{"id":265875,"date":"2025-11-19T07:11:57","date_gmt":"2025-11-19T08:11:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/?p=265875"},"modified":"2025-11-19T09:03:42","modified_gmt":"2025-11-19T09:03:42","slug":"engage-africa-conference-2025-inspires-finance-professionals-to-lead-with-purpose","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/builder\/engage-africa-conference-2025-inspires-finance-professionals-to-lead-with-purpose\/","title":{"rendered":"ENGAGE Africa Conference 2025 inspires finance professionals to lead with purpose"},"content":{"rendered":"

This post<\/a> was originally published on this site<\/a><\/p>

<\/p>\n

AICPA and CIMA recently hosted their second annual ENGAGE Africa Conference in Johannesburg, bringing together hundreds of finance professionals, business leaders, educators, and policymakers from across Africa and beyond to explore the future of finance.<\/span><\/p>\n

Held under the theme “AfriCatalysts \u2013 Where Connection Fuels Transformation in Finance,” the three-day conference provided a dynamic platform for dialogue, collaboration, and inspiration. Attendees explored the evolving role of finance in driving innovation, inclusion, and sustainable growth across Africa. <\/span><\/p>\n

Keynote speakers challenged the profession to embrace change and lead with purpose<\/b><\/p>\n

On Day 1, Abdullah Verachia, CEO of The Strategists, delivered his masterclass with a compelling call to action: \u201cDisruption doesn\u2019t knock \u2013 it arrives, often unannounced.\u201d He urged finance leaders to reimagine how organisations are built and led, asking: <\/span>Are we fostering innovation? Are we driving disruption, rather than reacting to it?<\/p>\n

Building on the theme of transformation, Antoinette Kwofie, FCMA, CGMA, CFO at MTN Ghana, spotlighted Africa\u2019s leadership in mobile payments and financial inclusion. \u201cAfrica is a leader in the financial innovation realm \u2013 it is not lagging, it is leading,\u201d she said, highlighting the transformative impact of platforms like M-Pesa and MTN Mobile Money.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The conversation then shifted to the impact of AI on the profession. Andrew Harding, FCMA, CGMA, Chief Executive \u2013 Management Accounting at AICPA and CIMA, emphasised the enduring value of power skills and the evolving role of finance professionals as strategic business partners. He called on finance leaders and their teams to drive effective AI adoption to unlock long-term value across organisations.<\/span><\/p>\n

Continuing the discussion, Simon Bittlestone, FCMA, CGMA, Immediate CIMA Past President and Immediate Past Chair of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, the global alliance formed by AICPA and CIMA addressed common misconceptions about AI. He encouraged finance professionals to embrace its potential to drive greater efficiency and effectiveness, positioning it as a catalyst for transformation for the finance profession. <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Turning to sustainability, Joshua Amponsem, Climate Philanthropy Co-Director and Founder of the Green Africa Youth Organization, addressed the urgent need for green finance solutions tailored to Africa\u2019s unique context. He emphasised the sector\u2019s responsibility to drive policy change and support informal economies and local communities.<\/span><\/p>\n

AICPA and CIMA\u2019s leaders reflect on the conference\u2019s growing impact <\/b><\/p>\n

Tariro Mutizwa, FCMA, CGMA, Vice President \u2013 Africa, said: <\/b>\u201cENGAGE Africa 2025 was more than an event, it was a catalyst for action. The conversations we had, the connections we made, and the ideas we exchanged will continue to shape the future of finance across the continent. We are excited to build on this momentum in Cape Town next year, with an even bolder programme designed to empower Africa\u2019s finance leaders.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Andrew Harding, FCMA, CGMA, Chief Executive \u2013 Management Accounting, echoed this sentiment: <\/b>\u201cThe ENGAGE Africa Conference continues to grow in scale and impact each year. It was a privilege to welcome our members from across the continent and beyond to connect, learn, and lead. The conversations sparked here are designed to inspire finance professionals to thrive in their roles and contribute meaningfully to their organisations, and by extension, their national economies. We are already looking forward to continuing this momentum in Cape Town next year, with even more dynamic dialogue, collaboration, and community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Following the resounding success of this year\u2019s event in Johannesburg, AICPA and CIMA have announced that the next ENGAGE Africa Conference will take place in Cape Town on 29 and 30 October 2026.<\/span><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

