Meet Deléne Odendaal
Over the past decade, I have gained extensive experience in financial management. I enjoy using my skills to improve systems that enhance time management. I am strategic and results-oriented, with expertise in financial planning, analysis, and risk management. I develop strategies aligned with organisational goals to boost profitability and financial stewardship. I believe financial stewardship involves honesty, generosity, fairness, and responsibility, and that organisations with these values aim not only for profit, but for supporting their employees, communities, and charities. I hold a BCom in Financial Management from the University of Pretoria, am SAIPA accredited, and am currently completing my MBA at Henley Business School.
What is a Fractional CFO?
Thousands of South African SMEs are stuck in the space between needing more than a standard bookkeeper but not quite needing a full-time Chief Financial Officer. That is where I step in.
A fractional CFO works with your business on a part-time basis, bringing the forward-looking, strategic, what-is-actually-going-on-with-my-money conversation that nobody is having with you right now. Unlike traditional accountants who focus on compliance and tax reporting, a fractional CFO positions the finance function as a true strategic business partner - helping you stay compliant, stay solvent, and grow profitably.
My professional background
Over the past decade, I have gained extensive experience in financial management. I enjoy using my skills to improve systems that enhance time management. I am strategic and results-oriented, with expertise in financial planning, analysis, and risk management. I develop strategies aligned with organisational goals to boost profitability and financial stewardship. I believe financial stewardship involves honesty, generosity, fairness, and responsibility, and that organisations with these values aim not only for profit, but for supporting their employees, communities, and charities. I hold a BCom in Financial Management from the University of Pretoria, am SAIPA accredited, and am currently completing my MBA at Henley Business School.
Management Research Challenge
As part of my MBA at Henley Business School Africa, a quadruple-accredited institution recognised by only 1% of business schools worldwide, I am conducting research that sits at the heart of my work as a fractional CFO.
The Research Context
SMEs are the backbone of most economies, yet they are consistently underserved when it comes to strategic financial leadership. Most are stuck between a bookkeeper who cannot provide strategic direction and a full-time CFO they cannot afford.
My research investigates this gap within the South African SME sector, where the challenge is compounded by talent shortages, cost pressures, currency fluctuations, and regulatory complexity.
The fractional CFO model is growing rapidly as a solution, but it has never been rigorously evaluated in an academic context. That is exactly what this research sets out to do.
Central Research Question
How should SMEs structure their finance function to maximise its strategic business partnering potential through insourcing or outsourcing financial leadership?
Supporting Research Questions
- What financial leadership skills are necessary for the finance function to serve as a strategic business partner within an SME?
- Under what circumstances does a fractional CFO model provide greater strategic value than an in-house finance team?
Research Objectives
- To assess the strategic value provided by different finance function models within SMEs
- To develop a practical framework to guide SME owners in structuring their finance function
- To contribute empirical evidence to the under-researched area of strategic financial leadership in SMEs
My Professional Background
Backed by formal financial services qualifications and industry associations, my role is to lift the burden of financial uncertainty. I understand that business owners often work 60 or more hours a week and carry the stress home with them. I am here to connect the dots and provide the clarity you need.
BCom Financial Management
I completed my BCom in Financial Management at the University of Pretoria, building a solid foundation in accounting, financial analysis, and business management. This gave me the technical grounding I rely on every day when interpreting the financial health of a business.
MBA, Henley Business School Africa
I am currently completing my MBA at Henley Business School Africa, a quadruple-accredited institution (AMBA, EQUIS, AACSB, AABS), a standard held by only 1% of business schools worldwide. My thesis explores how South African SMEs should structure their finance function to maximise strategic value, comparing in-house teams with the fractional CFO model.
15+ Years in Financial Management
My career spans professional accounting practice, taxation, payroll, HR, and business strategy. From accounting clerk to financial director, every role has deepened my understanding of what SME owners actually need from their numbers.
6 Years as Financial Director
I spent six years leading the finance function of a multi-entity group in Pretoria, overseeing financial reporting, team leadership, and decision-making across multiple business units. This is where I saw the gap between compliance and true strategic financial partnership first-hand, and where my fractional CFO practice was born.
A Humanised Approach
in an Ai-Driven World
My unique selling point is rooted in helping clients use artificial intelligence wisely and strategically. While modern tools are powerful, they cannot replace human insight. I provide the critical interpretation, judgement, and direction that AI alone cannot offer. My goal is to ensure you avoid getting lost in financial complexity.
A Humanised Approach
in an Ai-Driven World
My unique selling point is rooted in helping clients use artificial intelligence wisely and strategically. While modern tools are powerful, they cannot replace human insight. I provide the critical interpretation, judgement, and direction that AI alone cannot offer. My goal is to ensure you avoid getting lost in financial complexity.
Positioning Finance as a Strategic Partner
I believe the finance function should act as a strategic business partner in the SME environment. Too often, finance is siloed as a compliance function - but in a thriving SME, it should be the engine room of decision-making. I work alongside you to interpret your numbers and build a proactive financial strategy.
Together, we can transition your business from making financial decisions on gut feeling to operating with total financial clarity and control.