Sean, who says he has always had a passion for technology developments, said he saw the value of being a technology leader with a finance background appealing. \u201c Over the years at Standard Bank I had developed a passion for tech, and I decided that I would follow my heart. My past experience as a CFO brings different values and conversations to my current role.\u201d<\/p>\n
Addressing the audience of finance executives, Sean said technology, and the ability to evaluate its customer value proposition, is now an integral part of any executive role. \u201cAs technology shifts, changes and scales, we need to assess what we need to adopt and scale in our businesses.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tech-savvy tips<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/news.sap.com\/africa\/files\/2023\/03\/17\/DSCG5069-scaled-1-300x200.jpg\")
He gave two tips to those in attendance about being agile and adaptive with regards to technology.<\/p>\n
Firstly, he said leaders need to clearly identify the problem that needs to be solved through the implementation of technology. Once that is done then move the focus away from the technology itself and more towards the business value. \u201cIdeally leaders should move away from focusing on just the technology itself but also look at the value it adds to an organisation and how it is going to contribute to and benefit your customers and employees.\u201d<\/p>\n
His second piece of advice was to never shy away from asking questions when faced with content of a technical nature. \u201cThere is no such thing as a stupid question. Yes it may be awkward but in the end it will really help you to truly understand tech. If you can\u2019t understand the value of the tech to your organisation, maybe there isn\u2019t any. \u201c<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/news.sap.com\/africa\/files\/2023\/03\/17\/LIZF1128-scaled-1-300x200.jpg\")
51风流Africa<\/strong>\u00a0CFO\u00a0Sandi de Souza<\/strong>, who\u2019s journey panned out differently said she believes a balance between theoretical teachings and practical learning in the workplace is what hones leaders. \u201cEmbarking on my MBA after a few years in corporate opened my eyes on leadership styles. The theory and content learnt during the modules was great but the biggest takeaway [for me] was a change in personal development and thought process. The balance between the two allows one to approach issues differently.\u201d Sandi encouraged attendees to not shy away from learning and to be adaptive.<\/p>\n