I have learned over my career that growth happens when I step out of my comfort zone. One time I had to dig deep was when I was appointed regional finance director of an international organisation that was in the middle of transitioning from simple accounting software to an ERP system. We were one of three pilot offices steering the transition and encountered more than a few thorny issues along the way, but once the team emerged from the experience we saw big gains. Following this, I supported the rollout of the system across the organisation’s offices in the Africa region and later was lead consultant in a team troubleshooting ERP migration for a financial services firm.
Mathematics was my favourite subject in school, so I took a degree in business management accounting and then registered for ACCA. I love the logic of numbers and a good day at work for me is when I have been able to unlock a problem or help someone else to do so.
Moving into consulting required me to adjust my thinking and quickly learn about tax
My first role was as an accounts assistant with an international NGO. During my 23 years in the not-for-profit sector I first worked in the relief and development field, then transitioned to environmental conservation and finally health systems strengthening. During that time I was an employee for 17 years and a consultant for six. In 2019, soon after working with the firm as a subcontractor, I was invited to join HLB Cezam, moving from being an independent consultant to being part of a bigger consulting team.
At HLB Cezam, an SMP serving SMEs, family businesses and the private sector from offices in Nairobi, our largest service line has traditionally been external audit. Over the last year, however, we have seen increasing requests for tax advisory amid the current mercurial tax environment in Kenya. The rate of change requires businesses and individuals to stay plugged into developments in order to remain compliant. We also receive enquiries from many local and international businesses pursuing opportunities in ICT, social enterprise, construction and real estate, insurance, energy and agriculture, who are looking for support in setting up.
Moving from the NGO sector to the private sector was a big change and not just because the respective driving factors – spending and profit – are so different. In Kenya there is limited exposure to tax matters for an accountant in the NGO environment due to the exemptions granted, so having moved into consulting I found I had to adjust my thinking and quickly learn about tax to offer advice to clients. Beyond that, being an adviser comes with a high level of reputational responsibility as the work reflects more on the firm’s name than on the individual.
My current role has exposed me to social enterprise which I consider to be a great convergence of the private and NGO sectors. I am excited to learn about the many initiatives by Kenyan entrepreneurs across the board to better their communities and even more excited to be able to support these enterprises to develop sustainable businesses.
I enjoy mentoring our younger professionals
What I enjoy most about my job is the sheer range of business environments that we serve. I am constantly learning, while simultaneously providing solutions to my clients. I also enjoy mentoring our younger professionals. I think if I was not a practising accountant, I would derive satisfaction from a career as an accounting lecturer.
If I had law-making powers I would tackle what I perceive as Kenya’s biggest problem – enforcement. If we were actually to enforce our civil, corporate, tax and other laws to the letter and without favouritism, we might find that there is little need for change. That said, I recognise that enforcement is hugely challenging and requires the backbone of a dinosaur.
Outside of work, cooking for family and friends gives me joy. I also like catching up with news and special interest stories.
