Editorial
Ten years ago, in the very month of April, I nervously stepped through the doors of SAICA and happened to climb into the same lift as one of the Senior Executives at SAICA. After introducing herself to me, she declared she had some articles for me to write.
It was my first day, and I won’t say I didn’t feel intimidated. But a decade has sped by, and I have met, interviewed and written stories of countless members who are achieving the most mind-blowing things possible and who are doing their best to make this planet a better place. Their stories have inspired others to do likewise. I have also witnessed how SAICA as an organisation has grown with leaps and bounds over the years through the dedication and passionate efforts of its leaders and employees, and it makes me proud to be part of an institute that recently was ranked as the most trusted accounting institute globally.
As Bhavna Gounder writes in her article ‘Is chartered accountancy worth your while?’, accountants possess the knowledge and access to financial data that can help shape the views not only of employers but also of industries − and ultimately economies. Their influence can have a ripple effect in creating dynamic solutions for business and economic problems. She also shares some valuable experiences she picked up as an investment banker.
On page 41 we feature four highly innovative tech founders who have built their business models using the latest tech to tap into a range of challenges in South Africa by stepping into the shoes of the consumer and asking, ‘What’s the human need behind it?’
We also congratulate the 10 APC Honours Roll candidates, as well as all the others who have worked incredibly hard to pass the exam!
In conclusion, I recently read what Broadway lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II had to say about a picture of the Statue of Liberty taken from a helicopter. What seemed to impress Hammerstein most was the incredible detail of the lady’s coiffure − a part of the statue that no one was expected to see, because when the sculptor completed the Statue of Liberty, planes had not yet been invented and there was no idea that man would someday be able to fly over the statue.
So, may you always be encouraged to put in your best efforts in everything you do because you never know what impact it might have in the future.
LYNN GRALA
Acting Editor: Accountancy SA
