As the world navigates changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and the fourth industrial revolution (4IR), SAICA members and associates are adapting to the changing times, and continuing to provide responsible leadership during this time. They are unlearning a number of old “habits, knowledge and skills” and embracing a lot of new ways of work and business. This includes for example embracing and leading around new disruptive technologies in the work environment, becoming more agile (preparing for new roles that are still being defined and will continue to evolve over time), or enhancing the strategic outlook on matters of organizational success, including business models and value creation. The CA of the Future series, powered by SAICA enabling competencies forms an important part of professional development for SAICA members to gear up for the ongoing changes and disruptions.
SAICA enabling competencies are essential skills that influence the ways SAICA members work, think, live, as well as the tools they use in their environments. Enabling competencies are pervasive to a member’s work and behaviour and are transversal, to be used effectively across different environments, functions and roles. Enabling competencies allow members to function as a competent professional accountant, manager or leader in an organisation (seen as a digital environment), by displaying decision-making and relational acumens. As technology continues to improve becoming more prevalent to everything that accountants do, and as societal and stakeholder needs continue to evolve, and become increasingly complex, both opportunities and challenges are being created for current and future members and associates. This series unpacks certain aspects of the expected competence and shapeshifting for accountancy professionals, and aspires to influence attendees to pay particular attention to and apply the SAICA enabling competencies as they continue to provide responsible leadership and serve their stakeholders.
Who Should Attend
All members, associates and non-members looking to better understand and prepare for the current and future changes in the world of work, business and the profession.
Benefits
The series will provide participants with knowledge and an awareness on a number of topics related to the SAICA enabling competencies, equipping them for the changing world of work, business, and the accountancy profession. The following benefits will be reaped by attendees:
- A general outlook on and adapting to the future of work, business, society and the accountancy profession, centred around SAICA enabling competencies.
- Outlining the role of the accountancy profession in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and the evolving world of business.
- Enhancing competence around the digital acumen through understanding related concepts and tools (including: The Data management value chain, Artificial Intelligence, robotic process automation, Blockchain and machine learning amongst others).
- How accountancy, audit and consulting practices are evolving to add value to their clients and in response to changes in business.
- The importance of responsible leadership based on trust, as compared to technical competence or performance.
- And many more.
Programme
The series will be comprised of various sessions from July to December 2021. The time for each session will between one and two hours each, some being held in the mornings (9:00) while others are scheduled for the afternoons (15:00).
The following will be taking place during July 2021:
13 July : 15:00 – 16:00
- William Higham: General outlook on the future of work, behaviours, skills and technology.
15 July : 15:00 – 17:30
- Miles Kubheka (aka Vuyo): Shares his journey and insights into future leadership (15:00 to 16:00).
- Panel discussion on accountancy professionals thinking differently, leadership and opportunities for this (16:00 to 17:30).
- Facilitator: Andile Khumalo | Panelists: Miles Kubheka, Grant Greeff, Stuart van der Veen and Xoliswa Hlongwane.
20 July : 15:00 – 16:00
- Data analytics in the audit and accounting profession. This session will share insights on how analytics are being applied in the audit world and how companies are really leveraging off their analytics capability to make better and faster decisions in the market place.
22 July : 15:00 – 16:00
- Robotic process automation (RPA) – An introduction and overview that includes use cases.
10 August
- Part 1 : 11:00 – 12:00
The role of a CA(SA) in the fourth industrial revolution: Thought leadership and practical experience. - Part 2 : 12:00 – 13:00
4IR tools, technical aspects of key technologies and the future trajectory.
17 August : 16:00 – 17:30
- Accountants no longer count: The future competence of CA/AGAs.
19 August : 15:00 – 16h:00
- Practices of the future – Reliance versus over-reliance on technology: SMP perspective.
Topics
This series will cover the following topics:
- The role of the CA/AGA in the fourth industrial revolution (4IR)
- Data analytics, artificial intelligence and robotic process automation
- The data management value chain
- Practices of the future and cloud in practice
- Blockchain, machine learning, and cyber security
- Leadership, disruption and innovation
- Responsible leaders of trust
- Entrepreneurship and the business acumen The series will be integrating with the SAICA October Ethics month, where governance and ethics around 4IR will be discussed. SAICA trainees are the CAs of the future and are most welcome to join the series. SAICA also has a tailor made offering that focuses on SAICA trainees (Trainee Trailblazers) that will be taking place in September/October.
