Why have you chosen this line of work?
I chose to study economics as it was the only subject that took into account both my interests and my skills.
How did you start out in your line of work?
In 2010 I received recognition from the CEO of ESPN Brazil and the CFO of ESPN International when I succeeded in bridging the gap between the Finance and Operational Departments at ESPN. They had exhaustively tried to achieve this but had never succeeded at it. This rendered me an international position at ESPN in London. However, the offer came just too late as I had already packed my bags to move to South Africa to marry the woman of my dreams.
What awards / accolades / achievements can you brag about?
I have a strong financial background, which encompass analytical analysis, financial modelling, reporting and business strategy. I also have good management skills, which I keep working on every day – I always say that management is an art not a skill. And I’ve been blessed with good teachers that are with me every single day. I focus on integration and human interaction because I believe that business is conducted by people so I always try to keep this in mind.
What are common problems that you have seen while dealing with the financial aspects of businesses in South Africa?
The most common financial problems across companies is definitely a lack of basic financial controls, no knowledge of cash flow management and a poor reporting structure. All of these combined mislead the decision-making process.
What inspires you most in life?
The continuous anticipation of the future!
What one thing can businesses do to ensure they never reach a stage of financial distress?
Communicate properly! Everybody needs to be on the same page all the time.
What one thing can businesses do to ensure they grow and keep growing?
Focus, focus and focus some more!
What one misconception do people have about financial growth and rescue companies like yours?
That financial growth will happen tomorrow and everybody will be rich by Friday. And regarding business rescue, that the company is a black hole and that there is no hope.
What makes your company the one to pick?
Us! Technical skills are the same for everybody; what makes the difference is how you make use of them.