Talent, culture & leadership
An incredibly important part of adding value as a finance leader is to get a handle on the “soft” issues within your business and this series will bring you the leading insights from successful CFOs and leaders in this field. If there is a competitive advantage to be had in 2017, it may well be here - don’t miss out.
10 June 2021 Tafadzwa is passionate about mentoring and empowering young students and CAs, as well as his colleagues. 07 June 2021 The Old Mutual CFO says that leaders have had to be more deliberate when checking in with people. 03 June 2021 Mpho explains how she was recognised as a leader for EWSETA, despite her youth. 27 May 2021 Rhett shares how he fast-forwarded his career from King Price’s CFO to deputy-CEO before the age of 40. 20 May 2021 As the world of work changes, CFOs need to rethink their skills and the talent that they bring into business. 20 May 2021 The Juwi EMEA FD’s ability to easily connect with different types of people has turned out to be an asset. 16 May 2021 Anene’s experience as a deaf financial controller shows how communication improves inclusion. 13 May 2021 The Mars South Africa CFO believes that CFOs need to be much more agile in the new world of work. 09 May 2021 Senele is passionate about providing a safe and nurturing environment for the young children of Osizweni. 24 March 2021 Nico explains how you can use emotional intelligence for effective professional and personal leadership. 18 March 2021 Sedibelo Platinum Mines CFO Elmarie Maritz sees the mining industry as an opportunity for women. 03 March 2021 TransUnion Africa CFO Sharon Naidoo shares her experience of learning new leadership skills from her mentees. 28 February 2021 CFO South Africa webinar reveals how accountants can upskill to remain relevant. 24 February 2021 Herman Singh says building your personal brand has a significant impact on your career journey. 22 February 2021 DoughGetters’ Murray Barnetson makes a case for taking care of yourself to avoid burnout. 31 December 2020 Finance professionals talk about the impact CAs can have in organisations. 21 December 2020 Finance leaders share how education has helped them reach their goals. 20 October 2020 Sage FD Jordaan Burger: Companies that went digital before lockdown were prepared for Covid-19. 16 October 2020 Today’s uncertainty and change will see finance leaders assuming greater responsibility. 15 October 2020 Speaking at the 2020 Finance Indaba Network, Professor Mervyn King advocated for a title change for CFOs. 15 October 2020 Raisibe Morathi and other panellists shared their learnings from working through Covid-19. 15 October 2020 A panel of women finance leaders said these three things were critical in their journey to the top. 04 September 2020 Claudelle von Eck: When it comes to ethics, leaders need to put their money where their mouth is. 13 August 2020 Laila says it's important for young women of colour to take up significant positions in corporate SA. 06 August 2020 Inge Walters discussed the internal barriers that keep women from achieving success. 05 August 2020 EOH's Megan Pydigadu reveals that you can earn anyone's respect by being your authentic self. 05 August 2020 JAM CFO Nico Esterhuizen says the best time to choose personal growth is today. 30 July 2020 CFOs discuss the importance of collaborating in order to survive during CFO Community Conversation. 23 July 2020 CFOs discuss the importance of supporting society while ensuring the survival of their organisations. 17 July 2020 Mark Godfrey and Ashley Francis share their leadership lessons from Covid-19 and lockdown. 08 July 2020 Robots are assisting humans to build cars, deliver packages and assemble computers. Blockchain is tracking diamond supply chains and monitoring construction equipment. Smart machines are showing up in hospitals, shipping containers, pharmacies, and more. For finance to meet the challenges of a digital world, CFOs need to transform their talent and use different tools and techniques. 03 July 2020 Shilpa says women shouldn't shy away from leadership, especially during tough economic times. 02 July 2020 CFOs need to take a "yes, and" approach, but they also have to say "no" when it's necessary. 26 June 2020 Having the wisdom to make smart decisions is something Thobeka Ntshiza, CFO of Avis Fleet, values. 14 June 2020 Avashnee Ramdial has learnt that finance departments don't deliver well if their culture isn't cohesive and collaborative. She explained how she got this right as the CFO of Stanlib, based on a similar process in her prior role at Absa, and how she is keen to share the learnings from the hardships she has faced with other women in finance, in an interview with Georgina Guedes. 