Mohammed Sa’ad Amla Suleman, Cost Accountant
Cost Accountant
Current Experience:Cost Accountant at RMB - Rand Merchant Bank · Full-time Mar 2025 - Present · (5 mos)
PAST EXPERIENCES:Cost Accountant at FNB South Africa · Full-time Aug 2023 - Mar 2025 · (1 yr 8 mos)
Cost Accountant at Adcock Ingram · Full-time Jun 2022 - Aug 2023 · (1 yr 3 mos)
Pansula Workwear Assistant Operations Manager Feb 2020 - Jun 2022 · (2 yrs 5 mos)
Cost Accountant at Pansula Workwear Assistant March 2019 - June 2022 (3 yrs 4 mos)
Qualifications:BCom Finance, General
Country of Residence:South Africa
LinkedIn Profile: Meet Mohammed Sa’ad Amla Suleman, a dynamic Cost Accountant at FNB with nearly a decade of experience across four diverse industries. Armed with a Postgraduate Diploma in Management Accounting, Sa’ad brings a tech-forward approach to finance, blending tools like AI, Python, and Power BI to streamline operations and drive cost-efficiency. His passion for continuous learning and his people-first mindset makes him a valuable contributor to both financial strategy and team development.
What time do you usually wake up on weekends?
9:00 AM
Are you an early bird or a night owl?
Early bird
How do you spend the first hour of your day?
Morning prayer, breakfast, and then getting ready for the day I’ve planned.
What sparked your interest in accounting or finance?
I’ve always been interested in understanding the financial world and expanding my knowledge of business. My parents encouraged me to explore this field and build a strong career in it.
Can you share some key career milestones or defining moments?
I’ve worked across four different industries, which has really broadened my understanding of how costing works in various environments. I’ve played a key role in developing costing models, setting up e-commerce strategies, and exploring alternative approaches to help companies grow while reducing both direct and indirect costs.
What is your role within your company’s finance department?
I am currently part of the Costing team.
How do you contribute to the overall financial strategy of the business?
I focus on ensuring the company uses its resources as effectively as possible. Part of that includes helping create a healthy work environment for employees while still meeting the financial goals of the business.
What is one of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your role? How did you overcome it?
The most challenging part of my role has been managing people-related situations. Everyone brings valuable ideas to the table and naturally wants their suggestions to be implemented. But due to financial constraints, it's not always possible to accommodate everything. In those cases, I focus on finding the best alternative solutions so the task can still be completed effectively.
What tools or strategies do you use to manage the financial operations of the company effectively?
I use tools like AI, Python, and Power BI to monitor performance and help guide discussions around our progress and strategy toward meeting our goals.
Share your strategies for staying balanced, especially during busy periods.
I stay calm during busy or stressful periods by taking regular breaks and keeping my caffeine intake in check. It helps me stay focused and maintain a steady pace throughout the day.
What do you enjoy outside of work?
I enjoy staying active by playing sports, and I also like going on hikes to get some fresh air and unwind in nature. It’s a great way for me to recharge.
Do you mentor or support other team members in the finance department?
Yes, I support team members by sharing what I’ve learned through my own experiences and discoveries. I always encourage them to really understand the tools they’re using so they can make them work to their advantage. For example, using the right Excel formulas can go a long way in simplifying tasks and improving efficiency.
What advice would you give to someone aspiring to work in a finance department?
Stay up to date with the latest accounting regulations and tools. It’s also important to continuously build your tech skills and learn advanced formulas or trends that can improve the way you work. The more you adapt and grow, the more value you’ll bring to the role.
What’s your favourite quote or mantra that motivates you?
“Knowledge is power. The more you learn, the better equipped you’ll be to handle whatever comes your way.”
Share a leadership lesson or a piece of advice that’s been valuable to you in your career.
One valuable lesson I’ve learned is to never hesitate to ask questions and share your ideas with the team. It’s important to show you’re a team player and to be willing to take on extra tasks when needed.
What’s something surprising about you that isn’t in your professional bio?
Something you might not know about me is that I enjoy learning about history, languages, and different cultures.
If you could have any superpower to help you in your job, what would it be?
I’d choose the ability to create new advancements in financial AI to help improve how we analyze and manage financial data.
What’s your go-to strategy for staying productive during long workdays?
My go-to strategy is to stay focused on the task while keeping my mind engaged with a podcast or some other source of learning.
If you could relive one day from your career, which day would it be and why?
The day I presented a financial risk model to the board that improved client safety is one I’d choose to relive. It was special because it made a real difference in protecting our clients.
Sa’ad’s commitment to continuous learning and team support makes him a valuable asset in the finance department. With a focus on innovation in financial AI and a drive to share knowledge, Sa’ad embodies the qualities of a forward-thinking finance professional ready to tackle new challenges.
Join CIBA and we’ll show you how to turn costing into a business growth tool and build the tech stack to prove it.
Profile sponsored by the Chartered Institute for Business Accountants
Not yet a professional designated accountant?
CIBA is the professional body for all accountants.
We offer designations for each stage of your finance career:
➥ Bookkeeper
➥ Financial Administrator
➥ Financial Accountant
➥ Financial Manager
➥ Chief Financial Officer
➥ Accountant-In-Practice
Become a CIBA Member
Your first step towards a professional designation
