Joyce Kul, Manager
Manager
Current Experience:
Manager at KPMG South Africa Oct 2025 - Present · (5 mos)
Past Experience:
Supervisor at KPMG South Africa Jan 2025 - Oct 2025 · (10 mos)
Senior Accountant at KPMG South Africa Oct 2023 - Dec 2024 · (1 yr 3 mos)
CA Trainee at KPMG South Africa Jan 2022 - Dec 2022 · (1 yr)
Education:
BCom Accounting Sciences
PGDA/CTA
Country of Residence:
South Africa
LinkedIn Profile:
She’s 2–3 years into her career.
She’s already passed ITC. Passed APC. And now she’s leading.
For many young accountants, articles are about survival. For Joyce Kul, they became proof. Proof that long hours, self-doubt, and constant client rotations weren’t just “part of the job”, they were shaping her into someone trusted to lead.
In this week’s Accounting Weekly reader profile, we step inside the life of a newly appointed Supervisor at KPMG who’s navigating pressure, ambition, creativity, and the reality of finding balance in a profession that doesn’t slow down.
What time do you usually wake up on weekends?
07:00 AM
Are you an early bird or a night owl?
Night Owl
How do you spend the first hour of your day?
Ideally, I like to start my morning by journaling and doing some yoga before beginning the day. However, on weekdays I usually focus on getting ready, packing lunch, and preparing for work. On weekends, I prefer a slower morning, which may include making breakfast, watching a show, or planning how I want to spend the day.
What sparked your interest in accounting and finance?
I developed an interest in accounting while studying it as a high school subject, and that’s when I first considered pursuing a career in finance. Initially, I thought about becoming a financial advisor, but by the time I reached university, my career focus had shifted toward qualifying as a CA(SA).
Can you share some key career milestones or defining moments?
My top three career milestones would be passing ITC, passing APC, and being retained as a supervisor. The first two are significant professional achievements that many CAs can relate to.
The most defining moment for me was being asked to stay on as a supervisor after completing my articles. It felt like validation that my three years of training had contributed to my growth as a professional, and it was especially meaningful because it showed that I was trusted to help guide and develop the next generation of CAs.
What is your role within your company’s finance department?
I am continuing in my role as a Finance Supervisor within the department.
How do you contribute to the overall financial strategy of the business?
At this stage, I am still settling into my new role as a supervisor, so I do not yet have a direct contribution to the overall financial strategy.
What is one of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your role? How did you overcome it?
One of the main challenges I’ve faced is rotating clients every few months and having to adjust to different management styles and team dynamics. To manage this, I make it a priority to meet with the manager at the start of a new project, especially when working with them for the first time, to clearly understand their expectations.
Another challenge has been managing long working hours. While I genuinely enjoy the work I do, I am still getting accustomed to the demands of extended workdays. I cope by reminding myself that I am not alone in this experience and by leaning on my team for support and encouragement.
What tools or strategies do you use to manage the financial operations of the company effectively?
This is currently not within the scope of my responsibilities, so I am not yet directly involved in managing the company’s financial operations.
Share your strategies for staying balanced, especially during busy periods
I make an effort to engage in activities outside of work, even during busy periods, although I am still learning how to strike the right work-life balance. When I have something to focus on beyond work, such as a pottery course over several weeks or 12-week language courses I’ve completed in the past, I tend to maintain a more positive and energetic outlook when handling demanding deadlines.
Having an outlet is important to me, whether it is something creative, physical, or intellectually stimulating. I believe it helps shift focus away from work for a while and supports overall wellbeing.
What do you enjoy outside of work? Any hobbies or activities that help you recharge?
Outside of work, I enjoy reading and creating videos. I run a TikTok page, @heyitsjo.xo, where I share content about life as a trainee accountant, which has become a fun creative outlet for me. I also enjoy shopping. It may not be a formal hobby, but I genuinely like browsing online stores and planning future purchases, even if I do not buy anything right away.
Do you mentor or support other team members in the finance department? How do you help develop the skills of others?
