Tanzania faces several obstacles to improving its business-enabling environment. There is lack of transparency among regulatory agencies on how they carry out their functions, and this has a negative effect on the private sector, which slows the country’s journey to self-reliance. However, significant efforts have been made by the government to increase transparency and collaboration.
There are great opportunities for the economy, too, especially with increasing investment in the tourism industry. Tanzania is home to major destinations such as the Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Mount Kilimanjaro and the Zanzibar islands, and the tourist sector still has great potential for growth.
I moved out of my comfort zone when I went from auditing into the mining industry
My career in accounting started in 2008 when I joined PwC in Tanzania. There, I gained experience in audit services and worked across many industries. I later moved into internal audit and finance, working as head of internal audit and finance manager in the pharmaceutical and mining industries respectively before becoming a partner at Auditax International in 2017.
After I completed high school, I had a choice to pursue a degree either in economics or accounting. It was difficult to choose between them but I set my sights on becoming an accountant as I believed it was the easier route to finding good employment.
I moved out of my comfort zone when I went from auditing into the mining industry. Mining is a unique industry, and the position came with huge responsibilities. I had to ensure both the short- and long-term financial sustainability of the company’s operations while also developing relationships with the government and the community around the mine. The job required me to relocate, which was a real challenge as I had to move far away from my kids and wife.
What makes working as a partner significantly different from other roles is the concentration on developing the firm’s business. I do this through identification and pursuit of new clients and opportunities for revenue growth. My key responsibilities include client satisfaction and retention, tax planning, audit, consulting and financial advisory services.
Dealing with different clients from across various industries makes work a new experience every day
If I had law-making powers, I would focus on removing bureaucratic processes and enforcing accountability in the public sector. Another priority for me would be to oversee more digitisation of procedures within the government, which would improve our public services.
What I enjoy most about my job is being directly involved in the firm’s strategic decisions and observing clients’ satisfaction with the services we have offered. Dealing with different clients from across various industries also makes work a new experience every day.
My favourite mantra is this: ‘Simply do your best; the rest will take care of itself’. I believe this is a 100% no-regret strategy, both at work and in one’s personal life.
In my spare time I love anything that involves sports. Football, basketball and Formula One are my favourites, and I spend most of my leisure time watching the top events from around the world. In the future, I would love to use my vast work experience in football business management; what a great job that would be.
