During my articles I became very interested in maritime law – it is obviously very commercial, with a lot of foreign clients, and the international flavour became part of the passion for this area of the law. Subscribe Home KZN Leaders Up Up Andrew Clark During my articles I became very interested in maritime law – it is obviously very commercial, with a lot of foreign clients, and the international flavour became part of the passion for this area of the law. Andrew Clark is the recently appointed managing partner of Cox Yeats Attorneys Andrew Clark is the newly appointed managing partner of Cox Yeats Attorneys, based in uMhlanga Ridge, KwaZulu-Natal and which recently opened a Johannesburg branch in Sandton. He is also the head of the maritime, international trade and insurance law team within the firm. Clark matriculated in 1989 from Westville Boys High School. “I had some thoughts about becoming a lawyer at that point of time but didn’t know what it all entailed so I decided to do a BCom degree and see how things went.” During the course of the BCom degree, Clark studied several law subjects in addition to commercial subjects and ultimately moved into law. He then completed articles with Adams and Adams, which is a well-known intellectual property firm. Clark worked in the maritime team in the Durban office and became a partner of the firm in 1999. In 2006 he joined Cox Yeats as partner where he continues to practice maritime and international trade law work, including marine and commercial insurance law. “During my articles I became very interested in maritime law – it is obviously very commercial, with a lot of foreign clients, and the international flavour became part of the passion for this area of the law,” he explained. His interest in insurance law arose out of his involvement in the maritime and logistics sector. Cargo that moves by land, sea or air is insured as are the various parties involved in the contractual supply and logistics chain, including the carriers. “The real challenge that we as attorneys face today is with technological advancement,” says Clark. “We strive to meet our clients’ expectations and needs, which in effect are now on a 24/ 7 basis. You are constantly available to your clients whether it be on WhatsApp, email, or other forms of electronic communication. The effect of that is that the law practice has become much more fast paced and the volumes and scale of work that a practitioner faces these days far outpaces anything that was done ten or fifteen years ago. The busy practitioners tend to be getting their work out quickly and tend to be good at what they do but that leads to more work and so one faces the challenge of balancing your own interests and what you can actually do within a day versus your clients’ expectations.” Consequently, explained Clark, these challenges mean that one has to work very hard in the field of law to achieve success. However, he added that one does need a level of work life balance in order to obtain longevity in the career and to avoid burnout. In reflecting on his recent appointment, Clark commented that he is a people’s person. “I feed on people around me within teams. So, part of my success has been in growing teams of lawyers around me.” He added that the skills relevant to be a leader include the need to be able to communicate well with people. “One needs to be a good listener and understand what people around you are saying.” Of his leadership style he says that his preference is to lead in more of a light touch way. “I am dealing with people around me who are all professionals, who are skilled at their craft and who don’t require a great deal of human management. I think that it is important to lead by example and to understand what the concerns of partners and professionals are. As a leader one needs to make decisions and sometimes those decisions may not be popular, but they have to be made in the greater interest of the firm and the collective. Fortunately, I have the support of the senior professionals around me and my approach to decision making is generally one of a collective nature.” Clark has set firm goals for his own practice and that of the firm. “In terms of my own practice as a team leader, I would like my practice to continue working in the way that it is now over the coming years and to grow and become more dominant in the space that we are in.” His goal for the firm is to continue to move Cox Yeats forward in a positive direction and to fulfil the goals and strategic plans that the partners of the firm have agreed upon. “So that over the coming years the firm continues to grow from strength to strength and continues to do what it has done for a number of years now, which is to punch above its weight and ultimately meet the desired goals, ambitions, and strategy of the collective partnership,” he explained. Clark commented that he is not necessarily inspired by any particular individuals, with the exception of his family, who he says, he draws a great amount of inspiration from. However, he explained that he is in awe of people who struggle to overcome adversity and just make it through their lives on a daily basis. “When I look at people who are successful it is often about how they have reacted to failure or reacted to adversity and overcome that. Even if it is just in their daily lives such as getting to and from a work environment, or in feeding their family. To me there is a lot of inspiration around us that one can see. It does humble one and bring one down to earth.” In giving advice to young professionals Clark says that it would depend on the stage of the career path that they are in. “I would strongly recommend to law students that they get some practical training. Take the time out to do vacation work to learn what it is practically like to be within a law firm working environment. If you pursue your passion, you will be able to get up in the morning and be happy with what you do every day, and it won’t seem like work.”

