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DMD Season 4 Ep5: Aster Thackeray - What If your REAL skill is connecting people?

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Host Sinead Donovan talks to Aster Thackery about a career that went from New Zealand to the Italian government, a Chartered Accountancy qualification that opened doors a law degree could not, and a 2,000-person community she built from a single coffee meetup. It is a 30-minute conversation you will not want to miss.

Aster Thackeray - What If your REAL skill is connecting people?

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Join Us for a Special episode of Difference Makers Discuss: Global Challenges and the Drive for Sustainability with Carmine Di Noia (Director for Financial and Enterprise Affairs at the OECD)

Global Challenges and the Drive for Sustainability with Carmine Di Noia (OECD)

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Global Challenges and the Drive for Sustainability with Carmine Di Noia (OECD)

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In an era when AI and automation are transforming finance, what is the irreplaceable value that human professionals bring to the auditing process? Liswaniso Namatama has a compelling answer — and it goes to the heart of what good auditing really is.

In this episode of Difference Makers Discuss, Liswaniso joins host Sinéad Donovan to explore what audit looks like when it’s done well: as a tool not just for assurance, but for helping organisations understand themselves and improve how they work. He argues that no amount of automation can replace the judgment, empathy, and contextual understanding that skilled human auditors bring to the table.

Difference Makers Discuss – Liswaniso Namatama, Auditing Is a Human Business

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In the fourth episode of Season 4 of Difference Makers Discuss, CAW President Sinead Donovan sits down with Liswaniso, a Chartered Accountant and assistant manager at ACT Core Accountants in Lusaka, Zambia. With over six years of audit experience and a remarkable story of professional and personal growth, Liswaniso brings a refreshing and energising perspective to the profession.

From Zambia to Belfast — and back again
Liswaniso qualified through the Zambia Institute of Chartered Accountants and has built his career at a local audit firm in Lusaka. But his story took a significant turn when he attended the One Young World Summit in Belfast, where he joined a cohort of young chartered accountants from around the globe.

The experience, as he puts it, was "mind-blowing." Meeting delegates from across the world - each with their own story of creating impact in their communities — left a lasting impression. One key lesson stood out above all others: you don't need to wait for the perfect moment to start making a difference. You just start.

Turning Inspiration Into Action
That spirit of getting started has translated into real, meaningful work back home. At the One Young World Summit, Niso connected with fellow chartered accountant Doric, who founded Young Dream Radiators - a foundation dedicated to providing mentorship to young people through community-based outreach programmes.

Liswaniso is a proud member of the foundation, which is currently in its startup phase and expanding its reach. The work is straightforward but powerful: visiting less fortunate communities, engaging with people directly, and showing them that they are not alone — that there are people they can interact with, learn from, and look up to.

It's a vivid example of what Sinead describes as "the family of accountants" coming together to make good change for those around them.

Reframing What Audit Actually Is
One of the most compelling parts of this conversation is Liswaniso's passionate defence of the auditing profession - and his determination to challenge the misconceptions that surround it.

"Audit is not all about number crunching, ticking boxes, or fault-finding," he says. "That's not the picture of audit."

The bigger picture, as Niso sees it, is this: audit is about understanding businesses, assessing risks, applying professional judgment, and helping organisations improve how they operate. It's a career that takes you across industries — from NGOs to mining companies to manufacturing organisations, giving auditors a uniquely broad understanding of how the world works.

And then there's the people dimension. Audit involves constant interaction with management and key stakeholders, creating relationships and networks that can last a lifetime. As Niso puts it, "it really lays a strong foundation in terms of career."

The Irreplaceable Human Element
With AI increasingly part of the professional landscape, it's a question that comes up in almost every conversation about the future of accountancy: what's left for humans to do?

Liswaniso's answer is clear and considered. Yes, AI can handle routine transactions, analyse large datasets, and produce reports more efficiently. But there are aspects of audit that remain firmly human:

- Professional judgment - the ability to assess nuance and complexity in context
- Risk identification - certain risks can only be uncovered through direct client interaction
- Communicating findings - sitting with management, walking them through results, answering their questions, helping them understand

"It's better when it's human to human," Liswaniso says. "You sit with management and go through some of these things and explain to them, at times they might have questions or need proper understanding, and we are simply there to communicate this to them."

It's a timely reminder that technology can augment the profession, but it cannot replace the relationships and judgments at its core.

What's Next for Liswaniso?
Looking ahead, Niso is clear about his direction: to continue growing within the accounting space, to keep making a difference in his community, and to inspire the next generation of accountants in Zambia and beyond.

Asked to sum up the profession in three words, he doesn't hesitate: "Accounting is extremely amazing."

His advice to anyone considering the profession? "Just go ahead with it. Trust me, they will not regret that decision."

Watch, Listen, and Share
If this episode sparks something in you, whether it's a renewed passion for the profession, a reminder of why you chose this career, or simply a great story to share with a colleague, pass it on.

