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e-news

For the August edition of BDO e-news, Abdullah Ramtoola, Partner of Group C, shares his views on Employees Welfare with the readers.

“Our well-being in present and in the future is the direct result of how much diligence and care we put in our worktoday.” Abdullah believes in traditional work values such as strict discipline, which in a way or the other gives themental strength needed in our profession. He also believes in the old age values that is the sharing of food and especially a family meal with one’s colleagues that helps to overcome many problems by “making them family and thus closer to the heart”.

His enriching experience in the various World Bank projects in the remotest places in the African continent has turned Abdullah into our most experienced and best travelled Partner-guide, overseeing even the tiniest of travel details, so that there is “no undue suffering for my colleagues, apart from the separation from their families.”

Concerned about the health of his team, he will organise a weekly trekking at the Signal Mountain every Friday after office hours. You’re most welcome to join us!

AUGUST 2010

ABDULLAH’S VIEWS ON EMPLOYEE WELFARE

Leena Domun interviewing Abdullah Ramtoola

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TALENT MANAGEMENT STRATEGIC PLAN

During the first week of August, our Talent Director, Kim Darga and our CEO, Yacoob Ramtoola presented the new Talent

Management Strategic Plan. Information on BDO financial performance, the new salary scheme and the appraisal

scheme were clearly outlined. A big thanks to the management team for initiating this discussion with the staff.

Abhishek Bhugloo

Kim and Yacoob at question timeKim and Yacoob during the presentation

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JAMBO KILIMANJAROVikash Bunjun, the globe trotter, together with Jean Michel Colin and Abhishek Bhugloo flew to Tanzania for the final audit of TPC Ltd at the end of July. TPC Ltd is a highly dynamic company engaged in sugar–cane growing and milling and is located at the foothill of Mountain Kilimanjaro.

It was a challenging yet fun experience. The team shares their adventure with us:

Vikash: ‘‘Like almost all overseas jobs, it’s similar to being on the fast lane all the time. No bus lane.’

Jean Michel: ‘The deadline was very tight, but BDO worked with a great team spirit from the first till the last day.’

Abhishek: ‘The biggest challenge was to stay at the estate while being completely cut-off for three weeks from

the rest of the busy world’.

Jean Michel Colin, Vikash Bunjun and Abhishek Bhugloo at Malagu waterfall Lunch at Golf Club with TPC LTD Tax advisor Mrs Meeta.

Annabella Cesar Ladouceur

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ABDULLAH & NEELLEN AU CONGOAbdullah Ramtoola and Neellen Karuppannan went to Kinshasa DRC for the external audit of a World Bank financed project. This was a first time one-off audit obtained through a tender and BDO was shortlisted along with 6 other firms.

Abdullah cites: ‘It was a challenging assignment and the local team performed to the expectations. It was an excellent example of knowledge and experience sharing; resulting in good feedback from the client as well.’

Great Teamwork between BDO and AJM Associates members!

Yvon and Abdullah Abdullah, Neellen and Ted

Annabella Cesar Ladouceur

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STAFF SECONDMENT TO BDO LONDON

Asha Santchurn has been seconded to BDO London for a two-year training contract to complete her Chartered as from

1st of August 2010. She completed her BSC in Accounting and Finance at the London School of Economics, and joined

BDO audit and business advisory department in June 2009.

Annabella Cesar- Ladouceur, who is back from a secondment to BDO London, shared her experience with all supervisors

up to managers.

Richard Andrews, who is on secondment here from BDO UK, made a presentation on 4th of August 2010.

Abhishek Bhugloo

Her best moments with us: from right to left Annabella, Asha and Vanessa

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GETTING TO KNOW OURSELVES BETTERMarie Michele Brasse has been with DCDM Management Services for 12 years before taking up the challenge as BDO Floor Hostess in June 2010. She says “CHANGE is an opportunity to learn new things and to question one’s professional life”.

We have all appreciated her beautiful smile and helpful attitude. She is mum to a cute girl, Alyssa and a key member of our volley ball team.