05 June 2020 Her love for numbers and sharp logic make Jo-Ann Pohl a natural dynamo in finance, but what has really made her an exceptional leader is her strong creative streak and ability to imagine fresh new possibilities for every scenario. 03 June 2020 To attain the "badge" of true leadership, you have to master personal leadership, says Nico. 14 May 2020 CFOs often need to oversee the skilling up of their teams. But junior employees aren't the only staff who need to grow and learn - the demand for development exists all the way to the very top, with leaders needing to embrace learning opportunities as much as anyone else on their teams. 14 May 2020 The finance team at Jaguar Land Rover South Africa are encouraged to become business partners, influencing the organisation as a whole and seizing the opportunities presented for personal development. But there is one more characteristic that typifies the motor company's finance team - and that's an abiding passion for the two premier brands. 12 May 2020 CFOs often need to oversee the skilling up of their teams. But junior employees aren't the only staff who need to grow and learn - the demand for development exists all the way to the very top, with leaders needing to embrace learning opportunities as much as anyone else on their teams. 08 May 2020 These CFOs share their insights into changing their companies' BEE scores and culture. 07 May 2020 CFOs share their leadership anecdotes from times of crisis during a CFO Community Conversation. 24 January 2020 A team of students from UCT GSB participated in the John Molson MBA International Case Competition, and won. 08 January 2020 CFO Sheldon Friedericksen explains how Fedgroup gamified its employees' work experience - with stellar results. 24 October 2019 Finance Indaba attendees heard that they need to take an entrepreneurial view of their organisations. 22 October 2019 Mariska Casey explains how she won the World Championship in deadlifting, despite huge personal challenges. 22 October 2019 It's about being technologically adept, having a strong and nurturing support system. 21 October 2019 An S&P Global Market Intelligence study shows that woman CFOs are increasing companies' profits. 20 October 2019 CFOs encouraged to serve their communities with optimism to make meaningful change across the country. 17 October 2019 Panel tells Finance Indaba that women's empowerment and upliftment is everyone's responsibility. 16 October 2019 While corporate is making strides in making sure the workplace is more inclusive, gender equality is still lagging behind. 16 October 2019 Six big trends will shape the future of work; all include technology, especially Artificial Intelligence. 16 October 2019 The Youth Employment Service has created 25,470 job opportunities since its March 2018 launch. 16 October 2019 Companies will future proof their businesses by deliberately attracting and welcoming a younger skill set. 10 October 2019 He says that trust is built through better governance on a foundation of transparency and accountability. 11 July 2019 Deloitte's Valter Adão says the way we gain knowledge has to change from something we do to how we behave. 12 March 2019 Customers are responsible for revenue and growth, and must remain at the centre of the business. 24 February 2019 The Telkom CFO says: "You need to act beyond reproach, never compromise your integrity." 20 February 2019 Tim London: "Your vision statement is probably useless. Here's how to make it better." 17 February 2019 Whether she's running Nedbank Group finance or a marathon, Raisibe Morathi gets the job done. 10 February 2019 The FD tells how she joined Comair to simplify her life, then her career took off. 14 December 2018 Many South African corporates invest in art, but how are these assets accounted for? 28 November 2018 Learn from Starbucks and support your staff's studies - you'll become an employer of choice. 22 November 2018 The business magnate and investor says his number-one learning hack is to read good books. 21 November 2018 Leaders must be compassionate, likeable and interested in their staff. Markitects' Ian Rheeder explains how. 14 November 2018 Goalfix director Colin Human says the dynamism of financial modelling supports growth and saves money. 11 November 2018 The CFO believes servant leadership creates purpose for people, empowering them to innovate at work. 09 November 2018 Accounting Made Easy: Using visual tools effectively imparts accountancy knowledge - especially to non-accountants. 06 November 2018 W. consulting will hold your hand through the changes that IFRS 9 has brought. 