NASHIKTA AUTHAR ANGADH is a Partner in KPMG and heads up the Business Resilience and Continuity Services unit of South AfricaNashikta Authar AngadhNASHIKTA AUTHAR ANGADH is a Partner in KPMG and heads up the Business Resilience and Continuity Services unit of South AfricaNASHIKTA AUTHAR ANGADH is a Partner in KPMG and heads up the Business Resilience and Continuity Services unit of South Africa. Her function can be summarised as preparing clients for planned and unplanned disasters. She involves herself with organisations at a deep level to understand their critical processes and the potential risks they face to develop a "fit for purpose recovery strategy" to be used in the event of a disaster. When Nashikta was thrown into the deep end to take the reins in leading Business Resilience for KPMG she began by "rolling up her sleeves, embracing the books, and soaking up and entrenching herself in the information". Along the way, she gained critical insights into client practices. A mentor, "her North Star" offered valuable support and advice. She also learned from her team that supported her. Ultimately, things came together, and she became recognised as a leading expert in her field, progressing in the firm to where she is today. An inspiration Nashikta finds inspiration in books, videos and in various people, including her selfless and elegant mom. Her dad is, however, her main source of inspiration. He did not finish school and his limited financial means made starting a business difficult. Additionally, he had serious health issues, but he overcame the odds and made a success of life. "Looking past his business success, he is an amazing soul," she says, one who changed many people's lives. His belief, "service to man is service to God" became her belief too, allowing her to balance her accomplishments with remembering who she is and where she comes from. Deal with internal barriers To demonstrate the difference between men and women in business, Nashikta uses a recent event. She was in a boardroom with "powerful men and women from across SA". The tea lady walked in and placed a tea tray on the table between a gentleman and a lady. The lady glared at the tray in a way that suggested she thought serving tea would reduce her power in the room. However, the gentleman got up and cheerfully served the tea. This incident made Nashikta realise that: "as women, we need to deal with the internal barriers we create for ourselves that prevent us from being what we can be and doing what we need to do. Women need to be bold enough to make the tea without worrying what everyone thinks and what their opinions are." Historically, there were many challenges between men and women, however businesses have progressed and created numerous platforms for women, which should be embraced. A work-life balance requires structure Nashikta has an excellent support structure which contributes hugely to her work-life balance; both her mother and mother-in-law look after her son when she is travelling, allowing her to focus on work. The KPMG work environment is very flexible, making it easier to get things done anywhere and at any time. She makes sure not to diddle-daddle and focuses on business during business hours, so work in her personal time is unnecessary. Nashikta is grateful for her wonderful husband who takes charge with chores around the house and is a hands on Dad. He has been her pillar of strength and encourages her to grab on to opportunities, even if it results in added pressure on himself. She quips, "If all else fails, just pray for energy, tolerance, patience, and guidance to be a good parent, because that is the most important aspect of a work-life balance." Practical spirituality Her spiritual background is very important to Nashikta. She belongs to the Sri Sathya Sai organisation which is based on five human values: "truth, love, nonviolence, right conduct, and peace". She tries to live by these in everything she does. Nashikta sustained serious injuries in a vehicle accident during 2013. Spinal surgery prevented permanent paralysis, but she was confined to her bed for three months and had to learn to regain movement and walk during a long, difficult recovery. She says her spirituality carried her during this tough time and made her appreciate life. When KPMG experienced difficulties in recent years she felt alarmed but did not leave and tried to demonstrate the five values as a leader. She believes leadership is tested during challenging circumstances, not when everything seems good. Authentic self She is happy with what she has achieved and proud of winning the Business Continuity Institute's 2019 award for "Business Continuity Institute, Africa, Resilience and Continuity Specialist". She is hoping for further success in the global category. Being involved in developing continuity strategies for businesses and government departments, Nashikta says the "philanthropist in her" wants to take this a step further and develop a strategy for South Africa. She explains: "If the country is faced with something similar to a 9/11 attack or escalated xenophobic attacks, SA has to be ready and I want to make sure that we are." The advice Nashikta would give her younger self is not to shy away from shining and be confident in her strengths. Being diligent and assiduous, she stood out at primary school, making her unpopular with some kids. She then held back to avoid attracting attention during high school. But at university and with her career, Nashikta says, "I decided to just be my authentic self. This allowed me to excel and get to where I am." Cheryl Govender CHERYL GOVENDER is the founder and owner of The Cake House in Pietermaritzburg. She is a