Justin Smit

Justin is a Partner in BDO’s Financial Services division in Cape Town, bringing more than 18 years of audit experience across both financial services and broader commercial sectors. He specialises in the lending, private equity, and asset management industries, combining deep sector expertise with a strong understanding of the operational and financial drivers of complex businesses.

Justin began his career with a Big four firm, progressing to Senior Manager before joining BDO Financial Services. He has been part of BDO’s Financial Services division since its inception, and has played a key role in its growth and development. His client portfolio spans a broad range of leading organisations in the private equity, lending, and asset management sectors, including Bayport Group, Prescient Group, Efficient Group, IP Investment Managers, Sampada Private Equity Funds, Emerging Africa & Asia Infrastructure Fund (EAAIF), Calulo Private Equity, Rockwood Private Equity, PAPE Fund Managers, Element Fund Managers, and Silvertree Capital Group. Prior to focusing exclusively on financial services, Justin gained valuable experience auditing major corporates such as British American Tobacco, I&J, Cipla, and various retail and manufacturing businesses. This diverse background provides him with a unique perspective that combines extensive financial services expertise with a strong understanding of the operational, commercial, and governance challenges faced by businesses across multiple sectors.

Largest Financial Services clients serviced:

  • Bayport Financial Services
  • Efficient, Prescient
  • EAAIF (Emerging Africa and Asia Infrastructure Fund)
  • Rockwoods
  • IP Investment managers
  • Harith
  • Mergence
  • Sampada
  • Fairheads
  • various private equity clients

Group / Multinational audit experience

  • Bayport Group - financial services group operating in various countries and continents, led the group audit team, as well as the SA Group
  • Prescient, was the manager of the group entity audit.
  • EAAIF - operates in various locations and audit involves working with NinetyOne In South Africa who is the administrator, the client itself in the UK, BDO Mauritius who reviews and signs based on the work done by BDO SA and led by Justin.
  • Efficient audit is a group of many entities.
  • Historically audits like BAT, I&J and Cipla were also group environment.

Qualifications and professional affiliations 

  • CA (SA)
  • South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA)
  • Registered Auditor (RA)