What time do you usually wake up on weekdays?

I am the early bird, normally rising well before the dawn breaks and before the birds start to sing. These are the best hours for me between 3am to 5am, as they allow me to rise, prepare spiritually for the day ahead, get some sports time in to keep in shape and time to structure my thoughts and day ahead. 

How do you spend the first hour of your day?

Normally I like to arrive at work at least 1 hour before the workday officially starts. I like to have a clean desk policy and make my high level to do list and get my personal admin matters cleared so I can focus relentlessly on my workday and priorities.

I do like coffee to kickstart the day, so I will have at least 3 of those in the first hour of my work morning.

What sparked your interest in finance?

Now, as a senior executive with 30 years’ experience, I can look back at my childhood aspirations and see how they all make complete sense to me considering the following:

Well, I am still a highly competitive individual with an A type personality, although I had to stop my dream of pursing athletics early in my 20’s due to a major car accident, I still play sports and compete in amateur golf. I still compete to win, and I also compete against myself to do better and better in each competition I play in. I still get to walk and swim and play tennis and keep fit and physically active.

I absolutely love to travel! I have been extremely privileged and blessed through my career in the multiple countries where I have worked and travelled for both work and pleasure. This has fulfilled my love for travel and faraway lands I dreamed off without working as an air hostess.

My sense of adventure and risk is very much balanced now as I get to still do all the things I have wanted to try (hot air ballooning, flying helicopters, zip lining, off the beaten track adventures, deep sea fishing, walking out in the national parks on foot, etc.) and still have worked hard holding the financial portfolios in my career where risk and reward must be constantly assessed amidst the competing demands of all stakeholders’ interests and the economic challenges of the domains and industries where my career has taken me.

I was passionate about business from a young age and my planning and numeric ability and gift of administrative has been entwined in my career as a CFO, I have always loved my work and I believe I have fulfilled my life purpose in managing finance, making hard decisions and keeping companies going forward. There is never a dull day as a CFO and the experiences have been extra ordinary and priceless.
 

Can you share some career highlights and defining moments?

My legacy as CFO in my 30 years career to date is to leave an everlasting positive impact on all the lives I have been blessed to interface with and touch in all the countries and continents I have worked in. I want to ensure the happiness factor has touched the lives and those of their communities in which I have opportunities to influence through my professional role and in my private capacity. I want to know that they are loved like family and that they can choose to reach for the stars and find the hope, light and truth in this most beautiful world we share together.

I would like my personal legacy to be a one of Peace, Joy and Love which is attained only through knowing you made every effort to be gentle, kind and generous with all your possible resources and to continually serve others, encourage others, develop them and make them see their greatness.
 

How do you handle professional challenges?

I believe that my ethos of hard work, determination, a positive attitude, and a growth mindset allow me to ensure financial stability and growth amidst the changing economic landscape and regulatory environment.

I have always had a great passion for Finance and the African continent, and I have continually upgraded my skills and utilized my talents and gifts and embraced fully each opportunity to execute with excellence. It has not all been plane sailing as one must adapt quickly with flexibility and resilience to compete with the challenging conditions of the business, political and economic climates in which you operate.

My experiences have afforded me the skills to build my confidence, work on my communication, understand how gender diversity brings different perspectives to leadership and management, and valuing and respecting others for their contributions.

It’s about seeking, establishing, and making positive connections and building relationships based on integrity and trust, it is about embracing your authentic true self, being your best each day and never giving up despite the fears, challenges, and difficulties we all face in the constantly evolving business domain.
 

What future goals are you excited about?

I am nearing the closure of a 30-year nonstop career this November and would like to continue in my role as CFO in Cameroon.

I have been blessed with this unique opportunity in my career to be in Oil and Gas sector in Cameroon. I was granted this opportunity as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Gaz Du Cameroon in mid-2015. In fact, I aspired and dreamed to work in the Oil and Gas sector and in Central Africa whilst I was still working in the Mining Sector in West Africa as the Regional Financial Director based initially in Ghana and thereafter in Burkina Faso, for AEL Mining Services, a member of the JSE-listed AECI Group in South Africa.

I have almost attained over 9 years’ service in this role as CFO and I have I loved living and working in Cameroon. The role has been undoubtedly challenging but exceptionally rewarding as a major part of career history.

Working in Cameroon has taught me to appreciate each day even more, even the difficult days. It’s a great lesson in letting go of expectations, embracing challenges, and making the most of the moment you’re in.

This role has taught me to achieve a peace of mind which is attained only through self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do the best of which you are capable of each day. It’s also taught me to be incredibly resilience which is something you can learn and never give up, just to deploy grit, determination, and tenacity.

However, one life is full of surprises, and I look forward to a continued bright and beautiful future, wherever this career voyage of discovery may lead me. 

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

I have had the tremendous privilege of living and working in multiple countries, South Africa, United Kingdom and Germany, Tanzania, Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Cameroon. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have been raised in a relatively nomadic way, which has allowed me to be very welcoming to the idea of packing up and moving across the world. These experiences have been extremely positive, even life changing. Personally, working overseas has been an incredible learning experience and my career has been undeniably strengthened by it. What really stood out is each career role has taught me the fundamental lessons mostly in finding solutions and making me a better person, focused on my pillars of value creation, wisdom, wonder, service leadership and significance.

