Ashaylan Moodley CA(SA), 35

Finalist: Future-Fit Innovator | SAICA Top-35-Under-35 Awards 2025

Ashaylan Moodley’s journey is a masterclass in resilience, innovation, and purpose-driven leadership. As an Associate Director at KPMG and a Chartered Accountant (SA) with over nine years of experience, Ashaylan has consistently pushed boundaries - not only in the audit profession but in the lives of those around him.

Raised in Pietermaritzburg in a family of Chartered Accountants, Ashaylan’s early exposure to the CA(SA) designation shaped his aspirations. He recalls reading Accountancy SA magazines as a child, dreaming of the day he’d earn his own subscription. That dream became reality, and today, he’s a leader in KPMG’s national Technology Risk division, having audited South Africa’s largest banks and pioneered tech-enabled audit approaches that have transformed assurance delivery.

Ashaylan’s innovation credentials are exceptional. In 2022, he won the KPMG Global Innovation Challenge, competing against 140 member firms with his visionary concept of a Retail Metaverse Twin. This win benefitted the local firm with global funding and recognition by profiling Africa on the global innovation stage. Locally, he launched UniTech and KPMG Shorts, agile learning platforms that blend social media formats with technical training — empowering teaching and learning for more than 100 juniors across the national business.

His entrepreneurial spirit is equally inspiring. In 2020, responding to a market need, during lockdown, Ashaylan founded TF Supplies, a mask manufacturing business that created jobs for four unemployed women and donated over 22,000 masks to the Cornubia community. Despite setbacks — including the destruction of his factory during the KZN riots — Ashaylan rebuilt, driven by compassion and purpose.

His resilience is deeply personal. Ashaylan has emerged stronger, using his story to advocate for wellness and blood donation.

Ashaylan is a people-first leader. As a mentor, trainer, and graduate recruitment leader, he has shaped the careers of over 30 counselees, many of whom now thrive across the globe. He chairs KPMG’s National Tech Risk MANCO, driving cultural transformation and championing equity, inclusion, and work-life balance. His leadership philosophy is simple yet profound, inspired by Maya Angelou: “People will never forget how you made them feel.”

He’s also a passionate advocate for the Sustainable Development Goals, aligning his work with global impact initiatives and contributing to education, employment, and health in his community. Whether it’s hosting Shark Tank competitions at universities, leading IFRS 9 audits for major banks, or coaching factory staff with no prior experience, Ashaylan brings heart, intellect, and vision to every endeavour.

At 35, Ashaylan stands ready to cross his next bridge — representing the very best of South Africa’s young Chartered Accountants. A true #DifferenceMaker, he embodies the spirit of the Future-Fit Innovator and the transformative power of leadership with purpose.