From the pandemic to personal loss, Naeem Asvat has faced challenges with calm and conviction. His approach to leadership is grounded in care and an unshakable belief in the profession’s role in society.
For nearly two decades, Naeem Asvat has been one of SAICA’s most committed leaders. As the Regional Lead for KwaZulu-Natal, or as he calls it, “the Kingdom,” he has united members across business, public sector, academia and public practice.
Asvat has helped steer the profession through periods of disruption, economic uncertainty and social upheaval, from the Covid-19 pandemic and the KwaZulu-Natal riots to the devastating floods that tested both businesses and communities. Each challenge, he says, reinforced the importance of calm, ethical leadership.
He has seen the profession evolve from a rules-based discipline into one that demands empathy and emotional intelligence. Over the years, Asvat has pushed back against the old stereotype of accountants as “bean counters.” He describes the profession as a community of thinkers and problem-solvers who help organisations navigate complexity and change. “Our role goes far beyond compliance,” he says. “It’s about leadership and creating value that lasts. Every day I get to contribute to shaping a profession that holds itself to the highest standards, and that’s a privilege.”
Asvat’s approach to leadership has been defined by service to colleagues, to the profession and to the communities that CAs(SA) ultimately affect. “You realise after a while that leadership is also about care,” he adds. “You have to listen and stay human.”
A life in service
Born and raised in Ladysmith, Asvat’s first encounter with a CA, a friend of his late father, sparked a lifelong fascination with the profession. “Something about it struck me,” he recalls. “From my first accounting class in Standard 6, that was it. I knew I wanted to be a CA(SA).”
He studied at the former University of Durban-Westville and completed his postgraduate studies through the University of Natal while working. Money was tight, but ambition and curiosity kept him going.
Today, he is the Regional Lead for SAICA’s Eastern Region. What that really means, he says, is “being the unifier, bringing the profession closer together across KwaZulu-Natal.” His role involves protecting SAICA’s reputation, strengthening its economic influence, and ensuring that CAs(SA) are recognised not only as technical experts but as nation builders.
“South Africa’s economy has been struggling to grow beyond one percent for years,” he says. “If we are a collective of over 56,000 members who make economic decisions every day, imagine what we can achieve if we pull in the same direction.”
That belief led him to champion SAICA’s Economic and Social Relevance pillar, a strategic initiative that recognises the profession’s power to influence economic growth and ethical leadership.
Responding to crisis with compassion
When KwaZulu-Natal was hit by a wave of crises – the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, the civil unrest and looting in July 2021, and the catastrophic floods of April 2022 – Asvat and his team mobilised what became known as the Business Emergency Room. The initiative matched struggling businesses with volunteer CAs(SA) who offered free advisory sessions.
“We had hundreds of members step up to give their time,” he says. “They were helping business owners make sense of chaos, showing them how to rebuild and keep people employed.”
During the July 2021 unrest, SAICA KZN partnered with Gift of the Givers, raising nearly R500 000 for affected communities and small businesses. The region hosted an Economic Recovery Conference, offered technical guidance on accounting and tax issues, and arranged free counselling for members through Lyra (formerly ICAS).
“The fear and uncertainty took a toll,” he says. “We realised very quickly that mental health support was just as important as financial support.”
Building a culture of wellness
That led to the launch of SAICA’s ongoing Mental Wellness Webcast Series. Since then, Asvat has hosted more than 40 sessions, featuring psychologists, business leaders and wellness experts. The aim is to help members understand that wellness is foundational to performance.
“Before Covid, stress and anxiety weren’t spoken about much,” he says. “But the pandemic made it clear that if the mind isn’t well, productivity and purpose suffer.”
The series now forms part of SAICA’s Evolve learning platform. It’s complemented by internal wellness initiatives and SAICA’s global role on the Chartered Accountants Worldwide (CAW) mental wellbeing task force, where Asvat represents South Africa.
“Our goal is to normalise these conversations,” he says. “We are working to destigmatise mental health, to show that seeking help is necessary.”
He’s acutely aware that for many men, vulnerability is taboo. “We’ve been conditioned to believe that we must push on through. But sometimes strength means slowing down, seeking help, or simply allowing yourself to feel.”
He hopes his story encourages others to open up. “It’s okay to not be okay. It’s okay to ask for help. We need to rewrite the narrative around masculinity and mental health.”
Loss, grief and finding new strength
Asvat’s championing of mental health is deeply personal following the passing of his mother.
“My mum was my pillar of strength,” he says. “After my father passed away when I was 18, she became my anchor, the person I could turn to for anything. For 32 years, she was that constant presence in my life.”
The final two years of her illness were, he says, some of the hardest he has faced. “I was with her through almost every doctor’s visit and hospital admission. You prepare yourself in your head – she’s 82, it’s inevitable – but there’s this tug of war between the rational and the emotional. Even now, there are moments when I reach for my phone to call her, and then I remember.”
Her passing, he says, brought everything into focus. “You realise how fragile it all is, and how important it is to be present, not just physically, but emotionally. It’s changed how I show up. I try to be more patient, more compassionate, and more aware of what people might be going through.”
“Community is a big part of who I am,” he says. “I leaned on my wife, family, close friends, colleagues and my faith. I allowed myself to grieve and to be vulnerable. Over time, I’ve found strength in purpose, in knowing that if my story helps even one person feel less alone, then something good has come from it.”
In KwaZulu-Natal, resilience has become a way of life. Locals even coined a new word for it, Kwazilience, to capture the province’s spirit of endurance. Yet Asvat believes resilience alone is not enough.
“Wellness is what sustains resilience,” he says. That message, he hopes, reaches younger professionals especially. “Don’t wait for burnout to start caring about your wellbeing,” he advises. “Build habits early. Rest. Reflect. Connect. Know your values and let them guide your decisions.”
20 lessons in 20 years
What the profession has taught me about life:
- Integrity is non-negotiable
- People matter more than processes
- Listening is a leadership skill
- Burnout is not a badge of honour
- Vulnerability builds trust
- Mentorship is a gift. Give it freely
- Purpose fuels passion
- Change is constant. Adapt quickly
- Feedback helps you grow
- Wellness is strategic
- Empathy is a superpower
- Courage is showing up, even when it’s difficult
- Legacy is built in small moments
- Boundaries are essential for balance
- Curiosity keeps you relevant
- Gratitude keeps you grounded
- Collaboration beats competition
- Consistency builds credibility
- Presence matters more than being perfect
- The profession may be about numbers, but life is about people.
Author
Monique Verduyn
