Celebrating financial excellence The 2021 CFO Awards

South Africa’s leading finance executives were celebrated for successfully navigating a return to something like normal this year at the Polo Room at the Inanda Club.

In their best dresses and tuxes, South Africa’s leading finance professionals were greeted by the sounds of the saxophone filling the summer air at the Polo Room, Indanda, on 17 November 2021. With cocktails in hand, guests at the eighth annual CFO Awards enjoyed steak taco and prawn panko canapes with a view of the green expanse of polo fields under the night sky before the start of the ceremony, also known as the “Oscars of the finance profession”. CFOs were then guided into the magnificent ballroom, decked out in black and white accented with daylilies, succulents and candles. The three-course menu was curated by leading Johannesburg caterers Word of Mouth.

World-renowned comedian Loyiso Madinga returned to the CFO Awards as the master of ceremonies, keeping the guests entertained with jokes about finance, lockdown weight gain and heels, all of which was met with resounding laughter. Highlighting the importance of the awards and congratulating the 24 nominees of the evening, CFO South Africa community manager Brian Chivere said that the event was a salute to the notable achievements of the finance industry. “Tonight is not just a celebration of our exceptional nominees, but of South Africa’s finance professionals as a whole, who have had to navigate a return to somewhat normal over the last year,” he said. “You continue to demonstrate that our professionals can stand shoulder to shoulder with those who are driving and supporting business around the world.” He acknowledged the panel of judges for their invaluable time and effort in giving the CFO Awards the prestige it deserves, as well as the many companies who made the CFO Awards possible. Principal sponsor Deloitte headlined the awards for the fifth year in a row. Award sponsors include Accenture, Coupa, Dimension Data, OneStream, Standard Bank and Workday. Deloitte Africa board chair and newly elected CEO Ruwayda Redfearn delivered the opening address, underlining the firm’s continued support of the Awards as a sign of its commitment to South Africa’s finance community. “New business managers are looking beyond profit,” she said. “Instead, they are looking toward their social and environmental responsibilities. Responsible leadership must also be responsive leadership. We are a collective with enormous influence and this requires more than focusing on CSI projects, but speaks to what our collective purpose is and makes an impact that matters.” The big winner of the night was Bongi Ngoma, national head of audit (CFO at the time) of the Auditor-General of South Africa, who was awarded the highest honour of CFO of the Year 2021, a first such accolade for a CFO in the public sector. She also walked away with the Public Sector CFO of the Year Award, and the Transformation & Empowerment Award. “I am speechless,” Bongi repeated three times. “Thank you to CFO South Africa, my team, and to all the CFOs out there. I dedicate this Award to all the CFOs who excelled in what they did this year, especially in the public sector, which isn’t easy to operate in.” Sheldon Friedericksen, Fedgroup CFO at the time, was another overall winner, receiving the Young CFO of the Year Award. “You know what they say, it takes a village,” he said, acknowledging the support of his team and colleagues. Bothwell Mazarura, Kumba Iron Ore CFO, was awarded the Strategy Execution Award. “I would like

SS2208 - CFOSA_CFO Magazine Advert (CFO Awards 210*275mm).pdf 1 2020/04/01 3:19 PM

• CFO of the Year Award: Bongi Ngoma, National Head of Audit (previously CFO) – Auditor-General South Africa • Young CFO of the Year Award: Sheldon Fredericksen, CFO – Fedgroup • Public Sector CFO of the Year Award: Bongi Ngoma C M • Finance & Technology Award: Mark Kathan, CFO – AECI Y CM • Transformation & Empowerment Award: Bongi Ngoma MY CY • Strategy Execution Award: Bothwell Mazarura, CFO – Kumba Iron Ore CMY K • High-Performance Team Award: Megan Pydigadu, Group FD – EOH • Finance Transformation Award: Glen Pearce, CFO – Sappi • Compliance & Governance Award: Alet Coetzee, CFO – Northam Platinum Limited • Moving Into Africa Award: Lucas Verwey, Group FD, Distel

to share this achievement with all of the CFOs here this evening, who have had to execute strategies like never before over the last two years,” he said. The High-Performance Team Award went to EOH group finance director Megan Pydigadu. “This achievement wouldn’t have been possible without my team, quite literally. They are truly the stars of this Award,” she said. Alet Coetzee, Northam Platinum CFO, won the Compliance & Governance Award, but was unable to attend the event. Instead, her right- and lefthand women, Nabeelah Cassim and Janri Rieckert, received the Award on her behalf.

Glen Pearce, Sappi CFO, was awarded the Finance Transformation Award, and Lucas Verwey, Distell group FD, won the Moving into Africa Award. “I am so proud to be able to say we successfully navigated Covid-19. We persevered. But I would also like to share this award with, and acknowledge, all of those we lost over the last year,” Lucas said. Mark Kathan, AECI CFO at the time, received the Finance & Technology Award, saying: “Technology is important for any business or organisation to be successful, not just for the finance teams. A lot of CFOs tried to achieve their best this year, which is what we are celebrating today.” Following a decadent dessert, the guests all gathered on the patio for their last rounds of drinks, congratulating the nominees and the winners on their achievements of the evening. l