A complete overview of interviews with South Africa's most prominent CFOs and FDs.
CFO Mike Davis unpacks the exciting next steps in Nedbank’s evolution, which includes a unique approach to technology and a partnership with the government that might see South Africa into a better 2024, in a CFO Magazine interview. Old Mutual CFO Casper Troskie explains how technology, trust and a lot of preparation can prepare any leader, and their organisations, for uncertainty. With his roots and family in South Africa, Rick Martin knew he had to embark on a career back home after growing up in New Zealand. Now the CFO of Satrix, he hopes to have a positive impact on the country. South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) CFO Innocent Gumbochuma shares how he is shaping the financial trajectory of the organisation and has ambitions of setting it on a path of innovation, resilience, and diversified revenue streams. Save the Children director of finance Hlobisile Nsibande shares the mission she is on to help give children a better chance of survival, protection, development and participation in society. Scottish Gordon Traill reveals what it takes to lead an iconic South African business through tough times after a year as Clicks’ CFO. CFO Joanne Tanner reveals how she is using her unique storytelling skills to help grow Decision Inc. For Shabana Aboo Baker, becoming group financial director at Mustek has meant listening to her gut. Wesgro CFO Sandiso Gcwabe's journey within the public sector is anchored in a sense of purpose. Langeberg Municipality CFO Mava Shude on his blueprint for sustainable governance. Head of finance Martin van der Walt hopes to change the mining industry by focusing on people and tech. Taryn Augoustatos shares some of the challenges she’s faced as a non-techy, woman CFO in fintech. Hitachi Energy FD Michelle Sampson talks about the advancement of women in finance. Bryte Insurance CFO Yulandi van Dyk says it’s possible to achieve the triple bottom line. CFO Adri Führi unpacks the two years of planning that went into e4’s recent acquisition. Arno Daehnke unpacks what change-ready finance leadership looks like for a new world. Nelisiwe Shiluvana has been appointed as the new group FD of Famous Brands. Foskor’s CFO, Jubilant Speckman, maps out the technology and ESG blueprints that lead to success. SAPRO CFO Jean Penhaligon talks about unleashing the potential of technology in auditing. Tracker Connect CFO Clarissa Appana on stigma and re-entering the job market after a career hiatus. Alvin Liew is sharing his experience working abroad with other CFOs who are also looking to move. New mom and newly appointed Mars SA CFO Sasha Brown is excited about what comes next. After almost 10 years at Investec Property Fund, CFO Jenna Sprenger has seen the business grow into its own. Yvonne Dias is passionate about empowering women and has made sure there’s a place for them at Mint Group. Logicalis CFO Seshnie Naidoo is living out her mom’s career aspirations, and making them her own. Lehan le Grange reveals how he uses leverage to get the most out of his team at Ecentric Payment Systems. African Leadership Academy CFO is building a sustainable organisation that benefits tomorrow’s leaders. Aspen CFO Sean Capazorio unpacks how the tragedy changed his views on life and leadership. Bidvest Financial Services CFO Tendani Sikhwivhilu shares his priorities for 2023. After more than 12 years in a core finance role, this techie-at-heart has returned to his roots. Johann Steyn started his first business at the age of 14. Today he is the CFO of Bridgement. The seasoned finance exec made a public recording about his own transformation and empowerment journey. The Bidvest Automotive CFO isn’t afraid of a challenge, and brings her fearlessness to her leadership role. Toyota Tsusho Africa’s CFO says disasters are an unlikely catalyst for future clarity. Nedbank Wealth CFO Nadia Schaerer believes that finance is the glue that holds business together. Microsoft SA CFO Welela Dawit on being a mission-driven financial leader in Africa. IPP Office’s head of finance Dzunani Makgopa on responding to South Africa’s power crisis. An avid road runner, Grant uses his training techniques to be a strong leader at Capitec. Grant Manicom shares how his entrepreneurial outlook has led to career success. As CFO of a leading agro-forestry circular economy organisation, Cindy likes nothing more than solving puzzles. Laila unpacks how Equites is using lessons from Covid-19 to navigate inflation spikes in SA and the UK. The Bidvest Insurance CFO believes that he should be both receiving and giving value in everything he does. During Covid-19, Christiaan learned how to keep calm and leverage relationships to overcome challenges. The CTSE CFO first got an opportunity to learn through SAICA, and has kept on learning throughout his career. Wonga head of finance Jody Baumgarten on navigating a crisis soon after acquiring a business. Despite being