COMMUNITY
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.
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n 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
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CFO MAGAZINE • CFO.CO.ZA
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