qualified chef and professional cake artist. The Cake House has become a leading provider of designer cakes including engineered life-size cakes. Cheryl's exceptional cakes, each a masterpiece, have been featured in magazines and on television, and The Cake House is recognised as a leader in new age sugarcraft. Cheryl is inspired by successful bakeries and cake artists. She explains, "This is a tough industry and requires not only talent, but a business mind, people skills, market insight, tenacity, and continuous learning and growth." One of her biggest inspirations is Buddy Valastro, an American baker who is the star of the reality television series 'Cake Boss'. Be clear about what must be achieved Cheryl believes she got to where she is now and reached her goals by being clear about what she needed to achieve and why she needed to achieve them. She says her career started when she was fourteen when she was handed down decorating tools that her sister no longer needed. "Although I was a real tomboy, beating the boys at their own games in the streets, I did girly stuff when I went home, like playing with cake decorating tools and my dolls," she laughed. Cheryl learned about sugar art by reading books from the municipal library and often left the kitchen in a mess after experimenting. Her Consumer Studies teacher recognised Cheryl's talent; arranged for her to attend a cake decorating course, and gave her a toolset, which she treasures to this day. This teacher, now a retired school principal, adopted Cheryl as a daughter, helped her to believe in herself, and became her mentor to this day. Cheryl won a Consumer Studies Inter School Award in matric due to her passion for cake decorating, but at that time she considered it a hobby, not a career. After a year at college, Cheryl married and became a mother. She joined the corporate world but kept on making decorated cakes as a hobby to supplement her income. When her son was two years old, Cheryl entered and won the Pietermaritzburg Royal Show sugarcraft competition. This led to her teaching sugarcraft on a part-time basis at the now FET College in Northdale, something she continued passionately for 25 years. This Cheryl said, was fulfilling: "empowering women has always been close to my heart". Focus on one thing and do it well Cheryl gained wide experience in the corporate world, including ten years in shipping and international travel, before she started her own export business. This business crashed during the worldwide financial crisis of 2008 and she "fell back on her hands", starting a food catering business that also provided cakes. Cheryl made a few designer cakes assuming there was little market for these due to the high prices, but word of her quality and expertise spread and orders increased. A traumatic divorce, the demands of being involved in catering, wedding décor, training and making cakes at the same time, made her realise that she needed to streamline her activities. In 2012 she decided to focus on one thing only and do it well and opened The Cake House. Cheryl, a single mom had herself, her mother's assistance, two children, and a house. As she had lost her vehicle, Cheryl went everywhere in running shoes while carrying cake ingredients and other items in a backpack. Nothing was handed to her; she had no money and could not get a bank loan. Cheryl understood the risks involved but her faith and trust in God helped her. She managed to buy all her industrial baking equipment from a helpful appliance store on a three-month cash basis. Her business remains debt-free to this day. Business skills are unrelated to gender In Cheryl's view, women and men need the same business approach, as the skills required for a successful business are unrelated to gender. "Tenacity, hard work, honesty, patience and endurance are equally required from men and women." She does, however, concede that women face more challenges. She has had to face abuse, being a mother, and a divorce. Achieving a work-life balance boils down to discipline for Cheryl. "It is necessary to make time for your family and yourself, and also to rest, but not working can be scary for a business owner with much to do," she says. "I've had to learn to set boundaries, say no, and cut myself off from work when it's time to relax and unwind." Gardening, time with her family and puppies, and doing things outside of the business help create a balance. Brand ambassador Cheryl is happy with what she has accomplished thus far and readily give others credit. Without her mother, she could not have set up The Cake House. Without the help of her husband Alan, her family, and staff members, she would not have been able to grow the business. She feels honoured having recently being appointed a brand ambassador with royal status, for Rolkem Colours, one of the world's largest food colourant providers. While Cheryl is satisfied with the place she has reached, she is not comfortable about remaining there. Cheryl dreams of making the province proud of The Cake House as a tourism attraction. With a growing support structure in place, she is prepared to take risks within her means and take the business to the next level. Back