smaller than most of its peers in the PGM industry, Siyanda is miles ahead. The ABB South Africa CFO is passionate about fostering safer spaces for women in the workplace. CFO Cynthia Pongweni argues that more women need to be brought to the table. TFG recently acquired Jet and Tapestry, seeing it enter into the value and home markets. Yvette Glass finds new purpose by shifting to the owner of Evac+Chair South Africa. Thabiso loves working with start-ups, and finds it inspiring and motivating to be part of helping them grow. SnapScan CFO Derick Truscott shares the right mindset for scaling a company. Pramy started baking to manage stress, now she uses it to empower the women at Sappi Southern Africa. As the CFO of Maserati, Nico works in a fast-paced environment, but uses his bushveld knowledge to navigate it. Willa hopes to bring a unique flavour to the role, and help his new team grow. Nishlan looks forward to what the future holds for Investec, and for technological advancements. Bongi achieved excellence when she became the first public sector CFO to win the CFO of the Year Award in 2022. The AFMS Group CFO believes learning and development is a business imperative for all finance leaders. When Dawid Swart isn’t travelling the world, he’s trying to save it as Wetility’s CFO. The 2022 High-Performance Team Award winner unpacks how she has created a winning team. After several fruitful decades as JAM International, the dynamic NGO has rebranded to ForAfrika. Yota first fell in love with Ford when she was eight years old, now she’s the motor company’s CFO. The holding company has been acquired by Old Mutual Private Equity and will be delisting from the JSE. The Liberty Two Degrees FD explains that the role of the CFO in challenging times is multipronged. The AEEI CFO shares his biggest achievements, including starting his own spice and sauce business. Jamie Louw, CFO at AFMS Group, says the company emerged from the pandemic with newfound purpose. Charl enjoys calculating new strategies both in the Sibanye Stillwater boardroom and on the shooting range. Outgoing CFO of Astral Foods Daan Ferreira says finance has evolved into a more rewarding field. Asanda Myataza is a Bridgerton fan, and views mentoring in the workplace as essential. Deon Fredericks, Group Financial Director (FD) of Famous Brands Ltd on leading through change. Meet Andre Smith, the financial director of Afrimat Bulk Commodities, dad of two teenagers and a closet Eminem fan. Retailability CFO Malcom Smith shares the backstory of the Edgars acquisition. Nal’ibali CFO Saleem Mukuddem talks about his illustrious career and why his work is so rewarding. TWK CFO unpacks the lessons he has learnt on optimising the opportunities in agriculture to attain financial success. After navigating the Covid-19 risks, CFO Mike Davis is now focused on Nedbank's green and sustainable future. Bringing accessible and affordable education to South Africans is Rajan’s “heritage and quest”. George explains that the largest part of product to market costs is the cost of logistics. Sharon Naidoo shares how she has made her role as Transunion’s CFO her own by tapping into her superpowers. André is eager to get around to doing the things he loves, like reading and riding his motorcycle. The new strategy will give individuals, SMEs and the planet the opportunity to thrive, he says. In 2019, Adrian was tasked with a mission to rescue 13 Starbucks Southern Africa stores. Arno explains that Standard Bank plans to turn its focus to the environment and new ecosystems. The Petrocam CFO believes challenger brands across industries have an opportunity to make inroads today. Following on from the success of the "Reset and Grow" strategy, Momentum has launched the "Reinvent and Grow" strategy. Eazi Access CFO David Chadinha shares his tips on how to thrive during a crisis. As the CFO of Hyundai South Africa, Thinus gets to enjoy many perks along with the challenges in his industry. Clarissa’s ability to channel her sense of adventure within any sphere she occupies has led to new opportunities. Liquid Intelligent Technologies CFO Sandile Ntsele on finding success in new territories. Lucas Ndala believes that, during times of change, people have to consider what legacy they are building. Partner at Moore Durban says big data analytics and value-add are the future of audit. Fikile Mhlontlo found a new purpose when tasked with returning SAA to the skies as its interim CFO. Experienced non-executive director says audit committees play a key role in demonstrating credibility to shareholders. Having always had a passion for the medical industry, Olivia says being the CFO of Allergan is her dream job. Having grown up on a farm in Villiersdorp, Etienne tries to take a very pragmatic approach to his work. Mark has always had an entrepreneurial spirit, from selling caps on the beach as a child to now building a megacity. After working abroad for many years, Ryan McDougall returned to South Africa