, Johannesburg. Many CFOs called the session "life changing" or indicated they would be rethinking their strategies after hearing Aslander's clarion call for change and disruption. Editorial: young CFO award winners & an endorsement by Prof. King Lets first get the bad news out of the way. After the formidable Aarti Takoordeen won the Young CFO of the Year Award in 2014, there were exactly zero female award winners last Thursday, It was disappointing, but I know that the members of the panel of judges have genuinely voted for their favourite candidates per category so there's nothing that we can do about that now. With CFOs like Raisibe Morathi (Nedbank), Ronel van Dijk (Spur Group), Megan Pydigadu (MiX Telematics) and Rofhiwa Irene Singo (Department of Mineral Resources) there were definitely some strong female contenders. I am not one for militant feminism or paragraphs begrudging glass ceilings, but I surely hope the scales will tip in 2016. Read more exclusive articles on the CFO Awards 2015 - Meet Deon Viljoen (Alexander Forbes), CFO of the Year 2015 - CFO Awards 2015: as it happened (with all the quotes!) Join the CFO Event - Corporate Finance Thursday 25 June at KPMG Wanooka, Johannesburg 16.00 - 20.00 The world is continuously changing and companies must constantly adapt to these shifting market conditions in order to capitalize on growth opportunities for the next generation. Whether you are a private company looking to sell or raise capital, a public company looking to divest non-core assets or acquire strategically in the far reaches of the globe, or an institutional investor needing proprietary knowledge or access, we will show you the best strategies and latest insights on corporate financing. Join the CFO South Africa Event Corporate Finance now. Program: 16.00 Opening & Reception 17.00 Master Class Corporate Finance Let KPMG experts tell you how you can improve your business. At the CFO Master Class an expert will reveal new insights and answers to all your questions. 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 | Corporate Finance 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"

Lets first get the bad news out of the way. After the formidable Aarti Takoordeen won the Young CFO of the Year Award in 2014, there were exactly zero female award winners last Thursday, It was disappointing, but I know that the members of the panel of judges have genuinely voted for their favourite candidates per category so there's nothing that we can do about that now. With CFOs like Raisibe Morathi (Nedbank), Ronel van Dijk (Spur Group), Megan Pydigadu (MiX Telematics) and Rofhiwa Irene Singo (Department of Mineral Resources) there were definitely some strong female contenders. I am not one for militant feminism or paragraphs begrudging glass ceilings, but I surely hope the scales will tip in 2016.

One of the first things Deon Viljoen told the panel of judges during his interview for this year's CFO Awards is that he had "aged in dog years" in the past 7 years as Chief Financial Officer at Alexander Forbes, the country's largest retirement fund administrator. In that period he guided the company during a delisting and a relisting at the JSE Limited, he overhauled the entire structure of the business and sold one of its biggest businesses to an international buyer. "I enjoy those multidimensional challenges," assured the judges during the interview. He feels the brand and its reputation came out of the turbulent period unscathed. “Our clients trust us and I feel that I contribute to that.”

Lifehacker and “productivity ninja” Martijn Aslander delivered a thought-provoking Master Class, entitled “The exponential organisation – surviving the 21st century” at Thursday's CFO Conference before the annual CFO Awards ceremony at Summer Place in Hyde Park, Johannesburg. Many CFOs called the session "life changing" or indicated they would be rethinking their strategies after hearing Aslander's clarion call for change and disruption.

Alexander Forbes CFO Deon Viljoen was named CFO of the Year 2015 last night during an incredibly successful CFO Conference and Gala Dinner at the Summer Place in Hyde Park, Johannesburg. Our dynamic reporter Ebrahim Moolla roamed the event and jotted down quotes throughout the evening. I included the best ones in this recap of the event.

Deon Viljoen, Chief Financial Officer at South Africa’s largest retirement fund administrator Alexander Forbes, has been named South Africa’s CFO of the Year 2015. The award was presented on Thursday 14 May 2015 at the end of an inspirational conference and gala event at Summer Place in Hyde Park, Johannesburg. Brett Tromp (Discovery Health) was named Young CFO of the Year, while Anoj Singh (Transnet) retained his title as Public CFO of the Year.

The judges have picked their favourites, the votes have been tallied and the winners are... As CFOs are polishing their shoes, picking their best evening dress and searching their cupboards for their bow-ties, anticipation rises and tension is palpable - the CFO Awards 2015 are upon us.

“If you want to be a great CFO, you need to be in a position where you can learn to manage a complex organisation,” says Anoj Singh, Group Chief Financial Officer at the dynamic State-Owned Company (SOC) Transnet and winner of two CFO Awards at the annual gala evening on 15 May 2014. In the run up to this year’s CFO of the Year gala, we are publishing a short version of the interview we had with Anoj for the first issue of the brand new CFO Magazine – which will be launched during the CFO conference and awards event on 14 May.

While spreadsheets allow for the easy design of extensive financial reports with a wide range of analysis and design options, they do have notable limitations.

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday 7 May Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles Colin Brown, Super Group: a CFO that doesn’t understand IT is at risk “I believe that a CFO that doesn’t understand IT is at risk,” says Super Group CFO Colin Brown, whose recipe for success includes his deep understanding of IT, something he believes will aid any CFO tremendously. Brown was the winner of both the Finance Transformation and Strategy Execution award at the inaugural CFO of the Year event in 2014. In the run up to this year’s CFO of the Year gala, we are publishing a short version of the interview we had with Colin for the first issue of the brand new CFO Magazine – which will be launched during the CFO conference and awards event on 14 May. Greg Davis, Standard Bank: 4 principles for Africa - infrastructure In January Greg Davis, CFO Africa at the Standard Bank Group, introduced his key principles for doing business in Africa and elaborated on being in control. In the following months he also wrote about interacting and influencing. In this Expert Insight he talks about the fourth and final principle: getting the most out of infrastructure. Top class entertainment at CFO Awards With this year's CFO Awards coming closer each day, we are excited to announce that we have secured the services of some top class entertainers to enliven the evening: Jacques Lagesse and Cristina Rodrigues. Together with chairman Vusi Thembekwayo, they will be the main voices on the podium during the gala dinner - in between the announcements of the awards of course! Last Chance to join the annual CFO Awards South Africa Thursday May 14th at the Summer Place, Johannesburg 15.30 - 23.00 The annual CFO Awards will be held at the beautiful Summer Place in Johannesburg. This prestigious event recognises CFOs of listed companies, large corporations, parastatals and government institutions and awards them for outstanding performance and leadership. The gala dinner brings together South Africa’s top finance professionals. It is an opportunity to celebrate excellence and engage in conversations about the culture, pitfalls and possibilities of continuously exceeding expectations. Among the speakers are the Doyen of Corporate Governance, in South Africa and internationally, Professor Mervyn King, CFO of the Year winner 2014 and Group CFO of Standard Bank, Simon Ridley, the internationally renowned Martijn Aslander from the Netherlands, the Auditor General, Kimi Makwetu, the new CEO of KPMG South Africa, Trevor Hoole and one of the best motivational speakers and keynote speakers alive today, Vusi Thembekwayo. Also the CFOs of Sasol, Discovery Health, the National Treasury, Super Group, Howden, Spur, Dep. of Mineral Resources, Philips and many more will take the stage. Designed to demonstrate thought leadership, extend professional networks and help businesses to grow, this event sets the bar for financial leadership on the African continent. It is open to all CFOs and Financial Directors. Program: 15.30 Opening CFO Awards 2015 & Reception 16:30 Exclusive executive sessions discussing business issues that are high on the CFO agenda - Round Table Strategy Execution - Round Table High Performance Team - Round Table Finance Transformation - Round Table Public Finance - Round Table Moving into Africa - Master Class "The exponential organisation- surviving the 21st Century" 18.00 Pre Dinner drinks 18.30 CFO Dinner & Awards - CFO of the Year Award - Public CFO of the Year Award - Young CFO of the Year Award - Moving into Africa Award - Finance & Technology Award - Transformation & Empowerment Award - Finance Transformation Award - Strategy Execution Award - Compliance & Governance Award - High Performance Team Award 22.00 After Drinks CFO South Africa invites you to buy a table at the CFO Awards, attend the CFO Conference or become our partner. Places are limited, so book now to avoid disappointment. Register now here. Principal Sponsor CFO Awards: 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. CFO Awards 2015 - Reserve your table now Buy a table for the CFO Awards and meet South Africa's leading CFOs, demonstrate thought leadership, extend your network and develop business. You are seated with CFOs and finance directors from among others Advtech, Allianz, Aveng, Barclays, Cashbuild, City of Johannesburg, Eskom, EOH, FNB, G4S, Gauteng Treasury, Hollard, Liberty, Nedbank, Nissan, Novartis, Old Mutual, Sasol, Standard Bank, Telkom, Transnet and Woolworths. You are also more than welcome to join the CFO Conference preceding the CFO Awards dinner with your colleagues. Don't wait too long, first come, first served. Become a partner or attend with your finance team and RSVP here. For more information check out CFOAwards.co.za. 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 is due out 14 May. 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. Are you interested in receiving the first ever CFO Magazine South Africa or advertising 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 May 14 Johannesburg | CFO Awards 2015 June 25 Johannesburg | Corporate Finance July 30 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]

“I believe that a CFO that doesn’t understand IT is at risk,” says Super Group CFO Colin Brown, whose recipe for success includes his deep understanding of IT, something he believes will aid any CFO tremendously. Brown was the winner of both the Finance Transformation and Strategy Execution award at the inaugural CFO of the Year event in 2014. In the run up to this year’s CFO of the Year gala, we are publishing a short version of the interview we had with Colin for the first issue of the brand new CFO Magazine – which will be launched during the CFO conference and awards event on 14 May.

In January Greg Davis, CFO Africa at the Standard Bank Group, introduced his key principles for doing business in Africa and elaborated on being in control. In the following months he also wrote about interacting and influencing. In this Expert Insight he talks about the fourth and final principle: getting the most out of infrastructure.

