Mulalo Netshivhambe, Senior International Accountant
Senior International Accountant
Current Experience:Senior International Accountant at Smollan, South Africa Jan 2017 - Present · (8 yrs 6 mos)
PAST EXPERIENCES:Accountant at Smollan Jan 2014 - Dec 2016 (3 Years)
Financial Systems Manager at Smollan Nov 2009 - Dec 2013 (4 Yrs 2 mos)
Qualifications:B-Tech in Operations Management
Bachelor of Accounting Science
Country of Residence:South Africa
LinkedIn Profile: From systems to spreadsheets, Mulalo Netshivhambe has carved a finance career grounded in global collaboration and purpose. Starting out in production and financial systems, her curiosity and commitment led her back to school to study accounting, building a rare combination of technical and financial expertise. Today, she handles treasury, general ledger, creditors, debtors, and strategic reporting for operations across Africa, Asia, and Europe.
What time do you usually wake up on weekends?
5:00 AM
Are you an early bird or a night owl?
Night Owl
How do you spend the first hour of your day?
I start my day with prayer.
What sparked your interest in accounting or finance?
My career didn’t begin in accounting, even though it was my first love since high school. I started out in systems, working with various platforms, including production and financial systems. Over time, I developed a strong interest in financial systems.
As I supported these systems, I found myself wanting to better understand the tools and reports I was providing to my accounting colleagues, like how to read a trial balance, for example. That’s what motivated me to go back to school and study accounting, so I could bridge the gap and build solid knowledge in both accounting and systems.
Can you share some key career milestones or defining moments?
Working at an international level was a defining moment in my career. It showed me that I could effectively communicate and collaborate with accounting professionals across the globe. For example, I’ve handled banking, processed transactions, and prepared reports for countries like those in Africa, as well as Dubai, Singapore, the UK, China, and others. My work isn’t limited to South African accounts. I’ve had the opportunity to operate on a global scale.
What is your role within your company’s finance department?
In my role, I manage a wide range of financial functions across local and international operations. My treasury responsibilities include making payments in both local and foreign bank accounts, such as Citi Bank in Dubai and Standard Bank in Mauritius, handling multi-currency transactions, analysing bank data to explain variances, and tracking cash flow across multiple countries. I’m also involved in general ledger work, where I post journals in various currencies, prepare bank-related journals, and manage accruals and provisions. On the creditors and debtors side, I capture invoices and process purchase orders. I regularly prepare key financial reports such as bank and general ledger reconciliations, weekly cash reports, trial balances, cash flow analyses, ageing reports, forecasts, budgets, and month-end reporting, including EBIT and variance analysis. Additionally, I manage shareholder transactions, processing shareholder loans, reconciling accounts, preparing TBs, and handling payments. I also oversee intercompany loans, capturing agreements and accruing interest where applicable. Throughout all of this, I liaise closely with auditors and support any ad hoc tasks required to keep operations running smoothly.
How do you contribute to the overall financial strategy of the business?
I’m a team player and a reliable professional who pays close attention to detail. As accountants, our main objective is to produce information that adds value to the business. Decision-makers rely on accurate data to guide their choices, and I contribute to that process by consistently submitting work that is both timely and accurate.
What is one of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your role? How did you overcome it?
In the beginning, it was challenging to communicate with colleagues and stakeholders from different countries and cultures. My role involves working closely with a wide range of people, including Standard Bank in Mozambique, Citibank in Dubai, teams in Singapore, and auditors in Mauritius. I had to develop the skill of active listening to ensure clear and productive communication. Another challenge has been managing the expectations of multiple stakeholders, especially when requests overlap. I’ve learned the importance of setting boundaries and no longer automatically say "yes" to everything. Instead, I now respond with, “Let me check my calendar and get back to you,” which allows me to manage my workload more effectively and respectfully.
What tools or strategies do you use to manage the financial operations of the company effectively?
We still find Excel to be the most effective tool for our work. For daily processing and reporting, we use SAGE X3, while Treasury1 is our primary tool for managing treasury functions and cash reporting.
Share your strategies for staying balanced, especially during busy periods.
One of the key things I’ve learned is to stay calm under pressure, and for me, that starts with planning ahead. I'm naturally a planner, which helps a lot in my role. Some of my tasks are routine, for example, once I’ve completed month-end reporting, I immediately start processing standard work for the upcoming month. At the same time, I handle a fair amount of ad hoc tasks. I’ve learned to prioritize what needs to be done first and make sure I communicate clearly with the people I’m working with about realistic timelines for delivery.
What do you enjoy outside of work?
Every weekend, I go hiking, it’s something I truly love, and it keeps me grounded. Being out in nature gives me time to reflect on the week and recharge. During the week, I’ve also started learning how to swim, but hiking will always be my favourite.
Do you mentor or support other team members in the finance department?
I enjoy training others because I have strong knowledge of the systems we use. I usually guide them through how the system works and explain the processes to follow for daily transactions and month-end procedures. I also share tips from my experience on how they can improve their efficiency and work more productively.
What advice would you give to someone aspiring to work in a finance department?
First, focus on learning the system. Once you’re comfortable navigating it, take the time to understand the transaction processes. It’s important to know what you’re processing well enough to explain it to others. Accounting isn’t just about reporting numbers anymore; we need to interpret those numbers and use them to support decision-making. To do that effectively, we have to fully understand the information we work with.
What’s your favourite quote or mantra that motivates you?
F.E.A.R: Has Two Meanings: Forget Everything and Run or Face Everything and Rise. The Choice is yours". By Zig Ziglar
Share a leadership lesson or a piece of advice that’s been valuable to you in your career.
Be open to criticism and use the feedback to improve.
What’s something surprising about you that isn’t in your professional bio?
I love to dance.
If you could have any superpower to help you in your job, what would it be?
I wish there was an AI app, like Siri, that could sense when I’m about to forget something important, almost like reading my mind, and remind me before it slips away. Sometimes there’s so much information that even writing it down doesn’t help.
What’s your go-to strategy for staying productive during long workdays?
I drink plenty of water and enjoy listening to talk radio. My favorite station is 702.
If you could relive one day from your career, which day would it be and why?
My weekends are busy with activities, so when Monday arrives, I often feel like I still need more rest.
When she’s not navigating intercompany loans or month-end reports, you’ll find her hiking through the bush or teaching others how to navigate finance systems with confidence. For Mulalo, success lies in preparation, reflection, and empowering others to rise.
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