This month SmartProcurement profiles Sese Chasakara, Chief Procurement Officer at the South African Reserve Bank
Full name: Sese Chasakara
Position: Chief Procurement Officer
Your organisation’s procurement expenditure: Sizable
Who does P & SM report to: Group CFO
Hear from Sese Chasakara at the Smart Procurement World Conference in September. He will be a panellist on the discussion around Why the C-suite needs CPOs to become strategic thinkers.
Private sector or Public sector: Independent
Core business activity of the enterprise: Central bank. The primary purpose of the Bank is to achieve and maintain price stability in the interest of balanced and sustainable economic growth in South Africa.
Number of people in your P & SM organisation: 54, including payables
Management motto: Do it right the first time and have a sense of urgency
Personal motto: Nothing is impossible
Membership of professional bodies: MCIPS
What is your vision for P & SM: To become inter-woven in the business fabric and not be seen as a bottleneck
Personal best achievement: I did the 1 Tonner cycling race, 186km of gruesome climbs and long flats, a true test of my endurance and resilience. I completed it and I knew then the power of setting goals and following through.
Most important commodities: I enjoy the IT and Operations commodities. Unfortunately, you don’t always have to work with what you like so I’ve grown to like all things procurement.
The person that has had the biggest influence on your life: My wife Shadi. She’s been there through the good and bad, always reassuring and affirming me. She has been a fantastic partner and mother and it’s hard to see myself having achieved all of this without her unwavering support.
The person that has had the biggest influence on your career: My previous boss at FirstRand, Indrasen Naidoo, who was tough, brutally honest but yet with a heart for his team. His approach was fresh, candid and I enjoyed knowing where he stood on a particular point at any given time without having to decipher any code.
Person you would most like to meet: The French president Emmanuel Macron, to share some tips on how he got that right at such a young age! Just goes to show that we set our own limits.
What do you like most about your job: I enjoy pushing the boundaries and transforming how my team operates. It is seldom that you get a blank canvas and you can redefine the norms. The number and complexity of projects that we have on the go and being part of a resilient team is exhilarating. I have a great team of leaders that make my work a pleasure.
Is there anything you dislike about your job: Sometimes the pace can get a bit slow but that just reminds me to keep pushing for improvement.
Business person who has impressed you most: Too many to mention here but they know who they are.
Favourite quote: “People spend their health chasing wealth, so that when they are old they use their wealth trying to regain their health”. So, this keeps me rounded and focused not to fall into the same trap!
Your favourite South African organisation: Right now, I’ve reached a stage where I’m not drawn to any particular organisation and have a more entrepreneurial mindset, to create my own organisation.
Your favourite global organisation: The same principle applies I guess. There are certain pockets of excellence that I would pick in creating the right mix for my next venture.
Your philosophy about life: Focus on the important things, life is too short.
Favourite reading: I enjoy management books and when I get time to unwind I read flying magazines.
Favourite music: I am mostly into Christian music and all flavours of it.
Favourite sport: I enjoy cycling, squash and tennis. In fact, I can watch just about any sport.
Favourite website: I visit lots of sites depending on what I’m looking for. Lately I’m looking at building my own flight simulator so I’m doing a lot of research on that.
Hobbies: I enjoy flying and planes in general.
Car: I like most fast cars.
Married: Yes, to Shadi a great wife, friend and mother.
Children: We have been blessed with 2 lovely princesses; Chenai (10) and Shamisa (6)
See the Smart Procurement World Gauteng programme for full details of all the procurement leaders who will take to the stage on 19 & 20 September 2017.