Speakers
Facilitator: Andile Khumalo CA(SA): CEO of KhumaloCo
Andile Khumalo is a seasoned entrepreneur and Chartered Accountant (SA) with over 15 years of business experience. He is Founder and CEO of khumalo.co an investment firm with interests in Technology, Media, Telecommunications, Financial Services and Venture Capital. He serves as non-executive Chairman of investee companies Brave Group and Ince. He started his career at Deloitte and in 2002 joined Investec as an investment banker before starting his first business and ultimately joining MSG Afrika in 2007. After spending 11 years as a shareholder and COO in the firm, he exited the business in May 2018.
Andile has served in various non-executive roles over the years, including as a member of the Takeover Regulations Panel, a member of the Directorate of Market Abuse, a director of SAA, and President of ABASA. In 2013, Andile founded I AM AN ENTREPRENEUR, a national programme that helps entrepreneurs grow their businesses. He serves as a fellow of The Centre for African Management and Markets at The Gordon Institute of Business Science and regularly writes for The Business Times, Sunday Times and often speaks on Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Transformation.
Kevin Ssemwogerere CA(SA)
Kevin is a business futurist and digital transformation speaker. His career history is broad in the areas of academia, audit and investment banking. Currently, Kevin is a Corporate Venturing Lead in the Wholesale Clients Digital division of Standard Bank group where he is responsible for building new digital businesses. Kevin has also been a co-founder of a tech start-up which built a first of its kind social-eventing mobile app and was profiled on various renowned media platforms.
In 2020, Kevin was profiled as a SAICA Top 35 Under 35 finalist and featured on various platforms as a forward-thinking individual in a world of business which is being redefined by agility and transformation for a digital future. He has also authored articles about the 4IR and digital transformation with his latest titled, “Have you heard of a Digital CFO?”. The future of business and emerging digital transformation trends can be daunting for any business and its leaders, but Kevin is passionate about tackling the challenge through innovation.
Zanele Njapha – Transitions Facilitator, Author, Global Speaker
Call her Zanele, or as her clients say ‘The UnLearning Lady’. In the face of disruptive change, Zanele assists ‘organisations on the move’ to get unstuck & navigate some of the trickiest transitions. She’s done this with many such as Vitality Global, Marsh & McLennan, Saint Gobain, Volkswagen and other organisations of varying sizes. She also hosts the highly-rated podcast Future-Fit Fridays, engaging in conversations with global experts on the future of work. As a contributor to Forbes & the Thought Leader section of the Mail & Guardian, she shares Transitioning insights and top tips for changing teams and individuals.
Zanele was voted #45 on Avance Media’s list of Top 100 Most Influential Young South Africans in 2019. In the same year, she was honoured as the winner of the Professional Speakers Association’s Speaker Factor Competition, making her the very first speaker to attain this award in Southern Africa. She has served fellow speakers, coaches, consultants and trainers as KZN Chapter President of the Professional Speakers Association of Southern Africa.
Amé Rademan CA(SA) – Deloitte Africa’s Audit & Assurance Analytics Leader
Amé has more than 12 years of audit experience and specialises in audit and assurance analytics. Her experience extends across a broad range of industries (Mining and Oil & Gas, Retail and Financial Services) and services including SEC and JSE listed external audits. She has established the Analytics Audit Trainee Program (a first of its kind in the auditing profession in South Africa), which is closely aligned with SAICA’s path to the CA(SA) 2025 – creating the Auditor/Chartered Accountant of the Future. This program has grown exponentially over the last 3 years. Amé is actively engaged with Universities to align auditing strategies and maintain close collaboration. She is passionate about education and the development of people.
William Higham
William is one of world’s leading futurists and strategy experts. He helps organisations to understand how tomorrow’s consumers will think, feel, behave and how they can benefit from this in their business. With extensive experiences in a wealth of industries, from music to business consultancy, William Higham has worked with everyone from The Rolling Stones to Walt Disney. In 2002, he founded Next Big Thing, an advisory and speaking service specialising in strategy, innovation, and futurism. His presentations connect with audiences on a personal level, leaving a positive impression that impacts all areas of their lives.
