Ebrahim Tootla, Head of Shari’ah Treasury & Finance, Standard Bank
The maxim “there are no problems in life, only opportunities” and working his passion has enabled Ebrahim Tootla, fondly known as Toots to clock up many achievements in just four years of having qualified as a chartered accountant. In this inspiring discussion, Toots shares how he self-funded his studies initially and how stayed the course after the devastating loss of three of his grandparents in his honors year, the same year he helped to start a bank within a bank. He discusses his lessons learnt working in remote parts of Africa, the barriers in setting up a bank within a bank, what it takes to overcome the challenges and the competitive edge that won them the 2020 Global Islamic Finance award making it the best emerging Islamic bank in the world. He shares how being a Chartered Accountant is not just about the numbers, it’s about understanding what drives the numbers and how banking has a role to play in facilitating the whole business ecosystem. Hard work and a never-give-up attitude have allowed him to merge a formally excluded part of the financial sector into the formal economy. This solution not only touches South Africa but has the potential to reach deep into unbanked Africa − which is where his next challenge lies. An inspirational story of a millennial leader making a notable impact… toot toot watch this space.
Topics Covered In This Episode
– Work life balance
– Self-funding university education
– Loss as a driving force
– Perseverance, a lesson from Africa
– Difference between Islamic & Traditional banking
– Working in your passion drives up effectiveness
– Barriers in setting up a bank within a bank
– Getting buy-in, in a complex environment
– Creating a competitive edge
– Mentorship accelerates success
– Accountable leadership
– Advice to fellow CA graduates
– The next big milestone
– Bringing humanity back to banking
– Banking facilitating the business ecosystem
– Doing what you love brings fulfilment
– It’s exciting to be in a digitized world
– Let’s respect planet earth and each other
Connect with Ebrahim Tootla
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