in 2019. The SOLA Group CFO shares why renewable energy is important to him, and how the industry is booming. Serisha passionately advocates for technology and its pivotal role in the success of businesses. As the group’s first in-house CFO, Jono has been building a strong financial team within iKhokha. Lindiwe believes she is living proof that you don’t have to be mean to lead effectively. Thembi also enjoys letting her creativity show as Masslift Africa's head of communications and marketing. The CFO of Redefine Properties says being a finance leader echoes the values he was raised with. Jordaan explains that remote working has allowed him to spend more time growing and collecting cycads. Having recently stepped into the FD role, Anabel is looking forward to navigating the changing property industry. As the CFO, Chrisanthi has been instrumental in cementing Access Bank’s South African footprint. As the CFO of Cape Union Mart, Landi took the opportunity to mould the role to be more people-centric. Faheem recognised that every business required an accountant and chose to become a CA. The Petrocam CFO unpacks his experience of expanding into markets with dominant incumbents. Ushana Amichand reflects on her learnings about trust during her stint as a relatively young CFO. Women should be given opportunities with full confidence that they are going to achieve and deliver, says Nopasika. The Dimension Data MD believes that the empowerment of both women and men should be addressed. Tamuka shares how he and his finance team navigated the challenges of the last year together. As the only female executive at SANRAL, Inge is passionate about empowering the women around her. Nerissa Chetty discusses how managing expectations helped her to fulfil work and personal responsibilities. With a new job in a new industry and a new baby, Abigail has spent the last 18 months relearning. Zoliswa has had to wear sales, risk and operation leadership hats throughout her career at G4S South Africa. Veliswa has played a critical role in the merger of Barloworld Motor Retail and NMI Durban South Motors. Travis Fisher is not your typical accountant – he’s also a professional waterskier. Reeza believes that Woolworths’ investment into online services has pointed the business in a new direction. Otsile explains that a secondary listing option creates an alternative trading venue so investors have choice.CFO Mike Davis reveals there's nothing vanilla about the new Nedbank
How CFO Casper Troskie helps Old Mutual prepare for the unpredictable
Why CFO Rick Martin chose South Africa over New Zealand
CFO Innocent Gumbochuma: A strategic revival
FD Hlobisile Nsibande stands for financial resilience and child advocacy
How CFO Gordon Traill is navigating South African business
CFO Joanne Tanner’s story of growth
Making tough decisions reaps rewards for Shabana Aboo Baker
CFO Sandiso Gcwabe is nurturing public value
How CFO Mava Shude is reshaping the public sector landscape
Martin van der Walt is on a mission to drive change at Sibanye Stillwater
CFO Taryn Augoustatos: Challenge accepted!
Michelle Sampson shares her experience as a woman in the finance industry
6 Questions to CFO Yulandi van Dyk about people, profit and purpose
You can never be too prepared, says CFO Adri Führi about her first deal
CFO of the Year Arno Daehnke: Standard Bank's change-ready leader
Nelisiwe Shiluvana takes baton from mentor Deon Fredericks
CFO Jubilant Speckman is charting a course for a sustainable future
6 Questions to CFO Jean Penhaligon
How CFO Clarissa Appana has bounced back stronger than ever
Q&A: Alvin Liew reveals what it takes to be a global CFO
CFO Sasha Brown: It’s all about finance and family
CFO Jenna Sprenger: Growing up with Investec Property Fund
How CFO Yvonne Dias has given people a voice at Mint Group
Seshnie Naidoo: from dream to CFO reality
CFO Lehan le Grange: The power of leverage
CFO Peter Kimingi: Leaving a sustainable legacy
How CFO Sean Capazorio survives tsunamis, at work and on his honeymoon
5 Questions to CFO Tendani Sikhwivhilu
Sean Berrington gives up CFO role to pursue his passion for technology
14 going on 40: CFO Johann Steyn shares his leadership journey
CFO Dirk Viljoen on the social accord and being authentic
Carla Seppings’ never say no attitude and where it’s gotten her
CFO Shaun Govender found clarity in the face of crisis
CFO Nadia Schaerer: All roads lead to finance
The well-travelled leader heading Microsoft’s finance function
Connecting the dots in South Africa's renewable energy drive
Capitec’s new CFO, Grant Hardy, is running towards his dreams
Adumo CFO on growth and giving back
MTO CFO Cindy Cloete solving number puzzles
CFO Laila Razack: Treading mindfully during uncertainty
Alastair Petticrew: Balancing the scales of value
Spear CFO Christiaan Barnard and the art of keeping calm
CFO Mpho Thomas’s passion for learning and the rich career that came from it
Carving a niche in a shifted economy
Imraan Osman: Siyanda Resources is a turtle in a hare race