I don’t currently have an official mentee, although I will be assigned a counsellee at the start of 2025. In the meantime, as a senior on my teams, I make a conscious effort to support junior members by being approachable and available whenever they need guidance. I offer advice, help them think through challenges, and encourage them to reach out even if the task is unrelated to a project we are working on together.
Outside of the workplace, I’ve also had students connect with me through my TikTok profile to ask for advice about their studies and career paths. I take the time to respond thoughtfully and share insights that might help them navigate their journey. It’s been incredibly rewarding to see some of them come back months later to share their achievements, such as passing an exam they originally reached out to me about.
What advice would you give to someone aspiring to work in a finance department?
If someone is aiming to build a career in a company’s finance department, my first advice would be to get clear on their direction. Define your “what” so you understand what you’re working toward. Be honest about your “why” because that’s what will keep you motivated when the workload feels heavy or progress feels slow. Then think through your “how” so you can spot early when you’re drifting off course.
That said, it’s okay not to have everything mapped out perfectly. Sometimes clarity comes from discovering what doesn’t suit you. Make good use of your time, ask questions, and speak to people around you. Inspiration and guidance often come from unexpected conversations.
From a skills perspective, I believe the most important areas to develop are time management, clear communication, effective prioritization, teamwork, and strong organizational ability. The good news is that all of these can be developed with intention and practice. Not having them fully refined today doesn’t mean you can’t build them over time. Consistent effort really does lead to growth.
“I am the one thing in life I can control - Hamilton musical”
Share a leadership lesson or a piece of advice that’s been valuable to you in your career.
One piece of advice that has stayed with me came from a manager who said that experience is what builds knowledge. That perspective has helped me many times when I’ve been given a task and felt unsure about where to start. It reminded me that not knowing something isn’t a weakness, it’s simply part of the learning process.
It also shifted the way I view challenges. Even the situations I would rather avoid carry lessons that add to my growth. Every experience leaves me knowing more than I did before, and that mindset has made it easier to step into new responsibilities with confidence.
What’s something surprising about you that isn’t in your professional bio? A hobby, interest, or fun fact?
Something that might surprise people is how much I enjoy creative pursuits. I probably come across as very structured and analytical, but I genuinely love artistic spaces and hands-on creativity.
In my free time, I enjoy reading, painting, trying my hand at pottery, and watching theatre productions, especially musicals and ballet. I also like attending different creative workshops. Some of my favourites have been jewellery making, woodcarving, and bread painting. I actually wear the ring I made at a jewellery workshop every day, which makes it even more special.
If you could have any superpower to help you in your job, what would it be? Predicting financial trends? Master multitasking?
If I could choose any superpower to help me at work, it would be the ability to instantly transfer my thoughts straight onto my laptop without having to type them out.
What’s your go-to strategy for staying productive during long workdays?
Taking mini breaks away from my laptop like going to get a coffee, walking a lap around the office, etc. I also like to change tasks if I’m struggling with something and then going back to the original task later with a “fresh” perspective. I also listen to music as much as I can, which helps me stay focused on what I’m doing instead of trying to be involved in every conversation. Lastly, a detailed to-do list helps me stay on track. Things don’t always go according to plan, so I like to have a “to-do” and “actually done” list.
If you could relive one day from your career, which day would it be and why? What made that day special?
If you could relive one day from your career, which day would it be and why? What made that day special?
It would be passing my APC exam because I was really nervous about it and getting that SMS from SAICA was a HUGE relief. It felt like I had been holding my breath in the whole week leading up to results day, so passing meant I could breathe again.
Joyce’s story is a reminder: experience compounds.
Every tough client. Every late night. Every exam result that makes you hold your breath. It all builds something.
And whether you’re a trainee, a supervisor, or running your own practice, growth in this profession doesn’t happen by accident. It happens by design.
You’re already doing the work. Now make sure you’re building the recognition and positioning to match it.
Join CIBA and we’ll show you how to strengthen your professional standing and turn your experience into long-term career capital.
Profile sponsored by the Chartered Institute for Business Accountants
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