Since my schooldays, I always wanted to understand how businesses work and why some prosper while others fail. A friend who worked for a local bank recommended ACCA to me and I have never looked back.
I qualified in 2003 after completing a training contract with a small accounting firm in Pretoria. Soon after, I joined a Pretoria-based mining services company as finance manager.
I joined my current employer, the University of Venda, in 2014 after completing a PhD in financial management sciences at the University of Pretoria. Alongside my role as a lecturer, I am the managing director of Axiom Valuation Solutions. I also serve on the Monitoring Committee and the Competency Framework Task Force for South Africa’s Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors (IRBA).
Discipline, planning, task prioritisation and time management are key to success
Balancing three important roles is sometimes a challenge. Discipline, planning, task prioritisation and time management are key to fulfilling them effectively; I plan all my tasks in advance, rank them in terms of importance and delivery dates, and then allocate sufficient time for them. There is always a lot to do within a limited time, so my day starts at 6:30am and ends after 11pm; sometimes I work over weekends as well.
As a rural institution, the University of Venda’s main challenges are the recruitment and retention of suitably qualified accountancy academics to teach in our degree programmes. Due to limited resources, we also have infrastructure shortages, especially in staff offices and lecture halls, some of which do not have air-conditioning. This can make teaching and learning difficult, particularly during the summer when temperatures reach over 40°C.
My favourite quote comes from Aristotle: ‘Wisdom starts with understanding yourself.’ To succeed in life and help others, you must fully know who you are. It’s like a strengths-and-weaknesses analysis of yourself. Understanding your strengths and weaknesses, and your values, is key to your career and social success, as it helps you to become more empathetic. It also helps you to avoid setting unrealistic life goals.
It is satisfying to put a value on a business or its equity
If I had law-making powers, I would legislate to make it easier for new companies to enter the banking industry and compete with the current major players. This would improve the competitiveness and efficiency of the banking industry, benefiting business, consumers and the economy as a whole.
What I enjoy most about my job is helping students to understand key finance and accounting concepts. My students have always rated me as an excellent lecturer, which makes me proud. I also like publishing articles, books or book chapters, as I find this activity fulfilling. I publish three to six journal articles and book chapters a year. It is equally satisfying to put a value on a business or its equity, or to ensure professional bodies comply with the IRBA’s requirements.
My biggest achievement was qualifying as an ACCA. This provided me with a solid foundation for my career and has been key to my success. The ACCA syllabus equips its students and members with all the knowledge and skills necessary to work in any accountancy or financial position for any organisation, and to pursue further academic qualifications.
If I wasn’t in finance, I would have liked to be in civil engineering. The art of designing and building structures has always fascinated me, as it improves cities and therefore people’s lives. Furthermore, like accountancy, civil engineering involves costing, project management and regulatory compliance.
In my own time I am a staunch Manchester City fan, and I enjoy watching the Uefa Champions League. I love nature as well, and I regularly visit reserves such as the Kruger and Mapungubwe National Parks.