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday 30 April Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles Simon Ridley, Standard Bank: Curiosity breeds good CFOs “As CFOs we need to be trusted advisors, rather than critics,” says Simon Ridley, CFO at the Standard Bank Group and CFO of the Year 2014. In the run up to this year’s CFO of the Year gala, we are publishing a short version of the interview we had with Simon for the first issue of the brand new CFO Magazine – which will be launched during the CFO conference and awards event on 14 May. World class tier 1 ERP for government Admitting mistakes is not something we have come to expect from the governments. Lindy Bodewig, Chief Director at the National Treasury, admitted some mistakes were made while reflecting on the failure. These mistakes have provided national treasury with a much more sober and realistic outlook to the implications of implementing an ERP. During a candid round table with CFOs from the public sector, Bodewig charted the way forward and promised the anxious finance leaders light at the end of the tunnel. Top class entertainment at CFO Awards With this year's CFO Awards coming closer each day, we are excited to announce that we have secured the services of some top class entertainers to enliven the evening: Jacques Lagesse and Cristina Rodrigues. Together with chairman Vusi Thembekwayo, they will be the main voices on the podium during the gala dinner - in between the announcements of the awards of course! Join the annual CFO Awards South Africa Thursday May 14th at the Summer Place, Johannesburg 15.30 - 23.00 The annual CFO Awards will be held at the beautiful Summer Place in Johannesburg. This prestigious event recognises CFOs of listed companies, large corporations, parastatals and government institutions and awards them for outstanding performance and leadership. The gala dinner brings together South Africa’s top finance professionals. It is an opportunity to celebrate excellence and engage in conversations about the culture, pitfalls and possibilities of continuously exceeding expectations. Among the speakers are the Doyen of Corporate Governance, in South Africa and internationally, Professor Mervyn King, CFO of the Year winner 2014 and Group CFO of Standard Bank, Simon Ridley, the internationally renowned Martijn Aslander from the Netherlands, the Auditor General, Kimi Makwetu, the new CEO of KPMG South Africa, Trevor Hoole and one of the best motivational speakers and keynote speakers alive today, Vusi Thembekwayo. Also the CFOs of Discovery Health, Howden, Spur, Dep. of Mineral Resources, Philips and many more will take the stage. Designed to demonstrate thought leadership, extend professional networks and help businesses to grow, this event sets the bar for financial leadership on the African continent. It is open to all CFOs and Financial Directors. Program: 15.30 Opening CFO Awards 2015 & Reception 16:30 Exclusive executive sessions discussing business issues that are high on the CFO agenda - Round Table Strategy Execution - Round Table High Performance Team - Round Table Finance Transformation - Round Table Public Finance - Round Table Moving into Africa - Master Class "The exponential organisation- surviving the 21st Century" 18.00 Pre Dinner drinks 18.30 CFO Dinner & Awards - CFO of the Year Award - Public CFO of the Year Award - Young CFO of the Year Award - Moving into Africa Award - Finance & Technology Award - Transformation & Empowerment Award - Finance Transformation Award - Strategy Execution Award - Compliance & Governance Award - High Performance Team Award 22.00 After Drinks CFO South Africa invites you to buy a table at the CFO Awards, attend the CFO Conference or become our partner. Places are limited, so book now to avoid disappointment. Register now here. Principal Sponsor CFO Awards: 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. CFO Awards 2015 - Reserve your table now Buy a table for the CFO Awards and meet South Africa's leading CFOs, demonstrate thought leadership, extend your network and develop business. You are seated with CFOs and finance directors from among others Advtech, Allianz, Aveng, Barclays, Cashbuild, City of Johannesburg, Eskom, EOH, FNB, G4S, Gauteng Treasury, Hollard, Liberty, Nedbank, Nissan, Novartis, Old Mutual, Sasol, Standard Bank, Telkom, Transnet and Woolworths. You are also more than welcome to join the CFO Conference preceding the CFO Awards dinner with your colleagues. Don't wait too long, first come, first served. Become a partner or attend with your finance team and RSVP here. For more information check out CFOAwards.co.za. 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 is due out 14 May. 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. Are you interested in receiving the first ever CFO Magazine South Africa or advertising 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 May 14 Johannesburg | CFO Awards 2015 June 25 Johannesburg | Corporate Finance July 30 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 CFOs we need to be trusted advisors, rather than critics,” says Simon Ridley, CFO at the Standard Bank Group and CFO of the Year 2014. In the run up to this year’s CFO of the Year gala, we are publishing a short version of the interview we had with Simon for the first issue of the brand new CFO Magazine – which will be launched during the CFO conference and awards event on 14 May.

Admitting mistakes is not something we have come to expect from the governments. Lindy Bodewig, Chief Director at the National Treasury, admitted some mistakes were made while reflecting on the failure. These mistakes have provided national treasury with a much more sober and realistic outlook to the implications of implementing an ERP. During a candid round table with CFOs from the public sector, Bodewig charted the way forward and promised the anxious finance leaders light at the end of the tunnel.

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday 23 April Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles Reeza Isaacs, Finance Director Woolworths: enjoying the fast paced ... When the Woolworths CEO Ian Moir suggested that they have dinner, Reeza Isaacs didn’t think much of it. He was Managing Partner at services firm EY that audited the Woolworths account and there was a long standing relationship between the organisations. Then came the job offer and Isaacs hasn’t looked back. From closely being involved in the spectacular acquisition of Australian retailer David Jones to getting used to receiving daily updates about trading results, it has been a real roller coaster ride for the FD of Woolworths. We spoke to Isaacs about the importance of mentoring, his proudest moments at EY and his successful shift to the fast pace of retail. “It has been a phenomenal experience.” The CFO as IT evangelist? Top CFOs share their thoughts at CFO SA d... How are CFOs and their departments dealing with the digital winds of change inspired by technological advancement and disruptive start-ups? How is the role of the modern CFO adapting to this new environment and what skills are necessary to make these adjustments? These were some of the questions posed at the CFO South Africa dinner and round table event at the Four Seasons Westcliff hotel in Johannesburg on 15 April 2015. What makes the perfect CFO? Platinum Member lunch and VIP Tour Business partner, strategist, change agent, IT evangelist, operational genius … who is today’s successful CFO? This question was the starting point of an enlightening discussion attended by the CFOs Antionio Agostinello, Valsir Uneeq, Nichola Dewar, Postbank, Molly Gallant, Ryden International, Jo-Ann Pohl, Standard Chartered Bank, Richard Somanje, Mvula Trust, Heleen Wright, Moonwater and Aarti Takoordeen, JSE at the Platinum Member lunch at KPMG’s elegant Wanooka House dining room on Friday, 17 April 2015. Join the annual CFO Awards South Africa Thursday May 14th at the Summer Place, Johannesburg 15.30 - 23.00 The annual CFO Awards will be held at the beautiful Summer Place in Johannesburg. This prestigious event recognises CFOs of listed companies, large corporations, parastatals and government institutions and awards them for outstanding performance and leadership. The gala dinner brings together South Africa’s top finance professionals. It is an opportunity to celebrate excellence and engage in conversations about the culture, pitfalls and possibilities of continuously exceeding expectations. Among the speakers are the Doyen of Corporate Governance, in South Africa and internationally Professor Mervyn King, CFO of the Year winner 2014 and Group CFO of Standard Bank, Simon Ridley, the internationally renowned Martijn Aslander from the Netherlands, the Auditor General, Kimi Makwetu, the new CEO of KPMG South Africa, Trevor Hoole and one of the best motivational speakers and keynote speakers alive today, Vusi Thembekwayo. Designed to demonstrate thought leadership, extend professional networks and help businesses to grow, this event sets the bar for financial leadership on the African continent. It is open to all CFOs and Financial Directors. Program: 15.30 Opening CFO Awards 2015 & Reception 16:30 Exclusive executive sessions discussing business issues that are high on the CFO agenda - Round Table Strategy Execution - Round Table High Performance Team - Round Table Finance Transformation - Round Table Public Finance - Round Table Moving into Africa - Master Class "The exponential organisation" 18.00 Pre Dinner drinks 18.30 CFO Dinner & Awards - CFO of the Year Award - Public CFO of the Year Award - Young CFO of the Year Award - Moving into Africa Award - Finance & Technology Award - Transformation & Empowerment Award - Finance Transformation Award - Strategy Execution Award - Compliance & Governance Award - High Performance Team Award 22.00 After Drinks CFO South Africa invites you to buy a table at the CFO Awards, attend the CFO Conference or become our partner. Places are limited, so book now to avoid disappointment. Register now here. Principal Sponsor CFO Awards: 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. CFO Awards 2015 - Reserve your table now Buy a table for the CFO Awards and meet South Africa's leading CFOs, demonstrate thought leadership, extend your network and develop business. You are seated with CFOs and finance directors from among others Advtech, Allianz, Aveng, Barclays, Cashbuild, City of Johannesburg, Eskom, EOH, FNB, G4S, Gauteng Treasury, Hollard, Liberty, Nedbank, Nissan, Novartis, Old Mutual, Sasol, Standard Bank, Telkom, Transnet and Woolworths. You are also more than welcome to join the CFO Conference preceding the CFO Awards dinner with your colleagues. Don't wait too long, first come, first served. Become a partner or attend with your finance team and RSVP 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 May 14 Johannesburg | CFO Awards 2015 June 25 Johannesburg | Corporate Finance July 30 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"

Business partner, strategist, change agent, IT evangelist, operational genius … who is today’s successful CFO?

When the Woolworths CEO Ian Moir suggested that they have dinner, Reeza Isaacs didn’t think much of it. He was Managing Partner at services firm EY that audited the Woolworths account and there was a long standing relationship between the organisations. Then came the job offer and Isaacs hasn’t looked back. From closely being involved in the spectacular acquisition of Australian retailer David Jones to getting used to receiving daily updates about trading results, it has been a real roller coaster ride for the FD of Woolworths. We spoke to Isaacs about the importance of mentoring, his proudest moments at EY and his successful shift to the fast pace of retail. “It has been a phenomenal experience.”

How are CFOs and their departments dealing with the digital winds of change inspired by technological advancement and disruptive start-ups? How is the role of the modern CFO adapting to this new environment and what skills are necessary to make these adjustments? These were some of the questions posed at the CFO South Africa dinner and round table event at the Four Seasons Westcliff hotel in Johannesburg on 15 April 2015.

