Driven by values beyond formulas

Driven by values beyond formulas

A profile of Similan Financial Director and Chief Operations Officer Arina Marais

“When you work in finance, every mistake has a Rand value to it, yet we also have to look past the numbers and consider the people involved. Sometimes they need some grace and help to understand the right and best way forward,” Arina Marais, chief operations officer and financial director for the Similan group of companies, sketch the challenging nature of her work for a ‘list and numbers’ type of personality. Fortunately, she has found a way of calmly navigating this challenge.

She enjoys figuring things out and working with a plan to ensure that a process runs smoothly. ?They have many opportunities to do that at Similan. Marais has played a key role in defining the structure and processes for the finance team and other operational teams where required. She is responsible for budgeting, cashflow management, insurance management, directing HR functions and overseeing the overall office administration to ensure company compliance.

The right paperwork from start to finish

“It can be tempting to get going with a new project but all the legal paperwork must first be in place. If not, you are almost certain to run into trouble a couple of months or even years later when everyone’s expectations are not met.”

Budgeting with the big picture in mind

Setting budgets, managing the cash flow and payments and reporting on actual versus budgeted results for the group and their various large-scale property developments is no small task. It requires an understanding of the bigger picture and the direction the company is heading in to steer the company sound and safely. “When I don’t understand why I have to pay someone or for something, I know I have to dig deeper to find a possible mistake or to be sure we can move forward the right way.”

Checks and balances protect more than assets

With the press of a few buttons a number of things can either work well or go wrong. One of the areas where this can easily happen is with the insurance of properties. It is vital to have checks in place to ensure the right properties are added or removed from the register of insured assets. Uninsured properties can lead to big losses for either the company or their clients in the case of damage to a property.

The value of training

It has taken hard work to put good processes in place but it is paying off for the company, their clients and on a personal level. “It gives me a great sense of satisfaction when I know that I have done my best and have done the right thing to implement best practices

The company has set a good foundation to empower people and help them grow. “There is value in a good system and a culture of continuous learning. A team should be able to go on even when one person is unavailable for some time.”???

Training is very important. The most efficient way to train staff is through on-the-job training – while you are busy with a particular function. I would often stop, call a person and show them how to do something. Sometimes it takes more effort to train people than to fix an error yourself, but the big pitfall of that is that you do not upskill people if you fix their errors.

Ethical business practices ?

Ethical business practice is of utmost importance in the financial sector regardless of your position. Marais sees it as part of her core values and she strives to act with integrity in all spheres of her life. It can sometimes be hard to defend tough decisions or to consider grey areas and show people some grace to learn from their mistakes. One of her winning traits is how she takes time to think difficult questions through and calmly considers it from different angles before taking action.

?When you have a good system and team, audits are not something to fear. “The two crucial things for seamless audits are proper monthly processes and staff taking ownership of their role. I am in a fortunate position to have both of these success factors in my team.” Marais says.

New opportunities to join the Similan team

The Similan team is expanding. A new position recently opened in the finance department. ?It is an opportunity to join a team of ‘amazing people’ and where you can learn a lot and earn flexibility. Who would be the ideal person to join the Similan team? Marais says it would be a self-driven person. “You need to be driven to grow. That is not a skill that can be taught. You have to choose it.” She says it is important to ask questions and investigate a matter until you understand why things are done a certain way. She believes that Similan provides a safe environment where they want people to grow.

Her commitment to building a team who takes responsibility and can trust each other so they can work and grow together shines through her calm confidence in their collective future.??

?To find out more about Similan’s work and opportunities to work with Arina Marais and her team, visit www.similan.co.za or contact us at [email protected]