CFO spreads his wings to international company
Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) chief financial officer (CFO), Jan-Willem de Jager, has accepted a new role at a fast-growing, international software investment company. De Jager joined GRDM as chief audit executive in 2015 and was appointed as CFO in March 2019.
His last working day at the GRDM is on 27 January. Thembani Loliwe, GRDM strategic manager, will start acting in the CFO position from 30 January while the process to appoint a new CFO is underway.
Fast-growing company
Speaking about the move,
De Jager said he was presented with a unique opportunity to join a fast-growing international software investment company. "It provides great scope for professional growth in areas such as exposure to the latest system developments and international trends in global markets, finance, and investments," he said.
The new role will be within the finance function and will involve analysing financial processes to enhance operational efficiencies while ensuring accurate and timely reporting to stakeholders. De Jager will bring a wealth of experience to the role, having gained experience in a diverse range of business processes within local government, particularly in the implementation of the national Municipal Standard Chart of Accounts (mSCOA) reform and in systems and processes from former employers.
This role will build on his career which, prior to joining GRDM in 2015, includes time with Price-waterhouseCoopers in SA and Europe, Moore George, KPMG Dublin and other companies in London, including the investment bank Goldman Sachs.
Highlights
De Jager thanked GRDM for the oppor-tunity to serve as CFO. "The highlights of my tenure include the clean audit outcomes for 2021/22 and 2020/21, and [it was] equally rewarding to assist colleagues, departments, and fellow government institutions to achieve their goals in serving their communities."
During his feedback to the mayoral committee, Mayor Memory Booysen said, "It is not nice to say goodbye to JanWillem. It makes sense to get involved at an institution that operates on an international level, given the state of South Africa.
“The same would have been done by me if I were you. It is also a feather in the cap of the Garden Route because the Americans recognised the talent we have."