- Hi folks! This is the side of Julian Johnson. I am a proud South African and a SAICA (South African Institute of Chartered Accountants) Chartered Accountant.
- I have worked across the continent, faced failures, molded myself into different job profiles, and now… I am the CFO and COO of a leading renewable energy power producer in Africa.
- Here’s my story. how I became the CFO and COO of a leading company under the age of 35.
Tracing My Ancestors: How I Began My Career in California
Born and brought up in Johannesburg, I am a proud second-generation Chinese South African.
Growing up as a minority (in the final years of apartheid) we never quite fitted on the South African ‘color spectrum’ which created a challenging dynamic of neither being ‘white enough’ nor ‘black enough’.My parents went through a lot of hardships and made many sacrifices to ensure I could have a better future.
During my 11th grade year, I undertook a job shadowing programmes at PwC, South Africa. At that time, I didn’t know entirely what PwC did or what auditing was. Honestly, I didn’t even know what a chartered accountant was! But this exposure to the “business world” opened my eyes to a wider world.
So, my love for mathematics and accountancy at school combined with my understanding of the practical finance world encouraged me to pursue chartered accounting. And here began my CA journey.
Contrary to what I had expected, my CA journey was not a straight road. I failed multiple times. I had excelled academically throughout school, so when I kept failing my exams, I could not understand what happened or why I failed!
And when I combined that with the general message that “you need to clear the CA in the first attempt to have a successful career, otherwise you are doomed,” my expectations from myself were jolted hard and fast. It was very frustrating.
Coming out of this space required some deep introspection about my life ahead—why was I failing, what I wanted to do with my life, and those existential questions, you know!
This gave me some profound answers that I was looking for. Facing failures developed a “never-give-up” attitude in me. Critically, it made me strive for more. I now wanted to prove to myself that “I can do it.”
In hindsight, I feel grateful that I went through these challenges early on in my career. It molded me into what I am today.
For those who have failed, this is what I advise: “Pick yourself up and give it another go.” “It is not the end of the world, and it will, most definitely, not define your career.”
Making A Leap Into The Corporate World
Following my articles, I moved to KPMG’s Advisory division, where I gained experience with a wide range of clients and business issues. During this time, I realized I wanted to leap into the corporate world.
I was fortunate to secure a position at MTN Group as an analyst. Being a part of such a big company ensured that my foundation was solid. It even prepared me for the future that followed.
After being with MTN for 6 years (at that point, I was the senior manager for consolidations and group reporting at MTN), I was presented with an opportunity at BioTherm Energy as a senior finance manager (by a headhunter).
Company Information: Backed by the world’s leading emerging market investors, Actis, BioTherm Energy is actively investing in wind and solar projects across Africa, with nearly 400 MW of wind and solar projects under construction in South Africa and Kenya.
This was a golden opportunity because I was
- Presented with a chance to be a part of a positive effort to develop our continent,
- provided new challenges to improve my skills and experience,
- had greater exposure to the operational side of running a private equity-backed business.
And since I was moving from a large corporation (MTN) to a boutique business (BioTherm Energy), before accepting the opportunity, I asked myself the following questions:
- Is it a business or industry that I would love to be a part of?
- Will it allow me to develop new skills?
- Would those skills assist my career development and the achievement of my goals?
- Are the assets under management significant?
- Could I make an impact?
Five yeses is a pretty compelling reason to take the opportunity. And I did just that! I joined BioTherm Energy.
After almost 3 years at BioTherm Energy, I decided to move to another company in a transaction capital profile. However, after just a few months, I rejoined BioTherm Energy as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and the Chief Operating Officer (COO). You won’t believe it, but I was under 35 years of age then. “Really?” I know, I know!:)
I have worked across the continent, which has allowed me to experience the incredible diversity and beauty of Africa. More importantly, it gave me a tremendous depth of understanding and experience, which enabled me to be valuable in the work that I do today.
