Regional executives

As regional executives, we are the interface between SAICA, its members and its stakeholders. We promote and create a positive awareness of the SAICA-wide strategic initiatives that benefit members, stakeholders and the broader economy and society. We also facilitate valuable member and stakeholder insights, and assist other divisions in empowering members to be business leaders in South Africa and globally.

Ciara is the Regional Executive of SAICA for the Northern Region, which includes Gauteng, Limpopo and Mpumalanga. She joined SAICA in 2019 and is based in SAICA’s Johannesburg office.

Ciara’s aim is to ensure that the interests of all the Northern Region members are safeguarded and optimised, providing member value in the public interest.

Her wide-ranging experience, gained both in and out of the accounting, auditing and related business environments, assist her in her stakeholder- and member-engagement function, enabling her to understand the broader issues from an array of diverse perspectives.

Her prior experience includes:

• Extensive interaction with regulators, including the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (the CIPC), the Financial Services Conduct Authority (FSCA, formally the FSB (Financial Services Board)), the Council for Medical Schemes, the Johannesburg Securities Exchange (the JSE) and the Estate Agency Affairs Board (the EAAB), among others.
• Specialisation in audit and assurance, previously the Senior Professional Manager: Standards at the Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors (IRBA), where she was employed for 12 years, and the Senior Executive: Audit and Assurance at SAICA.
• Projects with large audit firms and small- and medium-sized practices regarding audit reform, professional ethics, legislation impacting the profession, and governance considerations for the profession, advocating on behalf of the profession.
• Four years at Alexander Forbes, in its Retirement Funds Division, as a technical specialist.
• Articles served at KPMG in Windhoek, Namibia, where she focused on a variety of clients including the financial services, retail, telecommunications, electricity distribution and fishing sectors.
• Membership of the IRBA COVID Task Force, leading the audit work stream for guidance for auditors during COVID.
• Presenting on various topics in South Africa, Africa and internationally.

Her alma maters are Wits University, where she graduated in 1998 and UCT’s Graduate School of Business, where she obtained a Post-Graduate Diploma in Executive Leadership Development in 2005.

Christiaan is the regional executive of SAICA for the Western Cape and Eastern Cape. He joined SAICA in 2014 and is based in SAICA’s Cape Town offices.

His wide-ranging bouquet of South African and international experience, gained both in and out of the accounting and related business environments, assist him in his stakeholder- and member-engagement function, enabling him to understand the broader issues from an array of diverse perspectives.

His prior experience can be summarised in three broad areas:

• Corporate financial management, specifically valuations of non-listed entities (SMEs) and related business advisory services (Business Growth Africa, Galileo Capital, SCMB)
• Facilitating and lecturing, mostly on strategy and planning, investment appraisals and forecasting – both at South African university level and internationally on Continuing Professional Development programmes (UCT, UP, Africa, Europe, Middle East)
• Project management – managing various interdisciplinary projects both in South Africa and abroad (SAICA, TNT International [the Netherlands], Africon [Namibia], Deloitte)

Christiaan is also active in the regional business community serving on various panels, including as chairperson of the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s audit committee and member of the UCT School of Accounting’s Advisory Board.

He is an alumnus of both Stellenbosch (undergraduate) and UJ (CTA) and did his articles at Deloitte Pretoria.

Naeem Asvat joined SAICA in 2007 as the regional executive for SAICA Eastern Region and is based in Durban.

Prior to joining SAICA, he was a senior manager in the Accounting Advisory Services division at KPMG.

Naeem's experience has been extensive and includes external and internal audit, forensic investigations, tax compliance and tax consulting as well as various other consulting assignments.

He was assigned to KPMG's Manchester office on a short-term assignment in the external audit division which included conversions from UK GAAP to US GAAP. He has also undertaken International Financial Reporting Standards conversions in South Africa and Namibia.

Previously, he was appointed as a curator of a business which was seized by the Asset Forfeiture Unit (Scorpions) and appointed as CFO for an associate of a listed cellular company. He is currently responsible for all of SAICA's activities in the Eastern Region, which is comprised primarily of KwaZulu-Natal.

Div Lamprecht joined SAICA in 2005 and is the regional executive for the Central Region, which consists of the Free State, Northern Cape and North West. The office is based in Bloemfontein.

Div is a highly motivated, goal-oriented finance executive, whose valuable blend of corporate and Big Four experience, flair for strategic leadership, project management and board level gravitas have underpinned success in his 20-year career as a business leader.

Prior to joining SAICA, Div worked for Absa Consultants & Actuaries for four years, where he managed to win the prestigious “manager of the year” award in 2002. Prior to working for Absa he completed his articles at PwC Bloemfontein, where he focused on a variety of clients in the agricultural, financial services and retail sector.