Marie Michele also forms part of the founders of ETOILE DE BANGLADESH, an NGO dedicated to the social welfare and happiness of the children of Tranquebar.

This is a recurrent feature in BDO e-news.

If anyone wishes to recommend a special staff, please contact our editing team.

Marie Michele at her desk Marie Michelle with Alyssa and members of our Beachvolley team:

Caroline and Francine

Disha Ramlal

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L’INVENTAIRE DE BEST AGRI LIMITED

Quelques clichés pris sur le vif lors de l’inventaire complet de la société Best Agri Limited à Trianon. On peut voir l’équipe de Georges Chung, placée sous la férule de Neellen Karuppannan et de Ingrid Bhoyrow, à pied d’œuvre. La hauteur des étagères ne leur a pas donné le vertige. Elévateur à fourches, escabeaux, bref tous les moyens étaient bons afin de voir les produits de leurs propres yeux.

Nos sincères remerciements à ceux n’ayant épargné aucun effort afin de s’assurer que l’imputation des données ayant trait à l’inventaire du jour soit faite le même jour en dépit d’une journée de dur labeur.

On pense ici à : Kunal Bengoo, Michaël Rivère, Nishta Thuposy, Vidushee Ramsamy, Prema Ramsooroop, Vincent Begue, Jessen Maroothanaden et Adrien Aiguille.

Neellen Karuppannan

Vincent Begue- pas le temps pour une pause photo

Nishta et Valerie- la main à la pâteVidushee- tout sourire

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Rogers Logistic Limited branded as VELOGIC is one of the clusters of Rogers group. The company’s representatives Mr. Roshan Goojha (Accountant) and Mrs. Rita Pentiah(Team Leader) were delighted to share their views on BDO, their audit consultant.

“BDO staff possesses the necessary professional capabilities and have a good knowledge of their job field. However, junior staffs need to know more about the business environment of the client. More so, it would be good to note that BDO people have good interpersonal skills, professional approach and uphold high ethical values”.

They, hence, value the report submitted in the past together with the recommendations on the internal controls, other financial aspects and the level of service.

Bhavisha Ramjeeawon

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OUR NEW PROJECTS1. BPO BDO Network

This new service line, started operations in April 2010, with Yuttam Joysuree heading a team of 5 persons and reporting to our partner Georges Chung.

For the account of BDO UK, the team performs Service Charge Reviews of commercial properties in England. A service charge is the means by which the costs of providing the services to a property are recovered from the users of those services (the tenants). In its Code of Practice, the RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) recommends transparency, thus the need for an audit/ review of those costs.

The department, which started with one project in April 2010, has now 4 projects (including a total of 1,000 properties) and is bound to grow in the near future.

2. Savannah Sugar Estates Company Limited

Financial Advisory Services to the Savannah Sugar Estates Company Limited for the proceeding of a bonus issue and issue of preference shares. Thierry Montocchio has been appointed as Financial Advisor.The cautionary announcement has been published on 20th Aug 2010 on the SEM site:

http://www.stockexchangeofmauritius.com/news.asp

Yuttam and Andy analyzing seriously

Raksha Bhagwan

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HOW TO LISTEN BETTERCommunication – visual, verbal or written; each one has its importance in the day-to-day routine of our professional life. Here are some tips to improve your listening skills:

- All people involved must agree to communicate and take time to participate- Listen with all your senses, not just with your ears- Reduce environmental distractions and interruptions- Make eye contact and show interest- Actions and speech should be culturally sensitive

Isabelle Juste

Who’s listening? Galina Rangasamy and Noozhab Tooreea

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CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEWLY QUALIFIED MEMBERS!!! ACCA June 2010 Exams

Name Group

Ashmita Seepursaund A (Rookaya)Jemma Beekoo D (Paul Ng)Nausheen Deeda D (Paul Ng)Nooreena Deljoor A (Kaneya)Premadevi Ramsooroop D (Feizal)Sebastien Mirbel A (Kaneya)Shabnam Bandhu C (Azize)Sharon Ponnusami B (Shabnam)Shubda Issur B (Shabnam)Vicky Ramdane A (Rookaya)Zareen Hyda C (Abdullah)

Good luck to other candidates attempting the December 2010 edition.