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday 16 April Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles Interviews with nominated CFOs concluded, Awards judges to decide All 32 CFOs that are nominated for the CFO Awards 2015 have now been interviewed by a representation of the panel of judges. For me, it has been a massive honour and learning opportunity to be part of the process, that started mid-February. Packs with all the interviews and profiles highlighting the performance of the nominated CFOs will soon be sent to the esteemed panel of judges, which will decide on the winners for the 10 categories using a nifty online voting system. Everything CFOs need to know about social media risk Pornography, obscenity, piracy and your business - there are some things you wish you didn't know about social media... The incessant daily nattering, cat photos and public outpourings of devotion for teen pop idols that are synonymous with social media may seem a world away from the office of the CFO. Which should not be interpreted as a criticism of any closeted C-suite Beliebers who might be reading this. SA Premier Business Awards: Ramaphosa calls for development South African Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the keynote address at the SA Premier Business Awards at the Sandton Convention Centre on 9 April 2015. He urged the country’s entrepreneurs to think of their businesses as building blocks of social development, and not merely as vehicles for earning profits. Read more exclusive articles on cfo.co.za - The right solution – keeping the wholesale retail industry focused Join the annual CFO Awards South Africa Thursday May 14th at the Summer Place, Johannesburg 15.30 - 23.00 The annual CFO Awards will be held at the beautiful Summer Place in Johannesburg. This prestigious event recognises CFOs of listed companies, large corporations, parastatals and government institutions and awards them for outstanding performance and leadership. The gala dinner brings together South Africa’s top finance professionals. It is an opportunity to celebrate excellence and engage in conversations about the culture, pitfalls and possibilities of continuously exceeding expectations. Among the speakers are the Doyen of Corporate Governance, in South Africa and internationally Professor Mervyn King, CFO of the Year winner 2014 and Group CFO of Standard Bank, Simon Ridley, the internationally renowned Martijn Aslander from the Netherlands, the Auditor General, Kimi Makwetu, the new CEO of KPMG South Africa, Trevor Hoole and one of the best motivational speakers and keynote speakers alive today, Vusi Thembekwayo. Designed to demonstrate thought leadership, extend professional networks and help businesses to grow, this event sets the bar for financial leadership on the African continent. It is open to all CFOs and Financial Directors. Program: 15.30 Opening CFO Awards 2015 & Reception 16:30 Exclusive executive sessions discussing business issues that are high on the CFO agenda - Round Table Strategy Execution - Round Table High Performance Team - Round Table Finance Transformation - Round Table Public Finance - Round Table Moving into Africa - Master Class "The exponential organisation" 18.00 Pre Dinner drinks 18.30 CFO Dinner & Awards - CFO of the Year Award - Public CFO of the Year Award - Young CFO of the Year Award - Moving into Africa Award - Finance & Technology Award - Transformation & Empowerment Award - Finance Transformation Award - Strategy Execution Award - Compliance & Governance Award - High Performance Team Award 22.00 After Drinks CFO South Africa invites you to buy a table at the CFO Awards, attend the CFO Conference or become our partner. Places are limited, so book now to avoid disappointment. Register now here. Principal Sponsor CFO Awards: 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. CFO Awards 2015 - Reserve your table now Buy a table for the CFO Awards and meet South Africa's leading CFOs, demonstrate thought leadership, extend your network and develop business. You are seated with CFOs and finance directors from among others Advtech, Allianz, Aveng, Barclays, Cashbuild, City of Johannesburg, Eskom, EOH, FNB, G4S, Gauteng Treasury, Hollard, Liberty, Nedbank, Nissan, Novartis, Old Mutual, Sasol, Standard Bank, Telkom, Transnet and Woolworths. You are also more than welcome to join the CFO Conference preceding the CFO Awards dinner with your colleagues. Don't wait too long, first come, first served. Become a partner or attend with your finance team and RSVP 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 Mar 19 Johannesburg | Moving into Africa May 14 Johannesburg | CFO Awards 2015 June 25 Johannesburg | Corporate Finance July 30 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]

All 32 CFOs that are nominated for the CFO Awards 2015 have now been interviewed by a representation of the panel of judges. For me, it has been a massive honour and learning opportunity to be part of the process, that started mid-February. Packs with all the interviews and profiles highlighting the performance of the nominated CFOs will soon be sent to the esteemed panel of judges, which will decide on the winners for the 10 categories using a nifty online voting system.

South African Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the keynote address at the SA Premier Business Awards at the Sandton Convention Centre on 9 April 2015. He urged the country’s entrepreneurs to think of their businesses as building blocks of social development, and not merely as vehicles for earning profits.

Pornography, obscenity, piracy and your business - there are some things you wish you didn't know about social media...

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CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday 9 April Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles Top class entertainment at CFO Awards With this year's CFO Awards coming closer each day, we are excited to announce that we have secured the services of some top class entertainers to enliven the evening: Jacques Lagesse and Cristina Rodrigues. Together with chairman Vusi Thembekwayo, they will be the main voices on the podium during the gala dinner - in between the announcements of the awards of course! Editorial: Is terrorism a risk for CFOs eyeing African opportunities? With almost 150 students mercilessly massacred at the university of Garissa in Eastern Kenya last week, terrorism is suddenly top of mind again for (South African) businesses looking to move (further) into the continent. Within a week after the successful and democratic elections in Nigeria, the pendulum has swung back with a vengeance. Tourists are shocked and are cancelling their Kenyan safaris in droves, although places like the Masai Mara have been out of bounds for the Islamic extremists of al-Shabaab so far. Should CFOs show similar caution? Casper Troskie, Liberty: communication is key for modern CFO “It is very important to understand how investors see the business, because if you don’t listen to them, you might miss important trends,” says Casper Troskie, Financial Director at financial services company Liberty. In an exclusive interview with CFO South Africa Troskie shares valuable advice for ambitious Chartered Accountants, recalls his proudest moments and elaborates on the culture change that Liberty has embarked on. “It has been a great journey, but I see the task only as a third of the way done.” Read more exclusive articles on cfo.co.za - Exclusive: FirstRand's retiring CEO Sizwe Nxasana on CFOs, SAICA, B... Join the annual CFO Awards South Africa & Conference Thursday May 14th at the Summer Place, Johannesburg 15.30 - 23.00 The annual CFO Awards will be held at the beautiful Summer Place in Johannesburg. This prestigious event recognises CFOs of listed companies, large corporations, parastatals and government institutions and awards them for outstanding performance and leadership. The gala dinner brings together South Africa’s top finance professionals. It is an opportunity to celebrate excellence and engage in conversations about the culture, pitfalls and possibilities of continuously exceeding expectations. Among the speakers are the Doyen of Corporate Governance, in South Africa and internationally Professor Mervyn King, the internationally renowned Martijn Aslander from the Netherlands, the Auditor General, Kimi Makwetu and one of the best motivational speakers and keynote speakers alive today, Vusi Thembekwayo. Designed to demonstrate thought leadership, extend professional networks and help businesses to grow, this event sets the bar for financial leadership on the African continent. It is open to all CFOs and Financial Directors. Program: 15.30 Opening CFO Awards 2015 & Reception 16.30 Sessions - Strategy Execution - High Performance Team - Finance Transformation - Public Finance - Moving into Africa - Master Class "The exponential organisation" 18.00 Pre Dinner drinks 18.30 CFO Dinner & Awards - CFO of the Year Award - Public CFO of the Year Award - Young CFO of the Year Award - Moving into Africa Award - Finance & Technology Award - Transformation & Empowerment Award - Finance Transformation Award - Strategy Execution Award - Compliance & Governance Award - High Performance Team Award 22.00 After Drinks CFO South Africa invites you to buy a table at the CFO Awards, attend the CFO Conference or become our partner. Places are limited, so book now to avoid disappointment. Register now here. Principal Sponsor CFO Awards: 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. CFO Awards 2015 - Reserve your table now Buy a table for the CFO Awards and meet South Africa's leading CFOs, demonstrate thought leadership, extend your network and develop business. You are seated with CFOs and finance directors from among others Advtech, Allianz, Aveng, Barclays, Cashbuild, City of Johannesburg, Eskom, EOH, FNB, G4S, Gauteng Treasury, Hollard, Liberty, Nedbank, Nissan, Novartis, Old Mutual, Sasol, Standard Bank, Telkom, Transnet and Woolworths. You are also more than welcome to join the CFO Conference preceding the CFO Awards dinner with your colleagues. Don't wait too long, first come, first served. Become a partner or attend with your finance team and RSVP 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 Mar 19 Johannesburg | Moving into Africa May 14 Johannesburg | CFO Awards 2015 June 25 Johannesburg | Corporate Finance July 30 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"

With almost 150 students mercilessly massacred at the university of Garissa in Eastern Kenya last week, terrorism is suddenly top of mind again for (South African) businesses looking to move (further) into the continent. Within a week after the successful and democratic elections in Nigeria, the pendulum has swung back with a vengeance. Tourists are shocked and are cancelling their Kenyan safaris in droves, although places like the Masai Mara have been out of bounds for the Islamic extremists of al-Shabaab so far. Should CFOs show similar caution?

With this year's CFO Awards coming closer each day, we are excited to announce that we have secured the services of some top class entertainers to enliven the evening: Jacques Lagesse and Cristina Rodrigues. Together with chairman Vusi Thembekwayo, they will be the main voices on the podium during the gala dinner - in between the announcements of the awards of course!

