James Wiehe

I head up the Regional Finance team of Tanzania, which reports to the East Africa Group Finance Director.

My team consists of 3 Assistant Finance Managers, 8 Lodge Accountants, and 3 Head Office team members.

My tasks and current role can be broken up into:

Financial Reporting:

• Monthly review of 23 business units' management accounts (includes cost versus budget on all expense accounts, cost per guest, R&M, and fuel usage).
• Ownership and review of the Balance Sheet Account Reconciliations, including inventory movement and supplier/customer aging.
• Review and processing of monthly accounting entries (Fixed Assets, IFRS 16, etc.).

Daily finance activites:

• Review and sign off on supplier payments, mobile wallet reconciliations, and cash requests.
• Handling group queries and requests.
• Managing the cash flow of the Tanzania Group.
• Handling the South African warehouse customs and receiving of stock.

Audit and Compliance:

• Management of the annual external audit.
• Assisting in the compliance with Tanzania's law and tax requirements.

Budgeting:

• Ownership and review of the budget process for the region, as well as the subsequent quarterly forecasting during the year.
• Direct involvement in the presentation of the budget to the Group head office team.

Payroll:

• Input and review with the Finance Director of the Tanzania payroll.
• Loading and paying the Tanzania payroll.

Training and Development:

Providing direction and guidance on:

• The upskilling of the immediate finance team and wider lodge teams in computer skills, accounting practices, and knowledge.
• Standardization of finance processes and systems.

Joined Absa in the YCAP (Young Chartered Accountant Program).

Gained exposure in the Africa Regional Treasury Team, working across the various teams based on the four risk pillars: liquidity, interest, capital, and credit.

At the end of the program, I joined the Investment Banking Division Finance team as a Finance Business Partner.

In this role, I reported, presented, and analyzed the operating costs against the budget for the Investment Banking Division as a whole.

Managed the cost budgeting process for the individual investment desks.

In addition, I reported and presented on the Commodity, Equity, and M&A desks' revenue, as well as assisted in the budgeting process.

I completed my three-year SAICA audit articles at BDO.

Exposure to various industries.