Guardians of the Public Purse: Where Efficiency Meets Integrity
In public finance, accountability is more than a professional duty. It is a promise to citizens that their money will be used honestly, efficiently, and for the good of the country. Every CFO working in the public sector stands at the intersection of purpose and pressure. The challenge is not only to keep the numbers […]
The Price of Permission: Why Some Harms Can Never Be Monetised
Finance has long been obsessed with measurement. If something can be priced, it can be managed. But when it comes to social harm such as child labour, forced evictions, or cultural erasure, a dangerous idea creeps in: that once a cost is assigned, it can be paid off and permitted. This is the Price of […]
Boats, Bentleys and Broken Trust: What CFOs Must Learn from the Maumela Asset Seizures
When the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) recently froze R325 million worth of luxury properties, supercars and even boats linked to businessman Hangwani Morgan Maumela, the headlines almost read like a crime novel. Behind the drama lies a sobering truth: a family trust tied to Maumela reportedly received over R2.3 billion from state contracts. The seized [
The Death of Excel: CFOs Can No Longer Afford to Trust It
Finance leaders today find themselves under relentless pressure to deliver more accurate reporting, faster decision-making, and stronger risk management than ever before. At the heart of this challenge lies one essential truth: the credibility of the finance function depends on its ability to deliver consistent, transparent, and reliable numbers that business l
Cybercrime Meets the CFO’s Agenda
Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) stand at a unique intersection of strategy, finance, and operational reality. While growth, capital allocation, and efficiency are rightly celebrated as core responsibilities, the ability to protect organisational value has become equally critical. In a world where digital systems underpin nearly every business process, risks are
Finance Leadership in a Regulated Economy: Insight into financial compliance and market regulation, especially in public-private partnerships
Economic regulation shapes the way businesses operate, invest, and compete. For Chief Financial Officers (CFOs), it is not just another compliance requirement. It is a landscape of rules, risks, and opportunities that must be navigated with precision. Whether dealing with utilities, financial services, infrastructure, or emerging industries, regulation determin
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,
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 […]
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 […]
The Unseen Hand That Shapes a CFO’s Career
The Unseen Hand That Shapes a CFO’s Career You’re in a packed boardroom. Voices are raised. A deal is on the line. Someone looks to you for a decision, and somehow, you know exactly what to do. Not because of a course. Not because of a checklist. But because of a conversation you once overheard, […]