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday 2 April Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles KPMG’s Frank Rizzo talks disruptive tech trends with CFOs KPMG Technology Sector Leader for Africa Frank Rizzo delivered a Master Class on trends in data analytics, business intelligence and technology at our Get Smart event at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange on 17 February. In his introduction, he outlined six key tech trends that are shaping the business landscape: Financial systems upgrades: a 6 step guide for CFOs Embarking on a software upgrade can be a daunting and uncertain task for many CFOs, often clouded in over technical terms and confusing jargon. Regardless of the reason for your upgrade there are basic common components which each CFO should be familiar with before embarking on any software upgrade project. SADC rallies behind fourth bottom line The representatives of more than 54 multinational, regional and local companies attended the SADC Multi-Sectoral High-Level Taskforce dinner on Monday, 23 March at the Hyatt Regency in Johannesburg, along with SADC ministers, UN dignitaries and functionaries from various health NGOs. Read more exclusive articles on cfo.co.za - Editorial: Nigerian elections boon for business Join the annual CFO Awards South Africa & Conference Thursday May 14th at the Summer Place, Johannesburg 15.30 - 23.00. The annual CFO Awards will be held at the beautiful Summer Place in Johannesburg. This prestigious event recognises CFOs of listed companies, large corporations, parastatals and government institutions and awards them for outstanding performance and leadership. The gala dinner brings together South Africa’s top finance professionals. It is an opportunity to celebrate excellence and engage in conversations about the culture, pitfalls and possibilities of continuously exceeding expectations. Among the speakers are the Doyen of Corporate Governance, in South Africa and internationally Professor Mervyn King, the internationally renowned Martijn Aslander from the Netherlands and one of the best motivational speakers and keynote speakers alive today, Vusi Thembekwayo. Designed to demonstrate thought leadership, extend professional networks and help businesses to grow, this event sets the bar for financial leadership on the African continent. It is open to all CFOs and Financial Directors. Program: 15.30 Opening CFO Awards 2015 & Reception 16.30 Sessions - Strategy Execution - High Performance Team - Finance Transformation - Public Finance - Moving into Africa - Master Class "The exponential organisation" 18.00 Pre Dinner drinks 18.30 CFO Dinner & Awards - CFO of the Year Award - Public CFO of the Year Award - Young CFO of the Year Award - Moving into Africa Award - Finance & Technology Award - Transformation & Empowerment Award - Finance Transformation Award - Strategy Execution Award - Compliance & Governance Award - High Performance Team Award 22.00 After Drinks CFO South Africa invites you to buy a table at the CFO Awards, attend the CFO Conference or become our partner. Places are limited, so book now to avoid disappointment. Register now here. Principal Sponsor CFO Awards: 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. CFO Awards 2015 - Reserve your table now Buy a table for the CFO Awards and meet South Africa's leading CFOs, demonstrate thought leadership, extend your network and develop business. You are seated with CFOs and finance directors from among others Advtech, Allianz, Aveng, Barclays, Cashbuild, City of Johannesburg, Eskom, EOH, FNB, G4S, Gauteng Treasury, Hollard, Liberty, Nedbank, Nissan, Novartis, Old Mutual, Sasol, Standard Bank, Telkom, Transnet and Woolworths. You are also more than welcome to join the CFO Conference preceding the CFO Awards dinner with your colleagues. Don't wait too long, first come, first served. Become a partner or attend with your finance team and RSVP 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 Mar 19 Johannesburg | Moving into Africa May 14 Johannesburg | CFO Awards 2015 June 25 Johannesburg | Corporate Finance July 30 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"

The way the Nigerian presidential elections have unfolded over the last few days must surely be the single best news in 2015 for CFOs whose businesses are - or want to be - active in West Africa. With bad examples from Kenya, Zimbabwe and Ivory Coast many feared the worst when it became apparent that the opposition candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, was about to win. The worst being last-minute election rigging and wide-spread violence. But none of that came to be, with outgoing president Goodluck Jonathan setting a valuable example for his peers and bowing out gracefully.

The representatives of more than 54 multinational, regional and local companies attended the SADC Multi-Sectoral High-Level Taskforce dinner on Monday, 23 March at the Hyatt Regency in Johannesburg, along with SADC ministers, UN dignitaries and functionaries from various health NGOs.

Embarking on a software upgrade can be a daunting and uncertain task for many CFOs, often clouded in over technical terms and confusing jargon. Regardless of the reason for your upgrade there are basic common components which each CFO should be familiar with before embarking on any software upgrade project.

KPMG Technology Sector Leader for Africa Frank Rizzo delivered a Master Class on trends in data analytics, business intelligence and technology at our Get Smart event at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange on 17 February.

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday March 26 Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles Prof. Watson: 6 tips to get to grips with IFRS 15 (Revenue) The publication of the new standard on revenue, IFRS 15, in May 2014 is the most significant change to IFRS in the last couple of years. Almost every company earns revenue in some form or other, and for most of those companies revenue is the single largest figure in the financial statements. Preparers need to prioritise getting to grips with how IFRS 15 will impact their business. Great insight into African tax by KPMG’s top experts Never speak to the tax authority in an African country without an advisor present, make better use of tax incentives and familiarise yourself with the local tax law and the people who enforce it. Those were some of the lessons during the extremely insightful Master Class at Thursday’s Moving into Africa event in the Michelangelo Hotel in Sandton. The CFOs present received a comprehensive overview of African tax affairs by some of the brightest tax minds on the continent, provided by KPMG. Tax strategies in the spotlight at Moving into Africa event - regis... Besides financial, social and environmental data, integrated reports should include data on the health and wellness of staff, argues Brett Tromp, CFO of Discovery Health. We asked him what his ‘fourth bottom line’ means and why CFOs should care about health in the first place. Read more exclusive articles on cfo.co.za - Editorial: South African CFOs should drop the arrogance in 'Africa' Join the 2nd CFO Awards South Africa & Conference Thursday May 14th at the Summer Place, Johannesburg 15.30 - 23.00. The annual CFO Awards will be held at the beautiful Summer Place in Johannesburg. This prestigious event recognises CFOs of listed companies, large corporations, parastatals and government institutions and awards them for outstanding performance and leadership. The gala dinner brings together South Africa’s top finance professionals. It is an opportunity to celebrate excellence and engage in conversations about the culture, pitfalls and possibilities of continuously exceeding expectations. Chaired by Vusi Thembekwayo, the CFO Awards are preceded by the CFO Conference. Designed to demonstrate thought leadership, extend professional networks and help businesses to grow, this event sets the bar for financial leadership on the African continent. It is open to all CFOs and Financial Directors. Program: 15.30 Opening CFO Awards 2015 & Reception 16.30 Sessions - Strategy Execution - High Performance Team - Finance Transformation - Public Finance - Moving into Africa - Master Class "The exponential organisation" 18.00 Pre Dinner Drinks 18.30 CFO Dinner & Awards - CFO of the Year Award - Public CFO of the Year Award - Young CFO of the Year Award - Moving into Africa Award - Finance & Technology Award - Transformation & Empowerment Award - Finance Transformation Award - Strategy Execution Award - Compliance & Governance Award - High Performance Team Award 22.00 After Drinks CFO South Africa invites you to buy a table at the CFO Awards, attend the CFO Conference or become our partner. Places are limited, so book now to avoid disappointment. Register now here. Principal Sponsor CFO Awards: 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. CFO Awards 2015 - Reserve your table now Buy a table for the CFO Awards and meet South Africa's leading CFOs, demonstrate thought leadership, extend your network and develop business. You are seated with CFOs and finance directors from among others Advtech, Allianz, Aveng, Barclays, Cashbuild, City of Johannesburg, Eskom, EOH, FNB, G4S, Gauteng Treasury, Hollard, Liberty, Nedbank, Nissan, Novartis, Old Mutual, Sasol, Standard Bank, Telkom, Transnet and Woolworths. You are also more than welcome to join the CFO Conference preceding the CFO Awards dinner with your colleagues. Don't wait too long, first come, first served. Become a partner or attend with your finance team and RSVP 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 Mar 19 Johannesburg | Moving into Africa May 14 Johannesburg | CFO Awards 2015 June 25 Johannesburg | Corporate Finance July 30 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 an aside during our successful Moving into Africa event in the Michelangelo Hotel in Sandton, Sean Bennett, Head of UBS South Africa and Sub Saharan Africa, remarked that South Africans are not always welcomed with open arms in the rest of the continent. We are often guilty of talking about 'Africa' as if South Africa is not part of the continent, we are often guilty of arrogantly viewing the swath of land north of the Limpopo as largely undeveloped and we are often wrongly assuming that we have to import expats because of the purported lack of local talent.

Besides financial, social and environmental data, integrated reports should include data on the health and wellness of staff, argues Brett Tromp, CFO of Discovery Health. We asked him what his ‘fourth bottom line’ means and why CFOs should care about health in the first place.

The publication of the new standard on revenue, IFRS 15, in May 2014 is the most significant change to IFRS in the last couple of years. Almost every company earns revenue in some form or other, and for most of those companies revenue is the single largest figure in the financial statements. Preparers need to prioritise getting to grips with how IFRS 15 will impact their business.

Never speak to the tax authority in an African country without an advisor present, make better use of tax incentives and familiarise yourself with the local tax law and the people who enforce it. Those were some of the lessons during the extremely insightful Master Class at Thursday’s Moving into Africa event in the Michelangelo Hotel in Sandton. The CFOs present received a comprehensive overview of African tax affairs by some of the brightest tax minds on the continent, provided by KPMG.