AICPA and CIMA recently hosted their second annual ENGAGE Africa Conference in Johannesburg, bringing together hundreds of finance professionals, business leaders, educators, and policymakers from across Africa and beyond to explore the future of finance.Held under the theme “AfriCatalysts \u2013 Where Connection Fuels Transformation in Finance,” the three-day conference provided a dynamic platform for dialogue, collaboration, and inspiration. Attendees explored the evolving role of finance in driving innovation, inclusion, and sustainable growth across Africa.\u00a0Keynote speakers challenged the profession to embrace change and lead with purposeOn Day 1, Abdullah Verachia, CEO of The Strategists, delivered his masterclass with a compelling call to action: \u201cDisruption doesn\u2019t knock \u2013 it arrives, often unannounced.\u201d He urged finance leaders to reimagine how organisations are built and led, asking: Are we fostering innovation? Are we driving disruption, rather than reacting to it?Building on the theme of transformation, Antoinette Kwofie, FCMA, CGMA, CFO at MTN Ghana, spotlighted Africa\u2019s leadership in mobile payments and financial inclusion. \u201cAfrica is a leader in the financial innovation realm \u2013 it is not lagging, it is leading,\u201d she said, highlighting the transformative impact of platforms like M-Pesa and MTN Mobile Money.The conversation then shifted to the impact of AI on the profession. Andrew Harding, FCMA, CGMA, Chief Executive \u2013 Management Accounting at AICPA and CIMA, emphasised the enduring value of power skills and the evolving role of finance professionals as strategic business partners. He called on finance leaders and their teams to drive effective AI adoption to unlock long-term value across organisations.Continuing the discussion, Simon Bittlestone, FCMA, CGMA, Immediate CIMA Past President and Immediate Past Chair of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, the global alliance formed by AICPA and CIMA addressed common misconceptions about AI. He encouraged finance professionals to embrace its potential to drive greater efficiency and effectiveness, positioning it as a catalyst for transformation for the finance profession.\u00a0Turning to sustainability, Joshua Amponsem, Climate Philanthropy Co-Director and Founder of the Green Africa Youth Organization, addressed the urgent need for green finance solutions tailored to Africa\u2019s unique context. He emphasised the sector\u2019s responsibility to drive policy change and support informal economies and local communities.AICPA and CIMA\u2019s leaders reflect on the conference\u2019s growing impact\u00a0Tariro Mutizwa, FCMA, CGMA, Vice President \u2013 Africa, said: \u201cENGAGE Africa 2025 was more than an event, it was a catalyst for action. The conversations we had, the connections we made, and the ideas we exchanged will continue to shape the future of finance across the continent. We are excited to build on this momentum in Cape Town next year, with an even bolder programme designed to empower Africa\u2019s finance leaders.\u201dAndrew Harding, FCMA, CGMA, Chief Executive \u2013 Management Accounting, echoed this sentiment: \u201cThe ENGAGE Africa Conference continues to grow in scale and impact each year. It was a privilege to welcome our members from across the continent and beyond to connect, learn, and lead. The conversations sparked here are designed to inspire finance professionals to thrive in their roles and contribute meaningfully to their organisations, and by extension, their national economies. We are already looking forward to continuing this momentum in Cape Town next year, with even more dynamic dialogue, collaboration, and community.\u201dFollowing the resounding success of this year\u2019s event in Johannesburg, AICPA and CIMA have announced that the next ENGAGE Africa Conference will take place in Cape Town on 29 and 30 October 2026.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":265877,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-265875","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-builder"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/265875","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=265875"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/265875\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":265881,"href":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/265875\/revisions\/265881"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/265877"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=265875"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=265875"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=265875"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}