Technology

SANParks Pretty Makukule is learning how to use generative AI, like ChatGPT, more effectively in automating and improving finance processes, including her skills as a CFO.

Passionate about the opportunity technology can bring, 2023 Finance & Technology Award winner Jan Hofmeyr has been breaking the CFO mould at OUTsurance by driving the transformation of its finance department so it remains relevant in an increasingly digital future. He reveals how this change has affected the entire business.

CFO South Africa and Maarten de Borst hosted a workshop for finance executives and a masterclass for their teams diving into the benefits of using ChatGPT and generative AI to improve efficiencies at work.

CFO Rebecca Pole reveals the work Dimension Data’s finance and management teams have put into rebranding the IT company, now called NTT Data, and rolling out global best practices.

At the ChatGPT for Finance Professionals Masterclass, attendees will get to grips with how to harness generative AI and revolutionise the finance function in their organisations.

In what has become a tradition, South Africa’s top finance leaders completed the CFO Survey at this year’s annual CFO Day on 5 July. The results are unpacked in this CFO Magazine special feature.

Zoho’s Sivaramakrishnan Iswaran says digital finance platforms are reducing the time CFOs spend on reporting.

During a CFO South Africa webinar, Verto experts Tim Rudman and Ola Oyetayo, as well as Hatch Africa CFO Craig Sumption, unpacked the challenges and possible solutions when it comes to cross-border payments.

PG Building Glass FD Yugan Moodley shares how he is keeping his teams, and himself, future-fit by staying up to date with new technology developments.

Boston Consulting Group experts Nihmal Marrie, Caio Anteghini and Isme Oosthuizen stress the transformative potential adopting generative AI can have on finance functions.

During a webinar, Philip van Zyl, Sulene Botha and Allan Gibbon reveal how CFOs can harness the full potential of technology to make better decisions.

Taryn Augoustatos shares some of the challenges she’s faced as a non-techy, woman CFO in fintech.

CFO Dinner discusses how asking the right questions is the key to using technology effectively.

John Behan talks about pioneering auditing transformation as the CFO of Circit.

CFO Day explored the collaborative potential of AI and its implications for finance heads.

Experts unpack the promise and fears that come with technology, and why CFOs should embrace it.

WEF tech pioneer Jos Dirkx unpacks how technology can help finance teams foster great ideas.

Afrimat CEO Andries van Heerden discusses the importance of trust in bringing people and tech together.

Zeda FD Thobeka Ntshiza shares how technology has changed the way people interact with cars.

Group FD Jason Quinn unpacks how Absa built a pan-African brand by repositioning the bank’s culture.

Group CFO Deon Viljoen reveals how Discovery has integrated man and machine to realise value.

CFO Day opened with an engaging discussion centred around the age-old question of man versus machine.

Leading CFOs shared practical examples and future scenarios for a world with AI.

South Africa’s leading finance execs will settle the big debate about who will lead the future: CFOs or AI.

A group of finance executives discussed the fears and opportunities they face when it comes to AI.

After more than 12 years in a core finance role, this techie-at-heart has returned to his roots.

Sean Berrington and Sandi de Souza encourage leaders to keep learning at CFO Summit.

Megan reveals the potential of ChatGPT, and how it can help businesses navigate the new future.

Konsise CEO Philip Tillman says forward-looking CFOs need to act now.

Derick Truscott believes the tech players who stay grounded in the fundamentals will be the winners of 2023.

Banks must keep up with disruptive technologies and new players, writes Charles Edelstein, CFO of Executive Placements.

Automating financial consolidation helps finance leaders to see the bigger picture.

CIPC to unpack how the XBRL programme is unearthing valuable insights at Finance Indaba.

CFO SA and Absa CIB webinar reveals how finance professionals can get ahead of cybercrime.

Shadrack Kubyane: My ‘accidental’ involvement with blockchain led to ESG reporting improvements.

Finance leaders discussed the technologies that will have the most significant impact on business.

Webinar reveals the benefits of using technology to meet ESG’s finance requirements.

iOCO’s Adriaan Rossouw reveals how analytics helps CFOs tackle assumptions and move on business moments.

CFOs learned that they can use technology to reveal the blind spots they have within their businesses.

Michael Mncube shares how technology is changing the compliance and reporting landscape.

Finance expert unpacks how CFOs can use digital finance to improve their business performance.

FIRtech CEO Ugan Maistry reveals that CFOs are using digital workers to help automate accounting processes.

Nedbank CIB execs unpack cyber-attacks and give tips on what safety measures should be in place.

Decision Inc's Desmond Struwig says finance leaders need to put their business strategy first.

Clarissa told CFO Day attendees that Lafarge is on track with digital innovation, but is not moving fast enough.

Finance leaders discussed how their companies are dealing with the evolution of automation.

LanDynamix’s Ethan Searle reveals that CFOs can use managed services to determine IT costs.

A recent CFO Community Conversation unpacks the blockchain revolution and what it means for banks.

LanDynamix’s Ethan Searle unpacks how managed service business models could be just what CFOs need.

Kamanie Naicker unpacks Absa’s approach to building a powerful digital ecosystem.

Malcolm explained in a webinar that automation has improved Retailability’s reconciliation processes.

During the 2021 Finance Indaba Conversations, CFOs revealed that people and technology should work together.

Synthesis’s Leandré Roux shares his lessons, pitfalls and successes while building digital platforms.

CFOs discuss how technology can be used to eliminate legacy systems and improve the customer experience.

Ian Putter reveals that the blockchain swell is getting bigger, with Standard Bank and Deloitte getting involved.

Corporate set-up and hosting have been penetrated over and over again, with cyber-attacks increasing.

Eftsure’s Ryan Mer explains that opportunity cost is greater than the risk of a cybersecurity attack.