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday March 19 Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles Greg Davis, Standard Bank: 4 principles for Africa - influencing In January Greg Davis, CFO Africa at the Standard Bank Group, introduced his key principles for doing business in Africa and elaborated on being in control. Last month he explained the finer details of the second i: interacting. In this Expert Insight he talks about the third principle: influencing. CFOs of Gold Fields, Howden, Spar and Morvest interviewed by award ... Members of the panel of judges for the CFO Awards 2015 is currently interviewing the nominated CFOs to help them decide who is going to be CFO of the Year and who will win the other 9 coveted awards. Last week Thursday judge Christo Els, senior partner at law firm Webber Wentzel, spoke to Paul Schmidt, Financial Director at mining company Gold Fields. Tax strategies in the spotlight at Moving into Africa event - regis... The raison d'être of organisations is to enable groups of people to work together and achieve what they would be unable to achieve as individuals, on their own. Delegation is an age-old art − of assigning tasks and sharing responsibilities – and is therefore essential to organisation. Read more exclusive articles on cfo.co.za - Great energy at launch of FinTech Africa community Learn how to succesfully move into Africa CFO Event Moving into Africa Thursday March 19th at the Michelangelo Hotel 16.00 - 20.00. Avoid the pitfalls - grab the opportunities. We will help you to explore the challenges and opportunities from regional tax developments with the foremost African tax specialists from KPMG. Tax strategies for growing your business in Africa. South African businesses are finding many opportunities to thrive within the developing markets in Africa. As as CFO there are many things to consider while planning for an international growth strategy. The key to success can be in the tax details. Join us to learn and share practical insight and cases that can help you take tackle your African tax strategy. Program: Start and Welcome CFO Event 16.00 - 17.00 Master Class 'Moving into Africa' 17.00 - 18.45 Presenters: • Greg Davis - CFO Africa Standard Bank • Devon Duffield - Chairman: Tax & Legal KPMG • Venter Labuschagne - Head: Trade & Customs KPMG • Richard Ndung’u - Partner and Head of Tax KPMG Kenya • Victor Onyenkpa - Partner KPMG Nigeria • Louison Kiyombo - Head of Tax and Legal KPMG DRC Panel: • Bikash Prasad - CFO Olam International • Sean Bennett - CEO UBS South Africa and Sub Saharan Africa CFO Public Round Table 'Change Management' 17.00 - 18.45 There is power in sharing stories and experiences with your peers. The challenges that face the CFO in the Public sector demands not only financial knowledge and expertise. Change management and empowerment are skills that will determine the future and success of the public organisation. In this round table we are going to discuss Change management and the role you can or want to play in continuous improvement. This exclusive get-together will offer you the unique opportunity to share your vision and ideas with top CFOs from the public sector. CFO Café 18.45 - 20.00 Join this event free of charge and don’t miss out on the CFO Event on Moving into Africa from 16.00 - 20.00 and register here. Sponsors CFO Event Moving into Africa & Round Table Public Finance: 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. CFO Awards 2015 - Reserve your table now Buy a table for the CFO Awards and meet South Africa's leading CFOs, demonstrate thought leadership, extend your network and develop business. You are seated with CFOs and finance directors from among others Advtech, Aveng, Barclays, Eskom, EOH, FNB, General Cable, Hollard, Liberty, Nedbank, Nissan, Novartis, Old Mutual, Standard Bank and Transnet. You are also more than welcome to join the CFO Conference preceding the CFO Awards dinner with your colleagues. Don't wait too long, first come, first served. Become a partner or attend with your finance team and RSVP 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 Mar 19 Johannesburg | Moving into Africa May 14 Johannesburg | CFO Awards 2015 June 25 Johannesburg | Capital & Finance July 30 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"

A group of energetic investors, entrepreneurs, bankers and lawyers met at the office of Norton Rose Fulbright in Sandton on Tuesday 17 March 2015 to discuss the massive opportunities FinTech initiatives have to propel change in Africa. They gathering was the founding meeting of FinTech Africa, a new community that aims to provide robust peer to peer interaction, enabling synergies and acting as an incubator for exciting ideas.

Members of the panel of judges for the CFO Awards 2015 is currently interviewing the nominated CFOs to help them decide who is going to be CFO of the Year and who will win the other 9 coveted awards.

Extra CFO South Africa Newsletter | Monday March 16 Learn how to succesfully move into Africa CFO Event Moving into Africa Thursday March 19th at the Michelangelo Hotel 16.00 - 20.00. Avoid the pitfalls - grab the opportunities. We will help you to explore the challenges and opportunities from regional tax developments with the foremost African tax specialists from KPMG. Tax strategies for growing your business in Africa. South African businesses are finding many opportunities to thrive within the developing markets in Africa. As as CFO there are many things to consider while planning for an international growth strategy. The key to success can be in the tax details. Join us to learn and share practical insight and cases that can help you take tackle your African tax strategy. Program: Start and Welcome CFO Event 16.00 - 16.45 Master Class 'Moving into Africa' 16.45 - 18.45 Presenters: • Greg Davis - CFO Africa Standard Bank • Devon Duffield - Chairman: Tax & Legal KPMG • Venter Labuschagne - Head: Trade & Customs KPMG • Richard Ndung’u - Partner and Head of Tax KPMG Kenya • Victor Onyenkpa - Partner KPMG Nigeria • Louison Kiyombo - Head of Tax and Legal KPMG DRC Panel: • Bikash Prasad - CFO Olam International • Sean Bennett - CEO UBS South Africa and Sub Saharan Africa • Colin Coleman - Head for sub-Saharan Africa Goldman Sachs CFO Public Round Table 'Change Management' 16.45 - 18.15 There is power in sharing stories and experiences with your peers. The challenges that face the CFO in the Public sector demands not only financial knowledge and expertise. Change management and empowerment are skills that will determine the future and success of the public organisation. In this round table we are going to discuss Change management and the role you can or want to play in continuous improvement. This exclusive get-together will offer you the unique opportunity to share your vision and ideas with top CFOs from the public sector. CFO Café 18.15 - 20.00 Join this event free of charge and don’t miss out on the CFO Event on Moving into Africa from 16.00 - 20.00 and register here. Sponsors CFO Event Moving into Africa & Round Table Public Finance: 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. CFO Awards 2015 - Reserve your table now Buy a table for the CFO Awards and meet South Africa's leading CFOs, demonstrate thought leadership, extend your network and develop business. You are seated with CFOs and finance directors from among others Advtech, Aveng, Barclays, Eskom, EOH, FNB, General Cable, Hollard, Liberty, Nedbank, Nissan, Novartis, Old Mutual, Standard Bank and Transnet. Are you a CFO? You are also more than welcome to join the CFO Conference preceding the CFO Awards dinner with your finance colleagues. Don't wait too long, first come, first served. Become a partner or attend with your finance team and RSVP 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 Mar 19 Johannesburg | Moving into Africa May 14 Johannesburg | CFO Awards 2015 June 25 Johannesburg | Capital & Finance July 30 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]

In January Greg Davis, CFO Africa at the Standard Bank Group, introduced his key principles for doing business in Africa and elaborated on being in control. Last month he explained the finer details of the second i: interacting. In this Expert Insight he talks about the third principle: influencing.

John King | Chief Financial Officer | EOH Holdings Ltd

Cobus Grove is nominated for the CFO Awards 2015. The factsheet below together with his interview with the panel of judges will be used to determine the CFO Award winners 2015.

Lawrence Weitzmann is nominated for the CFO Awards 2015. The factsheet below together with his interview with the panel of judges will be used to determine the CFO Award winners 2015.

Robbie Taylor is nominated for the CFO Awards 2015. The factsheet below together with his interview with the panel of judges will be used to determine the CFO Award winners 2015.

Brett Tromp is nominated for the CFO Awards 2015. The factsheet below together with his interview with the panel of judges will be used to determine the CFO Award winners 2015.

Casper Troskie is nominated for the CFO Awards 2015. The factsheet below together with his interview with the panel of judges will be used to determine the CFO Award winners 2015.

Anoj Singh is nominated for the CFO Awards 2015. The factsheet below together with his interview with the panel of judges will be used to determine the CFO Award winners 2015.

Paul Schmidt | Chief Financial Officer | Gold Fields

Megan Pydigadu is nominated for the CFO Awards 2015. The factsheet below together with her interview with the panel of judges will be used to determine the CFO Award winners 2015.

Greg Davis is nominated for the CFO Awards 2015. The factsheet below together with his interview with the panel of judges will be used to determine the CFO Award winners 2015.

While South African CFOs are keen to help their businesses explore options in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo and other African countries, the prospect of governance and tax issues still fills many with trepidation. During our Moving into Africa event on Thursday 19 March in Johannesburg a impressive team of African tax specialists will ease your mind and talk about the latest developments. It is not too late yet to REGISTER for the event. This is the CFO event you can’t afford to miss!

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday March 12 Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles Exclusive: FirstRand's retiring CEO Sizwe Nxasana on CFOs, SAICA, B... Business power house, Chartered Accountant and Fort Hare graduate Sizwe Nxasana (57) started KwaZulu-Natal’s first black audit firm in 1989, listed Telkom at the JSE in 2003 and more than doubled FirstRand’s market cap to R295 billion in 2015, after becoming CEO in 2010. Last week he announced he will step down as CEO in September In an exclusive interview with CFO South Africa, Nxasana chats about the role of CFOs, SAICA, the economy and BEE. He also has some tips for ambitious CAs. CFOs of Barclays Africa, Discovery Health, Transnet and Santova int... March is the month that the judges for the CFO Awards 2015 interview most of the nominated CFOs, with the event - a conference and gala dinner - taking place on 14 May. Just in the last three days, the judges have spoken to the finance bosses of a bank, a health insurer, a state-owned company and a logistics business. 7 tips for CFOs who struggle to delegate The raison d'être of organisations is to enable groups of people to work together and achieve what they would be unable to achieve as individuals, on their own. Delegation is an age-old art − of assigning tasks and sharing responsibilities – and is therefore essential to organisation. Read more exclusive articles on cfo.co.za - Panel of judges for CFO Awards 2015 meet at JSE Limited Register for CFO Event Moving into Africa Learn how to successfully move into Africa Thursday March 19th at the Michelangelo Hotel. A world of opportunities await innovative organisations in Africa and South Africa. As the pace of development into the rest of Africa gains momentum, more and more South African and international companies are considering expanding their businesses into the rest of the continent, the opportunities are rife. Learn from how to successfully move into Africa by sharing the best practices of Standard Bank's CFO Africa Greg Davis and other experts. Join this next CFO Event in Johannesburg. Join this event free of charge and don’t miss out on the CFO Event on Moving into Africa from 4pm - 8pm and register now: - Register. Principal Sponsor CFO Event Moving into 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. CFO Awards 2015 - Reserve your table now Buy a table for the CFO Awards and meet South Africa's leading CFOs, demonstrate thought leadership, extend your network and develop business. You are seated with CFOs and finance directors from among others Advtech, Aveng, Barclays, Eskom, EOH, FNB, General Cable, Hollard, Liberty, Nedbank, Nissan, Novartis, Old Mutual, Standard Bank and Transnet. You are also more than welcome to join the CFO Conference preceding the CFO Awards dinner with your colleagues. Don't wait too long, first come, first served. Become a partner or attend with your finance team and RSVP 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 Mar 19 Johannesburg | Moving into Africa Apr 16 Johannesburg | Capital & Finance May 14 Johannesburg | CFO Awards 2015 July 30 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]

March is the month that the judges for the CFO Awards 2015 interview most of the nominated CFOs, with the event - a conference and gala dinner - taking place on 14 May. Just in the last three days, the judges have spoken to the finance bosses of a bank, a health insurer, a state-owned company and a logistics business.