01 November 2018 Goalfix's Colin Human: Financial modelling is the best tool to help make informed business decisions. 30 October 2018 Lori Milner from Beyond the Dress recommends you turn off those email alerts and focus. 25 October 2018 W.consulting will get you ready for the looming IFRS 16 compliance deadline: January 2019. 23 October 2018 Accounting Made Easy demystifies obvious accounting terms often misunderstood by non-accountants. 18 October 2018 Markitects' Ian Rheeder says neuroscience holds the key to mastering customer experience management. 16 October 2018 Lori Milner from Beyond the Dress is a whizz at guiding you to complete every task in one day and own your time. 18 September 2018 A focus on colleagues, customers and solutions is the key to success for CFOs, say finance leaders of MMI. 23 August 2018 Senior executives' observations are often taken as commands. Be sure that your team knows the difference. 12 August 2018 Chris van Zyl, Stormers rugby player, keeps himself busy off the field by running an accounting practice. 19 July 2018 Billionaire businessman Christo Wiese has been caught up in a case in which Sars claims that a law firm at which he was an executive, ENS, helped multinational oil company Tullow shift about R3,9 billion in assets out of the country 03 July 2018 If someone's late for a meeting, here are some insights that will help you to cope with the stress. 13 June 2018 The university is making strides in its mission to broaden access to quality education 24 May 2018 Here are a few little tidbits to spice up the conversation when someone asks what you do for a living 22 May 2018 The rise of economic nationalism, Donald Trump, territorial threats and populist politics pose the greatest threat to the growth of the world's biggest companies, according to a survey of 1 300 CEOs by KPMG 18 May 2018 While millennials and Gen Z are highly aware of how Industry 4.0 is shaping the workplace, many of them are uneasy about its arrival 14 May 2018 Here are five intriguing and non-traditional accounting jobs you might want to consider 11 May 2018 New guide highlights the impact management accountants have on business sustainability 25 April 2018 Here are five accountants (or would-be number-crunchers), who disregarded the call of the financial calculator to take centre stage in an entirely unrelated field 20 April 2018 Global finance executives remain optimistic about economic growth prospects for the year ahead, according to the 2018 Global Business & Spending Outlook 15 April 2018 Sixty-four percent of professionals think changing roles every few years can be beneficial, with the biggest perk being a higher salary, but CFOs don't necessarily agree 14 April 2018 CFO of the Year 2017 Till Streichert talks about competing in the gruelling Cape Epic. 05 April 2018 CFOs can bring a fresh perspective to the CEO role, but the move isn't a natural progression, according to a study 22 March 2018 Despite expected growth in the use of financial technologies such as blockchain, many American firms say they don't expect it to disrupt their business models, while those who do are slow to respond 15 February 2018 Business leaders were equally inspired and challenged during the first ever combined executive summit for CFOs and CHROs in the beautifully decorated Summer Place in Hyde Park, Johannesburg. Larger-than-life Sygnia CEO Magda Wierzycka took the stage to call for visible leadership, followed by a panel discussion with equally dazzling Aarti Takoordeen (JSE Limited) and Sean Doherty (Standard Bank). 15 February 2018 The Commonwealth Climate and Law Initiative, a research project by the University of Oxford Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, hosted a high-level symposium at the plush Four Seasons Westcliff hotel in Johannesburg recently 06 February 2018 We scoured our archives to find handy tips for success from leading CFOs 02 February 2018 We scoured our archives to find insights from top executives 24 January 2018 We scoured our archives to find out how leading CFOs got into finance 18 January 2018 We scoured our archives to find out how five CFOs approach work-life balance and achieve mental and emotional steadiness 10 January 2018 Here are four ways to prevent going into freefall 03 January 2018 We scour our archives to bring you compelling advice from leading executives 14 December 2017 CFOs spend two-thirds of their waking hours working, but would prefer if this was much less 20 November 2017 We talk to Lushen Pather, who recently announced a move to SARB, about his time as Sasfin CFO. 22 October 2017 Building a culture of trust is an integral part of team building and ensuring that you have a thriving work environment, conference attendees were told during a discussion at last week’s Finance Indaba Africa 2017, held at the Sandton Convention Centre, between the financial director of Curro Holdings, Bernardt van der Linde, and Sasfin Bank Limited CFO, Lushen Pather. 