When Mogesh Pillay enrolled for the Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning through Moonstone Business School of Excellence (MBSE), she knew she was stepping into a programme traditionally dominated by financial advisers. As a finance manager at a family-owned business, her work focused on financial management rather than client-facing advice. Yet she chose to tackle one of the industry’s most demanding challenges: an NQF Level 8 qualification, recognised for its technical depth and as the final step toward the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®) designation.
For many, attempting the PGDip without an advisory background would seem almost unthinkable. But Mogesh’s journey shows how determination, structured online learning, and engaged lecturers can make even the toughest programmes achievable.
She notes that the support she received at MBSE surpassed previous academic experiences, including her MBA, and credits the combination of structured delivery, accessible teaching, and industry insights for making the qualification “not just achievable, but deeply rewarding”.
From fear of numbers to academic momentum
Mogesh’s journey with the PGDip was the culmination of a long academic evolution. For the first half of her 25-year banking career, she had no formal qualification beyond NQF Level 5 and had repeatedly dropped out of degree programmes at the first sign of accounting or economics. A poor matric result had left her with a deep-seated fear of numbers.
That changed more than a decade ago during her NQF 6 studies. After skipping an Accounting 1 exam, she booked a tutor, attempted it the following semester, and passed with 75%. She recalls this as the moment “the education seed was planted”.
Distinctions followed, and between 2012 and 2025 she completed NQF 6, BCom Honours, an MBA, a Transformation Life Coach course, and finally the PGDip.
“Once I started, I never stopped and continued to better myself, as I believed and knew I will do this,” she says.
She plans to register with the Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa (FPI) in February 2026 to pursue the CFP and hopes to mentor businesses and young entrepreneurs.
Why the PGDip – and why now?
After leaving banking in 2022 to join the family-owned business, Mogesh found herself “on the other side – as a client rather than a banker”. Navigating tax, SARS processes, and compliance made her realise how vital financial planning knowledge was. She wanted to “make a difference by knowing this language called tax, SARS, and VAT”.
Despite her finance background, the PGDip initially felt daunting. At the start of 2024, she questioned why she was taking on such a technical programme. Yet, she calls it “the most challenging, complex and painful one ever – however, the best one ever”, noting that it taught her more about finance and regulatory matters than her MBA.
In 2025, during her final year, she had hoped to partner with another student but struggled to find one. Rather than letting this hold her back, she leaned on MBSE’s structured online programme and lecturer support.
“If I could do a three-year MBA, I don’t need help… with the support of my lecturers and the programme materials, I was going to believe in my ability to do my best every day,” she says.
Inside her role as finance manager
As head of finance and HR, Mogesh oversees budgeting, cash flow, expense management, VAT submissions, financial reporting, debtor analysis, and ledgers. She also manages compliance in health and safety, labour law, and employment equity.
Her daily work doesn’t align with financial planning, which made the PGDip feel “foreign”. But technical modules – particularly tax, accounting, and corporate financial planning – helped her bridge the gap.
She adds that the corporate planning module was so valuable that she immediately updated her company’s risk and estate-planning structures. Personal modules also had an impact: after completing Personal Financial Planning, she increased her retirement annuity contributions to maximise tax benefits.
Technical hurdles and learning breakthroughs
Quantitative methods and time value of money were major stumbling blocks. Mogesh had not studied maths beyond matric and describes these components as “painful”. Yet the lecturer notes, online materials, and past video lectures “set Moonstone apart” in terms of support.
The case study module proved her toughest challenge. Without daily exposure to financial planning, applying concepts across multiple analytical layers was difficult. She relied on her MBA discipline, structured routines, and self-confidence to stay on track.
MBSE senior lecturer Tyrone Ford’s informal case studies were a standout: “Please attempt these and don’t ignore them – they’re uploaded for a reason,” she advises future students.
Support and the rhythm of online learning
Mogesh highlights the approachability and commitment of MBSE lecturers. She singles out academic manager Edel Goldbach, facilitator Philton Abrahams, and Ford, praising their “personal open-door, compassionate and always ready to step in approach”.
Lecture videos, notes, and the ability to learn at her own pace were crucial. Moonstone’s online environment became part of her daily routine. She says she regularly checked for updates, announcements, and new content on current business trends, which kept her momentum going throughout the programme.
Advice for prospective students
For Mogesh, the PGDip has been invaluable in enhancing her corporate tax knowledge and understanding of SARS. She says the programme’s comprehensive curriculum and expert instructors gave her a deeper grasp of financial planning principles and practices, adding that it has allowed her to “make a difference in creating a more transparent and accountable financial system”.
Reflecting on the broader impact of the qualification, she emphasises that it equips professionals outside traditional advisory roles with the skills to promote ethics, good governance, and financial integrity. With South Africa’s ongoing challenges around fraud and financial mismanagement, she believes that having even one ethical, integral, and knowledgeable financial professional in a business can make a meaningful difference.
Mogesh describes completing the PGDip as “a game changer” that exceeded her expectations. She was surprised by how accessible and applicable the knowledge proved to be, and says the programme gave her confidence to engage further with tax and financial planning despite not having a prior advisory background.
“My entire life I was afraid of numbers; today I overcame a huge fear,” she adds.
Looking ahead, Mogesh believes the PGDip – and ultimately the CFP pathway – allows professionals outside the advisory space to differentiate themselves, enhance their skills, and contribute to business growth.
She encourages prospective students to embrace the challenge: “Don’t let fear hold you back. Go for it. Don’t be afraid to take that leap and pursue your dreams; you never know where they may take you.”
Expanding qualifications for a changing world
MBSE offers six accredited qualifications, ranging from entry-level certificates to advanced postgraduate studies:
- Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning (NQF 8)
- BCom Financial Management (NQF 7)
- Advanced Certificate in Financial Planning (NQF 6)
- Occupational Certificate: Compliance Officer (NQF 6)
- Higher Certificate in Wealth Management (NQF 5)
- Higher Certificate in Short-term Insurance (NQF 5)
Registrations for 2026 are open
Visit www.mbse.ac.za to learn more and secure your place for the 2026 academic year.
For more information, contact MBSE at help@mbse.ac.za.