Business power house, Chartered Accountant and Fort Hare graduate Sizwe Nxasana (57) started KwaZulu-Natal’s first black audit firm in 1989, listed Telkom at the JSE in 2003 and more than doubled FirstRand’s market cap to R295 billion in 2015, after becoming CEO in 2010. Last week he announced he will step down as CEO in September. In an exclusive interview with CFO South Africa, Nxasana chats about the role of CFOs, SAICA, the economy and BEE. He also has some tips for ambitious CAs.

The raison d'être of organisations is to enable groups of people to work together and achieve what they would be unable to achieve as individuals, on their own. Delegation is an age-old art − of assigning tasks and sharing responsibilities – and is therefore essential to organisation.

One of the key success factors behind the annual CFO Awards is the strong composition of the panel of judges. On 17 February 2015 the panel for the 2015 awards met in a boardroom of the JSE Limited to discuss this year’s process and procedures. “We are truly honoured to have a group of such respected leaders on the panel to decide who are the best CFOs in South Africa at the moment,” said CFO South Africa CEO Melle Eijckelhoff, who convened the meeting.

I always find it slightly disappointing when CFOs need to run an interview by their communications department. So it was really refreshing to do an interview yesterday that I managed to write up on the same day and that was approved within an hour. The interviewee? Sizwe Nxasana, CEO of FirstRand and responsible for a R295 billion market cap. Yet again, I must conclude: the more senior or influential a person is, the easier they are to talk to and the less bureaucratic they are about approving their interviews.

“It is very important to understand how investors see the business, because if you don’t listen to them, you might miss important trends,” says Casper Troskie, Financial Director at financial services company Liberty. In an exclusive interview with CFO South Africa Troskie shares valuable advice for ambitious Chartered Accountants, recalls his proudest moments and elaborates on the culture change that Liberty has embarked on. “It has been a great journey, but I see the task only as a third of the way done.”

Line managers in government departments, municipalities and other public institutions should prioritise financial management and public CFOs should help them with that, argues Dumisani Dlamini, CFO at the National Arts Council of South Africa (NAC).

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CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday February 26 Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles Lifehacker Martijn Aslander warns CFOs for ‘weapons of mass disrupt... After dazzling the CFOs and other top finance professionals with a barrage of inspiring technological innovations, visionary speaker and entrepreneur Martijn Aslander sounded the clarion call for a people-centered digital revolution. “In the next ten years, the world will have changed more than it has in the last century.” CFO of the Week: Steven Whiley (Neotel): great CFOs take risks “A great CFO needs to have appetite for a certain level of risk,” says Steven Whiley, CFO at Neotel, South Africa’s second fixed line operator. Whiley is currently part if the negotiations for the sale of Neotel to communications giant Vodacom and has earned his stripes during a long and varied career as CFO in several industries. “The best CFOs can look at the balance sheet and understand from there what makes the business tick.” CFOs of Oceana, Spur and Ascendis Health speak to Awards judges Whether social investment is central to your business or not, it is undeniable that all companies have social touch-points, which mean that companies influence, and are influenced by the societies in which they operate. Read more exclusive articles on cfo.co.za - News: Shock after resgination SAB Miller CFO Jamie Wilson Register for CFO Event Moving into Africa Learn how to successfully move into Africa Thursday March 19th at the Michelangelo Hotel. A world of opportunities await innovative organisations in Africa and South Africa. As the pace of development into the rest of Africa gains momentum, more and more South African and international companies are considering expanding their businesses into the rest of the continent, the opportunities are rife. Learn from how to successfully move into Africa by sharing the best practices of Standard Bank's CFO Africa Greg Davis and other experts. Join this next CFO Event in Johannesburg. Join this event free of charge and don’t miss out on the CFO Event on Moving into Africa from 4pm - 8pm and register now: - March 19th at the Michalengelo Hotel Principal Sponsor CFO Event Moving into 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. CFO Awards 2015 - Reserve your table now Buy a table for the CFO Awards and meet South Africa's leading CFOs, demonstrate thought leadership, extend your network and develop business. You are seated with CFOs and finance directors from among others Advtech, Aveng, Barclays, Eskom, EOH, FNB, General Cable, Hollard, Liberty, Nedbank, Nissan, Novartis, Old Mutual, Standard Bank and Transnet. You are also more than welcome to join the CFO Conference preceding the CFO Awards dinner with your colleagues. Don't wait too long, first come, first served. Become a partner or attend with your finance team and RSVP 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 Mar 19 Johannesburg | Moving into Africa Apr 16 Johannesburg | Capital & Finance May 14 Johannesburg | CFO Awards 2015 July 30 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"

The sudden resignation of SAB Miller's Chief Financial Officer Jamie Wilson has got a lot of people thinking. First of all, many people are wondering if his departure is linked to the rumoured bid the world's largest beer brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev apparently wants to make for SAB Miller, the global number 2. Second of all, and this one is particularly relevant for the CFO Community, is that is clear that CFO appointments and departures set tongues wagging these days.

“A great CFO needs to have appetite for a certain level of risk,” says Steven Whiley, CFO at Neotel, South Africa’s second fixed line operator. Whiley is currently part if the negotiations for the sale of Neotel to communications giant Vodacom and has earned his stripes during a long and varied career as CFO in several industries. “The best CFOs can look at the balance sheet and understand from there what makes the business tick.”

The work of the panel of judges for the CFO Awards 2015 might be a huge responsibility and - at times - a lot of work, but it is definitely never boring! On Thursday and Friday nominated CFOs from Africa's largest fishery, one of our most beloved restaurant groups and a Cape Town-based healthcare firm were interviewed by the judges. Earlier that we the panel had already learnt about aerospace and defence, fleet management, waste management and the governance of mining.

After dazzling the CFOs and other top finance professionals with a barrage of inspiring technological innovations, visionary speaker and entrepreneur Martijn Aslander sounded the clarion call for a people-centered digital revolution. “In the next ten years, the world will have changed more than it has in the last century.”

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday February 19 Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles CFOs shaken out of comfort zone during Get Smart event CFOs were rattled out of their comfort zone yesterday during our Get Smart in 2015 event, hosted at the JSE Limited in Sandton, Johannesburg. In an extremely well-received key note speech, Martijn Aslander - from The Netherlands - told finance leaders they need to adapt or risk becoming obsolete. He talked the audience through a number of exciting innovations and disruptive developments that will change the world within the next 10 years Awards judges interview CFOs of Denel, MiX Telematics, Interwaste a... Who is going to be the CFO of the Year 2015? It is up to the impressive panel of judges to decide who will climb the podium of the Summer Place on 14 May 2015 and receive the prestigious award. The 15 captains of industry (and a professor) will largely base their judgement on the interviews with the 28 nominated CFOs. Expert Insight: How to create business value through social investment Whether social investment is central to your business or not, it is undeniable that all companies have social touch-points, which mean that companies influence, and are influenced by the societies in which they operate. Read more exclusive articles on cfo.co.za - Allan Mundell Director Nolands - The case for having auditor act as... Register for CFO Event Moving into Africa Learn how to successfully move into Africa Thursday March 19th at the Michelangelo Hotel. A world of opportunities await innovative organisations in Africa and South Africa. As the pace of development into the rest of Africa gains momentum, more and more South African and international companies are considering expanding their businesses into the rest of the continent, the opportunities are rife. Learn from how to successfully move into Africa by sharing the best practises of experts and CFOs. Join this next CFO Event in Johannesburg. Join this event free of charge and don’t miss out on the CFO Event on Moving into Africa from 4pm - 8pm and register now: - March 19th at the Michalengelo Hotel Principal Sponsor CFO Event Moving into 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. CFO Awards 2015 - Reserve your table now Buy a table for the CFO Awards and meet South Africa's leading CFOs, demonstrate thought leadership, extend your network and develop business. You are seated with CFOs and finance directors from among others Advtech, Aveng, Barclays, Eskom, EOH, FNB, General Cable, Hollard, Liberty, Nedbank, Nissan, Novartis, Old Mutual, Standard Bank and Transnet. You are also more than welcome to join the CFO Conference preceding the CFO Awards dinner with your colleagues. Don't wait too long, first come, first served. Become a partner or attend with your finance team and RSVP 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 Mar 19 Johannesburg | Moving into Africa Apr 16 Johannesburg | Capital & Finance May 14 Johannesburg | CFO Awards 2015 July 30 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]

CFOs were rattled out of their comfort zone yesterday during our Get Smart in 2015 event, hosted at the JSE Limited in Sandton, Johannesburg. In an extremely well-received key note speech, Martijn Aslander - from The Netherlands - told finance leaders they need to adapt or risk becoming obsolete. He talked the audience through a number of exciting innovations and disruptive developments that will change the world within the next 10 years. “In the future it is no longer about what you own or what you do, but it is about your attitude and your ability to adapt.”

Who is going to be the CFO of the Year 2015? It is up to the impressive panel of judges to decide who will climb the podium of the Summer Place on 14 May 2015 and receive the prestigious award. The 15 captains of industry (and a professor) will largely base their judgement on the interviews with the 28 nominated CFOs. Yesterday, we kicked off the interview process and just like last year, it is an enormous privilege for me as editor of CFO South Africa to witness these in depth conversations between some of the most influential and interesting leaders in the country.

Whether social investment is central to your business or not, it is undeniable that all companies have social touch-points, which mean that companies influence, and are influenced by the societies in which they operate.

When should a company hire a CFO? It is a difficult question to answer said Nolands director, Allan Mundell but it usually came down to size and whether the business owner is serious about growth and sustainability.

