Neo Hlatshwayo, Technical Director
Technical Director
Current Experience:Technical Director at African Professionalisation Initiative (API) Jan 2022 - Present · (3 yrs 8 mos)
PAST EXPERIENCES:Acting Senior Manager: Professionalisation at Afrosai-E Jul 2021 - Dec 2021 · (6 mos)
Manager: Professionalisation Oct 2019 - Dec 2021 · (2 yrs 3 mos)
Technical Manager at Auditor-General of South Africa Jul 2019 - Sep 2019 · (3 mos)
Manager at Auditor - General of South Africa Aug 2014 - Jul 2019 (5yrs)
Assistant Auditor Manager at Auditor-General of South Africa Feb 2013 - Jul 2014 (1yr 6 mos)
Audit Clerk at Helen Thrush and Associates Inc. 2008 - 2010 · (2 yrs)
Finance Intern at Department of Correctional Services Jan 2007 - Jun 2007 · (6 mos)
Qualifications:Master’s Degree, Accounting Science
Post Graduate Diploma in Applied Accounting Science
Country of Residence:South Africa
LinkedIn Profile: Neo Hlatshwayo is not just leading; he’s building the blueprint.
From a small-practice support programme to a continental seat at the African Professionalisation Initiative, Neo’s journey proves one thing: smart accountants don’t wait for permission, they create platforms that lift others.
He’s not crunching numbers. He’s reshaping what finance leadership looks like across Africa.
What time do you usually wake up on weekends?
05:00 AM
Are you an early bird or a night owl?
Early Bird
How do you spend the first hour of your day?
I use the first hour to prepare for the day and focus on the most important tasks that need my attention.
What sparked your interest in accounting or finance?
The flexibility of the accounting career, which is applicable and relevant in different contexts, regardless of the sector. It also allows for entities to thrive and remain sustainable, contributing to resilient and economies.
Can you share some key career milestones or defining moments?
Being appointed as the inaugural Technical Director for the African Professionalisation Initiative (API) https://professionalisation.africa/, a continental capacity building initiative for accountancy. This has provided me with a rich experience on the commitment and innovation required for successful capacity building initiatives in different jurisdictions. Another key career milestone much earlier on in my career was the selection into the Thuthuka Small Practices Initiative by SAICA, that really kickstarted my journey towards qualification as a professional accountant.
What is your role within your company’s finance department?
I serve as the Technical Director at the African Professionalisation Initiative (API), where I lead the development of learning resources and oversee the technical elements of the initiative’s strategy. While my role isn’t a direct finance position, it focuses on strengthening the capacity of professionals working in finance, accounting, and auditing across the African public sector.
How do you contribute to the overall financial strategy of the business?
I contribute by leading the financial reporting to our Exco, working closely with the Finance team to capture and communicate our financial needs and progress. This involves engaging both internally with our hosting organization (Afrosai-e) and externally with our governance structures, ensuring that API’s requirements are considered in decision-making at every level.
What is one of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your role? How did you overcome it?
One of the biggest challenges has been understanding and aligning with the different contexts across the jurisdictions we work in, while still ensuring a mutually beneficial outcome. To address this, I’ve focused on ongoing engagement with stakeholders, taking their specific needs into account, and working toward consensus. This has meant adapting discussions and mapping out unique processes for each jurisdiction’s implementation journey.
What tools or strategies do you use to manage the financial operations of the company effectively?
I rely on a few key strategies to manage our financial operations effectively: continuous engagement to understand both internal and external needs, periodic reporting to Exco, governance structures, and institutional partners to ensure accountability and alignment, and annual financial and operational planning that ties directly to the initiative’s Strategic Plan.
Share your strategies for staying balanced, especially during busy periods.
I maintain balance by taking time off and spending quality moments with my family, and by switching off over the weekend to recharge and return to work with a fresh perspective. I’m also working on being more consistent with my exercise routine, which has been a bit of a challenge, but I’m making progress.
What do you enjoy outside of work?
I enjoy reading, spending time with my family, and watching documentaries and action movies to relax and recharge.
Do you mentor or support other team members in the finance department?
Although I don’t work directly in the Finance Department, I collaborate with Operations, which includes finance-related tasks. I do have team members who report to me, and I make it a priority to support them in their work and any other matters that might affect their performance. I help develop their skills by listening to their concerns and identifying areas where they need guidance, then offering tailored support. Given the remote nature of our work, I also make a point of checking in regularly to see how they’re doing and to offer any help or guidance they may need.
What advice would you give to someone aspiring to work in a finance department?
While technical skills are essential for accountants, developing softer skills is equally important for career progression. These include resilience, the ability to communicate effectively at different levels, project management, a mindset for innovation, and a curious, enquiring approach, especially given the constant changes in the accounting profession.
“Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard, but it’s not just about working hard; it’s about working smart too.”
Share a leadership lesson or a piece of advice that’s been valuable to you in your career.
As you step into leadership, your ‘soft’ skills, which aren’t really soft, become just as important, if not more so, than technical skills. They enable you to lead with emotional intelligence, handle complex and ambiguous situations, and do so with confidence and resilience
What’s something surprising about you that isn’t in your professional bio?
Something surprising about me is that I’m quite creative and have a passion for capturing stunning landscape photography.
If you could have any superpower to help you in your job, what would it be?
Definitely master multitasking, that would be an incredibly useful superpower for my work!
What’s your go-to strategy for staying productive during long workdays?
I stay productive by keeping a to-do list and minimizing distractions, like avoiding email threads that aren’t relevant to my current tasks.
If you could relive one day from your career, which day would it be and why?
I would relive the day I passed my final professional accountant exam. I found out in the afternoon while with my immediate family, and it just started raining at that moment. It’s such a cherished memory because I got to share that special achievement with the people closest to me.
Behind the CA(SA) and MCompt is a calm, creative force who leads with emotional intelligence.
Neo listens, adapts, and builds, not for applause, but for impact. Want to do more than just survive the profession?
Join CIBA and we’ll show you how to lead boldly, like Neo.
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