Beyond the Balance Sheet : CFOs leading cross-functional transformation projects such as ERP implementations and legal frameworks
A business can invest in the best technology available, employ highly skilled people, and still struggle if its transformation projects are not led with clarity and discipline. Behind every successful shift, whether it is a new enterprise system, a regulatory framework, or a compliance overhaul, there is usually one person ensuring that the pieces fit […
Pipeline Dreams, Paperwork Nightmares, and Profit: A Guide to Gas, Governance, and Growth
Pipeline Dreams, Paperwork Nightmares, and Profit: A Guide to Gas, Governance, and Growth The scene is familiar. You are in the boardroom, coffee in hand, when the CEO announces: “We’re considering investing in a gas infrastructure project.” The room buzzes. Executives talk about energy security, sustainability, and beating load-shedding. Then silence,
Crunching Numbers or Crystal Ball? Why Financial Modelling is the CFO’s Secret Weapon
Crunching Numbers or Crystal Ball? Why Financial Modelling is the CFO’s Secret Weapon Picture this: You’re at a braai, someone asks what you do, and you reply, “I build financial models.” Their eyes glaze over faster than the boerewors burns. To them, a model is something on a runway, not an Excel sheet with 27 […]
Women Leading in Male-Dominated Industries: Overcoming gender bias and leading with authority in finance and energy
It is no secret that industries like finance and energy have long been dominated by men. Boardrooms, executive committees, and industry conferences often reflect a gender imbalance that has barely shifted in decades. For women who step into these spaces, the challenges are not only about doing the job well. They are also about proving, […]
CFOs Who Grew from the Ground Up:
The advantages of internal career progression and deep organisational knowledge In boardrooms across South Africa, many CFOs carry impressive titles and equally impressive qualifications. But ask a few how they arrived at the seat they now occupy, and you will notice two clear paths. Some joined the company already holding the CFO title. Others started [&hell
From Student Loan to Boardroom Seat: How financial barriers can forge financially savvy leaders
From Student Loan to Boardroom Seat: How financial barriers can forge financially savvy leaders When we picture a Chief Financial Officer, we often think of someone who has always been good with numbers, someone who climbed the corporate ladder through careful career choices and smart strategic moves. What we often forget is that some of […]
Dancing with Chaos: Why Smart CFOs Say Yes to Unstructured Work
Dancing with Chaos: Why Smart CFOs Say Yes to Unstructured Work For many years, the role of the Chief Financial Officer was defined by order, certainty, and structure. It was about budgets, forecasts, monthly closes, and audits. Everything had its place. Everything had a process. But something has shifted. In today’s world, the most impactful […]
Mentorship That Moves the Needle: Practical Strategies for CFOs to Build Future Leaders in Finance
Mentorship That Moves the Needle: Practical Strategies for CFOs to Build Future Leaders in Finance Mentorship is not a feel-good extra or a nice-to-have. For a Chief Financial Officer, it is a leadership responsibility. When you mentor someone, you shape how they think, how they grow, and how they contribute to the organisation. You also […]
From Jo’burg to Jakarta: The CFO’s Passport to Global Control
From Jo’burg to Jakarta: The CFO’s Passport to Global Control Your board decides to expand into another country. The CEO announces growth into Africa or Europe. Everyone’s excited. But in the back of your mind, you know the hard work starts now, because you, as CFO, are the one who must bring order to financial […]
Grit and Grace: CFO Lessons from a Resource-Constrained Beginning
Grit and Grace: CFO Lessons from a Resource-Constrained Beginning You haven’t earned the title of CFO until you’ve lied awake at night wondering how to pay salaries on Friday. You will not find that line in any corporate finance textbook, but it is something many CFOs have lived through. Not every financial leader begins their […]