Cynthia Morapedi
Gaborone,Botswana
Summary
· Accomplished finance professional with extensive experience in business leadership, board reporting and corporate governance, regulatory reporting, internal controls design, capital budgeting, and fintech/insurance solutions. Skilled in financial statement preparation and interpretation, ethical compliance, crisis management, project finance handling, risk management, balance sheet management, budget control and monitoring, corporate restructuring.
· Demonstrates strong business/commercialisation acumen and business partnering skills and stakeholder management, strategic relationship building, expertise in investment strategy development, statutory reporting, and change management. Proficient in macro-economic trend analysis, treasury operations, fixed asset accounting.
· Proven track record in strategic change management and financial sustainability. Experienced in financial accounting systems, business planning, auditing, management reporting, strategy development and risk mitigation. Expertise in ERP systems implementation and transformational project delivery.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
Work History
FINANCE DIRECTOR and Executive Member of the Board of Directors
Absa Bank of Botswana
GABORONE
07.2020 - 05.2024
- Crafting and formulating finance strategy in line with organizational strategic objectives and accountable for delivery of finance and business strategy in line with the set organizational metrics
- Deliver on the finance key mandate incl - reporting, business planning, forecasting and analytics to drive strategy, risk management and compliance to all relevant and key statute - IFRS, Listing Requirements, Banking Act etc
- Manage the link between Finance, Risk and Treasury as well as Business Heads and the Support function as well as Regulators, Board and Key industry players/influencers
- Accountable for governance and control fabric of the organization and maintain a sound control environment within the finance and related functions
- Maintain and build key relationships across the organization and holding entity/shareholders/regulators/board/auditors and oversight authorities'/industry players and forums/business and commercial partners
- Provide strategic guidance and relevant business updates as well as matters of corporate governance to the board
Financial Controller
Absa Bank of Botswana
GABORONE
10.2015 - 07.2020
- Support execution of finance strategy for the bank - driving revenue growth, Profit before Tax target, Cost/Income Ratio, Return on Assets/Equity; Headline earning, and all key business performance metrics
- Provide support and business advisory for purposes of business budgeting/planning and business performance reporting
- Supporting business units to understand and interpret financial reports as well as support timely decision making
- Ensure cost and operational efficiencies including optimization of both assets and capital resources
- Optimization of the balance sheet and ensuring capital efficiency, ensuring all regulatory limits observed and the bank is adequately provisioned for and all material risks managed to business appetite
- Ensure/oversee preparation of annual/bi annual financial reporting packs for management and board as well as investor and shareholder booklet according to both IFRS and GAAP as well local regulatory requirement
- Managing both internal and external audit engagements, other regulators and key supplier relationships
- Liaise with key stakeholders across the business units to identify common issues, opportunities for improvements and as a central subject matter expert
- Help establish a high performing Financial Control team
- Develop knowledge and improve capability within the team
- Manage the effective balance of operations between offshore and onshore Financial Control teams
- Help build a team environment via cross fertilization of knowledge and coaching of peers
Finance Manager
African Banking Corp t/a BANCABC
07.2013 - 10.2015
- Preparation of annual and half year financial statements for the bank and subsidiaries according to IFRS
- Preparation of financial reports for group reporting
- Tax planning and computation to ensure compliance with tax legislation and tax efficiency for the group
- Preparation of quarterly board packs
- Reviewing the preparation and submission of accurate statutory returns to the Central-Bank on a monthly and quarterly basis
- Review of the preparation of monthly management accounts for the bank, for distribution to management on a timely basis
- Coordination of the external audit process, ensuring that information required is made available, and that significant issues raised by the audit are speedily resolved
- Review of the preparation of bank's segment reports and analysis of data/performance for purposes of driving business growth/strategy
- Review of the preparation of industry performance reports and analysis of data to input into business objective drivers/contribute to strategy formulation and implementation
- Maintenance of the general ledger of the bank to ensure the integrity of accounting transactions that are processed
- Preparation of the annual budget for the bank
- Project management - appraisal, budgeting, implementation, reporting
- Drive implementation of strategic initiatives of the bank
- Calculation of portfolio impairments and reconciling central bank and IFRS impairment schedules
- Management of Assigned projects to ensure compliance with Group guidelines
- Oversee the procurement and administration function of the bank
Finance Manager
Botswana Life Insurance
06.2011 - 06.2013
- Driving company strategy -revenue growth, revenue collection, arrears management, customer balances, creditors, treasury and payroll functions as well as procurement oversight
- Oversee billings, collections and allocations of premiums and ensuring adequate system of controls for revenue recognition and reporting
- Management of cash/customer account balances including management of policy arrears overseeing the operations of both premium and collections department
- Audit Management (internal and external) - Preparation of audit packs and coordination of the audit, Audit query resolution
- Budgeting - preparation of annual budget and cost management on a monthly basis
- Reporting - to executive management and preparation of board information/reporting packs
- Compliance - submission of tax returns, customer tax certificates(BURS), NBFIRA returns, IFRS compliance
- Project management - implementation of company strategic initiatives
- Risk management -risk identification, development of risk log, building controls and coming up with control activities to mitigate identified risk
- Customer/stakeholder communication
- Staff development and supervision, departmental strategic leadership, coaching and mentoring
- Relationship building - banks, brokers, agents, BURS
Internal Auditor
Local Enterprise Authority
06.2007 - 05.2008
- Setting up the internal audit function for newly established entity and building of organisational procedures, manuals, and processes to govern the operations of the entity.