My career started in Nov 1994, after my tertiary education on the Siemens Business Administration Scheme, a 2-year programme. One year into the programme, I was appointed as the Regional Financial Manager based in Cape Town, South Africa from November 1994 to December 1999 for the Automation and Drives division with SIEMENS LTD. I was thereafter promoted as Regional Financial Manager for the entire Eastern Cape region and all Siemens Divisions represented in the Eastern Cape, South Africa from January 2000 to February 2004. After just over 9 years in Siemens South Africa, I emigrated abroad to Siemens Telecommunications in the United Kingdom to gain international experience within the Group. I spent 4 and half years from March 2004 to July 2007 as the Financial Manager for Commercial Operations at Siemens Telecommunications based between the UK and Germany and on special projects for global costs saving and Mergers and Acquisitions. My desire was to return to Africa, and I was fortunate to secure the role as Country Finance Director for the Coca-Cola bottling group, based in Tanzania, both had been dreams of mine from August 2007 to July 2009.

After 2 years. I went back to the United Kingdon, to invest in my personal develop and complete my Full-Time Executive MBA at the prestigious Henley Business School, England for 2009/ 2010 cohort. In Feb 2011, I joined the Mining Sector in West Africa as the Regional Financial Director based initially in Ghana and thereafter in Burkina Faso, for AEL Mining Services, a member of the JSE-listed AECI Group in South Africa looking after 18 mining sites across 4countries in West Africa, namely Ghana, Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea until mid-2015 whereupon my opportunity knocked at the door as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Gaz Du Cameroon, where I am currently employed.

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

I firmly believe that leadership and influence, relationship building, and collaboration are key success factors over and above academics. These have guided me through my career.

Stand up: Proud to take a position. Never afraid to do so.

Listen well: Awareness of what’s going on in the world. Always mindful of change.

Move forward: Forever looking at the path ahead. Remembering where we’ve been.

Inspire: Leading the way so others will follow.

I believe in my role as CFO, one must use each opportunity to network and to build value in others, encourage others and lift others by sharing insights, offering a listening ear, and sharing my life experience.

From my perspective, I would recommend that all those who aspire to CFO leadership roles establish and understand their purpose in life and use their unique gifts and skills sets to pursue their purpose with passion.

Remember that no career path is easy, and the higher up the ladder you climb, the more investment is required in yourself, the more demands are placed on you, the more you must sacrifice and the more you will need to balance competing pressures to perform against the limited resource of time.

How do you balance your personal and professional life?

I think balanced wellness is the absolute priority of everyone’s life. I have been so busy achieving and executing goals that at times my health has suffered severely, and I have at times comprised my life for career success on a few occasions.

Since a major heart attack in Dec 2023, I can clearly now see the negative impact of work stress and inability to diffuse this and mitigate the consequential physical fatigue, mental and emotional strain I was burdened under and resultant impact on my well-being.

Even though I eat well, do my sports, sleep well, certain lifestyle choices had to be reengineered which has resulted in my new perspective and outlook on life.

I certainly advise all women and men to take wellness checks, to ensure you are in a good physical condition, you are able to understand and know what your body is telling you, that you allow your mind to rest and take appropriate holidays and retreat from the world of work, that you have ample people and systems in place on all levels to support you, that you make correct choices and build healthy habits that allow you to operate in a state of wellness physically, mentally, socially, culturally emotionally, and spiritually to allow you to cope in this ever fast paced world of work.
As quoted by Virgil (Publius Vergilius Maro), the great Classical Rome Poet ‘The Greatest Wealth is Health’ is now ever more important in today’s age than ever before.
 

What are your interests outside of work?

I absolutely love my sport and high energy activities. I have been a keen sports lady since my early school days competing in athletics, hockey and swimming. Sport is my way of energizing my body and soul and keeping myself sharp and focused both mentally and physically.

I still play lots of golf in Cameroon and since I am an A-personality type, I love to compete, I play to win and to always keep improving my game. I also play tennis just to keep fit when I can. I enjoy my morning walks before work or when on holiday.

I usually plan holidays where I can do loads of activities like snorkeling, deep sea fishing, ocean swimming, long board surfing at any opportunity, and any other activities that are offered.

I also love travelling, adore the great outdoors and getting inspiration from nature, swimming in waterfalls, visiting new places, trying new foods, exploring new cities and countries, discovering new places and meeting interesting people.

When I have down time, I like to sit and reflect and spend time with my family. I love my treats, massages, cappuccinos, lots of laughs and freedom, sun on my back, wind in my hair, and not a care in the world.
 

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

I am dedicated to uplifting the lives of those communities I work in throughout my career, both professionally and privately. This is achieved through all my support, the sponsorships, and CSR I have done personally in my career wherever I have worked. This continues to be a focal point in my life whether being the CFO of the company, a mentor, the Executive Director of Corporate Women in Leadership, or the treasurer of the golf club, a sister, a daughter, or a mother to many. I was awarded a Honoury Doctorate in Financial Management in 2023 for all the work I have been involved in in the last 10 years in Africa.