A SERIAL BUSINESSMAN Subscribe Home KZN Leaders Up Up Shaaz Moosa A SERIAL BUSINESSMAN Shaaz Moosa is the CEO of Supahot Geysers and MS Group Holdings. His business career has, he says, been motivated by his family who have all operated successful business enterprises. Straight after finishing matric, and with their support, Shaaz started his own business journey in the insurance industry. He explained that this experience taught him a lot about communicating with people, about how money works as well as the finance industry. He quickly decided to become an independent insurance broker and applied for his license. By the age of 19 he had multiple contracts. However, Shaaz commented that he realised that the insurance industry did not offer the long-term business growth, which would enable him to reach his own goals. Consequently, he started dabbling in a variety of businesses including the property market. In 2006 Shaaz’s father unexpectedly passed away and his entire world changed. Shaaz was now required to be the leader in his family and take care of everyone. He then started looking for other business opportunities and got involved with the Scooters’ pizza brand, opening up Halaal stores. He explained, “Over three years, we opened up multiple stores and I soon realised that this is very hard work. I found that it was better for me to open up these stores and sell them off. Whilst doing that I was dabbling in buying one-bedroom apartments, as at that time the avenue to credit was quite easy.” As the values of properties was going up, when Shaaz sold these properties off, he was able to build an asset base. “I realised unintentionally, that I’d become a serial businessman and in being a serial businessman a very close, dear friend of mine, who's just passed, invited me to go on and do a mini-MBA with him, which we completed in just over a year.” The course, he said, was fun because due to his practical business experience he understood what everyone was talking about, and he was also able to enhance himself. Shaaz mentioned that he has always had good teams and support structures. His mom as well as his family, and ‘phenomenal’ friends are always willing to assist. He explained, “It's not about finance. It's about hearing you, guiding you, motivating you, and being able to learn from people and what they've done over the years. I think that experience is the basis for the success of who I am today.” In commenting on his motivation to succeed Shaaz said, “I strongly believe that if you do the right things, the Almighty opens up the doors for you. If you assist the community, your people, family, etc, then the Almighty will give you more. That is the advice that I give to every young person today. Don't wait until you have money to give, give from what you have, and the Almighty is going to give you more. And if you're doing right, with the right moral compass, the Almighty will certainly make sure that he gives you that responsibility.” He added, “You have to give back into your communities. You have to give back to your family, whether it's in time or money. You have to include people and by doing that, success is automatic. We must understand that success is not just measured in finances, there's no point in having lots of money if you're not a person that one can sit and talk to.” “And the rule that I would advise to anybody who wants to start to do anything, is just to give 5% more. Because that 5% more is what allows you to be better than the rest. I use an analogy of boiling water, and it's a 5% rule. I'm in the geyser business, so I can be more technical about it. Boiling water boils at 100°C. At 100° C what that can do is limitless. You can create power, and from that power you can create electricity, steam trains, etc. Motion can be created by 100°C of boiling water. At 95°C what can you do? Have a cup of tea and that's all. That 5% extra is what creates and unlocks the multitude of other things that you can do, and to achieve you’ve just got to persevere.” In addition to the 5% rule, Shaaz said that if you look at the top 100 companies in the world and the CEOs and founders of all of them, they have this quality of starting early. “When I say starting early, I'm talking about, the 4:00 am rule. One should start work early and that allows you to work hard.” Shaaz’s career has not been without challenges, which in his early days included a lack of credit facilities due to his young age. This challenge forced him to be more creative and to look at out-of-the-box solutions. One solution was to develop business partnerships, and Shaaz now has multiple partners in a range of businesses. In commenting on his leadership style, he said that he prefers working with inclusion and communication rather than in an authoritative style. “I'm surrounded by a phenomenal team, and I prefer having the buy in and understanding from our key staff. We set up our plan and our mission for what we're wanting to achieve. Including our staff in this process has led to the success of our business. You do get certain people who just take themselves as an employee and don't see the greater vision, but they fall off the wayside.” Shaaz started the Supahot geyser journey in 2018 and the company has now become the third geyser manufacturer in the country. He explained that their success is due to keeping their expenses low and to the relationships that they have built. Initially the company experienced challenges from their competitors who had the bigger nationals tied up. They started off selling geysers to independent hardware stores while growing their brand, and from there, the nationals started approaching them to sell their products which has been very successful. To relax Shaaz enjoys time at home with his family. “I think with my busy schedule and busy timelines, I find joy in my family. I enjoy spending time with my family. I've got a wonderful spouse who's very supportive of me, and I've actually grown quite a bit because of her support.” “I have also achieved much because of the support, the blessings, and prayers of my mum. I try as much as possible to just be there for her.” In conclusion, The motto I live by is to do good, speak well and listen to people.

