We are very proud to share that Jodilee Manuel, our Head of Education and Implementation, received the Game Changer award at SAICA's Top 35-Under-35 awards hosted in Johannesburg at the end of November.

Since she joined Syft in 2022, Jodilee has been an integral part of the team, providing much-needed accounting insights to assist with product development, implementation, and customer support and developing our online education platform, Syft Campus, into a powerful medium for up-skilling accountants, business owners, and students.

The SAICA Top 35-under-35 is an annual recognition program organized by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA). It aims to identify and celebrate young chartered accountants who have significantly contributed to the accounting profession and society. The program recognizes individuals under 35 who have demonstrated excellence in their careers, leadership potential, and a commitment to ethical conduct.

Jodilee is a chartered accountant with experience working at a Big Four audit firm and a fintech start-up – Syft Analytics. She completed her articles at PwC in 2016 in the Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) division and later rejoined as an audit manager involved in client listings on the JSE and Euronext exchanges. She received her MCom in Accounting in 2014.

Jodilee is now our Head of Education and Implementation. She built Syft Campus, an online education platform that helps accountants make better data-driven decisions and grow their businesses. Syft Campus also bridges the gap between what accounting students learn at university and what they need in the industry, especially regarding a practical understanding of accounting and digital skills.

Jodilee has collaborated with universities and schools nationwide, providing free practical lectures and projects, and she plans to expand this to other countries in the new year. Through these collaborations, students are empowered to apply the theory they have learned while digitally up-skilling.

For instance, look at her work with the University of the Free State, teaching students about consolidations.

Syft Campus is just over a year old, yet it already features more than 30 courses and 12 certifications, which accountants can use for CPD or CPE points, depending on the region. Look at our guide here to learn more about earning CPD or CPE points.

There are over 3,000 users enrolled in Syft Campus, and more than 100,000 lectures have been completed since its launch. Syft Certified Pro Advisor is the most popular certification, taking ±13 hours to complete.

Jodilee also leads Implementation at Syft, helping businesses find technological solutions to grow their businesses and improve efficiency. She recently helped an internationally listed games company, Atari, prepare their multi-currency consolidation using Syft to prepare for an audit, update their system, and automate processes to improve the efficiency and accuracy of their consolidated reporting.

While working in accounting globally, Jodilee noticed a problem – a shortage of new accountants entering the field. She wants to change this by showing how exciting and impactful accounting can be and how critical accountants are to the economy. Jodilee leads by example, sharing her unconventional story of leaving the tried and trusted path of working in a Big Four firm to join a start-up focused on serving SMEs.

We are so proud of everything that Jodilee has accomplished and grateful to SAICA for recognizing her in this way. Syft Campus continues to go from strength to strength, expanding into courses to prepare students for the world of work and improve accountants' and business owners' soft skills alongside their digital and financial skills.

In the new year, we have new members joining both the Education and Implementation teams and we look forward to seeing how they continue to pave the way for success under Jodilee's supervision.

Interested in getting involved with Syft Campus? Please send us an email at campus@syftanalytics.com.