Setting up my own accountancy and consultancy firm in 2019 took me a long way out of my comfort zone. It meant resigning from a well-paid C-suite position, where I had won awards. It was a great decision, though many people didn’t get it at the time, and represents my greatest achievement: creating a successful African firm with employees in different countries offering solutions to our clients.
As well as leading the Rwanda firm, I am the DNR network’s global CEO and managing partner. We have offices in eight countries – England, Rwanda, Burundi, Cameroon, Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa – and our bold ambition is to set up operational offices in 50 countries over the next five years through partnerships, franchises and acquisitions.
The other C-suite roles are there to implement the decisions the CEO makes
As a CEO, I think my role is unique. It is a very challenging one, setting the tone of the whole organisation in terms of growth, direction and quality. You also have to be able to make decisions for the long term and to act boldly despite doubts. The other senior roles are there to implement the decisions the CEO makes.
In Africa there is plenty of need for the accounting, audit and consultancy expertise we offer. The main challenge is getting licences from different jurisdictions for our audit experts to take up assignments there. Some countries take a protectionist attitude to audit, making non-native experts sit even more professional papers before they are able to practise. In these cases we employ – through franchise or partnership – professionally qualified local talent.
I would like to see Africa treated as one country, a sort of United States of Africa, to alleviate all restrictions between countries. I also think practitioners with a professional accountancy body certification should be able to practise audit in any jurisdiction without taking further exams.
The CFO position at Bank of Kigali General Insurance was my dream role
My own accounting journey started at high school in Rwanda. I completed my degree in accounting at the Adventist University of Central Africa in Kigali, and then took a master’s in financial management at Amity University in Uttar Pradesh, India. However, I wanted to reach the height of our profession, which meant ACCA. I became a member in 2017.
Before qualifying I worked as accounting manager at Rwanda National Investment Trust. I then landed my dream role: the CFO position at Bank of Kigali General Insurance. The three years I served there really helped me to hone my business acumen, management, organisation behaviour and strategic thinking. Allied to audit experience gained earlier from a period as associate director at JNN Certified Public Accountants in Rwanda and Kenya, those skills were fundamental to my decision to set up DNR Partners as a practice in Rwanda.
I like the quote: ‘Quitters never win, and winners never quit’
I have a couple of favourite mantras. They include: ‘A better future lies in your own hands – attitude and determination will make it a reality,’ and ‘Don’t concentrate on the problems in achieving your goal but on the results you will enjoy after overcoming them.’ I also like the Napoleon Hill quote: ‘Quitters never win, and winners never quit.’
If I wasn’t an accountant, I think I would have enjoyed running my own engineering or law practice. Aside from that, as of now, investing in the banking sector also appeals me.
In my spare time I like to read books about business, leadership and human behaviour. I also like playing sports such as basketball, going to the gym and swimming. I enjoy lecturing and motivational speaking, and my religious activities.