12 October 2017 Many of the country's municipalities are often found wanting when it comes to the management of their finances, as well as the management of the disciplines that encourage transparency for there to be accountability to the country's citizens. So said Auditor-General Kimi Makwetu, speaking at Finance Indaba Africa on 12 October 2017. Citing some of the reasons behind the poor financial performance of municipalities, Kimi pegged corruption and a lack of skills as some of the major ones. 12 October 2017 More women are finding success in the boardroom these days. Does this mean that the glass ceiling has finally been broken, or was it only ever in the imagination to begin with? Nonkululeko Gobodo, CEO of Nkululeko Leadership Consulting, 2017 CFO Awards winner Debbie Ransby, financial director at Takeda Pharmaceuticals, and Mary Vilakazi, deputy CEO of MMI Holdings, unpacked the topic during a well-attended session at Finance Indaba Africa on 12 October 2017. 10 October 2017 Nhlamu Dlomu (pictured), KPMG South Africa’s new CEO, has announced an incoming executive team which she says will support her in “restoring public trust and rebuilding the firm”. 28 September 2017 “We need a new perspective of doing business in Africa. Looking at the economic trajectory both locally and internationally for the next six to 12 months, more businesses are likely to become distressed. Now’s the time to act,” says Alastair Macduff, chairman and CEO of the Turnaround Management Association (TMA), Southern Africa. 27 September 2017 Rakoma & Associates has joined Finance Indaba 2017 as a silver partner and will make its debut at the event at the Sandton Convention Centre in October. 21 September 2017 "New GX Advisory enables businesses to refocus on core competencies and creating value to all stakeholders by freeing key staff members from the burden of IT infrastructure, systems and process management," says Anja Goosen, head of systems at New GX Advisory Services, a silver partner at the Finance Indaba Africa 2017 on 12 and 13 October 2017 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. 14 August 2017 Nishant Saxena won two Awards at this year’s CFO of the Year Awards – High Performance Team and Young CFO of the Year. He received this recognition because he took Cipla’s struggling, low-margin, sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) unit and turned it into one of the most profitable pharma players in South Africa. In so doing, he completely transformed the finance department, creating a high performance team in the process. Nishant shares his top tips for creating an efficient team. 03 August 2017 Pulling off big projects is exhilarating, exponentially growing your profits is awesome, but are you achieving the GREAT thing? Are you building a better future? We spoke with Stan Slap, the world’s foremost thought leader on culture and leadership, who will be opening the Finance Indaba Africa on 12 October 2017, made possible by Clarkhouse Human Capital. 27 July 2017 Assuming the mantle of CFO can be a nerve-wracking experience. The first 100 days can be among the most challenging and stressful of your career. All too often, organisations expect new hires to sink or swim and use their own initiative to get by. At the same time, this period represents an enormous opportunity to deliver quick wins and position yourself as a rising star. 06 July 2017 Modern CFOs is being called upon to take a more prominent role in leading their organisations, in many instances, filling in for the CEO. As such, technical competency is no longer enough to succeed at the elite level and leadership qualities become more significant. We delved into our archives to bring you leadership advice from some top executives from a variety of industries. 15 June 2017 With the purse strings in their hands and the demands of their board, stakeholders and personal lives, CFOs face numerous pressures, especially in the current volatile market. The latest CFO Summit equipped them for survival and future success. 