William’s research-driven predictions of future trends helps position organisational brands ahead of the curve, making him the ideal speaker for conferences and industry workshops. Upon founding Next Big Thing, William has become one of the most respected future behavioralists in the world. His consultancy service uses consumer research and analysis to identify upcoming markets, providing corporate clients with an unbeatable insight into buying behaviour. From his workshops, clients including HSBC, BBC and Mindshare have received tailored analysis of their respective markets, and the business solutions that will resonate with their target clients. When booked for events, William’s keynote speeches arm audiences with the knowledge needed to thrive in their industry, and authentically connect with consumers.
Miles Kubheka – Visionary. Leader. Trailblazer.
Miles Kubheka, aka Vuyo, is a game-changing entrepreneur who empowers others to find success. The IT graduate turned successful gastronomist is the founder, owner, and believer behind the renowned Vuyo’s brand, as well as being a sought-after public speaker. Miles has always had the desire to make a meaningful mark on the world and in 2012 he became the first person in the entire world to create a business based on a TV advert. The advert was about a character named “Vuyo” who starts off selling wors rolls from a food cart and then makes it “beeeg”.
Miles innovatively trademarked the Vuyo’s brand and opened the first Vuyo’s restaurant in Braamfontein, serving fast-casual food, including gourmet-style South African staples, such as wors, potjiekos and pap. Miles expanded his enterprise to include food carts and then expanded it even further with the introduction of food trucks. He now has a restaurant on the famous Vilakazi Street, in Soweto, four food trucks, and more plans to expand and inspire. Miles connects with and inspires audiences of all ages and backgrounds and he’s proven this repeatedly during motivational talks at various events and companies, including at Sage Pastel, Discovery, and Wits Business School, among others. He is considered to be “one of South Africa’s best”, “an exceptional individual”, “a natural speaker”, and “truly excellent”. Miles has appeared on various talk shows and TV programs and in several publications.
Gerhard Hartman – Vice President, Medium Business, Sage Africa & Middle East
Gerhard Hartman directs and oversees the expansion of Sage’s accounting, human resources, and payroll business across Africa and the Middle East. New customer acquisition, up-selling and cross-selling to existing customers is a key focus area, creating customers for life and building the business partner channel across the region.
Gerhard is passionate about assisting small to medium-sized businesses to achieve their dreams and brings extensive accounting, payroll and HR experience to his role. He joined Sage in 2001, holding a range of senior positions in diverse African markets.
Sage entered the African payroll and HR solutions market under Gerhard’s leadership in 2012. In October 2018, Sage appointed Gerhard as the regional head of the medium division for Africa and the Middle East.
Grant Greeff CA(SA)
Grant is the founder and CEO of Alto Growth and former Group CFO for Drone Ops Group. Before joining Drone Ops Group, Grant was the founder of an event hiring company for just under 10 years. His university start-up eventually grew to a team of 33 permanent employees before falling victim to the devastating consequences of COVID-19, which meant the company had to close down in 2020. Grant believes that entrepreneurship is the culmination of hundreds of little experiments that have the potential to create meaningful change for everyone involved.
The lessons Grant learned through his life thus far, particularly his experience with a hospitality company, were invaluable and have set him on a path of self-discovery. For him, the most impactful and life-changing experience was finding a mentor early on in his business career. ‘I fundamentally believe that mentorship is the key to moving South Africa forward and upward. Not only does the mentee benefit, but the mentor benefits as well.
Xoliswa Hlongwane CA(SA) – Owner at XO Collection (Pty) Ltd and Xelerate SMME support programme
Xoliswa is a well-rounded professional with experience cutting across Auditing (Internal and External), Internal Control, Enterprise Risk Management, Asset Management and Financial Accounting. She is a seasoned member of oversight structures. She owns two businesses which seek to make significant improvement on local economic development. XO Collection (Pty) is a 100% black female owned clothing manufacturing business, specializing in fashion, corporate wear (including medical wear), school wear and homeware range. Within the schools offering, we also offer stationery and shoes.
The team is made up of more than 40 years combined experience of the clothing industry. The quality of workmanship bears testament to this. The company offers a direct wardrobe service to customers who want a more tailored offering and we also have a fashion forward off-the-shelf range. We are proud stockists of reputable corporate wear and branding products and are also able to make something inhouse should a more customized look be required.
