Not only is the CA(SA) profession considered by many to be a male domain − the world of motoring is seen as the pinnacle of male-ness. However, a few South African women are changing the game through grit, wisdom, and determination.
KERRY CASSEL
Improving people’s lives by envisioning, innovating and creating …
Kerry Cassel CA(SA), CEO of Motus Mobility Solutions, a leading multinational automotive group, explains that accounting was always one of her favourite subjects at school.
‘It thus seems natural that I would register for a BComm (Accountancy) when I studied at university. I also liked the broad variety of career options that would be available to me with a Bachelor of Commerce degree. At that stage, however, I didn’t know that I wanted to be a chartered accountant,’ explains Kerry.
She was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to do holiday work while still studying. ‘Each year I would come up to Johannesburg to work at Deloitte for a month during the university holidays.’
Kerry worked on a number of audits during this time. ‘In industries from publishing to mining and manufacturing … I loved the fact that I was exposed to so many sectors of the economy, and still being undecided about my future career path, felt that becoming a CA(SA) would give me so much exposure and help me decide on my future career path.’
Never did she intend to remain in the profession. ’I always knew that I would move out into commerce after articles.’
Perseverance is the key to success
Her qualifying journey was not a smooth one. ‘First year was a breeze,’ Kerry remembers. ‘I knocked it out of the park.’
During her second year, she discovered the social side of life at university and failed. ‘I repeated my second and third years without incident. Honours, I failed.’
Kerry then had to repeat honours during her first year of articles. ‘That was really rough, but I passed. I then wrote the board exam at the beginning of my second year of articles – it was the last year that we could write both parts together. That was motivation enough for me and I passed the first time!’
In that same year she wrote the CIMA degree and passed that as well.
‘During my articles and in the time that I stayed on at Deloitte as a manager, I spent a lot of time on the learning portfolio in Deloitte, becoming a “dedicated facilitator” (essentially teaching lecturing on both technical and soft skill learning modules at the firm) and carried a reduced portfolio of clients.’
One of her biggest clients, Imperial, offered Kerry a position. Imperial later unbundled the automotive business, which was separately listed as Motus, where she still works today, more than 21 years later.
Although she has so much experience under her belt, Kerry is hesitant to describe herself as a world-class leader. ‘I still have so much to learn. I know that I was extremely fortunate to always have strong leaders and mentors at work. I was given so many opportunities to try new things.’
Her role at Motus changed constantly over the years and every new opportunity presented new challenges. ‘I was never placed in a box as a finance or accounting professional, but was allowed to move into different areas of the business – from operations to financial services, to marketing and brand management, to IT and innovation.’
Find your balance
Today, Kerry carries a diverse portfolio of responsibilities which keeps her constantly challenged and allows her to learn and develop every day. ‘I get to meet and interact with so many talented people every day and I learn from people around me. This keeps my thinking current and relevant.’
Currently, her main struggle is balancing her work responsibilities with her responsibilities at home. ‘I am a wife and a mom, and that is a very important part of my life.’
She believes, however, that working for a single employer for most of her career has helped her in this regard. ‘I think that I had the opportunity to earn my stripes and prove myself. This gave me a degree of flexibility and I always tried really hard to be there for all of the important moments in my children’s lives.’
She also knows a supportive husband and extended family is essential for any woman wishing to balance a career and family responsibilities. ‘You need a strong support network. This includes family, friends, your spouse, executive assistants, and support at home.’
Not only surviving but thriving in a so-called male-dominated industry depends on quite a few variables, according to Kerry. ‘If you have a supportive boss or mentor, it can make a massive difference. An inclusive corporate culture and colleagues also play an important role.’
Kerry realised over the years that she brings a unique, invaluable perspective to the workplace. ‘My contribution to the team is the perspective that I bring to the table, which is sometimes different from the view of my male colleagues. It took me a while to define what that different perspective is and why that adds value to the team. I sometimes think that it is easier to just try to fit in and be the same and in doing so, can sometimes lose that very essence that differentiates you.’