- Carrying out annual audit assignments in accordance with the annual audit plan and input into organizational policy development for best practice and prudent financial management principles
- Prepares reports on audit findings and reporting to senior management
- Collects and analyses data to detect deficient controls, duplicated efforts, extravagance, fraud or non compliance with regulations and management policies
- Reports to management about asset utilization, compliance status and audit results and recommend changes in operations and financial activities
- Reviews data about material assets, net worth, liabilities, capital stock, surplus, income and expenditures
- Inspect books of accounts and accounting systems for efficiency, effectiveness, and use of accepted accounting procedure to record transactions
- Examines and evaluates financial and information systems, recommending controls to ensure system reliability and data integrity
- Prepares flowcharts, system overviews, risk assessment evaluations, audit planning memos, audit programmes, and work paper documentation to support audit reports in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards
- Prepares audit findings and recommendations and monitor the progress of management action plans to address previously issued recommendations
Audit Senior
Deloitte & Touché
06.2003 - 05.2007
- Developing and implementation of the audit plan
- Preparation of work papers to firm standards
- Performance of statutory audits according to requirements of local statute and as required by International Auditing Standards and International Financial Reporting Standards(IFRS)
- Systems evaluation
- Analytical reviews for all account balances
- Assist with minimum supervision on audit assignment
- Involvement with special work as required
- Maintain contact with client as agreed with manager and partner
- Preparation of financial statements and audit reports as required by International Financial Reporting Standards and other applicable accounting practices
- Performing tax calculations
- Supervising and managing audit teams
- Reviewing the work of junior members of staff and providing them with on the job training
Education
MBA - Business Strategy, Leadership, Risk& Change Management, Innovation& Globalization, Administration
University of Oxford Brookes
United Kingdom 09.2017 - 12.2020
Fellow - Chartered Accountant
Professional Association of Certified Chartered Accountants (ACCA)
06.2004 - 12.2006
Bachelor of Accountancy - Accounting
University of Botswana
Gaborone, Botswana 08.1999 - 04.2003
Fellow - Chartered Accountant
Botswana Institute of Chartered Accountants
Gaborone 01.2007 -
Inspirational leader - Business/Leadership/Strategy
IMD Business School
Switzerland 07.2021 - 02.2022
Skills
- Corporate Governance
- Business Strategy and Leadership
- Relationship building and management for strategic influence
- Business planning, partnering and commercialization strategies
- Restructuring and business process reengineering experience
- Investment and capital strategy development and management
- Financial accounting and control systems development as well as risk management and financial governance
- Regulatory reporting and compliance
- Change management and crisis management capabilities
- Financial reporting and management of statutory and internal audit
- Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems and transformational projects delivery
- Team/talent development and management, mentoring, leadership and building sound organizational culture
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Board Experience
2020-2024
Absa Bank of Botswana
Executive Director
2020-2024
Absa Insurance Services
Executive Director
2022-2024
Absa Securities Botswana
Executive Director
Responsible for business strategy and execution as well as planning, organizing, and directing of the organization's operations and programs and reporting the same to both the board and shareholders/regulators and other key stakeholders. Develops and implements system of internal controls, risk and management and reporting frameworks and operational reporting metrics. Advising and supporting the board on matters of compliance and corporate governance.
Languages
English
Fluent
Setswana
Native
eng
Beginner
References
References available upon request.
References
- available on request
Timeline
Inspirational leader - Business/Leadership/Strategy
IMD Business School
07.2021 - 02.2022
FINANCE DIRECTOR and Executive Member of the Board of Directors
Absa Bank of Botswana
07.2020 - 05.2024
MBA - Business Strategy, Leadership, Risk& Change Management, Innovation& Globalization, Administration
University of Oxford Brookes
09.2017 - 12.2020
Financial Controller
Absa Bank of Botswana
10.2015 - 07.2020
Finance Manager
African Banking Corp t/a BANCABC
07.2013 - 10.2015
Finance Manager
Botswana Life Insurance
06.2011 - 06.2013
Internal Auditor
Local Enterprise Authority
06.2007 - 05.2008
Fellow - Chartered Accountant
Botswana Institute of Chartered Accountants
01.2007 -
Fellow - Chartered Accountant
Professional Association of Certified Chartered Accountants (ACCA)
06.2004 - 12.2006
Audit Senior
Deloitte & Touché
06.2003 - 05.2007
Bachelor of Accountancy - Accounting
University of Botswana
08.1999 - 04.2003
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