Heidelberg chartered accountant wins top SAICA award
Coetzee’s journey to success started as a childhood dream of becoming a business owner and said that he could not afford to study full-time at university.
Heidelberg resident and chartered accountant Christiaan Coetzee was announced overall winner at the 35 Under 35 Awards, hosted on November 22 by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA).
The prestigious event is a highlight on SAICA’s calendar, paying tribute to the future leaders of the profession, who have displayed excellence in their field and are also living SAICA’s promise to be a difference maker.
Coetzee was recognised for his invention of the Audit Toolbar. A tool that made a huge difference in the world of accounting.
According to Coetzee, most accountants use 75% of their time using Excel and he took a tool that is used by accountants and turbo-boosted it.
The Audit Toolbar has automated the many processes involved in tasks like selecting samples, testing journal entries or investigating data anomalies, saving up to 35 hours of work.
“The tool obviously improves speed, but our clients also told us that there is more consistency across their firms and their quality of work improved as it became quicker and easier for audit partners to centrally manage a lot of their policies,” Coetzee said.
Coetzee’s journey to success started as a childhood dream of becoming a business owner and said that he could not afford to study full-time at university.
He studied through UNISA distance learning combined with SAICA’s five-year training programme which enabled him to study part-time while completing his articles.
In the December – January 2025 edition of the Accountancy South Africa Magazine, Coetzee shared his journey:
“I had to fund my studies, so after working for my articles until 16:00, I’d spend the evening tutoring accounting students and study until 01:00 and on weekends worked as a barman,” he said.
After six gruelling years and with the support of his wife Nadia, he completed his studies and articles and decided to pursue one of his other passions, programming and software.
He took up a position at Caseware where he worked as a developer and after two years returned to auditing.
Caseware’s London office was looking for a business development officer with both chartered accounting and Caseware experience and so the next chapter in his story started by moving to the UK.
Coetzee got involved in various assignments in his new position fixing Caseware systems and his responsibilities evolved further and he ultimately found himself on the Auditing Advisory team. Although initially excited, for him it came to feel a little routine.
In the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Coetzee family sold off all their possessions and went to spend some time in Bali, where he took a three-month sabbatical to regroup and decide on a new direction.
“Just a few weeks into my sabbatical, the idea of the Audit Toolbar came to light and I immediately started working on the idea and building the software,” he said and added that he approached several business leaders and was thrilled by their response.
Many offered advice on how to develop a business proposition, create a demo and reach out to prospective clients.
The result was the successful launch of the Audit Toolbar.
Born out of Christiaan’s frustration with the tediousness and inefficiency of manual audit processes, his love for programming and his desire to always find a better way, the Audit Toolbar has since gained popularity among auditors in Africa and beyond, helping professionals save time and reduce the risk of errors.
When most people think about accountants, they think of a person sitting behind a desk with a calculator, but in today’s modern world, accountants are innovators, movers and shakers, and champions for change and social justice.
‘For SAICA, the recognition event holds deep significance as it aligns with our brand purpose of difference-making,” says SAICA CEO Patricia Stock.
“As we strive to build a dynamic and resilient profession, it is our young members and associates who are the future of our profession and the driving force behind innovation and transformation. The finalists embody the values of integrity, excellence, and forward-thinking that SAICA stands for. They are not only shaping the future of business in South Africa, but also setting an example of leadership, adaptability, and service to society.”
At just 33 years old, Coetzee has proved his ability to shake the world of accounting and said that the award is a validation not only of his work but of his life philosophy.
“It’s not about the success of the Audit Toolbar but rather about making a real difference and about guiding other people through a solution with empathy so that they too can become difference makers, and that creates a ripple effect of change,” he said.
There are many problems Coetzee would like to solve but for now, his focus is on ensuring that every firm uses the Audit Toolbar. He is also looking to elevate the offering by incorporating AI, enabling the Audit Toolbar to link up with other online systems to enhance the user experience.
“There are so many opportunities in Africa right now. The continent is ready to take its stand and I want to be part of it,” he concluded.
Credit: ASA Magazine December – January 2025 edition
