The inaugural South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) Summit 2025 held at the Gallagher Convention Centre, marked a pivotal moment for the accounting profession in South Africa. Over three dynamic days, from the 14th of October and closing on 16 October 2025 the summit brought together thought leaders, professionals, and policymakers under the theme “Lead Boldly. Influence Intentionally. Impact Purposefully,” addressing critical issues from municipal financial recovery to AI ethics and personal branding.
In her opening address, Patricia Stock, CEO of SAICA, set the tone for the landmark event, declaring the Summit “a pinnacle event for not only our members but for anyone in the finance industry.” She emphasized the transformative journey of the chartered accountancy profession, stating, “Our profession is on its way to transformation and the work we do across the country has never been more important in shaping South Africa’s economic and social landscape.”
Day 1: Confronting Economic and Social Relevance
The summit opened with a powerful focus on national priorities, featuring a compelling keynote from Dr Namane Dickson Masemola, Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA). The Deputy Minister made an urgent plea for collaboration, revealing that 161 of South Africa’s 257 municipalities are at risk of collapse due to financial management failures.
“How do we work together – public and private sector and this body of professionals in particular – to bring together our expertise?” the Deputy Minister asked, highlighting the critical need for chartered accountants’ skills in municipal financial recovery. The day also featured high-level panels on economic investment and concurrent streams on entrepreneurship, climate change, and FinTech.
Day 2: Ethics and Wellness Take Centre Stage
The second day shifted to “Future-Ready Leadership,” featuring critical sessions on technological ethics and mental wellness. Kris Dobie, Senior Manager for Organisational Ethics at The Ethics Institute (TEI), delivered a stark warning about AI’s limitations, stating, “AI is not a rational agent that is going to be able to engage with us in a rational manner. It merely gives us very good information on texts.”
In the wellness stream, Ronel Jooste CA(SA), multi-award-winning entrepreneur and author, addressed the unique mental health challenges faced by professionals. “High performers often face unique mental health challenges, including depression and anxiety, due to the intense pressure they experience,” Jooste stated, providing practical strategies for building resilience.
Day 3: Personal Branding and Leadership Insights
The final day focused on “Future Focus & Young Professionals,” featuring a keynote from former Springboks captain John Smit, who translated leadership lessons from the sports field to the professional arena. A standout panel on personal branding featured Ehren Steenkamp, Head of Professional Banking at Standard Bank Private SA, delivered a powerful message on the foundation of personal branding. He introduced the concept of self-efficacy—the belief in one’s own abilities—and traced its roots to personal history and resilience.
“Before you can build the narrative of self-efficacy, it comes from your past experiences and narrative,” Steenkamp explained. “If you go back to your five-year-old self, your 10-year-old self, your 15-year-old self, your 22-year-old self when you left university, you would see the transition of a very resilient young person coming through the channels over time. And it is that authenticity, that resilience that builds the narrative of the future that you can become.”
He emphasized that brand building begins from day one in one’s career. “From the moment you enter the door, people are watching your every single move. They watch the way you walk, the way you talk, the way you dress. Are you late? Are you on time? Your contribution, is it valuable? And all those things then add and build to that brand equity and authenticity,” Steenkamp stated.
Addressing corporate brand leadership, Steenkamp shared insights from Standard Bank’s 163-year legacy. “This entire massive ship was bequeathed to us that are there now as leaders and it’s our responsibility to take this trusted brand forward,” he said, highlighting the weight of responsibility that comes with representing an established institution.
Pondo Belot, SAICA Chief Experience Officer, illustrated the power of personal brand, noting, “When people trust you as a person and the brand that you show up in… they will advocate for you.”
Celebrating Excellence and Partnership
The summit culminated in the prestigious SAICA Awards, celebrating Trainee Trailblazers and Top-35-Under-35 professionals. SAICA extended gratitude to its sponsors, including Platinum sponsors Standard Bank, Finnivo, and Intuit QuickBooks, whose support was instrumental in bringing the inaugural summit to life.
A Consequential Gathering for the Profession
The SAICA Summit 2025 successfully established itself as an essential platform for addressing the profession’s most pressing challenges and opportunities. From confronting national crises in local government finance to navigating the ethical complexities of emerging technologies, the summit provided both inspiration and practical strategies for accountants to lead boldly into the future.