The 2018 Global Leadership Forecast found that gender-diverse organisations have higher quality leadership, are more agile, grow faster, and are more likely to experiment in pursuit of different and innovative approaches, and innovation is exactly what’s up Prinisha Khoosal’s sleeve as the first female Chief Financial Officer at Bridgestone South Africa.
Khoosal could not have come at a better time as South Africa and the global community are reeling at the hands of COVID-19, which has negatively impacted businesses, requiring many companies, Bridgestone Southern Africa included, to carefully navigate through a recessive and unpredictable economy. “This is an unprecedented time and it calls for high agility and a mindset of change to embrace the challenges and respond appropriately. Cash preservation during these times is key for the sustainability of the business and needs strong financial governance and control to ensure it withstands the changes. I plan to drive and be part of the response plan for Bridgestone while instilling a cost-conscious culture during this difficult time,” says Khoosal on settling into her new job.
Backed with over 21 years’ experience in commercial finance, Khoosal is a seasoned executive who has held various leadership roles in high-profile companies such British Petroleum BP Southern Africa where she filled the role of Commercial Integration Manager from 2016 until joining Bridgestone South Africa in July 2020. In this role, she was responsible for providing financial and strategic partnership to and end-to-end financial performance management for the SA Fuels business.
At Blackberry, she moved up the ranks swiftly becoming head of EMEA Regional Finance in 2014, where she played the role of finance support to the vice president of EMEA, driving business strategy and strategic business goals. Other companies she has worked for in a finance role include Motorola Sub Saharan Africa, Procter & Gamble South Africa and Universal Pictures in London, to mention but a few.
“We are delighted that an executive of Prinisha calibre and experience is now a part of Bridgestone Southern Africa family. Her track record speaks for itself, and her expertise in financial management solutions, business partnering and customer focus orientation will be invaluable as the company prepares to optimise its operations and take advantage of new opportunities,” says Jacques Fourie, CEO of Bridgestone South Africa. “Pleasing to see her break the tradition of male CFOs at our company and such is the diversity we are committed to harness and cultivate in our company and industry.”
Khoosal comes armed with a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Business Finance and Economics from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and is currently pursuing a managerial level certificate with the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. Her immediate priority is to understand the key business drivers that underpin the strategy of the tyre manufacture’s business and ensure that her finance department is fit for purpose to support that strategy for success. “Cash preservation is definitely high on my priority list to ensure we have business continuity and growth for the future,” she concludes.
Khoosal brings into the C-suite her caring and supportive nature as well as her passion for coaching and mentoring, which will stand her in good stead to build a strong team.
