Persuade Kampinya, Head of Finance
Finance Manager
Current Experience:Head of Finance at SMETI (SA) · Full-time Oct 2022 - Aug 2024 · (1 yr 11 mos)
PAST EXPERIENCES:Financial Reporting and Tax Accountant at Mohammed and Associates Professional Accountants · Full-time Mar 2022 - Sep 2022 · (7 mos)
Chief Financial Officer at ZMG-WATECH · Full-time Nov 2013 - Jul 2021 · (7 yrs 9 mos)
Financial Accountant at Orion Hotels & Resorts · Full-time Jul 2009 - Nov 2013 · (4 yrs 5 mos)
Senior Financial Consultant at Isizwe Chartered Accountants · Full-time Aug 2007 - Jul 2009 · (2 yrs)
Qualifications:CIMA Diploma in Management Accounting, Financial Management and Tax
National Diploma in Accountancy, Accounting and Finance
Country of Residence:South Africa
LinkedIn Profile: Ever wondered what it takes to go from a young finance manager in Zimbabwe to leading strategy for a company with R385 million in annual sales?
Meet Persuade Kampinya, Head of Finance, mentor, and strategic powerhouse.
His story isn’t just about numbers. It’s about resilience, transformation, and how to turn finance into forward momentum.
What time do you usually wake up on weekends?
4:00 AM
Are you an early bird or a night owl?
Early bird
How do you spend the first hour of your day?
I start my morning by checking for any urgent matters that may have come up overnight. I then follow up on outstanding items via email and review my diary to go over what I had planned for the day.
What sparked your interest in accounting or finance?
I’d say it was love at first sight. I was first introduced to accounting in Form 1, and it just clicked for me. The concepts made sense, the rules were easy to follow, and I genuinely enjoyed working through them, it all felt very natural.
Can you share some key career milestones or defining moments?
I’ve had several defining moments in my career, driven by a passion for performance and growth.
In 2005, at just 24, I became a Finance Manager in Zimbabwe overseeing a ZW$150 billion farming input facility. It meant stepping into boardrooms where I was often the youngest, but I had to quickly prove I could deliver.
From 2009 to 2013, I was a Financial Accountant for a hotel group, managing two hotels, one in Nelspruit and one in Swaziland. With no background in hospitality, I helped turn around the struggling Nelspruit branch within 18 months, eventually supporting other hotels in the group. I was also the only accountant at the time to have budgets for both hotels approved without major revisions.
As CFO from 2013 to 2021, I led a strategic growth plan that saw the company scale from R30 million to over R385 million in annual revenue. We secured around 10 major contracts each quarter, built a contract book worth nearly R1 billion, and grew assets to R150 million.
What is your role within your company’s finance department?
I contribute to the financial strategy by managing the risks embedded within it, driving revenue growth, and closely monitoring the supply chain, especially for key cost-of-sales products and services. I ensure that the budget aligns with strategic goals and regularly propose alternative approaches to achieve those targets. I also report on strategic performance every month, which I believe is essential. Waiting for bi-annual or annual reviews, as some companies do, can cause teams to lose focus and drift away from their long-term objectives.
How do you contribute to the overall financial strategy of the business?
My focus areas include managing risk within the strategy, driving revenue growth, keeping a close eye on the supply chain, especially for our key cost-of-sales products and services, ensuring the budget supports our strategic objectives, and proposing alternative ways to reach those goals. I also report on strategic performance every month.
I find it quite strange that some companies only report on strategy bi-annually or treat it as an annual exercise. If that’s the approach, you’re almost guaranteed to lose track of your strategic targets.
What is one of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your role? How did you overcome it?
One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced is managing organisational change and reform. It’s rarely just about processes; there’s often a mix of internal politics and personal resistance. During my MBA, I received training in leadership, people management, and emotional intelligence, which proved invaluable.
Change usually comes with tight timelines, and while you're trying to implement new systems and behaviors, you also have to manage the human side of the process. It’s a delicate balance, you can’t ignore people’s reactions, but you also can’t let emotional responses derail progress.
Being as engaging as possible helps, but over-accommodating can lead to endless meetings focused more on feelings than outcomes. The key is to separate emotional reactions from the actual system changes. Having strong support from HR makes a big difference, they can act as mediators and help manage the people side of change effectively.
