Page 54 - Forbes - Africa (March 2020)
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              South Africa’s KPMG boss Ignatius Sehoole on
              why ethical behavior must extend beyond

              working hours to all other aspects of life.


              BY KOPANO GUMBI
                                                                                   auditingGupta-ownedcompaniesforover15yearsandhadreportedly
                                                                                   notraisedthenecessaryredflags.
                                                                                      Asaresult,thecompanylost20auditclients,manyofthemlarge
                            ONGBEFOREHEBECAMETHECHIEF                              JohannesburgStockExchangelistedorganizations,andmillionsin
                            executiveofoneofthelargestauditfirmsinSouth            potentialrevenue.Morethanthemoney,Sehooleisdisappointedinthe
                            Africa,KPMG,IgnatiusSehoolewasaleader.This             lossoftrustintheauditprofessionandlamentsonthewaywardpath
                 Lwarmandgood-naturedmanwhogrewupinthe                             auditorshavetakenoflate.
                  townshipsofPretoria,SouthAfrica’scapitalcity,hadavisionfor          “Weneedtogetbacktoservingthepublicinterest,”hesays.“Oneof
                  hislifeandexecutedit.Oncehehaddecidedhewouldbecomea              theprivilegesthatwehaveasaprofessionisthatbylawwehavebeen
                  CharteredAccountant,hedidn’tjustbecomeone,hewentonto             giventherighttoaudit.”
                  beoneofthemostwell-respectedintheindustry.                          Sehoolebecomesincreasinglyanimatedasheexplainsthatthis
                     Navigatingthisworldwithintegrityisnotonlyawayof               abilitytoauditisnotarightgrantedtoeverybodyandthatthemost
                  lifeforhim,butawayofbeing.Sehoolewasexpelledfrom                 importantaspectofitisthatitshouldbepractisedinthepublicinterest.
                  theUniversityofLimpopo,intheSouthAfricanprovince,for             “Itseemsinsomeinstances,thattheprofessionhaslostsightofthat.”
                  organizingaprotestagainstit.                                        Sehoolesaysthatoneofhisfirstandmostimportanttaskssince
                     Thatdidnotdeterhimfromexecutinghisgoalofworking               takingofficehasbeenexplainingtostaffandnewrecruitsthatethical
                  intheaccountingprofession.Withpersistence,acommitment            behaviormustextendbeyondworkinghours.

                  toexcellenceandagoodsenseofhumor,hehasspentcloseto                  Hestronglybelievesthatyoucannotclaimtobeethicalatworkif
                  40yearsstoicallybuildinganameforhimselfintheprofession           youarenotethicalinallotherspheresofyourlife.
                  heproudlyexclaimsishispassion.Now,asthemanincharge at               “Thethingthatreallymakesyoudotherightthing,morethanthe
                  KPMGSouthAfrica,histruemettleisbeingtested.                      lawsandtheregulationisyouroutlook,”Sehoolebelieves.“It’syour
                     “WhenIhadanopportunitytocomeandbepartof                       behavior,it’syourvaluesystem,andthat’swhyweareworkingvery
                  rebuildingtheprofessionandrepositioningitbacktowhere             hardinKPMGtocreateacultureofpublicservice.”
                  itshouldbe,itwasano-brainerforme,”Sehoolesaysofhis                  Hispassionispalpableandhisreputationisofunwaveringintegrity,
                  decisiontotakeoverasheadoftheauditfirminJune2019.                whichiswhatmadehimanattractivecandidatefortherole,says
                     KPMGstruggledtorebuilditsreputationafteritwas                 ProfessorWisemanNkuhlu,chairmanofKPMGSouthAfrica.                            Photo by Motlabana  Monnakgotla
                  fingeredinthedamningrevelationsfrominvestigativereporting           “GettingIgnatiusandapersonofhisstaturetoleadKPMGwas
                  knownasthe#GuptaLeaks.TheGuptafamilyareaccusedof                 critical,”addsNkuhlu.
                  havinghadacorruptrelationshipwiththeformerPresident                 Sehoolehashadanillustriouscareerandhasservedonsome
                  of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, and his family. KPMG had been       of the highest and most respected auditing bodies, including being





           50 |  FORBES AFRICA MARCH 2020                                                                                               FORBESAFRICA.COM
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