Shaah is a chartered accountant and was recently headhunted for a post at a multinational shipping company, C. Steinweg Bridge. He is the company’s new financial manager for corporate services, working closely with the chief financial officer and group legal adviser.

 

Upholding standards is essential

 

Shaah believes that institutions such as the NWU can contribute to safeguarding the integrity of the accounting profession by highlighting the importance of ethical behaviour, not only in the corporate world but also in everyday life. Another way for the university to contribute is by continually emphasising the importance of upholding the standards, guidelines and legislation that are already in existence.

 

In this way, corporate scandals in the business world in South Africa and internationally, can be avoided or detected earlier.

 

 

Shaah says a challenge that the profession faces is that unscrupulous individuals take advantage of loopholes that might exist.“Due to large numbers of transactions, auditors cannot do a 100% verification. They have to rely on testing and controls that are in place. Unfortunately criminals will always find ways to bypass these tests and controls,” he warns.

 

However, he still believes that there are sufficient and adequate measures in place to safeguard the integrity of the accounting profession.

 

“If a person carries the designation CA(SA), he or she should have a thorough knowledge and understanding of all standards, laws and codes,” says Shaah, who previously worked as an audit manager at auditing firm PwC, based in the company’s Mahikeng office. He joined PwC immediately after finishing university and remained with them for five years.

 

Recently, he decided to venture into the world of shipping and relocate from Mahikeng to Johannesburg so that he could spread his wings professionally.  “I felt that I should not let the opportunity slip by as it presented great possibilities for learning, personal growth and development.”

 

Due to his work commitments, Shaah has not been able to enrol for any other programme since qualifying, but he says he certainly wants to study further, especially in the field he works in, namely management, strategy and finance.