Anand Heeroo

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• TraintheTrainer(TTT) training course in Johannesburg from 22-26 August.BDO International’s aim is to have: One Name, One Network and One Tool - Audit Process Tool (APT)The APT tool is based upon a new BDO Audit Approach and will be used on the audit of clients’ financial statements.In order to implement the APT, a team of 6 staff has attended the TTT training course. They will soon train our personnel to use the new BDO AA and the APT Tool.

The BDO Audit Approach is fully compliant with the requirement of the ISA. These tools (APT and BDO AA) will help the staff enormously to perform audit more efficiently and with a well structured approach.

PAST EVENTSJuly – August 2010 Events:

The team: Georges Chung, Richard Andrews, Nazrah Ramdin, Esthel Lam Hung, Sylvie Moonsamy and Shakeel Deljore.

• BeachVolleyfestival at Flic-en-Flac 29th AugustHats off to BDO Team. Caroline Lepoigneur, Francine Brasse and Marie Michèle Brasse have won the double female Beach Volley. Caroline was nominated as the Most Valuable Female Player.

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• NewACCAmemberswelcomed during a ceremony held at La Balise, Le Suffren. Congratulation to Jessen Kovinder Maroothanaden (Group: D - Georges Chung ). Jessen has also passed two other qualifications namely a Diploma in IRFS and a degree in Applied Accounting from Oxford Brookes.

• AfsarEbrahimonRFIAfsar Ebrahim, partner at BDO, was interviewed by Abdullah Earally on RFi on the 20th August. The journalist has conducted an interview on the Mauritian economic model which seeks a “second souffle”. For Afsar Ebrahim, the decision taken in the 90’s to invest in Africa is fruitful. He also says that it has become a necessity to invest in Africa nowadays, especially for the Mauritian companies.

PAST EVENTS

Jessen Kovinder Maroothanaden with Mr Jaywant Pandoo, Head of Financial Markets

Operations Divisions at the Bank of Mauritius

Mark Gold, Vice-president of ACCA, at La Balise, Le Suffren.

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PAST EVENTS

• CIMAGlobalAnnualBusinessConference in association with ZICA (Zambia Institute of Chartered Accountants) and ACCA. Conference on: Change and Paradigm Shift of the accountancy profession. Held at: Zambezi Sun Hotel in Livingstone, Zambia on 4-6 August Participation: Afsar Ebrahim as a speaker

• Fund-RaisingGolfOpen for Ashley Jahier Held at: Constance Belle Mare Plage – Legend Course BDO & Co. has sponsored the Golf Open for Ashley Jahier who is following a special treatment at Journey Forward in Boston USA

Afsar Ebrahim, Nicholas Park Director

of Plastinax and Lewis Ah Ching Financial Controller of Medine

Golfing for a good cause

Afsar speaking at the CIMA conference

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CURRENT EVENTS• “Opinioneditorial” on BDO CSR Award published by Yacoob Ramtoola. Article has been published on the 23rd

August in Express Weekly. This award has also won the support of Hon. Charles Gaetan, Xavier Luc Duval, GCSK, Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Social Intergration and Economic Empowerment.

BDO CSR Award – Distinguished members of the Jury have already been selected. Closing date for application for

participation is due on 17th September 2010.

Yacoob’s Editorial in Express Weekly

Salina Hafez Amir

BDO e-news is the revamped BDO newsletter. Your feedback is vital in our quest for continuous improvement. If you feel that you have suggestions that will help us better this model, do send us your comments on e-news@bdo.mu

EDITORIAL TEAM:Isabelle Juste, Salina hafez Amir, Leena Domun, Disha Ramlal, Bhavisha Ramjeeawon, Anand Heeroo, Annabella Cesar Ladouceur, Kim Darga, Raksha Bhagwan, Abhishek BhuglooAssisted by Blast Communications: Proof reading, final copywriting & design