Diversity and a love of learning is key to getting ahead in business
There are tangible advantages to having a diverse background. 46-year-old Vusi Mpofu has an upbringing that spans Zimbabwe, Lesotho and South Africa, where he has garnered experience in a number of industries as an auditor, accountant, treasurer and at the present time as a banker. His father who was headmaster and mother who is a nursing professional, gave him the best they could afford to enable Mpofu and his siblings to pursue their life goals.
Having studied to become an accountant, Mpofu obtained his under-graduate degree from the National University of Lesotho in 1997, followed by serving his articles with KPMG. Post that in the course of fulfilling various roles with multi-national companies he completed a Diploma in Advanced Banking with the University of Johannesburg (UJ) before graduating with an MBA from Wits in 2010. During this time, he’s also completed executive development programmes with Duke University.
With multi-cultural education behind him, what inspired him to chase a profession in the financial sector? His answer is as simple and understood as it can be. He says while growing up as a teenager he and his friends were inspired by the standard suit attire and briefcases of the Chartered Accountants in his area. This is what sparked his interest in the field and the adults didn’t hesitate to take the opportunity to drill it into their young minds that education was the key to a good life, says Mpofu. That’s why today, Mpofu is proud to be a member of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants’ Associate General Accountant [AGA(SA)] designation.
Added to this, his parents who were in both the education and medical fields instilled in him a passion for learning while also moulding empathy. That’s why, when asked about the much-publicised challenges the accounting profession is currently experiencing, Mpofu opines that we all should remember that institutions are made up of individuals. “The one human fallacy I’ve seen is that we inherently think or assume that everyone comes with a cupful of integrity, and that’s not always the case.”
He says that organisations must accept this fact and work to combat weaknesses in their policies and procedures to protect its integrity and interests at all cost.
As a young accountant, his advice to the next generation of finance sector professionals is to invest in hard work. “If you are already employed somewhere, put in the extra hours, arrive an hour early and leave the office an hour later. It makes such a huge impact on your work output and development.”
“Young people must also take care not to waste valuable time. Whether they are on school break or vacation, they must include study time. This will help with being ahead of the pack when schools reopen, thus making the education load easier.”
He also preaches personal advancement through constant acquisition of more knowledge. “Such is the nature and demand of commerce and the rapid rate of change in all industries,” adds Mpofu. Is this the reason he has attained numerous degrees in varied sectors, we ask him? “Yes. I’m qualified to work as an auditor, a tax specialist and a banker. It’s all about being able to pivot at any moment, which is a capability that the financial sector, and indeed many other industries, simply demand of all its professionals,” concludes the much-travelled professional.
It’s this passion for self-advancement that led Mpofu to his current role at Nedbank where he is the Sector Lead: Mining & Chemicals within its Corporate and Investment Banking division.