In his partner address at the auspicious launch of the CFO East Africa Uganda chapter, EY Uganda managing partner Geoffrey Byamugisha hailed the community as a forum for advancing thought leadership within the finance sector, noting that it was vital for career growth.
EY Uganda managing partner Geoffrey Byamugisha attended the launch of the CFO East Africa Uganda chapter at the Kampala Serena, where he emphasised the importance of sharing experiences and building professional networks. He expressed his enthusiasm at the initiative, terming the firm’s decision to partner with the platform a “no-brainer”.
“As a professional services firm, we work with most of you, and we work with your organisations. And as CFOs we interact with you. Certainly, you're our gateways into your organisations. So it is important that we sit with you, network and share with you. Therefore, partnering is the only right thing to do,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of EY, Geoffrey highlighted opportunities for cooperation among financial services providers and finance leaders, saying the firm was keen to exchange knowledge and insights within an enabling environment. He urged finance leaders to join efforts in advancing their careers and avoid the solitary pursuit of knowledge. While acknowledging the critical position of CFOs, Geoffrey noted that they were the key to forming strong linkages with professional services firms such as EY and enabling the overall growth of the sector.
“As professionals we all want to continue growing our professional careers. It is not about the many books we read, but it's also about sharing experiences. And this is a very good place where we share experiences,” he said.
Geoffrey described partner organisation EY as the “most integrated professional services firm in the world”, citing its ability to mobilise its capabilities anywhere in the globe. In 2018, the firm announced an investment of $1 billion in new technology solutions, client services, and innovation. This investment, Geoffrey stated, positioned EY as a global leader in technology and digital innovation and allowed it to continue uninterrupted during the Covid-19 pandemic The firm also announced an investment of $1 billion in June 2024 as it aims to increase wages for entry-level accountants and expand its use of artificial intelligence.
CFOs in the region will once again converge at the CFO year end summit in Nairobi on 28 November, where they will recap their experiences, challenges, and triumphs and share insights ahead of the new year.
