Sinead Donovan reflects on hosting the Difference Makers Discuss webinar series, sharing powerful highlights from conversations with remarkable professionals who’ve made significant impacts beyond Chartered Accountancy.
The Difference Makers Discuss webinar series has offered a platform for inspiring professionals who are making significant impacts not just within Chartered Accountancy but across society as a whole. Hosted by Sinead Donovan, former President of Chartered Accountants Ireland, the series has featured remarkable individuals with compelling stories and insights that transcend their professional roles.
One of the most powerful stories came from Thembeke Maseko, a finance leader at Standard Bank South Africa. Her journey from a challenging childhood in Cape Town to professional success demonstrates the transformative power of education, resilience and mentorship. Thembeke shared how her grandfather motivated her on her educational journey by asking her to teach him what she learned at school each day. This simple but approach instilled in her not just academic discipline but also storytelling skills that would prove invaluable in her career. Her grandfather’s wisdom created a purpose-driven approach to education that shaped her future success. Thembeke’s story resonates as a testament to determination and the belief that anything is possible with the right mindset and support systems.
The series also featured Michelle Shuttleworth, whose impressive career spans top organisations including PwC, Virgin Entertainment, Burberry, and the BBC. Michelle provided fascinating insights into her time at the BBC, highlighting how working under Tim Davey, a marketeer by background who brought fresh perspectives to broadcasting, enhanced her professional development. Her experience leading finance transformation at the BBC demonstrated the importance of making financial information accessible and useful to non-finance colleagues. Michelle’s insights into the BBC’s unique funding model and governance structure provide valuable lessons for organisations balancing public service missions with financial constraints. Currently serving as CFO at the Francis Crick Institute while also running her sustainable kids clothing company Boa Wool, Michelle exemplifies the multifaceted capabilities of chartered accountants.
Sustainability emerged as a critical theme in the series, particularly during a special edition featuring Jessica Fries, Executive Chair of Accounting for Sustainability (A4S). Jessica highlighted Chartered Accountants’ vital role in sustainability efforts, from ensuring robust reporting frameworks to influencing strategic decisions that consider all capitals an organisation relies on, not just financial ones. The conversation emphasised how Chartered Accountants can help translate net-zero commitments into practical transition plans with measurable targets and actions. This episode underscored the profession’s expanding role in addressing global challenges and the growing urgency around sustainability issues.
The series also addressed the future of the profession with Tinashe Kamangira, a past president of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand. Tinashe spoke compellingly about attracting diverse talent to accountancy, highlighting changing educational pathways and the need to adapt recruitment approaches. His insights into declining university attendance rates and the benefits of “earn and learn” models reveal the profession’s need to evolve its talent pipeline strategies. Tinashe’s personal journey from Zimbabwe to Australia adds depth to his perspective on creating opportunities for people from all backgrounds.
The final conversation focused on wellbeing and resilience, featuring experts Brad Hook and Declan Scott. They addressed critical challenges facing professionals, including the productivity myth of multitasking, the dangers of hypervigilance, and the fundamental importance of quality sleep. Their practical advice on monotasking, creating healthy boundaries between work and rest, and respecting our natural circadian rhythms offers valuable guidance for professionals seeking better performance and wellbeing outcomes.
The Difference Makers Discuss series continues to provide a platform for transformative conversations that challenge, inspire, and expand our understanding of what chartered accountants can achieve. By showcasing diverse voices and perspectives, the series demonstrates how the profession contributes to positive change across business and society.
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