Meet our New Group Finance Director: Nopasika Lila

True to the Barloworld Way of consistently setting the stage for change, newly appointed Group Financial Director Nopasika Lila has entered the organisation at a time when women-led divisions that usher organisation into the fourth industrial revolution couldn’t be more necessary.

Lila’s new role as Group FD of Barloworld comes after a career spearheaded by illustrious leadership roles at organisations such as the Eskom Pension and Provident Fund where she was CFO and later CEO, Astute Intellect, and the PIC as well as serving on boards of organisations such as Nampak, enXnGroup Limited, Batseta Retirement Fund, the Johannesburg Development Agency, and Basil Read.

Barloworld have provided the stage for Lila with a role that not only speaks to her passion for the importance of finance but also her appetite for a challenge in industries that are not common territory for women. A qualified Chartered Accountant who boasts a legion of qualifications, Lila is ready to play her crucial role in ushering Barloworld with its 117 year old legacy into the future.

“The role requires a receptive and malleable individual to the dynamics and change” she says, “Honesty, transparency and integrity have always been values that have carried me through in whatever I do as I engaged with people and business in general. Optimism however is key. A key thing I realized is that optimism is a choice of attitude, so I remain positive irrespective of whatever situation. Being optimistic has always been a key value that has contributed immensely to my success.”

With Barloworld’s purpose being of that to inspire a world of difference and to enable growth and progress in society, the key initiatives she would be keen on introducing in order to fulfil her division’s mandate on that are those which focus on full engagement with the team, transformation and true empowerment. Barloworld Mbewu is a key programme she wants to play a role in seeing the success of through this very same tool of engagement. Although she officially starts in August, Lila already stresses that engagement should be at the epicenter as it fosters active learning and collective support throughout the entire value chain of entrepreneurship. Lila’s approach based on collective involvement and support underpinned by the enduring jolt of optimism is indicative of a leader determined to define a renewed destiny for her division and the value it brings to the organisation as a whole. This inspiring energy she has for her division is coupled with a deep sense of gratitude to the CEO, Dominic Sewela, and the board for her appointment.