CFO Lindie Koldas’s steely resolve to uplift and empower women
MIC CFO Cynthia Pongweni stresses the need for more women in the boardroom
CFO Bongiwe Ntuli’s passion for M&A is taking TFG into new markets
CFO to owner – the transition that reinvigorated this CFO’s career
Thabiso Foto powering the start-up engine
Lessons from a CFO on successfully scaling a start-up
CFO Pramy Moodley: Baking her way through crises
Nico Serfontein is a “bosveld kind” living in the fast lane
Meet Willa van den Berg, the new CFO at Liberty
CFO Nishlan Samujh: Keeping the “universal” picture in mind
Bongi Ngoma’s pursuit of excellence
Jamie Louw reveals how continuous learning has helped him become a better leader
CFO Dawid Swart is a globetrotter at heart
EOH FD Megan Pydigadu reveals the making of a high-performance team
Nico Esterhuizen reveals the new JAM International: ForAfrika
Yota Baron has been pursuing her first love, cars, her entire life
Mireille Levenstein bids farewell to Long4Life
José Snyders reveals how to create value in a crisis
The spicier side of Jowayne van Wyk's life
Using lessons from a crisis to come out stronger on the other side
CFO Charl Keyter: A strategist at heart
Forty-year finance veteran Daan Ferreira reflects on a rich career
Life Healthcare’s GM of finance believes in authenticity
Coming out of semi-retirement to embrace new challenges
Afrimat Bulk Commodities’s FD unpacks results and divulge a personal secret or two
The tale of how the underdog triumphed in the midst of great challenges
Nal’ibali’s Saleem Mukuddem on replacing product for purpose
Eddie Fivaz shares how he has navigated a career in agri-business
Mike Davis unpacks policy, power and pandemics
Rajan Padayachy is building an educational legacy as the new CFO of Optimi Learning
Imperial Logistics CFO George de Beer reveals the costs of cross-continental trade
Transunion CFO Sharon Naidoo disrupting with heart
André du Plessis plans to “refocus” after 22 years as the CFO and co-founder of Capitec
CFO Jordaan Burger unpacks Sage’s new sustainability and society strategy in AME
How Adrian Maizey went from pursuing a career in tennis to one in the coffee industry
FD Arno Daehnke reveals the new future-ready Standard Bank
Supply chain disruptions provide market growth opportunities, says CFO Ridwan Gany
9 Questions for Risto Ketola around resetting and reinventing Momentum Metropolitan
CFO David Chadinha creating opportunity in chaos
Being the CFO of Hyundai is a car fanatic’s dream come true, believes Thinus Venter
Clarissa Appana shares how she went from a cadet pilot to the CFO of Lafarge
CFO Sandile Ntsele shares his lessons in navigating emerging markets
BCX CFO Lucas Ndala leaving a legacy
Audit is here to stay, but needs to evolve, says Tarryn Pedlar
Why SAA's interim CFO Fikile Mhlontlo is the man for the job
Kholeka Mzondeki says influence comes with privilege and should be used for good
CFO Olivia Serithi says medicine is in her blood
CFO Etienne le Roux’s simplified approach to Metropolitan Retail’s “Reset and Grow” strategy
Mark Scop is a serial entrepreneur who isn’t afraid to roll up his sleeves
Ryan McDougall chasing opportunities in South Africa
CFO Oliver Braithwaite believes its an exciting time in SA’s renewable energy journey
CFO Serisha Beosumbar’s full throttle approach to her career
CFO Jono Blignaut creating a strong financial backbone in iKhokha
Nice girls do get the corner office, says CFO Lindiwe Mzaidume
Masslift Africa's Thembi Mazibuko is colouring outside the conventional lines of a CFO
How a heritage steeped in Nguni cattle farming created a foundation for Ntobeko Nyawo’s success
Sage FD Jordaan Burger shares his passion for collecting cycads
Octodec FD Anabel Vieira rethinking the property game
Chrisanthi Michaelides, the steadfast CFO behind Access Bank’s acquisition of Grobank
Landi van Staden decided to remodel the CFO role during Covid-19
BDO head of assurance Faheem Hoosen was inspired to become a CA by his entrepreneurial family
CFO Ridwan Gany shares his lessons for making a strong entrance
Open communication makes for efficient teams says Sphere CFO Ushana Amichand
Visionary Woman: CFO Nopasika Lila says the world is conspiring for your success
Visionary Woman Nompumelelo Mokou says empowerment should not be limited to gender
Tamuka Mpofu talks about adventure, creativity and the future of fintech
Visionary Woman Leader Inge Mulder paving the way for women
How Ubank’s Nerissa Chetty navigates the work-life balance
Visionary Woman Leader Abigail Mukhuba taking on a whole new world
Visionary Woman Leader: Zoliswa Mashinini isn’t just the CFO of G4S South Africa, but dons various different hats
Visionary Woman Leader: CFO Veliswa Rozani delivers the sale of Barloworld Motor Retail
SAPRO’s Travis Fisher lets the water lead the way
CFO Reeza Isaacs unpacks Woolworths’ new digital approach
A2X CFO Otsile Matheba shares how Africa’s second biggest stock exchange is changing the game