Prior to joining Inyange Industries, FD Paul Tuyizere audited a number of manufacturing companies, which gave him insight into the sector and taught him how to handle high pressure situations.
Paul Tuyizere graduated with a bachelor’s in applied science in accounting from the University of Rwanda in 2017 and solidified his expertise by qualifying as a CPA through the Institute of Certified Professional Accountants of Rwanda (ICPAR). He served as a senior auditor at BDO in Rwanda before joining Inyange Industries, where he rose through the ranks to become finance director in May 2023.
Inyange is among the biggest manufacturing companies in Rwanda. It is engaged in the business of producing and selling a wide variety of fruit and dairy related products, which are sold locally and internationally. The company has close to 500 employees with a fifth of them working under Paul in accounting and related areas.
“My responsibilities include handling all matters finance and internal control. Additionally, I am responsible for stakeholder relationships with customers, suppliers and financiers who include local banks,” he explains.
Prior to joining Inyange, Paul audited a number of manufacturing companies, which gave him insight into the sector and taught him how to handle high pressure situations. As FD, he alleviates stress by doing proper planning.
“When you allocate time appropriately to administrative tasks such as reviewing and signing documents, it allows you to execute expeditiously without interruptions which then frees you up to attend to other duties with your full attention. Doing too many things at the same time means you will not get much done,” he asserts.
Price points
Many of Paul’s charges are much older than him and he navigates the age difference by showing them maximum respect. When issuing instructions, he communicates these from a point of view of collaborative execution rather than coming across as dictating orders as a boss.
His key to success is maintaining focus and specialising in accounting from secondary school. He is also teaching accounting at the University of Rwanda, which gives him an excellent command of the discipline.
“I am currently studying to become a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA),” Paul reveals. “My position requires strategic thinking and analysis which I believe I can enhance through CFA studies. The lessons have been useful in my current role. For example, I have gathered tools on how to assess lead times for inventory so as to effectively manage working capital.”
“Other learnings relate to pricing strategies. For instance, management may consider offering a discount in order to push product sales. This may sound like a good idea but research shows that it may be difficult to return the price point to its original number. As such, it is better to do things like buy two get one free which achieve the same goal without amending the price point,” he continues.
Between his CFA studies, his CFO job and his role as a lecturer, Paul does not get much time to spend with his family during the week. Consequently, he dedicates his weekends to quality time with his wife and their young son, cherishing the moments outside the professional realm.
