Finance and technology leaders are finding their roles more intertwined than ever. The success of any organisation increasingly depends on how well its finance directors and chief information officers work together to balance innovation with impact. While technology brings the tools and possibilities, finance keeps the business grounded in value creation and measurable results.
For Doreen Mangesho, finance director at PASS Trust, and Francis Musyoka, group finance director at GardaWorld Africa, the partnership between finance and IT is about more than budgets and systems. Both leaders agree that technology must enable business growth, not exist for its own sake. They believe that when CIOs speak the language of value, understand financial priorities, and design systems with compliance and agility in mind, they transform from back-office support into true business partners.
Collaboration and clarity
“CIOs sometimes forget we’re in a business context, not a classroom,” Doreen says with a laugh. “They need to be adaptable to change and focus on innovation that directly supports strategic finance.”
From her perspective, there are three priorities she wishes CIOs understood better: strategic focus, smart investment and the power of digital marketing in driving sales. But she admits that IT conversations can sometimes get too technical. “The focus tends to be on system maintenance, security and licensing fees,” she says. “If they also emphasised how technology investments link to revenue growth, like through innovation hubs, then we would connect more easily.”
Doreen believes the key to better collaboration lies in clarity and numbers. “CIOs should show how technology contributes to revenue growth and cost minimisation through real data, like ROI and improved system utilisation,” she explains. “That’s what makes financial discussions faster and more impactful.”
She’s also an advocate for seeing ICT as more than just a support unit. “It should be recognised as a business unit,” she says. “Through innovations in areas like AI and data analytics, ICT provides real time data that supports decision-making and drives growth.”
Doreen’s finance background makes her particularly alert to compliance and audit considerations, areas she believes should never be an afterthought. “System controls need to be built in from the start,” she advises. “External auditors need assurance that they’re effective, and users must understand them too.” She adds, “It saves a lot of back-and-forth later.”
Despite her practical mindset, Doreen’s respect for tech leaders runs deep. “I admire their commitment and intelligence,” she says. “They are disciplined and they keep our systems running smoothly, often behind the scenes.”
And sometimes, they deliver pleasant surprises. She recalls an instance when a CIO tackled a tricky revenue leakage issue by integrating two systems. “It was brilliant,” she says. “They closed loopholes that had allowed receipts to be waived unnoticed. The solution improved efficiency, transparency, and accountability all at once.”
Still, the finance-tech partnership isn’t all serious talk. “When systems go down, the CIO is the first person I call, sometimes even before IT logs the ticket,” Doreen says.
But her favourite collaboration moment was when finance had to explain basic accounting concepts, like debits and credits, to the ICT team during a process redesign. “It was a fun experience,” she recalls. “It helped us all understand each other better and led to a more accurate system design.”
When asked about the CIO’s most valuable contribution to finance, she doesn’t hesitate: the ERP system. “It has been a game changer,” she says. “It integrates procurement, warehouse, sales, banking, assets, and reporting. It’s improved efficiency, enhanced visibility, and eliminated duplicate payments.”
According to Doreen, successful collaboration between finance and technology comes down to one thing: partnership. “If CIOs can link technology to business goals and speak the language of value creation,” she says, “then finance will always be on their side.”
Enablement, alignment and cybersecurity
Francis Musyoka, group finance director at GardaWorld Africa, sees technology as the enabler rather than the hero of the story.
“We cannot automate what we cannot do on paper or manually,” he says matter-of-factly. “Technology should strengthen sound processes, not replace them.”
Francis believes that while innovation is exciting, business reality should always come first. “CIOs need to distinguish between nice-to-have and must-have technology,” he explains. “It is about balancing blue ocean innovation with the current need to sustain and survive.” In other words, great ideas must make financial sense.
He is clear about what he wants from his technology counterparts: IT projects that directly improve margins, reduce costs, or open new revenue streams. “When presenting business cases, show me measurable KPIs like payback period, IRR or NPV, not just technical specifications,” he says with a knowing smile. “Innovation is wonderful, but financial impact is what gets board approval.”
Fortunately, at GardaWorld Africa, the relationship between finance and technology is strong. “Our CIOs are business enablers,” Francis says proudly. “They speak the language of end-user needs, and they have an entrepreneurial mindset. That alignment makes all the difference.”
When it comes to financial discussions about technology, Francis prefers to keep things straightforward. “Talk about return on investment, the benefit to the business now and in the future,” he advises. For him, it is always about understanding who pays and who gains. “Someone must pay for every project, the business through inflows, the customer, or the investor,” he says. “It is that simple.”
His view on system design is equally pragmatic “In Africa, regulations shift constantly,” he says. “We need agile systems that can adapt quickly to change while maintaining strong controls and compliance.”
He points to data protection, financial reporting standards, and cybersecurity as non-negotiables. “Cybersecurity is not just IT’s problem,” he says. “It is a balance sheet issue.”
What he most admires about CIOs is their calm and methodical nature. “They handle projects and crises without losing focus on day-to-day operations,” he says. “That discipline keeps the business moving.”
A standout moment for Francis was during GardaWorld Africa’s finance transformation project two years ago. “We aligned the chart of accounts into one unified structure and standardised reporting across all markets,” he recalls. “Our CIO, IT director and finance teams worked seamlessly together to make it happen. The change management was incredible.”
Of course, not every call to the CIO is about a largescale project. Francis chuckles, “Sometimes the first call is simply about a lost laptop.”
But at the heart of it all is partnership. “Our CIO has been an invaluable business partner and enabler,” he says. “They ensure we transact every day, powered by people, enabled by technology.”
