From growing in confidence as a young CA to becoming FD of Barloworld
Nopasika Lila joined Barloworld as group FD as of 1 August 2019.
In an earlier interview with CFO South Africa, she said that after completing her articles, she was keen on the financial services industry, especially asset management, as it was then still just a buzzword in her experience.
“Growing up, I remember being told that accounting was a difficult field and that those who were studying to become CAs were considered to be part of the elite. I would go as far as saying that the qualification was considered to be something that is not achievable and reserved only for a few. I was initially overwhelmed with the task at hand, but over time I elegantly succeeded. My confidence grew and I’ve learnt to be a lot more decisive, deliberate and immediate in my actions.”
She joined Old Mutual as an introduction to the industry and then moved to the Public Investment Corporation (PIC), where she served as the head of Compliance and Corporate Governance.
Nopasika was nominated for the CFO Awards in 2017 for her work at the Eskom Pension and Provident Fund (EPPF). She later became CEO of the fund but resigned earlier this year.
Nopasika is a qualified CA(SA) with more than 20 years of experience in finance, corporate governance and the pension industry. She has served on various board and in several committee roles, including nonexecutive directorships at JSE-listed companies such as Nampak, Basil Read and enX Group.
“I am grateful for these opportunities and they have all contributed to growing my capacity as a leader for my current role,” she says.