Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Accomplishments
Software
Certification
Timeline
Other
Hi, I’m

Mary-Ann De Wet

CFO
Cape Town
Mary-Ann De Wet

Summary

I am a Chartered Accountant (SA) and have been in business as CFO /Head of Finance for over 20 years, of which 15 have been at the executive level. I have 14 years of experience in the financial services industry, including Fintech, and 11 years in manufacturing, and over 3 years in Food and Wine operations. I have also worked in the oil and gas industry, as well as shipping, and FMCG industries. I have a Master of Commerce degree in International Taxation, and my working experience includes working for international companies (15 years). This has given me great insights into the challenges of international business, from tax planning and compliance to dealing with stakeholders, management, and staff in various countries around the world. My experience is a blend of corporate and start-up companies that have grown into larger companies. Experienced with financial strategy development, budgeting, and compliance. Utilizes comprehensive financial analysis to inform decision-making and drive organizational growth. Track record of leading cross-functional teams to achieve financial objectives. Finance professional prepared for high-level challenges, bringing valuable experience in strategic financial management and operational efficiency. Known for fostering collaborative environments and driving results. Adept at navigating complex financial landscapes and adapting to evolving business needs.

Overview

17
years of professional experience
2
Certifications

Work History

Cape Point Vineyards
Cape Town

Group CFO
02.2023 - Current

Job overview

  • Responsible for finance for the group - which includes Cape Point Vineyards Restaurant, and Wine Farm, Partnership Acceptances, Financial Services company, and property management companies.
  • Part of the management team a) Hospitality; b) Wine Farm/Sales
  • The finance department (Treasury, Acc Receivable, Acc Payable and Accounting)
  • Cash Management for Group
  • Budgeting for the Group, Scenario Planning and Modelling
  • Board / Investor Reporting.
  • Annual Financial statements preparation and review, consolidations
  • Taxation (compliance and planning) Income Tax, VAT, PAYE, CUSTOMS for all companies
  • HR (Payroll, HR Policies, Labour relations)
  • Risk Management for the hospitality, agriculture and fintech businesses.
  • Liaison with, banks, insurance, and other service providers.
  • Dealing with Supplier and Customers, foreign – for exporting
  • Implementation of systems (ERP and Payroll)
  • Managed relationships with external auditors, ensuring a smooth and efficient annual audit process with minimal findings or issues identified.
  • Managed risk effectively through the establishment of a comprehensive risk management framework, safeguarding company assets against potential threats.

DSWTaxFin
Cape Town

Founder and Principal Consultant
08.2021 - 01.2023

Job overview

  • Prepare budgets, forecasts, and business plans.
  • Taxation (compliance and planning) Income Tax, VAT, PAYE
  • International taxation and transfer pricing and advice on Group Structure
  • Advice on business strategy
  • Annual Financial statements preparation and review, consolidations
  • HR advice (payroll, labor relations, foreign employees’ taxation, retrenchment)
  • Contracts – group companies’ transactions, and commercial contracts.
  • Major clients: Zoona Transactions and Mukuru (at Mukuru I set up the group tax department)
  • Also did work for Broadreach – an NGO with a large project with USAID – finance/accounting tax – working with local NGO in South Africa, and commercial arm in USA, UK and Switzerland.
  • I founded this company to provide various services finance and taxation services: Finance management and financial planning.
  • Https://dswtaxfin.com/

ZOONA TRANSACTIONS
Cape Town

Chief Financial Officer
07.2015 - 07.2021

Job overview

  • Responsible for Group Finance, part of the Executive Committee.
  • Oversight of finance for Zoona Group (consists of countries: Mauritius, South Africa, Zambia, and Malawi).
  • Responsible for financial reporting, including statutory financial statements for local companies and Group Consolidation prepared under IFRS or local entity GAAP.
  • Group tax planning management and transfer pricing, and all countries’ tax compliance.
  • Ensure tax compliance includes WHT and VAT, especially in the African entities.
  • Group reporting – to EXCO and board, and investors.
  • Responsible oversight of all the monthly accounting activities with Cape Town is the centralised financial HUB financial controls to ensure effective monthly reporting.
  • Oversee budgeting and forecasts and financial analysis for the group and subsidiaries.
  • HR matters when HR reported to finance.
  • Group Treasury Management – adequate cash funding of local entities, foreign exchange management, and working capital financing, working with SA Reserve Bank.
  • Corporate Governance: attend board meetings in local countries; preparation for board meetings.
  • Manage external auditors coordinating group and local entities audits over the year-end.
  • Internal controls – develop and implement policies and procedures for all group companies.
  • Liaising with external institutions, banks, customers, and vendors as required in all countries.
  • Liaising with country general managers for financial matters, both operation and controls.
  • New products: assist the operational team where local country taxes are affected.
  • Due diligences as required. (M&A prospects, investor DD, etc.)
  • Streamlined financial processes by implementing new accounting software and automation techniques.