My Experiences as CFO and COO and Transforming into a Young Leader
I am deeply inspired by Theodore Roosevelt’s phrase, “DARE GREATLY.” Aim high to go far. I did just that.
I have been immensely fortunate to have worked with (and continue to work with) some truly amazing leaders who saw potential in me and allowed me the opportunity to test myself, stretch my abilities, and demonstrate my capabilities from an early stage in my career.
This comes with trust, and trust needs to be earned. It doesn’t come easy. Can I give you the secret sauce? To build trust, rise to the occasion, meet the expectations, and prove yourself by delivering value.
When I first started to lead people, I struggled to find the balance between being empathetic and wanting the job done at any cost. With time, I learned. The role of CFO and COO transformed me into a leader. This might sound cliché, but the people who form your team are your greatest assets, and they should be treated as such.
A good leader must be patient enough to make mistakes, observe other leaders, improve self-awareness, and learn.
If mistakes are made, own up to them and speak with people, colleagues, and peers. You can always fix an error, as we all make mistakes, but what matters most is how we deal with our mistakes and errors.
What Happens When the CFO also serves as the COO?
The roles of CFO and COO are inextricably linked: being involved in operations and understanding the best way to support the company’s strategy and growth. It is also essential to understand the finances that drive the operations, what should be done, and what is on the fringes.
A CFO takes care of the finances. More than that, they add value to the operations of a business through understanding:
- how the various components of a business fit together,
- the regulatory frameworks in which it needs to operate successfully, and
- the money that drives the business (numbers are important!)
- COO stands for Chief Operating Officer and is a high-level executive running the actual operations of a company. The role of COO is not as traditionally defined as other C-suite roles. It generally aligns with the strengths of the individual in the position.
As the COO, you:
- look at various non-financial aspects of a business and how these other areas support the overall strategy.
- are required to help make the CEO’s vision a reality and make them more effective and complete.
- Be operationally focused, which allows for deeper involvement in strategy and specific business needs.
- As a CFO, you generally have corporate finance and ancillary finance functions reporting to you. As a COO, you have operations, HR, IT, and other functions of a business reporting to you.
So, if you are interested in the operational side of a business, becoming a COO should be added to a CA’s career goals.
On the other hand, CEOs are in charge of “where the company is going,” while COOs are in charge of “how the company will get there.”
My Advice for New Leaders in Making
Over the course of my career, I have learned a lot, and I continue to learn every day. I teach some valuable lessons. I teach some valuable lessons. I teach some valuable lessons. I teach some valuable lessons. I teach some valuable lessons. I teach some valuable lessons. I teach some valuable lessons. I teach some valuable lessons. I teach some valuable lessons. I teach some valuable lessons. I teach some valuable lessons. I teach some valuable lessons. I teach some valuable lessons. I teach some valuable lessons. That being said, don’t just engage with leaders but also listen to all levels of staff. Learn from others’ experiences.
My best piece of advice for leaders in any field would be this:
- Stay humble. Ego is your worst enemy. Never believe you are above anyone.
- Do not presume to know what a person is or is not going through. They are not just your employees. They are people; they have lives too. Be empathetic.
- Make decisions carefully, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Keep learning.
- Leaders have to make tough calls, and not everyone is going to agree with you. Let go of the fear of being unpopular and always be fair, consistent, and real.
- Treat everyone fairly, whether they are senior or junior. Everyone has something to contribute to your company.
- Action always speaks louder than words, so believe in doing.
Wrapping It Up
“The only impossible journey is the one you never begin.”
This was my journey as a CA, CFO, COO, and leader. There were roadblocks in my journey as well. It wasn’t easy. It required work. It required dedication.
All I can say is that skills can always be learned, but the most tricky part is learning how to deal with people and politics. And when in such a situation, always rise above it and act with honor. If you don’t face challenges, you don’t grow.
I did it. And you can do it too.
Start somewhere. Work towards your goals. Be steadfast and seek advice when needed. Stay humble. Always be the real, authentic you.
And… never think you’re too old to learn something new.
