Ticking all the right boxes

Lilian Mesho is having a great impact on the financial world!
Michelline Nawatises
Michelline Nawatises





Lilian Mesho is the finance manager for financial planning and analysis at MultiChoice Namibia.

Her role mostly entails facilitating budget and forecast processes for the business and ensuring it aligns with regional objectives.

She also evaluates opportunities to improve performance and ensures that change initiatives are implemented.

She also prepares reporting packs, which include financial performance and variance analysis of actuals against plans, forecasts and prior periods, and prepares divisional performance reports for monthly and year-to-date results against budget and forecasts.

She also providing meaningful ad hoc financial analysis, as required, and tax planning.

Mesho obtained her bachelor of accounting degree from the University of Namibia (Unam) in 2004, and also completed a postgraduate diploma in accounting sciences at the University of South Africa (Unisa), and is currently busy studying with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).

The fearless Mesho also completed short courses in communication, ethics and international financial reporting standards (IFRS).

She mentioned that her role has brought a lot of experience and growth to her career. “It has enabled me to operate at a strategic support level,” she says.

She was privileged to be part of the Namibian team that won a best reporting team award.

“I would like to mention that we were chosen from the entire MultiChoice Africa! We operate in a highly demanding environment with strict deadlines,” she says excitingly.

She adds that what makes her most proud is their recent listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) Top 40 and the launch of the MultiChoice Talent Factory.

“This means we give back to the community by empowering young people.”

Her short-term goal for the next two years is ensuring that tax compliance is optimised.

“If I may say, with MultiChoice being a multinational company, the exposure is amazing,” she says.

Mesho said key elements to look at when evaluating the company’s investments is its financial position, profits and losses and cash flow, as well as the return on assets and profitability and gearing ratios.

“Very importunately you also need to look at any signs of overtrading, the market for products or services, growth opportunities and the economic and political environment the company operates in.”

Last but not least, there are the investments in corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the environment.

A typical day for Mesho is spent compiling and analysing financial reports and data for either reporting actual results or analysing trends in historical information for planning purposes. She spends most of her day with numbers.

She said the finance department ensures resources are deployed efficiently in the short- or long-term, resulting in the strategic objectives of the company being achieved by providing information for day-to-day functions of control and decision-making.

It also provides information to owners (shareholders) and other interested parties about the overall financial position of the business. The finance department is also the custodian of the company, to ensure financial risks are minimised.

According to Mesho the difference between a manager and a leader is that a manager gets things done through other people and is focused on action. A leader creates a vision that people can buy into, by inspiring and motivating them. It is about ‘doing the right things’.

If she could say anything to her younger self it would be to have self-believe.

“I would say follow your dreams and that it’s okay to try and fail, rather than not to try at all.”

She is inspired by her mother and brother. “They have taught me that against all odds you can achieve your goals.”

During her free time she enjoys getting creative in the kitchen, and loves baking.