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday February 12 Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles Greg Davis, Standard Bank: 4 principles for Africa - interacting In January Greg Davis, CFO Africa at the Standard Bank Group, introduced his key principles for doing business in Africa and elaborated on being in control. In this Expert Insight he talks about the second principle: interacting. 5 questions for… Frank Rizzo (KPMG): weird relationships and strang... Frank Rizzo is Partner and Technology sector leader for Africa at KPMG. During our upcoming events in Johannesburg (17 February) and Cape Town (19 February) he will deliver two thought provoking master classes about the latest and greatest in the IT world. In today’s partner interview we ask him what the major trends are and why CFOs should care. CFO of the Week: Nishant Saxena (Cipla Medpro): Finance as business partner and in-h... Last year Nishant Saxena traded his job as CFO of pharmaceutical company Cipla India for a move to Cape Town, where he is now the Chief Financial & Administrative Officer of Cipla Medpro. During the CFO event at the Cape Town Club on 19 February, Nishant will be the key note speaker. He will share some of his experiences in South Africa so far and he will talk about the transition of finance from a bookkeeping role to a true business partner. Read more exclusive articles on cfo.co.za - CFO Awards biggest and best on CFO calendar Register for CFO Event Get Smart in Cape Town Discuss your agenda for 2015 Thursday February 19th at the Cape Town Club As global economic growth recovers there will be opportunities and risks for South Africa's economy, CFOs must ensure that the financial choices you make maintain the recent gains in competitiveness. During the first CFO Events of 2015 we will discuss the new economy, value creation, complementary economics, networking, ideas to make te world a better place and we share smart ideas to improve your business. We offer a great opportunity to learn from your peers and get new ideas. Keynote by Nishant Saxena CFO Cipla Medpro Hear from the CFO of one of the country’s leading pharmaceutical companies, Cipla Medpro. He will discuss the changing role of the CFO, expectations to manage risks, using technology for analytics, and share his experiences at Cipla. Afterwards at the CFO Café you can share and discuss the latest insights with the other attending CFOs. Join this event free of charge and don’t miss out on the first CFO Event of 2015 from 4pm - 8pm and register now: - February 19th at the Cape Town Club, register here. Partners CFO Event Get Smart in 2015: 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. CFO Awards 2015 - Reserve your table now Buy a table for the CFO Awards and meet South Africa's leading CFOs, demonstrate thought leadership, extend your network and develop business. You are seated with CFOs and finance directors from among others Advtech, Aveng, Barclays, Eskom, EOH, FNB, General Cable, Hollard, Liberty, Nedbank, Nissan, Novartis, Old Mutual, Standard Bank and Transnet. You are also more than welcome to join the CFO Conference preceding the CFO Awards dinner with your colleagues. Don't wait too long, first come, first served. Become a partner or attend with your finance team and RSVP 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 Feb 17 Johannesburg | Get Smart in 2015 Feb 19 Cape Town | Get Smart in 2015 Mar 19 Johannesburg | Moving into Africa Apr 16 Johannesburg | Capital & Finance May 14 Johannesburg | CFO Awards 2015 July 30 Johannesburg | Corporate Growth Sept 17 Johannesburg | Digital Transformation Nov 19 Cape Town | 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"

With three months to go to the annual CFO Awards, we have been amazed by the excitement and anticipation the conference and gala dinner have already created amongst CFOs. With finance bosses of big banks, listed companies and government departments already on the list of attendees, the event is proving to be the biggest and best on the annual CFO calendar.

Technology has changed the way we live and the way we work. The pace of change resulting from technological advancement has accelerated. We will discuss innovations and inventions as a result of technology on business and how it is exposing business opportunities.

Last year Nishant Saxena traded his job as CFO of pharmaceutical company Cipla India for a move to Cape Town, where he is now the Chief Financial & Administrative Officer of Cipla Medpro. During the CFO event at the Cape Town Club on 19 February, Nishant will be the key note speaker. He will share some of his experiences in South Africa so far and he will talk about the transition of finance from a bookkeeping role to a true business partner.

In January Greg Davis, CFO Africa at the Standard Bank Group, introduced his key principles for doing business in Africa and elaborated on being in control. In this Expert Insight he talks about the second principle: interacting.

Frank Rizzo is Partner and Technology sector leader for Africa at KPMG. During our upcoming events in Johannesburg (17 February) and Cape Town (19 February) he will deliver two thought provoking master classes about the latest and greatest in the IT world. In today’s partner interview we ask him what the major trends are and why CFOs should care.

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday February 5 Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles CFO of the Week: Fanus le Roux, CFO Africa – Middle East, Aurecon: being trusted is ... There are not a lot of South African CFOs who have experienced and contributed to such spectacular corporate growth as Fanus le Roux. When he joined Tshwane-based engineering, management and specialist technical services company Aurecon (then Africon) 20 years ago, it had a turnover of R132 million. These days the company is a global one, with its African operations contributing a R2.6 billion turnover annually. “It has been an exciting journey,” le Roux says modestly. Expert Insight Alex Watson: Rethinking financial disclosures in integrated reports Most listed South African companies include either full or summarized financial statements in their integrated reports (In 2013 54 of 100 largest listed companies included full financials and 35 summarized). Are companies doing that in order to be compliant with regulations (as in “the company secretary insists!”) or because they believe that is the best way to communicate the company’s ability to create value in the future? Editorial: the bright side of headless chickens & impressive speakers As we’re getting closer to our February events in Johannesburg (17 February) and Cape Town (19 February), I have the privilege of chatting to some of the people that will be sharing their insights during those afternoons and evenings. This week I spoke to KPMG’s Frank Rizzo about technology and to Cipla Medpro’s Nishant Saxena about the transition from bookkeeper to business partner that many of our CFOs are going through. These are two experienced business people that know exactly what they are talking about! Read more exclusive articles on cfo.co.za - 6 Questions for KPMG's Granville Smith: turn risk into opportunity Register for CFO Event Get Smart in Cape Town Discuss your agenda for 2015 Thursday February 19th at the Cape Town Club As global economic growth recovers there will be opportunities and risks for South Africa's economy, CFOs must ensure that the financial choices you make maintain the recent gains in competitiveness. During the first CFO Events of 2015 we will discuss the new economy, value creation, complementary economics, networking, ideas to make te world a better place and we share smart ideas to improve your business. We offer a great opportunity to learn from your peers and get new ideas. Keynote by Nishant Saxena CFO Cipla Medpro Hear from the CFO of one of the country’s leading pharmaceutical companies, Cipla Medpro. He will discuss the changing role of the CFO, expectations to manage risks, using technology for analytics, and share his experiences at Cipla. Afterwards at the CFO Café you can share and discuss the latest insights with the other attending CFOs. Join this event free of charge and don’t miss out on the first CFO Event of 2015 from 4pm - 8pm and register now: - February 19th at the Cape Town Club, register here. Partners CFO Event Get Smart in 2015: 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. CFO Awards 2015 - Reserve your table now Buy a table for the CFO Awards and meet South Africa's leading CFOs, demonstrate thought leadership, extend your network and develop business. You are seated with CFOs and finance directors from among others Advtech, Aveng, Barclays, Eskom, EOH, FNB, General Cable, Hollard, Liberty, Nedbank, Nissan, Novartis, Old Mutual, Standard Bank and Transnet. You are also more than welcome to join the CFO Conference preceding the CFO Awards dinner with your colleagues. Don't wait too long, first come, first served. Become a partner or attend with your finance team and RSVP 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 Feb 17 Johannesburg | Get Smart in 2015 Feb 19 Cape Town | Get Smart in 2015 Mar 19 Johannesburg | Moving into Africa Apr 16 Johannesburg | Capital & Finance May 14 Johannesburg | CFO Awards 2015 July 30 Johannesburg | Corporate Growth Sept 17 Johannesburg | Digital Transformation Nov 19 Cape Town | 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 we’re getting closer to our February events in Johannesburg (17 February) and Cape Town (19 February), I have the privilege of chatting to some of the people that will be sharing their insights during those afternoons and evenings. This week I spoke to KPMG’s Frank Rizzo about technology and to Cipla Medpro’s Nishant Saxena about the transition from bookkeeper to business partner that many of our CFOs are going through. These are two experienced business people that know exactly what they are talking about!

There are not a lot of South African CFOs who have experienced and contributed to such spectacular corporate growth as Fanus le Roux. When he joined Tshwane-based engineering, management and specialist technical services company Aurecon (then Africon) 20 years ago, it had a turnover of R132 million. These days the company is a global one, with its African operations contributing a R2.6 billion turnover annually. “It has been an exciting journey,” le Roux says modestly.

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday January 29 Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles 6 Questions for KPMG's Granville Smith: turn risk into opportunity "Turn risk on its head and explore the opportunities offered by signals of change in the marketplace," says Granville Smith, KPMG Partner in charge of the South African KPMG’s Internal Audit Business Division. We spoke to Granville about what makes a good internal auditor and he gave some great tips for CFOs and CAs of 2015. "Stay away from the tick-box approach!" CFO of the Week: Jonathan Maehler, ChemSpec: honest information - a recipe for success “I have always had the philosophy that honesty, which at first, in some cases, may lead to a negative response, in the long run acts as a motivator,” says Jonathan Maehler, Financial Director at ChemSpec, one of Africa's largest paint and coatings companies. He has been guiding the business through a difficult period over the last three and a half years. “Being a CFO requires toughness in these situations, because you have to bring the truth to the fore. Through an intense focus on growing sales and regaining customers, we have found our way up.” Expert Insight Fowzia Gamiet: Why the tweet are CFOs not online? CFOs are not really known for their active presence on social media. The focus is more on the so-called risks around social media than the opportunities it presents. Social media has long been associated with a pre-teen to twenty-something pastime. We have all been there - having to dodge the youth walking in the roads, on the pavements and even driving on the road, whilst – unaware of their surroundings - they are so engrossed in their cell phones tweeting about their “exciting surroundings”. How ironic. Read more exclusive articles on cfo.co.za - Editorial: preparing for disruption & PPC CFO Ramano stays put Register for CFO Event Get Smart in Cape Town Discuss your agenda for 2015 Thursday February 19th at the Cape Town Club As global economic growth recovers there will be opportunities and risks for South Africa's economy, CFOs must ensure that the financial choices you make maintain the recent gains in competitiveness. During the first CFO Events of 2015 we will discuss the new economy, value creation, complementary economics, networking, ideas to make te world a better place and we share smart ideas to improve your business. We offer a great opportunity to learn from your peers and get new ideas. Keynote by Nishant Saxena CFO Cipla Medpro Hear from the CFO of one of the country’s leading pharmaceutical companies, Cipla Medpro. He will discuss the changing role of the CFO, expectations to manage risks, using technology for analytics, and share his experiences at Cipla. Afterwards at the CFO Café you can share and discuss the latest insights with the other attending CFOs. Join this event free of charge and don’t miss out on the first CFO Event of 2015 from 4pm - 8pm and register now: - February 19th at the Cape Town Club, register here. Partners CFO Event Get Smart in 2015: 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. CFO Awards 2015 - Reserve your table now Buy a table for the CFO Awards and meet South Africa's leading CFOs, demonstrate thought leadership, extend your network and develop business. You are seated with CFOs and finance directors from among others Advtech, Aveng, Barclays, Eskom, EOH, FNB, General Cable, Hollard, Liberty, Nedbank, Nissan, Novartis, Old Mutual, Standard Bank and Transnet. You are also more than welcome to join the CFO Conference preceding the CFO Awards dinner with your colleagues. Don't wait too long, first come, first served. Become a partner or attend with your finance team and RSVP 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 Feb 17 Johannesburg | Get Smart in 2015 Feb 19 Cape Town | Get Smart in 2015 Mar 19 Johannesburg | Moving into Africa Apr 16 Johannesburg | Capital & Finance May 14 Johannesburg | CFO Awards 2015 July 30 Johannesburg | Corporate Growth Sept 17 Johannesburg | Digital Transformation Nov 19 Cape Town | 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"

We are living in the age of disruption and CFOs have the responsibility to see what’s coming and anticipate the new business world order. During our Get Smart in 2015 events in Johannesburg (17 February) and Cape Town (19 February) we will chat about the challenges that come with change, but speakers like ‘lifehacker’ Martijn Aslander will also show the CFOs present that the recent digital revolution provides opportunities galore.

