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New Chief of Internal Audit at Nedbank started her career “by accident”

New Chief of Internal Audit at Nedbank started her career “by accident”

Filling the very large shoes of Nedbank’s former Chief of Internal Audit, Willem Burger, is no small undertaking but that is exactly what a young chartered accountant intends doing.

Recently appointed as Chief of Internal Audit at Nedbank Namibia, Brigitte Kisting’s vision is to bring the same gravitas to her position as her no-nonsense predecessor did. She said she grabbed the opportunity to work for the green bank due to the vast mentorship opportunities among peers in the field as well as the opportunity to make her mark in building the internal audit capacity.

She landed in accounting by accident. Not knowing which career to pursue and somewhat overwhelmed at the myriad of possibilities, she received a bursary to study accounting and that is where it all started.

After completing her articles as a public accountant, Kisting worked as associate director for two large local auditing firms.

The work of a Chartered Accountant she described as fascinating. ”The fact that there are so many different career opportunities truly fascinates me about this field, it transcends the traditional roles.” She believes that Chartered Accountants can make vast contributions to the success of a business, given their qualifications, skills and experience. In her new job she is responsible for evaluating accounting, financial, credit and other operational procedures.

Announcing Kisting’s appointment, Nedbank stated that is places a high value on Chartered Accountants, seeing them as strategic financial advisors given the complex business environment they operate in.

Kisting obtained her accounting degree from the University of Namibia, afterwards doing the statutory Certificate of Accounting through the University of KwaZulu Natal.

After completing her articles and qualifying as a Chartered Accountant, she specialised in forensic investigations and disputes. She said her academic and professional journey has exposed her to many remarkable chartered accountants who she looks up to, particularly those who have succeeded despite difficult circumstances.

She encourages young women to follow in her footsteps and become trailblazers in the field. “It is one of the most empowering things you can do for yourself. It takes hard work but once you are on the other side it is more than worth it,” she said.

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