24 May 2017 You may feel that years of hard work may be enough to break the glass ceiling and join the ranks of the financial elite in the corner offices and upper echelons of management, but you’d be better off thinking more strategically about your skills development plan. Being technically proficient in your job is a prerequisite for advancement, not the manna you need to propel upward. The simple truth is that companies prize certain skills above others and this Here are three that if consciously developed, are likely to see you go all the way from open-plan anonymity to the boardroom. 16 May 2017 Cipla Sub-Saharan Africa CFO Nishant Saxena received the highly coveted Young CFO of the Year Award, for finance leaders who are 40 years or younger, as well as the High Performance Team Award, at this year's CFO Awards, held on 11 May at Summer Place, Johannesburg. 19 April 2017 A need for increased profitability in a low-growth domestic economy and increased global uncertainty are pushing chief procurement officers (CPOs) to add more value to their organisations. Defensive strategies being implemented by CFOs are demanding rapid, sustained cost reduction in parallel to a greater focus on risk from procurement. Traditional procurement operating models are therefore changing, driven by a lack of talent and an increase in digital innovation. 17 April 2017 In this age of multi-channel communication, we need to be diligent about our communications because the consequences – be it at home, in the workplace or in the M&A environment – can be far-reaching. 27 March 2017 Perhaps the most underrated aspect of crowdsourcing is its potential to disrupt the current cost structure that supports talent management. Crowdsourcing makes sense when thinking about the perennial constraint that businesses face: costs. Cost containment remains a priority, and with people costs (including salary, training, perks, etc) accounting for close to or over 60 percent of the cost structure of most companies, crowdsourcing offers the potential to greatly reducing this expenditure. 20 March 2017 Where talent management requires reviews to determine who belongs in what box and what to do with them after boxing them, crowdsourcing promises to bring out-of-the-box thinkers who work on a specific project as a team of free agents on demand.The only way to move forward, is together, says Stanbic Bank Zimbabwe CFO Tafadzwa Mahachi
Casper Troskie believes people need focused connection in times of change
CEO Mpho Mookapele uses her youth to lead the EWSETA
Rhett Finch credits his early success to his team at King Price Insurance
Dineo Molefe says that CFOs need to intentionally invest in their futures during podcast
Carlos Mateos Duran makes his adventurous spirit the building blocks of his career
Anene Engelbrecht redefining transformation
Sam Hopwood: CFOs are playing the same game, but the pitch has changed
CFO Cares: Senele Mbatha giving hope to his community
CFO Nico Esterhuizen: The impact of emotional intelligence on effective leadership
CFO Elmarie Maritz on nurturing women in mining
CFO Diary: Leadership inspired by millennials
From number crunchers to data analysts
Building your personal brand like Apple
Murray Barnetson: From burnout to buoyant CFO
Exploring the value CAs bring to organisations
Learning your way to the top
Lessons from Covid and remote working
Finance leadership in uncertain times
The rise of the chief value officer
Finance Indaba hears from the leaders spearheading the new world of work
Finance Indaba hears how support, EQ and mentorship are critical for women CFOs
CFO Community Conversation: Ethical leadership is more than just a lip service
Equites CFO Laila Razack: Representation matters
Community Conversation reveals: Confidence is a woman's language to success
Women shouldn't try to be 'one of the boys' when leading organisations
Use a personal development model to improve your professional leadership skills
CFOs, in times of crisis, stop, drop and collaborate
CFO Community Conversation reveals: Companies need to start feeding back into society
Webinar reveals that leaders need to be decisive during Covid-19
Deloitte Consulting Africa's Philip Hechter: Time to reimagine finance
CA Shilpa Mehta first female president of the Entrepreneurs' Organisation Durban Chapter
CFOs need to be both the sandpaper and glue within their organisation
Thobeka Ntshiza shares the experiences that have made her into a "discerning" leader
Stanlib CFO Avashnee Ramdial gets candid about culture
Shifting with purpose, iOCO group CFO Jo-Ann Pohl's tale of how to make smart moves
JAM CFO Nico Esterhuizen: Leaders, challenge yourself in these four life dimensions
Reinventing teams and their leaders for the future (Part 2): Toxic work environments
Jaguar Land Rover's Liaan Kretzschmar: It's not just a job, it's an experience
Reinventing teams and their leaders for the future (Part 1): Internal vs external recruiting
