Pietermaritzburg-born and raised Sharla Pillay is the chief financial officer (CFO) of TPT, heading up the organisation’s finance departments for 14 business units, each tasked with the management and operation of terminals in seven of the nation’s ports. Pillay joined TPT in 2003 as a corporate financial accountant, managing twelve financial accountants across the country. Her natural affinity as a leader was soon apparent and within just two years of joining the company she was promoted to executive manager of finance, responsible for the entire finance department. She took up her first role in the executive committee in 2007 as the CFO at Transnet Pipelines. Having headed up such major projects as the development of a cost allocation manual to facilitate the tariff restructuring process and assisting with management accounts, she was promoted to CFO for the Port Terminals division in April 2009. A bachelor of accounting honours graduate from the University of KZN, she began her career in finance as an articled clerk at Deloitte &Touche. After completing her articles she had an international stint at Deloitte’s Houston office in the United States. When she is not at work, she is actively involved in community work and charitable events. CAPTION Sharla Pillay … balancing work and community.