BRONWYN KILPATRICK
Going places and leading the way
Another woman taking the motoring world by storm is Bronwyn Kilpatrick CA(SA), CFO of Toyota South Africa.
‘As a youngster, I was particularly good at mathematics and accounting. Like so many, I performed a battery of aptitude tests which gave some direction to me on where I should consider.’
Becoming an engineer or a doctor was high on the list. ‘However, I wanted to progress into the business world, and the research I performed always led me towards the accounting degree,’ says Bronwyn.
The CA(SA) qualification was then (and still is) very highly regarded and well recognised globally. ‘It also seemed to be the perfect platform for me to really do whatever I wanted to do. Becoming a CA(SA) was merely the door opener to be what I wanted to be.’
Luckily for Bronwyn, her qualifying journey was relatively straightforward. ‘I attended the University of KwaZulu-Natal, where I received my BCom and BCom Honours.’ She then joined the Deloitte office in Durban to serve her articles and was part of the first group that wrote the board exams where Parts 1 and 2 were split. ‘I was fortunate enough to pass all my exams the first time.’
Bronwyn also enjoyed her experience at the Durban office of Deloitte immensely. ‘I was fortunate to have some of the best mentors and clients which gave me the right experience!’
There were several important lessons Bronwyn learned along the way. ‘Firstly, mindset is such a big part of who you are and how you develop into a leader,’ she explains. Secondly, she learned the importance of setting goals. ‘Stating a bit of the obvious, but I set some very clear goals and I knew that it was not going to come easy. Hard work and long hours were part of the recipe.’
Teamwork leads to success
For her, it is also important to understand the principles and values that drive her. ‘When you are strong and clear on these, it helps with dealing with grey areas and brings a certain calmness to your team.’
Aligning these principles and values with your team goes a long way. ‘Some key principles and values are honesty, respect, integrity, always do the right thing no matter the consequence – this you can manage.’
Bronwyn endevours to wake up every day with the mindset of learning, unlearning, and relearning. ’You also have to be humble, knowing that there are many people in your team and organisation who know more than you on many different topics. Be curious and learn – your team will start to follow you when they see this.’
She also knows it is impossible to achieve success on your own. ‘You cannot do it by yourself; you can only do it with your team. Trust your team and bring a level of accountability with this trust. Most times, they will hold each other accountable. Collaborate with your team, and be reflective, if you have got it wrong, then change it and fix it.’
It is therefore imperative to build relationships, not only within your own team but also with external partners of the organisation. ‘Intentional communication is key. Your team wants to hear from you, and they want to hear from your regularly. It is not always about the big presentations, but always needs to be intentional.’
Always have a learning mindset
Bronwyn encourages a ‘bad news first’ approach in her organisation. ‘This way you will be able to quickly action and put in the necessary corrections that are required.’
When Bronwyn moved from a professional services environment to the world of commerce 15 years ago, it was a big change. ‘It was a slight shock to the system,’ she admits. ‘But honestly, I have learned things that I would never have done so had I not left. Resilience was key during this transition, and I had to prove to myself that I could do it.’
Building up your own credibility again with a new team always comes with its challenges. ‘But this is how you learn, both personally and professionally. Again, if you have the mindset of learning, struggles merely become learning points and can be turned into a positive point.’
Being one of the big players in the auto industry is not something Bronwyn takes lightly. ‘I think that the most difficult thing is really to work your way through the complexity that comes with the auto industry. This is not a simple beast. Once you understand this, your stakeholders, and your contribution, it becomes easier to navigate and thrive. But these all take time, and the steps you need to take need to be intentional. And of course, come to work every day with a learning mindset …’
Bronwyn’s advice to other female CAs(SA) who want to charge forward and change the world, is to believe in yourself. ‘The world is changing. Abnormality and uncertainty are the new norm. To deal with this, businesses need to hear a diverse set of views and opinions. Back yourself, and never stop learning!’