DMD Season4 Ep4: Auditing Is a Human Business, Lessons from Liswaniso Namatama

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In a profession often associated with precision, compliance, and technical expertise, a new narrative is emerging—one where chartered accountants are stepping beyond the numbers to create meaningful, human-centered impact.

Two recent stories from the global accounting community highlight this shift.

First, the idea that auditing is fundamentally a human business challenges the growing assumption that automation will dominate the profession. While technology continues to transform workflows, it cannot replace the nuanced judgment, empathy, and contextual understanding that skilled auditors bring. True audit quality comes not just from verifying figures, but from deeply understanding how organizations operate and helping them build trust and transparency.

This perspective is especially relevant in an era of AI-driven tools. Rather than diminishing the role of accountants, automation is amplifying the importance of distinctly human skills—critical thinking, ethical judgment, and relationship-building.

The second story explores how accountants are increasingly aligning profit with purpose. Traditionally seen as opposing forces, this mindset reframes them as mutually reinforcing. When financial strategy is used intentionally, it can drive real social outcomes—from improving public infrastructure to supporting mental health initiatives and expanding access to essential services.

What stands out is the practicality of this approach. Purpose is not treated as an abstract ideal but as something measurable, testable, and scalable. Whether it’s investing in employee reskilling or designing tools that improve access to public services, the common thread is using financial expertise to deliver tangible value.

Together, these stories point to a broader evolution within the profession. Today’s accountants are not just technical experts—they are advisors, innovators, and change-makers. They are asking bigger questions: How can our work build trust? How can it serve communities? How can financial decisions create lasting impact?

The takeaway is clear: the future of accounting lies at the intersection of technical excellence and human insight. Those who embrace both will not only stay relevant—they will lead.

Episode 38: Why Modern Accountants Are Redefining Impact

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Episode 37: Purpose, Connection, and the Future of Finance

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A Profession in Motion: Three Stories Shaping Chartered Accountancy

The latest Chartered Accountants Global Update highlights how the profession is evolving in powerful ways.

First, Manuel Rodrigues shows what’s possible when financial expertise meets purpose. His organisation in Mozambique has built a self-sustaining micro-economy supporting thousands of farmers—proving that accountancy can drive real social impact.

Second, Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms (CBAM) are set to reshape global trade. With complex reporting and the UK rollout coming in 2027, the message is simple: start preparing now—or risk falling behind.

Finally, Accountancy Ireland has gone digital, reflecting a broader shift toward faster, more accessible, and sustainable content.

🔍 The takeaway

From rural development to climate regulation and digital transformation, Chartered Accountants are no longer just reporting on change—they’re helping lead it.

Episode 36: A Profession in Motion: Three Stories Shaping Chartered Accountancy

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What if accountancy could help feed a nation? For Manuel Rodrigues CA(SA), it’s not a hypothetical — it’s his daily reality. In this episode Manuel Rodrigues CA(SA) speaks with Sinead Donovan about social enterprise, agriculture, and the power of an integrated vision.

Difference Makers Discuss – Manuel Rodrigues, Building a Micro-Economy

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Our host Sinead Donovan sits down with Manuel Rodrigues, a Chartered Accountant from South Africa who has done something extraordinary in rural Mozambique.

A rural village where income arrives once a year is hard to transform, unless you change the rhythm of cash, supply, and trust. That is what Manuel Rodrigues has been building through EDP Mozambique: a practical, for profit system that links tens of thousands of small scale farmers growing maize and soya to real buyers, then reinvests that supply into poultry so families can earn again and again rather than waiting for harvest season.

We talk through how the model works on the ground: crop aggregation, processing, and a route to market that now includes 11 retail stores across central and northern Mozambique. Manuel explains why adding a hatchery and producing chicken feed from local maize and soya becomes the “flywheel” that creates a microeconomy, improves food security, and increases protein availability in communities where it is often scarce. You will also hear what vertical integration looks like next, from producing fertilised eggs with community partners to plans for an abattoir that can protect farmer margins and open access to the formal sector, including grocery, hospitality and restaurants.

The conversation does not dodge the hard parts. We discuss unethical behaviour such as seed loans not repaid, why clear consequences matter, and how sustainability changes when international donor funding is cut. Manuel also shares how chartered accountancy skills, from controls and costing to negotiation, help keep a complex operation accountable at scale.

DMD Season 4 Ep 3: Manuel Rodrigues - How one Chartered Accountant is transforming rural Mozambique

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Contact Us

Chartered Accountants Worldwide on The Map

Be Social

Embedding a sustainability mindset throughout operations

Reviewing data processes and controls

Establishing targets

Developing a strategy, policies and implementation plan

Setting sustainable goals

Identifying and rating opportunities

Identifying and rating risk exposure

Conducting a materiality assessment

Mapping and engaging stakeholders

Contact Us

Chartered Accountants Worldwide on The Map

Be Social

Cookie Settings

Embedding a sustainability mindset throughout operations

Reviewing data processes and controls

Establishing targets

Developing a strategy, policies and implementation plan

Setting sustainable goals

Identifying and rating opportunities

Identifying and rating risk exposure

Conducting a materiality assessment

Mapping and engaging stakeholders