The Future CFO Magazine is born to inspire, mirror and inform the challenging Career Decisions of aspiring and current Finance and Business Professionals primarily in Africa, with a global appeal and perspective.

It stems from years of work alongside some of the world’s most reputed Chartered Professional Bodies, Big Business, Education Policy Makers and leading Universities to groom Future Business Leaders. Our readers study hard, secure career- relevant jobs and attain the Chartered Professional Designation in order to pursue their dreams, oftentimes: ‘Future CFOs’ but by no small measure,

C-suite executives, with varied success. Intelligence to guide their Career Decisions often is the single most important determinant of their success. This Magazine does just that: bringing us to two core propositions, both inspired by our beloved global icon, Nelson Mandela:

Proposition I

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

A think tank fraternity, thought leadership and advocacy for revolutionary changes in our Education System is needed. After all, “it always seems impossible until it is done.” Business Education is to practice a Profession or start your own enterprise for money and not academic. It is currently far too academic and less directed to the Problem-Solving Skills enterprise needs. This needs urgent fixing. TODAY!

In this launch issue....

We conduct a high level SWOT Analysis of our Education System, graced by our cover page man, South Africa & Africa’s pride, Vusi Thembekwayo, MBA Student at the Hult International Business

School in London and Boston. At only 31, he is a Global Speaker, serial Entrepreneur, Business Mogul, Leadership Genius and self-made Millionaire. He embodies the diversity of paths to the top and represents our Future Today, Future CFO, Future CEO, Future Entrepreneur, Future ALL! We share his passion for and tips on Professional and Leadership Development.

The ice breaker is our flagship piece, ‘Are you A Future CFO?’,  a derivative of our name, to capture the aspirations of many. We use the acronym, ‘AFUTURECFO’ , to chronicle the path others took or may take to get there and show why Professional Qualifications: ACCA, CA(SA) and CIMA hold the key.

In ‘Why Employers Prefer Professional Qualifications’,  we urge you to pursue Professional Education straight from school. In ‘Are Our Universities fit for purpose?’,  we situate the growing disconnect between Employer Needs and Graduates Skills, pointing to Problem-Solving and more Problem-Solving Skills as where our Education System fails. We warn you to check the Professional Accreditation status of your Degree Programme before you embark.

In ‘Integrated Case Method: The Future Today!’,  we show why Employers use this Method to recruit and challenge Universities to do more including joining The CFO Case Study Competition revolution underway!

In ‘What’s the fuss about IEB and Cambridge Schools?,’  we lament the growing connection between our high University drop-out rates and poor Basic Education outcomes. We frown on the apparent politicisation of Basic Education and advocate ‘segregation’ of the National Exams Unit

(NEU) from the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and creating a statutory Independent Body to oversee Public School Exams. Some may argue this is far too radical and is no silver bullet, or that it fails to reflect our socio-economic and/or political context. Yet we point to other less-resourced African countries with far worse socio-economic and/or political circumstances that outperform our Basic Education outcomes. Failure to ‘segregate’ is simply bad Education Governance! The DBE cannot be player and referee. A crisis looms!

In our Unsung Heroes and Heroines  section, we interview Academics and other Professionals making a significant contribution to the careers of our readers; yet go unnoticed. In this issue; Professor Links of University of Stellenbosch, Elize Kirsten of University of Pretoria, Amasi Mwela of FUNDI (formerly known as Eduloan) and Córne Carolan of the Association of African Business Schools, representing 45 Business Schools across Africa.

In Future Editions, we also delve into other typical and topical business issues on the continent to shape your connection between the classroom theory and real world practice, Harvard Business Review style.

Hold your breath and get ready for a joy ride with ‘The Future CFO ’, The More You Know, the more Informed your Business Career Decisions.

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