I love to take young women under my wings in the workplace and give them the latitude to grow and learn and receive unparalleled experiences which can facilitate their launchpad towards new and bigger opportunities.

I am also the Executive Director of Corporate Women in Leadership in Cameroon and a mentor on this group for the past two years, a platform to share experiences to help inspire and grow future women leaders of in the corporate world.
 

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

I would advise any aspiring CFO to be a lifelong learner and be the best you can be each day in whatever role you play.

The CFO is responsible for leading the finance function such that accurate and timely reporting supports the achievement of the company’s strategic, commercial, and financial goals. The CFO also ensures that all corporate governance requirements are met and that the finance function provides the board and executive team with accurate and effective financial information for long term business planning and decision-making purposes.

As, CFO I am integrally involved in shaping and defining the company strategies, undertaking major investment appraisals, funding, and treasury solutions, and financing decisions, communicating with key stakeholders while leading a multitalented finance team. Communication and relationship management are always the key part of the role, both with investors and boards, auditors, partners, customers, and other key players.

For me, the most important priority is ensuring value is maintained and that the operation is focused on long term sustainability. This looks at the strategic and catalyst roles of being the CFO and the roles of stewardship and operator. I firmly believe as CFO, that I protect the long-term assets and company value through a commitment to moral, ethical, and prudent financial decision-making.
 

What’s your favorite quote or mantra?

I always have my slogan to Dream, Explore and Discover which has been my guiding compass in the Corporate World and my Personal Life to live life fully.

Never be afraid of what you can achieve with the relentless and passionate pursuit of your dreams through challenging work. Have the courage to overcome your fears and to always look inward for happiness and be grateful for all the challenges along the way, take lessons from this and apply them and success will surely follow. Always take each opportunity and turn it into opportunities to grow and learn and uncover your unique gifts and talents. 

Share your favorite leadership lesson.

I would like to share a few points below as my advice to all those who are looking to venture into the world of business and pursue CFO leadership positions.

Lesson #1: There Are Always Challenges – Embrace them, learn from them, and leverage them to your advantage.

Lesson #2: Think On Your Feet- There are Always Solutions to everything, the possibilities exist, just find them.

Lesson #3: Always Keep an Open Mind and Be willing to Learn and Grow, apply this lifelong, and your life will be interesting, full of curiosity and creativity, and new doors will open.

Lesson #4: Do not take life too seriously – have fun and enjoy each day, life is for the living, make each day joyful, sprinkle happiness.

Lesson #5: Be kind each day, help others become their best versions of themselves, encourage others and celebrate their journeys.

Lesson #6: Build a life of significance, give generously, bless others, and attain the abundant life promised.

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

I loved to fly helicopters in East London, South Africa with Brian Katz of AV8 Helicopters. This was my passion, but I had to relocate and never got to finish my license although I had over 60 flying hours. 

What is your favorite non-business app on your phone?

I would say I use You Tube the most outside of business hours to listen to uplifting hymns. As I am very spiritual, I also listen to many sermons via YouTube channel so I can continuously grow in knowledge and truth.

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

Each person has such unique gifts, skills, and talents, just uncover your own superpowers!

From my perspective, I would recommend that all those who aspire to CFO leadership roles establish and understand their purpose in life and use their unique gifts and skills sets to pursue their purpose with passion.

I would suggest they develop and refine a vision board and what they want to achieve in their lives. For me I go back and assess my performance frequently against my goals and track my progress and all failures and successes achieved and then redevelop and rework my vision board for the next 10 years, making appropriate adjustments daily in my habits and choices I place on my personal growth and development so I can keep soaring to new levels.

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

I never find any day long; I find each day flies fast. I normally ensure my day is well planned, although you need to be flexible to accommodate situations and circumstances as they unfold. I would say the most crucial factor is your own attitude to life and one must arrive at work ready to be of great service to the company and all employees you interact with. To be on top form, sleep well the night before, eat well and bring only your positive energy with you to the workplace. Take a little break each hour for a few minutes to breathe and refocus and learn to manage your reactions and responses in all your interactions. 

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

I have been very privileged and blessed from the start of my career, which began on the 14th of November 1994, almost 30 years ago this year with the opportunities and roles I have had. We all know that the world of Finance, Mining and Oil and Gas are traditionally male-dominated sectors, but looking back at the start, most Boards were also male dominated when I commenced my career almost 30 years ago.

I believe that my ethos of hard work, determination, a positive attitude, and a growth mindset allowed me to stand out and shine in my roles. I must admit, I have had quite complex roles which were veery demanding. I was appointed in 2000 as the Regional Finance Manager at the age of 30. At that time, I was the youngest member of the senior management team in Siemens South Africa and the only women at that time to achieve this breakthrough as All the Divisional management were in the 50’s at that time.
I have always had a great passion for Finance and the African continent, and I have continually upgraded my skills and utilized my talents and gifts and embraced fully each opportunity to execute with excellence. It has not all been plane sailing as one must adapt quickly with flexibility and resilience to compete with the challenging conditions of the business, political and economic climates in which you operate