28/03/2019

Our first TGS Womennovator Champion

Doing business Social responsibility

Empowering Women in Financial Services
Nkhesani Kapena, director at 1.2.3. Consulting, South Africa.

TGS celebrates its very first communication champion for Womennovator Virtual Incubator 2019: Nkhesani Kapena from South Africa.

Nkhesani, tell us about yourself, and your place in TGS South Africa.

“I’m one of the directors in a company called 1.2.3. Consulting (Pty) Ltd a TGS member firm based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Our firm is a financial services advisory business that houses outsourced, Accounting, Taxation, Special projects, Financial statements preparation, Statutory and Payroll services.

We also have a subsidiary Zero 1.2.3. Consulting (Pty) Ltd: an innovative accounting business that houses clients that use Xero and it’s our flagship for all other new accounting software solutions on the market.

We are present in all the major metropoles in the country and we are one of two TGS member firms in South Africa. The second member, TGS South Africa (Pty) Ltd is an external audit firm that has been in operation for 25 years and is headed by managing partner, Fabrizio Aldrighetti and 5 senior partners.

I manage the, Accounting, Payroll, and Special projects divisions for 1.2.3. Consulting (Pty) Ltd and I’ve been with them since 2007. Our firm nurtures the empowerment and education of women in the financial services industry, allowing myself and many others like me to progress and to grow professionally over the years. Women actually hold the majority of the top positions in our organization.”

Through the power of networking in the Womennovator initiative, we can explore strategies and solutions that will empower women in business. We are all working towards a common goal and I must say, a very noble one at that.

Why did you decide to join Womennovator?

“I heard about Womennovator for the first time last year through Tripti Somani from the TGS member firm in India, KG Somani. We might be from different continents but we were perfectly aligned in terms of issues and objectives.  Tripti’s Womennovator initiative appealed to me because I have a passion for startups (in fact we have a special service offering in our firm for startups) and I am passionate about female-owned businesses and empowerment.

There are too few women in business as it is and even fewer in the tech and fintech spaces. I believe there are a lot of women that want to get into those spaces and Womennovator is a great platform to encourage, support and empower that to happen worldwide. TGS is about making connections and about making things happen.  

In South Africa, there is a real drive to get women into business. In fact, a lot of companies get rewarded and have access to many business opportunities as a result of empowering women in some way.”

What do you think the impact of Womennovator will be?

Womennovator will be great, not only for the TGS Global network but also for TGS members worldwide. The more women that get into business, the more businesses exist that will require financial advisory services.  So it’s going to create a virtuous circle.

Encouraging and working together on the Womennovator initiative will not only make a real difference in people’s lives but it will also in create more business for our member firms. In Africa, we believe that if you empower a woman, you empower a nation. I truly believe Womennovator will make a huge impact at both a micro and macro level and that makes it a really great cause for TGS to support”.

In Africa we believe that if you empower a woman, you empower a nation and I truly believe Womennovator will have a huge impact.

Nkhesani Kapena, director at 1.2.3. Consulting, South Africa.

What do you believe the role is for TGS in empowering women worldwide?

There is power in networking. Through the Womennovator initiative, we can formulate strategies and solutions that empower women in business. I’ve been doing quite a lot of networking and travelling across the African continent and the number of women trying their hand at some really exciting and innovative work is encouraging and impressive.

There is a real need for Womennovator as it will encourage structure and support for small businesses. It will also be great to network with other women via Womennovator in other TGS member firms and strategize around issues like financial literacy for business owners, funding and empowerment.

At the end of the day, we are all working towards a common and very noble goal. TGS is empowering women, empowering business and empowering women in business.”

If you want to become the communication champion in your region, or want to know more about the project Womennovator Virtual Incubator 2019

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