Member Profile: Nafisa Kistan

What time do you usually wake up on weekends?

5-6 am.

How do you spend the first hour of your day?

I spend my first hour getting my kids and myself ready, my son for school, myself for work, and getting my daughter dressed although she is 2.5 and not at school yet.

What sparked your interest in finance?

I have always enjoyed Math and Accounting in school, my dad was a bookkeeper and I think this is where it started.

Can you share some career highlights and defining moments?

The most defining was in 2023, where I had a health challenge, underwent surgery, completed my MBA thesis in the 3 months post-surgery, fell pregnant with my daughter immediately after submitting my thesis, and got promoted to Finance Executive of Kia’s Retail Division in the same month as I gave birth to my daughter. It was a year of growth spiritually, academically, personally and professionally.

How do you handle professional challenges?

It is a professional challenge, I handle it professionally. I have always prided myself on being professional, fair and motivated by doing what is right, leading with intention and not from a place of ego.

What future goals are you excited about?

For now, having studied for a lot of my working career, balancing work, studies and being a mom of 2, I am looking forward to my second year of tenure as CFO. I have many goals for taking my contribution to the next level as I am blessed to be working in a Group where there is so much to learn and continue to grow myself.

Have you had any international or different cultural experiences in your career?

Yes, when I worked for Sandvik (global mining equipment manufacturer), I did get to travel.

What key skills should a newly qualified accountant develop on their path to becoming a CFO?

I would say they must garner as much experience by embedding themselves in business. Business partnering roles help you understand the different functions in a business and also advance a strategic and commercial mindset.

How do you balance your personal and professional life?

This is tough. Some days work wins, some days family wins. I work hard for my family, and I want my children to know the value of hard and earnest work. I believe that when you are passionate about what you do, you do get tired from long days of work and family, but I also believe there are some periods, like in finance, budgets, year-end etc, which are incredibly busy and you need additional support. Then when the periods are quieter, you are able to balance it better by taking some time off during school holidays etc. It is also about creating some leverage for yourself. There is not a magic formula here. It is about spending quality time with the limited time. I try my best to be home during the core time of 6–8pm and catch up on work after. On weekends, I dedicate the full days to my family unless it is a really busy period, but typically I am used to night working.

What are your interests outside of work?

I love spending time with my husband and children, we are a fun-loving bunch. I like cooking, reading, taking my son to the bike park, or taking my daughter to feed the ducks. I do love travelling as well, I need to travel more. I enjoy writing as well, it is a goal of mine to write a book.

How do you contribute to the development of others in your field?

I used to lecture on CIMA modules between 2016 and 2019. I love paying it forward and watching others develop themselves, too. I recently accepted an invitation to guest lecture at the University of Pretoria, which I thoroughly enjoyed. In the work environment, I advocate that my team members undertake formal academic qualifications or develop themselves with on-the-job training.

What advice would you give to someone aspiring to be a CFO?

Get into the business. Enhance your business acumen. Do hard things, always rise up to the challenge.

What’s your favourite quote or mantra?

As a female in leadership, I once read a quote, uncertain of who said it,

“When you get to where you have been wanting to go, turn around and help her too, for there was a time, when you were her.”

As females in leadership, we must pay it forward. It is tough to be a working mom, and we need to support other females along this journey.

Share your favourite leadership lesson.

Listen to understand and not to simply respond. A lot of the time our brain has already formulated a response. Be conscious of this and give people airtime.

What’s something surprising about you that isn’t in your business bio?

I love cooking. On weekends I find it incredibly therapeutic to prepare traditional Indian foods for my family.

What’s your favorite non-business app on your phone?

Instagram. I do need 15 minutes of downtime after putting my kids to bed and before logging in again on some nights to catch up on work.

If you could have any superpower to help you in your job, what would it be?

Can I give you two? It is mental agility, the ability to transition from one task, situation or meeting to the next. As CFO, you are constantly bombarded with information and requests and you need to process, synthesize and be decisive. I also have excellent memory and have the ability to superfocus.

What’s your go-to strategy for staying productive during long workdays?

Keeping a positive mindset and chipping away at it. I believe in hard work and so I have never shied from it, and by keeping my attitude in check. I get to, not I have to.

If you could relive one day from your professional career, which day would it be and why?

I recently spoke at the CFO Africa Conference. It was indeed an amazing experience to be surrounded by leading CFOs in Africa, to be able to share and to be able to learn from brilliant minds.