Disruption and “adapt or die”
Over 150 leading CFOs gathered at Marble Restaurant in Rosebank for the annual CFO Day to network and learn how to adapt to new ways of doing business, or disrupt their own industries.
On 23 March, CFO South Africa, in partnership with Deloitte, Workday, Sage and SAP Concur, and in associate partnership with KPMG and Cushman & Wakefield | Broll, hosted the annual CFO Day at Marble Restaurant.
CFO South Africa MD Joël Roerig welcomed the 150 leading CFOs before introducing the “doyen of South African comedy” Pieter-Dirk Uys, who had guests heartily laughing about South Africa’s political leaders, from the architects of apartheid to the dawn of democracy.
After being treated to a meal of Marble Restaurant’s finest fresh-off-the-grill offerings, the first panel of the afternoon – The Disruption Debate – was populated by A2X CEO Kevin Brady, G4S CEO Mel Brooks, Investec Life CEO Michael Goemans, and SNG Grant Thornton CEO Victor Sekese.
They discussed what it takes to challenge the market leaders with a new offering, and their insights on agility, people and technology, or immense value to any business leader – and not just those intent on market disruption.
The second panel – Surviving to thriving: Adapt or die – featured EOH CEO Stephen van Coller, T-Systems
MD Dineo Molefe and Telkom CEO Sipho Maseko. They looked at companies that have come back from the brink of business failure, with presentations from the people responsible for these turnarounds.
“People want to be dealt with fairly and in a transparent manner. The relationship between management and labour doesn’t have to be adversarial. But it has been that way for a very long time so it can take a very long time to change that dynamic,” Sipho said.
In keeping with the “Surviving to thriving” theme of the panel, stress expert and coach to professionals and athletes Richard Sutton next delivered a fascinating talk on how stress affects people, and how it can be harnessed for productivity and motivation.
He explained to the business leaders in the room how their stress affects others, and challenged them to adopt the following behaviours to reduce the workplace stress that they create:
“Firstly, reward positive behaviours. Secondly, be supportive and encourage mutual support. Competitivity destroys people, whereas rewarding people will bring out the best in them. Thirdly, give people more control and authority, let them feel that they have a voice. And finally, be fair and consistent in your treatment of and behaviour towards others, and eliminate prejudice.”
Business Results Group CEO Nicola Tyler – the “chief summarising officer” of the event – highlighted the key themes of the day’s discussions, identifying the salient points of each presentation and writing them up in a series of hand-drawn-and-illustrated slides.
Ending CFO Day on a humorous note, Pieter-Dirk Uys returned to the stage, delivering the second half of his performance. He looked the leaders South Africa has enjoyed since becoming a democratic state.
“Toast the future and your dreams and your professionalism with a glass that is always half full and never half empty,” Pieter said.