< Back Masha Padayachi Chief Executive Officer of FT Engineering Masha Padayachi is the chief executive officer of FT Engineering, a company that has shaped the telecommunications landscape for three decades. “We do telecommunication work for MTN, Cell C, Vodacom, and ATC, which is an American based company and we are also into construction,” she explains with pride. Her success is rooted in determination, resilience, and a steadfast belief that women can achieve anything they set their minds to. “I started from very humble beginnings,” says Masha. “I married into a very humble family,” she adds, acknowledging that she never had the luxury of financial advantage or a straightforward path. Instead, she was inspired by the powerful example of her mother and mother-in-law, who were the sole providers for their families. “They encouraged us in pursuing our goals and taught us that nothing is impossible. By looking at what they did, I knew that women could do it.” A BUSINESS WITH HEART Masha’s journey into entrepreneurship was driven by her biggest dream which was to give her children the opportunity that she was not allowed or did not have. And she added her motivation was, ‘to serve the community and help the poor’. She recalls the early days of FT Engineering clearly. “The business was established in 1995. I started with just three staff members and myself, and I ran it from my living room.” Without tertiary education in engineering or telecommunications, she forged ahead through determination, on the job learning and a strong partnership at home. “It was all self-taught and with the help of my wonderful husband, I managed to persevere and get to where I am today.” Today FT Engineering stands as a respected player in South Africa’s telecommunications and construction sectors. What began in Masha’s living room has One of the achievements Masha treasures most is the empowerment of women within her workforce. “Of that staff, I empowered many women, and I now have them holding high positions in our local offices and in the rural areas.” This transformation within her business reflects a core principle of her leadership: opportunity must be accessible to those whom society often overlooks.Masha has long been an advocate for giving people the chance to gain experience rather than excluding them for not having it. “You go out for interviews and the first question you are asked is: ‘What is your experience?’. If everybody closes the door on you because you had no experience, when are you going to get that experience? I gave many people the chance to get that experience at FT Engineering.” Many of those early employees have now grown into respected professionals. “There are a few who have their own business now. I feel very good that I empowered these people.” She describes the workplace she has built as a community. “We are a family at FT Engineering, more than the staff and employer.” With pride Masha adds, “My oldest staff member has been with us for 28 years.” WEATHERING STORMS Success did not come without challenges. “In the beginning, obviously it was finance, but I managed to overcome that.” As one of the few women in her field, Masha faced scrutiny on sites where her knowledge and authority were dismissed. “Going out to sites, I was not acknowledged and I could hear comments, but that did not intimidate me at all. In fact, that made me more determined to make it work.” The Covid pandemic tested her leadership further. “During Covid, I really concentrated on my staff and managed to stretch my budget so that I could keep them.” Support programmes such as Covid loans helped her maintain salaries. She remains proud that most of her team stayed intact through those difficult years Reaching the 30-year company milestone was a moment of fulfilment for Masha. She hosted a celebration that recognised every person who helped build FT Engineering. “I invited all my clients, my suppliers, and most importantly, all my staff to show them my appreciation. Because without them, there is no FT Engineering.” Some staff members experienced luxury hospitality for the first time. “They did not know what it is like to go and sit in a hotel. And that gave me so much satisfaction.” LIVING WITH PURPOSE Masha’s work does not end at the company gates. Community upliftment and faith-based service are essential parts of her life. “I belong to a women empowerment group where we help the poor in our community. I also belong to a Hindu organisation where I help to deliver food hampers.” Charity work brings her peace. “I find doing this service very relaxing, and I get fulfilment out of it.” As she looks to the future, Masha hopes to embrace a slower pace. “I would love to spend time with my grandchildren now.” She lists with joy the ages of the young ones who brighten her life. “I have a two-year old, a six-week-old, and I have a son who has a twenty year-old daughter and a seven-year-old son.” She says that she would also like to do some travelling to Seychelles or Maldives with her ‘lovely husband’. “The beaches would be ideal. Somewhere to relax where there is not too much activity and where I know I can just chill.” Masha’s message to young women is firm and inspiring. “Never underestimate your ability. You must set your goals and work towards them. And remember, nothing comes for free. Everything is hard work. And you must get up, dress up, and go get it.” Masha concludes by crediting her strength to the women who raised her. “Looking at them working so hard has shown me that women can do it. They were my role models. I am sure they are somewhere up there looking at me and very proud of me." Previous Next

< Back EY (Ernst & Young) KwaZulu-Natal Vinesh Moodley is a senior professional based in South Africa, currently serving as the EY (Ernst & Young) KwaZulu-Natal Regional Managing Partner and previously as a Director in Advisory Services. Based in Durban, he is part of the EY South Africa leadership team. EY (Ernst & Young) KwaZulu-Natal The BLOG Read all about it READ MORE