“I have always had the philosophy that honesty, which at first, in some cases, may lead to a negative response, in the long run acts as a motivator,” says Jonathan Maehler, Financial Director at ChemSpec, one of Africa's largest paint and coatings companies. He has been guiding the business through a difficult period over the last three and a half years. “Being a CFO requires toughness in these situations, because you have to bring the truth to the fore. Through an intense focus on growing sales and regaining customers, we have found our way up.”

In this Expert Insight Fowzia Gamiet, Senior Associate: Financial Recruitment at CA Global Finance deals with the power of social media and calls on Chief Financial Officers to go online and tweet.

"Turn risk on its head and explore the opportunities offered by signals of change in the marketplace," says Granville Smith, KPMG Partner in charge of the South African KPMG’s Internal Audit Business Division. We spoke to Granville about what makes a good internal auditor and he gave some great tips for CFOs and CAs of 2015. "Stay away from the tick-box approach!"

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday January 22 Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles 5 key insights about CFOs in Africa Doing banking and finance in Africa is not a big shift from doing it in the rest of the world, especially with the significant foreign direct investment being channelled into the continent lately. This includes investment from all the globally recognized accountancy bodies and professional services firms. Following key principles is important for a finance team to ensure it delivers success and is a trusted business partner. CFO of the Week: Dumisani Dlamini, National Arts Council: a sense of higher purpose Improving the quality of governmental accounting is as high on Dumisani Dlamini's agenda as successfully executing his new job as CFO of the National Arts Council of South Africa (NAC). “I am extremely proud of my involvement as chairperson of audit committees in various municipalities. It is great to see those finance departments change for the better.” Lenore Kerrigan, Sales Director OpenText: preparing for the Digital... “As companies prepare for a Digital First World, the CFO will play a key role in providing the financial underpinning of this digital transformation, says Lenore Kerrigan, Sales Director for Sub-Saharan Africa at software company OpenText Corporation. “It is controversial, but in many companies CFOs are still mainly reporting on historic facts and figures. The role of modern CFOs, however, is forward looking and includes a very strong focus on understanding risk and financial growth. Read more exclusive articles on cfo.co.za - Editorial: outgoing ArcelorMittal CFO's SA optimism, boost for Wool... Register for CFO Event Get Smart in Cape Town Discuss your agenda for 2015 Thursday February 19th at the Cape Town Club As global economic growth recovers there will be opportunities and risks for South Africa's economy, CFOs must ensure that the financial choices you make maintain the recent gains in competitiveness. During the first CFO Events of 2015 we will discuss the new economy, value creation, complementary economics, networking, ideas to make te world a better place and we share smart ideas to improve your business. We offer a great opportunity to learn from your peers and get new ideas. Keynote by Nishant Saxena CFO Cipla Medpro Hear from the CFO of one of the country’s leading pharmaceutical companies, Cipla Medpro. He will discuss the changing role of the CFO, expectations to manage risks, using technology for analytics, and share his experiences at Cipla. Afterwards at the CFO Café you can share and discuss the latest insights with the other attending CFOs. Join this event free of charge and don’t miss out on the first CFO Event of 2015 from 4pm - 8pm and register now: - February 19th at the Cape Town Club, register here. Partners CFO Event Get Smart in 2015: 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. Join the ultimate peer to peer advisory network Various CFOs and finance directors from Eskom, Nedbank, Transnet, SAB, Nike, 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. 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 Feb 17 Johannesburg | Get Smart in 2015 Feb 19 Cape Town | Get Smart in 2015 Mar 19 Johannesburg | Moving into Africa Apr 16 Johannesburg | Capital & Finance May 14 Johannesburg | CFO Awards 2015 July 30 Johannesburg | Corporate Growth Sept 17 Johannesburg | Digital Transformation Nov 19 Cape Town | 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"

“More than in the past you have to pick your battles and prioritize.” I had to think of these wise words of Matthias Wellhausen, when I heard the ArcelorMittal CFO is leaving the country to join Swiss firm Schmolz + Bickenback, a global market leader in special steel, as CFO. Last year we spoke to Wellhausen and CFOs and finance professionals would be well-advised to reread the interview with the German.

Improving the quality of governmental accounting is as high on Dumisani Dlamini's agenda as successfully executing his new job as CFO of the National Arts Council of South Africa (NAC). “I am extremely proud of my involvement as chairperson of audit committees in various municipalities. It is great to see those finance departments change for the better.”

KPMG’s 2014 Africa CFO Survey is based on the international survey Being the best: Inside the intelligent finance function. It collates and interprets responses from 264 CFOs of medium-to-large companies with a quarter of them working for companies with revenue over $1 billion. Here are 5 key insights about African CFOs from that survey.

“As companies prepare for a Digital First World, the CFO will play a key role in providing the financial underpinning of this digital transformation, says Lenore Kerrigan, Sales Director for Sub-Saharan Africa at software company OpenText Corporation. “It is controversial, but in many companies CFOs are still mainly reporting on historic facts and figures. The role of modern CFOs, however, is forward looking and includes a very strong focus on understanding risk and financial growth. Our Enterprise Content Management (ECM) and Enterprise Information Management (EIM) systems can help them accomplish this.”

CFO South Africa Newsletter | Thursday January 15 Dear CFO South Africa Member, Read Exclusive CFO South Africa Articles Greg Davis, CFO Africa Standard Bank: 4 principles for doing busine... Doing banking and finance in Africa is not a big shift from doing it in the rest of the world, especially with the significant foreign direct investment being channelled into the continent lately. This includes investment from all the globally recognized accountancy bodies and professional services firms. Following key principles is important for a finance team to ensure it delivers success and is a trusted business partner. CFO of the Week: Linda Kumbemba, loveLife: being the NGO’s ‘bad guy’ “If you’re a quick-solutions type person, you tend to look like the bad guy at a non-profit organisation,” says Linda Kumbemba, CFO at loveLife, South Africa's largest HIV prevention initiative for young people. “The environment is slower-paced compared to the corporates, but you have to move and keep agile. It is also great to be part of a successful behavioral change campaign even though its results can’t be measured in the way a CFO would usually want results to be measured.” 5 questions with... lifehacker & CFO SA Keynote speaker Martijn... During our 2015 events, CFO South Africa will occasionally invite inspiring international speakers to deliver provoking Keynote speeches. In his own words, ‘lifehacker’ Martijn Aslander from The Netherlands will be aiming to “confuse people, make them think and make them laugh” during our next events in Johannesburg (17 February) and Cape Town (19 February). Read more exclusive articles on cfo.co.za - Get smart… join our February events and ask the JSE boss a question Register for CFO Events Get Smart in Johannesburg & Cape Town Discuss your agenda for 2015 As global economic growth recovers there will be opportunities and risks for South Africa's economy, CFOs must ensure that the financial choices you make maintain the recent gains in competitiveness. During the first CFO Events of 2015 we will discuss the new economy, value creation, complementary economics, networking, ideas to make te world a better place and we share smart ideas to improve your business. We offer a great opportunity to learn from your peers and get new ideas. Keynote by Nicky Newton King, CEO of the JSE She will discuss the comprehensive overview of the world today, as well as look forward on how she expects global trends, regional key challenges as education & skills development, African leadership will develop in the coming year as well as emerging issues that should be on the agendas of every CFO for 2015. Join this event free of charge with and don’t miss out on the first CFO Events of 2015 from 4pm - 8pm and register now: - February 17th at the JSE, register here. - February 19th at the Cape Town Club, register here. Partners CFO Events Get Smart in 2015: 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. Join the ultimate peer to peer advisory network Various CFOs and finance directors from Eskom, Nedbank, Transnet, SAB, Nike, 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. 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 Feb 17 Johannesburg | Get Smart in 2015 Feb 19 Cape Town | Get Smart in 2015 Mar 19 Johannesburg | Moving into Africa Apr 16 Johannesburg | Capital & Finance May 14 Johannesburg | CFO Awards 2015 July 30 Johannesburg | Corporate Growth Sept 17 Johannesburg | Digital Transformation Nov 19 Cape Town | 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"

Always wanted to ask Nicky Newton-King, CEO of the JSE, a question? In search of a unique, inspirational chat by an international 'lifehacker'? Keen to brush up on the latest technological innovations and inventions that CFOs should know about?

“If you’re a quick-solutions type person, you tend to look like the bad guy at a non-profit organisation,” says Linda Kumbemba, CFO at loveLife, South Africa's largest HIV prevention initiative for young people. “The environment is slower-paced compared to the corporates, but you have to move and keep agile. It is also great to be part of a successful behavioral change campaign even though its results can’t be measured in the way a CFO would usually want results to be measured.”

This week's Expert Insight comes from Greg Davis, CFO Africa at the Standard Bank Group and one of the nominees for this year's CFO Awards. He shares some key principles for doing business in Africa and elaborates on one of them.