By her own admission, Buhle Hanise is a numbers person. While others use words to make sense of their world, Hanise finds hers through facts, figures and statistics. Like the scales that symbolise her Libran personality, it’s in numbers that she finds balance and order.

‘At school, I was always good at maths and accountancy, and when Sindiswa Zilwa – South Africa’s second Black chartered accountant (CA) – came to speak at my school when I was in Grade 7, her speech inspired me to play to my strengths and follow a career path that would ultimately see me become a CA myself,’ she explains.

But CA is only one of the many hats she wears. Hanise serves on several boards, one of which is the African Women Chartered Accountants Investment Holdings* (AIH), a wholly Black-women-owned investment company that is actively involved in increasing the pool of Black women CAs in South Africa. They own a 21.2% stake in the Old Mutual-owned investment company FutureGrowth.

Hanise is also the president of African Women Chartered Accountants (AWCA), a business rescue specialist at the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa (IDC) and Chief Financial Officer of China’s Beijing Automotive Group Co. Ltd (BAIC).

Helping to grow South Africa’s Black investment specialists

One of Hanise’s ardent passions is recruiting more Black women into the CA field and advancing their careers.

‘This is a passion because somebody did that for me – gave me support and encouragement,’ she says proudly. ‘My work with the AWCA involves going back to our roots and inspiring young people at school to make sure we reach as many young men and women as possible and lend them the kind of support that will see them thrive.’

Transformation is not just a buzzword to her. She believes clients need to see it and feel it, which is why, she thinks, South Africa needs more Black investment specialists.

‘Clients are agitating for change, and it’s encouraging to aspirant CAs and investors to see Black women achieve great heights and know that that reality is also possible for them.’

Helping women to master their finances

For many years, the narrative around women and their finances has been financial freedom, but financial mastery is about much more, explains Hanise.

‘The conversation has shifted. South Africa has a booming stokvel industry with an estimated membership (largely female) of more than 11 million and an approximate value of over R44 billion. Mastery is about learning to respect money and understand opportunities beyond paying bills to experiences, education and investing.

‘I am passionate about women taking control of their finances in a way that is empowering, contemporary and still honours their cultural heritage.

‘As a mother of a little girl, it’s important to teach her and other young girls from a young age to save, work towards financial independence and understand the psychological elements that come into play when it comes to money – why you save, why you spend and, perhaps, why you overspend.’

An inclusive leadership style

Hanise talks animatedly about the new face of leadership and the kind of leaders who will see South Africa thrive.

‘I realised a long time ago that I don’t have all the answers, so I always employ people who bring skills I don’t have. I am very intentional about the people with whom I surround myself – especially in a business context. I am an inclusive leader who is interested in hearing from other team members because inclusion means you have a voice, you have a seat at the boardroom table and that’s how you build mutual respect.

‘I love enthusiasm. People who jump out of bed in the morning, ready to give their best. And, of course, empathy is vital after the trauma and disruption of living and working through a pandemic.’

But there has to be quiet and calm to balance her workday. Achieving balance, harmony, peace and equality is at the core of what Hanise says grounds and inspires her.

‘I always wanted my own family. I needed to be more than just being a business professional; there was something missing. So, now that I have a family of my own, I am grateful for my husband and my daughter, and spending time with them is restorative. But many women forget to put themselves first. It’s not selfish to think of your needs – it’s self-preservation. Look after yourself so that you can look after others.’

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