Founder and Director at Nomatshawe Group

Nelis is an accomplished leader, corporate entrepreneur and creative business transformer and has more than 20 years of executive management experience. Nelis thrives in an environment where emotional ownership and good corporate values are encouraged and appreciated, and where he can pass down his knowledge and experience to those looking to grow and develop professionally. In his role at SAPRO, Nelis focuses on leveraging and evolving the core capabilities of the firm, implementing key strategic initiatives and creating new venture opportunities within other markets.

Dr. Indira Bhagaloo is a distinguished professional in the Financial Services Sector, boasting over two decades of experience and having held numerous executive positions. In her current capacity as the Director of Strategic Relations and Education at Cornerstone Performance Solutions, she leverages her extensive expertise to drive impactful strategies and initiatives.

Over the past seven years, as Director of Strategic Relations and Education at Cornerstone Performance Solutions, Indira has been instrumental in shaping and executing the academic and vocational strategy. Her responsibilities encompass expanding product offerings, enhancing market reach, spearheading business development initiatives, cultivating strategic relations, and establishing scalable delivery capabilities within the education landscape.

She is also influential on several Regulatory working groups driving a formidable agenda for skills transfer.

Dr. Bhagaloo's doctoral research exhibited a pragmatic approach, focusing on the evaluation of adult learning transfer. Her methodology drew from a rich tapestry of transdisciplinary perspectives, integrating education, organisational, and systems theories.

Advocating for a transformative shift from traditional learning instruction to practical application driven by leader-led philosophies, Indira partners with large organisations to drive tangible business impact through targeted staff training and qualifications. Her approach involves providing bespoke solutions tailored to address specific skills gaps and challenges.

Rooted in her upbringing within a traditional environment, Indira places great importance on integrating her cultural values with overarching corporate principles. Honesty, integrity, trust, and respect form the bedrock of her professional ethos.

Head of Department and Senior Lecturer in the Department of Commercial Accounting in the School of Accounting under the College of Business and Economics at the University of Johannesburg.


Independent, non-executive director of Coronation Fund Managers Limited and an independent non-executive director of two subsidiary companies of the Coronation group.

Independent, non-executive director of Adcock Ingram Holdings Limited and a member of the Audit Committee and the HR, Remuneration and Nominations Committee.

Experience as an account manager and consultant in both public and private sector Financial Services Institutions performing due diligence and credit review for deal financing. Completed articles at Grant Thornton, Johannesburg office.

Ben Marx was born in 1964 and matriculated in 1984 from Grey College in Bloemfontein.
He obtained his B.Compt (cum laude) in 1987, his B.Compt (Hons) in 1988 and his M.Compt (cum laude) in 1993 at the University of the Free State. He completed his doctoral thesis in Auditing (on the topic of audit committees) in 2008 at the University of Johannesburg.
After completing his articles at the audit firm, Deloitte in 1992, he joined the Department of Accountancy of the University of the Free State as a senior lecturer and was promoted to associate professor in 1994. In 1995, he joined
the Department of Accountancy at RAU (now the University of Johannesburg) as professor and head of the auditing section, a position he holds until today.
He is also the head of the Department of Accountancy at the University of Johannesburg.
Qualifying as a chartered accountant (CA) in 1989, Ben obtained an overall 3rd place in the Qualifying Examination. He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Certified Accountants in the United Kingdom (FCCA), a Chartered Director (CD) of the Institute of Directors, a member of the Independent
Regulatory Board for Auditors (IRBA), a member of the Association of Black Chartered Accountants of South Africa (ABASA) and an Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries.
Ben has extensive practical and commercial experience, ranging from consulting on various governance and technical aspects to directly interacting with business. He has also served as a director and audit committee member of listed and non-listed companies in various industries for over 15 years.
His field of expertise includes serving as audit committee chairman and trustee of medical aid pension funds as well as public sector entities.

Mphahlela (Pat) Mokgatle is a highly accomplished and dynamic professional with a distinguished career as a Business Development Director. With over 10 years of experience as a Chartered Accountant, he possesses a unique blend of financial expertise and strategic acumen that has propelled him to the forefront of the industry.

Pat's journey began with his pursuit of excellence in the field of accounting. He obtained his Chartered Accountant qualification and quickly established himself as a respected professional known for his meticulous attention to detail and analytical prowess. During this time, he gained valuable experience in financial reporting, audit, and taxation, solidifying his foundation as a versatile and knowledgeable accountant.

Recognising the broader scope of his skills, Pat transitioned into the realm of business development. Drawing upon his financial acumen, he immersed himself in strategy development and implementation, understanding the critical role it plays in driving growth and fostering organisational success. His ability to identify opportunities, assess risks, and devise innovative solutions has consistently yielded tangible results for the companies he has worked with.

One of the significant highlights of Pat's career was being honoured as one of the prestigious Top 35 Under 35 SAICA (South African Institute of Chartered Accountants) in South Africa in 2021. This recognition not only acknowledged his professional accomplishments but also underscored his status as a rising star in the accounting and business development arena. It further solidified his commitment to continuous growth, professional excellence, and the pursuit of innovative strategies.

As a Business Development Director, Pat has showcased his exceptional skills in key account management. By forging strong relationships with clients, he has been instrumental in driving revenue growth and fostering long-term partnerships. His ability to understand client needs, develop tailored solutions, and exceed expectations has consistently garnered positive feedback and loyalty from clients.