Four CFOs share their approach to fostering diversity
CFOs agree that the first thing leaders should do during a crisis is to look after their staff
UCT GSB first ever Africa business school to win the MBA Olympics
How to adapt your work culture to tap into your staff's passion
CFOs need to behave like they own the business
To be a champion, you need to adopt a growth mindset
How three of SA's top young CFOs landed in their C-suite positions
Women CFOs taking over the way companies do business - and excelling
Making South Africa a better place requires positivity
Stop blaming women for not pulling each other up
Panel says gender equality still a big challenge in the workplace
AI won't replace you, Cognizant's Michael Cook tells CFOs
Saying YES to solving SA's unemployment crisis
Embrace the youth, says Springage by Deloitte's Neliswa Fente
Do the right things, right, says Cell C CFO Zaf Mahomed
Being a learn-it-all is how you adapt, being a know-it-all is how you die (Part 1)
Reimagine the Customer summit: Executives agree the best approach is back to basics
Tsholofelo Molefe explains how she said no to Gupta and co while at Eskom
Getting your vision, mission and purposes statements in shape for success
Raisibe Morathi: Set yourself a goal and you'll probably achieve it
Comair's Kirsten King: Flying high and staying grounded
The finance of fine art - how corporate art collections are valued
Upskilling employees makes you more money and your staff happier
Learn from Warren Buffett's recommended reading list
Ask questions. Build trust. Get your employees to perform
Why financial modelling is the best forecasting tool
FutureLearn's Logamal Ramiah believes leaders are there to serve
The benefits of visual accountancy training explained
IFRS 9 obstacles can be overcome with targeted training
Three ways financial modelling improves business outcomes
Slay the procrastination monster with these top tips
Get compliant with W.consulting's IFRS 16 cheat sheet
Get a handle on the top-five misunderstood accounting terms
Three tips to get you to know your customer better
3 hacks for using your calendar and owning your time
MMI's top CFOs reflect on the future role of finance
Have you ever unwittingly demanded a blueberry muffin?
Running the ball, while running your books
Sars takes aim at Christo Wiese - reports
The horror of waiting: PwC's Lullu Krugel on the economics of lateness
University of Johannesburg set to introduce fully online accounting degree
5 more interesting accounting facts
Economic nationalism, Trump the biggest threats to global businesses - study
Millennials not ready for Industry 4.0 - Deloitte
5 strange (and wonderful) accounting jobs
CIMA launches guide to help accountants work towards UN development goals
5 unlikely celebrity accountants
Global finance leaders prepared to tackle risk head-on - survey
CFOs not on board with job-hopping professionals - survey
To be successful, leave your ego at home, says Till Streichert, Vodacom Group CFO
When should a CFO take the reins as CEO?
Firms slow to adopt FinTech - survey
Call for visible leadership at landmark CFO/CHRO event
Sustainability, corporate governance crucial to stable global economy - Climate change symposium
4 top CFOs reveal their recipes for success
4 hot tips from leading CFOs
Always wanted to work in finance? 5 CFOs spill the beans
5 CFOs on work-life balance
4 ways for CFOs to avoid burnout
5 leadership tips from top CFOs
CFOs struggling to achieve elusive work-life balance - survey
The CFO is the wingman to the CEO and the business, says Lushen Pather
Managers, take bullets for your teams
Poor leadership the cause of poor financial performance, says Kimi Makwetu
Glass ceiling - what glass ceiling? Powerful women at #findaba17
KPMG SA announces new exec team
SA economy in distress
Rakoma & Associates joins Finance Indaba 2017
Finance Indaba 2017: Refocus on core competencies with New GX Advisory
Cipla SSA CFO Nishant Saxena shares his tips for creating a top team
How to achieve the GREAT thing? Finance Indaba keynote Stan Slap reveals
5 tips for CFOs in their first 100 days
Leadership insights from leading executives
Skills CFOs need to survive: exceptional insights at June's #CFOSummit
Three skills to prise open the C-suite
Meet Nishant Saxena (Cipla), winner of two awards at the CFO Awards 2017, including Young CFO of the Year
Cost, risk and digital are top priorities in uncertain times, says Deloitte
Insider's guide to clear communication
Reduce people cost through crowdsourcing, says Google's Terrence Taylor
Google's Terrence Taylor on how to crowdsource new talent
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