What tools or strategies do you use to manage the financial operations of the company effectively?
Timely and accurate reporting is essential, whether it’s financial analysis, budgeting, cash flow, or risk management. I focus on using these reports to guide strategic decisions rather than just compiling data.
I rely heavily on technology to streamline operations. I’ve worked with systems like SAGE, QuickBooks, SAP HANA, Xero, and for analysis, Power BI has been a game changer. It allows me to extract insights quickly and support better business decisions.
Share your strategies for staying balanced, especially during busy periods.
For me, balance starts with planning. I take about 30 minutes at the end of each workday to plan the next. I usually schedule tasks up to lunchtime and leave my afternoons open for ad hoc meetings or unexpected issues. If you don’t allow room for these, they can easily derail your day.
I make sure to prioritise business-critical tasks first, otherwise, it’s easy to get pulled into everyone else’s schedule while your own deliverables fall behind.
Work-life balance is also important to me. I spend quality time with my family and try to stay off my phone and laptop in the evenings, unless something truly urgent comes up.
What do you enjoy outside of work?
Outside of work, I enjoy playing casual tennis, it’s a great way to blow off steam and stay active. I’ve also recently taken up fishing, which has been surprisingly rewarding. It’s teaching me patience and persistence, and there’s something therapeutic about the moment you hook a fish and have to work to reel it in. That mix of calm and challenge really helps me recharge.
Do you mentor or support other team members in the finance department?
Yes, I do mentor and support others in the finance department. I enjoy sharing what I know and have mentored two individuals who have since become excellent finance professionals. Once I’m settled in an organization, I like to set aside one Friday each month for training and upskilling the team. This not only boosts engagement but also improves the quality of reports I receive and helps build a stronger, more capable finance team.
What advice would you give to someone aspiring to work in a finance department?
When I started my career in 2003, accountants were mostly seen as back-office workers buried in paperwork. As I progressed, I realized how important it is to engage with people, both inside and outside the company. So, my advice is to focus on developing strong interpersonal and negotiation skills.
Take every opportunity to attend conferences hosted by professional bodies, and build relationships with your bank, key customers, and suppliers. Continuing Professional Development (CPD) isn’t just a box to tick, it’s a chance to keep your skills sharp and relevant.
Also, invest in learning new skills whenever you can. With today’s technology, it’s easier than ever to study from your desk or pursue additional qualifications. Remember, you’re your own most valuable asset, so make sure you keep improving.
What’s your favourite quote or mantra that motivates you?
“Any day above ground is a good day.”
Share a leadership lesson or a piece of advice that’s been valuable to you in your career.
One important leadership lesson I’ve learned is to protect and guard your career by always staying ethical. Before accepting a new role, it’s crucial to do your due diligence on the company and its culture. Pay close attention to the corporate governance structures in place and how much the organisation values ethics. This insight can make a big difference in your long-term success and satisfaction.
What’s something surprising about you that isn’t in your professional bio?
Something surprising about me that’s not in my professional bio is that I enjoy writing. I haven’t been brave enough to publish anything yet, but maybe that will change soon.
If you could have any superpower to help you in your job, what would it be?
If I could have any superpower for my job, it would be the ability to predict where the company or financial markets are headed. I like to think I already have a bit of that, being able to read the signs of what makes an organisation successful, telling its story through numbers, forecasting future outcomes, and putting the right tools in place to build resilience.
What’s your go-to strategy for staying productive during long workdays?
When I’m feeling overwhelmed or my mind is scattered during a long workday, I take 5 to 10 minutes to meditate and reset. Instead of diving straight into work, I pause to analyze the problem from the perspective of the person who needs the solution. I clarify my scope and limitations, then create a checklist to stay organized. If my energy dips, I take a short walk to recharge, and when I return, I start with smaller tasks to build momentum and regain focus.
If you could relive one day from your career, which day would it be and why?
If I could relive one day from my career, it would be the day I received my final CIMA results. I woke up around 1 a.m. to check them, and since I only cry when I’m truly happy, you can imagine the tears of joy that followed. It was a moment of immense pride and relief that made all the hard work worthwhile.
Persuade’s journey proves that finance leaders don’t just report results, they shape them. Want to be the kind of advisor clients trust with strategy, not just spreadsheets?
Join CIBA and we’ll show you how to build the confidence, tools, and recognition to lead like Persuade.
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