Pat has also demonstrated an ability to embrace the future by evolving his role into becoming a Head of Cloud Accounting.

Beyond his professional achievements, Pat is a charismatic orator and a sought-after speaker at prestigious events such as the Finance Indaba. His expertise and insights into the finance industry have made him a valuable resource, and he has been invited to share his knowledge on various platforms. With his exceptional communication skills and passion for his field, Pat has inspired and motivated audiences, leaving a lasting impact.

Thanks to his calm demeanour and willingness to embrace a challenge, Pat slipped into the role of a podcast host seamlessly. He’s known for garnering interesting conversation and making his guests feel comfortable to the point of sharing stories they usually never would.

In his role as a Business Development Director, Pat led with vision and dedication. He leveraged his strategic thinking, financial expertise, and relationship-building abilities to drive sustainable growth for his organisation. Through innovative business

Panel Facilitator
Founder & Group CEO of Sokhethabahle Group

Panel Facilitator
ABASA Trainee Forum Chairperson

Mr Polani Sokombela is currently the Chief Financial Officer at the Auditor-General South Africa (AGSA).

With at least 15 years of experience, across the accounting and auditing discipline, Mr Sokombela has a wealth of experience in auditing a range of complex public sector institutions. This includes the financial services (development finance institutions, National Treasury, public debt, insurance and pension funds), transport and infrastructure (road, rail, maritime and aviation), municipalities, tourism and international relations industries.

Commencing his career at the AGSA as a trainee accountant in 2007, Mr Sokombela attained his chartered accountant qualification in 2012. He has served the organisation is a range of capacities during his illustrious career.

He holds an Honours B Compt (CTA) from the University of South Africa and has also completed a range of executive development programmes.

He has also participated in many international fora sharing best practice and helping to develop the capacity of other institutions.

Khaya S Sithole, is a chartered accountant, academic, activist, radio broadcaster and
financial writer. He currently serves as a board member at the Association of Black
Securities and Investment Professionals (ABSIP) responsible for Advocacy and
Regulatory Affairs.
Khaya also serves on the boards of Altvest, the Institute for Social Dialogue NPC,
MyVote Counts NPC and the Council for the Advancement of the South African
Constitution (CASAC). In March 2019 he completed his postgraduate studies at the
Said Business School at the University of Oxford, UK and an MSc in Finance and
Accounting at Queen Mary University of London in 2022.
He was also awarded the Atlantic Fellowship for Racial Equity by Columbia University
and the Nelson Mandela Foundation in 2020.

Katlego is a chartered accountant and deputy head of school: Finance and Accounting at IIE's Varsity College and MSA

Host

Fenni Nghikevali serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Namibia. She joined the
Institute in February 2020 as the Professional Development Executive until her appointment as the first black female CEO of
the Institute in January 2023. She is a registered Chartered Accountant with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of
Namibia, a Registered Accountant and Auditor with the Public Accountants’ and Auditors’ Board, and a member of the
Namibia Institute of Corporate Governance. Fenni’s collective industry experience in various management and leadership
roles both in the private and public sectors, as well as her previous tenure at the regulatory oversight body of public
accountants and auditors in Namibia (Public Accountants’ and Auditor’s Board), enabled her to gain deeper insights into the
accounting and auditing profession.
With over 12 years of management and leadership experience in various industries, Fenni has experience working with board
members, executives, management as well as employees at all levels in the organisation. Fenni currently serves on various
Boards and Committees on a local and regional scale.
With an underlying passion for professional development and human capital management, Fenni has obtained a Certificate in
Human Resource Management from the University of Cape Town. As part of her social responsibility, Fenni offers mentorship
to young adults and delivers motivational talks on various platforms.

Furzana Sadiq is a highly accomplished Executive and Entrepreneur in the telecommunications and IT industry. Currently serving as the Chief Executive Officer at NtaNet Solutions (Pty) Ltd, an authorized business partner to Vodacom Business, Furzana has a proven record of accomplishment and strong executive presence in information technology, managing complex IT infrastructures and implementing innovative solutions to enhance operational efficiencies. With over 15 years of experience in sales and business development, she drives strategic sales initiatives to foster revenue growth. Furzana prides herself in having occupied various executive positions at Standard Bank, Altech Group of Companies, Dimension Data, Telkom and Vodacom Business. Her tenacious and vigorous drive and her interests in an ever-changing environment has provided her the foundation to mature to an entrepreneur, starting her own Internet Service Provider Company. NtaNet Solutions a level 1 BBBEE status. With credits in B Proc Law and multiple Diplomas, Furzana manages disciplines in Partner Management, Business Development and Collaboration with various Strategic Customers. Furzana’s leadership qualities extend beyond her engagements as a service provider, consistently par exceeding Customer expectations. She leads roles in assisting the retail and sales industries, accounting and auditing industry, financial institutes globally, transition into the digital transformation era.

Nelis is an accomplished leader, corporate entrepreneur and creative business transformer and has more than 20 years of executive management experience. Nelis thrives in an environment where emotional ownership and good corporate values are encouraged and appreciated, and where he can pass down his knowledge and experience to those looking to grow and develop professionally. In his role at SAPRO, Nelis focuses on leveraging and evolving the core capabilities of the firm, implementing key strategic initiatives and creating new venture opportunities within other markets.