VISA Inc (USA)
Cape Town

Senior Director – Sub-Saharan Africa
11.2012 - 07.2015

Job overview

  • Reported to HQ in San Francisco USA, with a dotted line to Visa Singapore then Visa Dubai.
  • Responsible for finance - 7 legal entities Visa Cape Town, Visa Sub-Saharan Africa (Johannesburg), Visa Payments Systems Nigeria, Visa CEMEA Holdings (UK) and Visa CEMEA Holdings - Kenya, Visa Rwanda and Visa South Africa Investment Holdings.
  • Preparation of financial statements and reports, including U.S. GAAP, for Visa Inc.’s consolidation, public filings, and management reporting purposes, and local statutory AFS reports, and financial statements prepared under IFRS or South African/local entity GAAP, are produced accurately and on a timely basis.
  • Transfer pricing, ensuring that TP calculations are accurate and comply with agreement/ tax.
  • Oversee income tax preparation, withholding tax, including filings, payments, and compliance reporting.
  • Responsible for oversight of the monthly accounting activities; and ensuring the accuracy of the various global financial reports.
  • Consolidation reporting and monthly variance analysis for regions and all countries.
  • Financial control and process improvement to ensure effective monthly reporting.
  • As a part of Visa was a separate company it had acquired called Fundamo, and this had customers throughout Africa, the Middle East and countries such as Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh. Responsible for the reporting, customer/credit management, and liaising with various central banks.
  • Cash flow management - ensuring that all entities are adequately funded.
  • Foreign exchange management and reporting.
  • Corporate Governance - as Visa is a SEC listed company, compliance to Sarbanes Oxley - ensures all entities comply with the relevant controls.
  • Manage internal and external auditors and resolve issues / provide resolution to any potential audit observations/findings and coordinating seven audits.
  • Liaising with external institutions, banks, customers, vendors as required.
  • Liaising with Country Managers, Cost centre managers and staff to ensure that Visa Policies are understood and complied with.
  • Oversee revenue billings/collections (mainly foreign customers in Nigeria, Lesotho, Botswana, Uganda, Ghana, Benin, etc. as well as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Dubai etc. for the Fundamo business.
  • World’s largest credit card company, (HQ in the USA)
  • Https://usa.visa.com/

OPTIMAL ENERGY
Cape Town

Chief Financial Officer
05.2009 - 10.2012

Job overview

  • Part of the Executive Management Committee as CFO, Corporate Governance - Company Secretary and Public Officer.
  • Responsible for Statutory compliance, Company Act, and other significant acts.
  • Part of the executive corporate strategic business development and capital raising.
  • Reporting to the board and audit committee, as well as Investors such as the IDC and TIA.
  • Responsible for all financial reporting, AFS (IFRS), and management accounts, including variance analysis.
  • Business plan and financial modelling- overall responsibility – including capital planning.
  • Budgets, forecasts, cash flow analysis, extensive cost analysis.
  • Responsible for finance internal control – developing and implementing policies.
  • Responsible for all tax matters – Tax Planning, Corporate Income Tax, Vat, PAYE.
  • Responsible for the IT department.
  • Responsible (2009-2011) for HR, including implementation of BBBEE plan (for Employees and Suppliers, and presented to board presentation for full BBBEE strategy. HR was split into a separate function that year, assisted in HR Recruitment).
  • Remuneration of staff and management (performance measurement, remuneration strategy, benchmarking salaries at the appropriate level).
  • Responsible for PFMA and King III/IV compliance.
  • Responsible for the risk management of the company
  • Responsible for all legal matters.
  • Foreign exchange controls & treasury management, importing, exporting, and hedging contracts.
  • Liaison with auditors, banks, insurance, and other service providers.
  • Part of my role would be visiting potential investors – for example we went to Geneva to attract Europe investors.
  • Automotive – Creator of SA Electric Vehicle - the JOULE
  • Https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optimal_Energy_Joule
  • Https://www.news24.com/citypress/business/how-south-africa-lost-its-electric-joule-20191011

Education

University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa

Master of Commerce from International Tax
01.2019

University Overview

Dissertation with distinction

University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa

Bachelor of Commerce Honours from Information Systems
01.1995

University Overview

IRBA (formerly PAAB)
Cape Town, South Africa

Chartered Accountant Board Exam from Accounting, Auditing, Taxation, Financial Mgmt
03.1991

University Overview

University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa

Post Graduate Diploma in Accounting
01.1990

University Overview

University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa

Bachelor of Commerce from Accounting, Auditing, Taxation, Economics, Fin Man
01.1989

University Overview

Skills

Leadership, strategic thinking

Analytical and problem-solving

Project management

Working capital management

Strategic financial planning

ERP system implementation

Cash flow management

Tax planning and strategy

Financial process improvement

Mergers and acquisitions experience

Cost reduction strategies

Accomplishments

Accomplishments

- Capital raising on international level, which included development of business plan, identifying key investors and partners.

- Tax / Transfer Pricing: Resolving and negotiating settlements with various tax authorities in Africa/UK

- Set up new accounting division in South Africa - transfer from Singapore

- Implement key controls for automotive supplier plant, including stock management and revenue.

In 3 companies, set up / developed the finance team, training and building relationships.

Software

Excel

Google sheets

Quick Books

SAP

SAS / SQL

Oracle, Netsuite

Xero

Payspace

PowerBI

Hyperion

MS Office - Outlook, Word, PowerPoint

WordPress

Certification

CA(SA): South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SA)

Timeline

Group CFO
Cape Point Vineyards
02.2023 - Current
Founder and Principal Consultant
DSWTaxFin
08.2021 - 01.2023
Chief Financial Officer
ZOONA TRANSACTIONS
07.2015 - 07.2021
Senior Director – Sub-Saharan Africa
VISA Inc (USA)
11.2012 - 07.2015
Chief Financial Officer
OPTIMAL ENERGY
05.2009 - 10.2012
University of Cape Town
Master of Commerce from International Tax
University of Cape Town
Bachelor of Commerce Honours from Information Systems
IRBA (formerly PAAB)
Chartered Accountant Board Exam from Accounting, Auditing, Taxation, Financial Mgmt
University of Cape Town
Post Graduate Diploma in Accounting
University of Cape Town
Bachelor of Commerce from Accounting, Auditing, Taxation, Economics, Fin Man

Other

Other
HARVARD – Executive Education – Financial Inclusion (2017)

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Mary-Ann De WetCFO