Warren Gailey CA(SA) – Senior Manager in data analytics within audit, Deloitte
Warren has 8 years audit experience in various industries including banking, property, manufacturing, construction, and retail. His current role at Deloitte is focused on the transformation of the audit from a data analytics perspective. This includes driving the adoption of Deloitte developed tools, performing bespoke analytics for audit teams as well as facilitating training (both in excel and power BI) to the trainee and manager body at Deloitte.
Veronique Trankle
Veronique is experienced in automation, cognitive and robotic process automation development across multiple industries. Lead on various automation projects and product owner of Deloitte’s Read and Compare capabilities.
Husain Coovadia CA(SA)
Husain is currently a PhD candidate in the field of governance and AI. He is a qualified Chartered Accountant and obtained his MCom Accounting (cum laude). Husain has also completed an executive education course at the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on Artificial Intelligence and Implications for Business Strategy. He completed his undergraduate and postgraduate studies at the University of Johannesburg and his articles at PwC. Husain has successfully led four projects using various 4IR technologies, over the past two years. He has also developed a number of online applications and has collaborated with US companies in this regard. Additionally, he developed a fully integrated technology solution for teaching and learning accounting through the various Google platforms. Husain was also involved in taking product onto shelf at a major South Africa retail store before joining the University of Johannesburg as a Senior Lecturer.
Husain has authored a number of publications and presented at various conferences globally. Husain was selected as 1 of 40 speakers worldwide to present at the EduData Summit that took place at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) campus in Boston, USA. The topic of discussion was the use of data in applications to streamline various processes. Husain was nominated for the South African National Higher Education Teaching Awards through UJ. He was also selected as one of SAICA’s Top 35 under-35s in 2017. He is also the winner of the VC Award for Best Young Lecturer at the University of Johannesburg for 2016. Lastly, he was selected to present the e-NACT solution at the Re-imagine Education and Wharton Business School event at Warton Business School USA. He was also invited to present the e-NACT solution at Google South Africa.
Prof Wesley Doorsamy
Prof Doorsamy received a BSc in Electrical Engineering, MSc and PhD in Engineering, and PGDip in Education from the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in Johannesburg, South Africa. He also held a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Wits. He is currently a Senior Lecturer at the University of Johannesburg and is an active member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and South African Institute of Electrical Engineers (SAIEE). He is also an affiliate member of the African Academy of Sciences (AAS). He has authored over 50 peer-reviewed research papers which published as part of international and national conferences, symposia and journals. He has served in several technical advisory roles in industry working groups and policy advisory committees. His research interests are in condition monitoring and diagnostics, modelling, analytics and optimisation in different application areas such as power and energy, mining, manufacturing, medical and agricultural sectors.
Prof. Babu Paul
Prof Babu Sena Paul received his BTech and MTech degrees in Radiophysics and Electronics from the University of Calcutta, West Bengal, India, in 1999 and 2003. He was with Philips India Ltd from 1999-2000. From 2000-2002 he worked as lecturer at the Electronics and Communication Engineering Department at SMIT, Sikkim, India. He received his PhD from the Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati India.
Prof Paul has published over 60 research papers through international and national conferences, symposiums and peer-reviewed journals. He has supervised numerous postgraduate students and post-doctoral research fellows. He joined the University of Johannesburg in 2010. He was Head of Department at the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technology, University of Johannesburg from 2015 to 2018. He is currently Associate Professor and Director at the Institute for Intelligent Systems, University of Johannesburg. He was awarded the IETE Research Fellowship and is a life member of IETE and a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
Nikiwe Khoza – Automation managers with practical experience: Deloitte
Dates and Venues
| Date | Region | Venue | Booking |
| Tue, 13 Jul | Webcast | Online | Closed |
| Thu 15 Jul | Webcast | Online | Closed |
| Tue, 20 Jul | Webcast | Online | Closed |
| Thu, 22 Jul | Webcast | Online | Closed |
| Tue, 10 Aug | Webcast | Online | Reserve a place |
| Tue, 17 Aug | Webcast | Online | Reserve a place |
| Thur, 19 Aug | Webcast | Online | Reserve a place |
| Wed, 15 Sep | Webcast | Online | Reserve a place |
| Tue, 21 Sep (morning) | Webcast | Online | Reserve a place |
| Tue, 21 Sep (afternoon) | Webcast | Online | Reserve a place |
| Thur, 23 Sep | Webcast | Online | Reserve a place |
| Mon, 27 Sep to Fri, 1 Oct | Webcast | Online | Reserve a place |