Trust in blockchain will build as more use cases become available, says Standard Bank CFO Arno Daehnke.

Working out when to call an end to a system – and embrace the benefits – is up to the CIO ànd CFO.

iOCO CFO Jo-Ann Pöhl highlights how e-wallets have already formalised the concept of decentralised money.

Workday's Fred Portal unpacks how Covid-19 has forced organisations to accelerate their digital transformation strategies.

Standard Bank’s Ian Putter reveals that blockchain could be key to inclusive trade and business growth in Africa.

Tencent Africa CFO Tramayne Monaghan explains what blockchain is and why we need to get ahead of it.

The SOLA Group CFO shares why renewable energy is important to him, and how the industry is booming.

Kobus Venter explains that centralised treasury tech helps CFOs keep a handle on liquidity, cash flow and risk.

Being agile in financial reporting is now a key consideration for the C-Suite, says Prosus’s Moveshen Moodley.

Automation has become a feature of the finance function – in a positive way – says the iOCO CFO.

Synthesis MD Michael Shapiro unpacks the fears around AI and how it can be used for social good.

Leading women in finance and technology reveal that inclusion starts long before women enter the workforce.

Bots are changing the way finance teams operate, including Hyundai Automotive SA, says CFO Thinus Venter.

Reeza believes that Woolworths’ investment into online services has pointed the business in a new direction.

Data is not an IT problem anymore, which is why CFOs need to get involved in its lifecycle in a business, says Serisha.

TymeBank’s Dietmar Bohmer highlights the benefits of banks moving to the cloud to stay agile.

Herman Singh shares the six key stages CFOs and organisations need to follow on their cloud journey.

Michael Brink explains how finance professionals can benefit from automating their financial close.

Sage’s Gerhard Hartman and AWCape’s Jeff Ryan explore the benefits of using cloud-based technologies.

A CFO South Africa webinar reveals how digital solutions and open banking are changing the finance industry.

Digitisation offers massive benefits but requires strategic thinking and infrastructure investment, says Exxaro FD.

Pax Mataitsane says CFOs and ICT teams should work together as they move onto more agile OEM providers.

How Workday helped Lloyds of London revolutionise their procurement functions.

Karl Muller shares how Unilever achieved their ideal tax function through automation.

Pieter Heyns said, in a “trust less” environment, bitcoin has shown that blockchain is secure and resilient.

Accountants have been real life-savers during Covid-19 by transforming their human capital structures.

CFO Paul Stedall says that finance professionals today are looking for the financial benefits of tech spend.

CFOs need to tell the story the audience needs to visualise the metrics, so they can make good decisions.

Jordaan says that CFOs need to utilise technology to become strategic business partners.

Disruption is key; so too is governance, says the head of KPMG SA’s Emerging Tech Unit.

A proponent of digital tech as a key enabler, Mark talks about Mr Price’s recent acquisitions and growth opportunities.

In this case study, Dimago's Pierre Naudee tackles internal auditing using Alteryx.

Jen explains some of the benefits of going on a digital transformation journey to transform the finance function.

Riaan explains how Exxaro used drones during Covid-19 lockdown level 5 for remote stockpile assessment.

Finance and HR executives were taken on a journey from the past to the future in the Fearless Future Summit.

King Price CFO Paul Stedall believes that technology can take the finance function to the next level.

Tramayne knew from his days auditing Spree.co.za that he wanted to work in the tech space.

CFOs share their top tips on how to innovate, and be more effective and competitive.

How professional services companies can lead through innovation and grow their businesses.

Digital transformation in finance is reshaping the role of the CFO like never before.

Automation is a key tool for finance functions to maximise operational efficiencies.

CFOs have a key role to play beyond the books and digital transformation.

CFOs must ensure that the pace and scale of finance technology investments align with their strategy.

FinChatBot CEO Antoine Paillusseau: Personalised conversational AI solutions can assist and outshine human interaction.

How Workday brought continued improvements and efficiencies to closing the books during Covid.

Nedbank's Mike Brandon reveals how companies can use supply chain finance to manage Covid-19.

CFOs agree that auditors need to adapt their processes to the new virtual world brought on by Covid-19.

Technologies like central management systems allow for more effective insurance claims cost control.

The share price spike has made nCino one of the most successful listings of the year so far.

Herman Singh: Covid-19 killed office work, but technology has become the knight in shining armour.

Roxane says the Investec Life milestone proves there is a good reason to invest in technology.

A high EQ culture and strong empathy for customers makes Coupa Software a natural partner for organisations seeking to mitigate their supply chain risk. Todd Ford, CFO for the Nasdaq-listed tech player explains how the company helps customers navigate within a financially stressed world.

Machines and people need to work in concert for successfully ERP systems and enterprises.

TreasuryONE's Rudolph Janse van Rensburg takes CFOs through the automation process.

TreasuryONE's Rudolph Janse van Rensburg explains why finance professionals need to automate.

Nienke demos CaseWare Africa's automated reporting system in a CFO South Africa Webinar.

SAP Concur's cloud-based platform automates much of the previously laborious reporting requirements incumbent on finance departments' spend management efforts.

Automation is one of the key strategies driving financial reporting says Nienke Krüger.

Oracle's Ronnie Toerien: Organisations are seeking to accelerate their digital transformation.

Deloitte Analytics' Catherine Stretton: The time is right for AI implementation.

Finance leaders have no choice but to prepare themselves and their workplaces for the digitization revolution. Workplaces are already reaping the benefits of automation and AI, and to remain current, CFOs need to embrace self-education along with any formal training that they can lay their hands on.

Ian McAlister: Software and technology solutions replace admin with professional freedom.

Tom Wells: Covid-19 provides an opportunity to transition towards a more digital, remote and dynamic workplace.