After a devastating economic blow, dealt by the Covid-19 pandemic, South Africa is regaining GDP and clawing back fiscal position in the toughest conditions of a lifetime. In 2020’s second quarter, GDP sat at a total of R947 billion, falling from...
Profiles
MIANZO: Shot in the Arm for Black SMEs
With five out of seven failing within their first year, and 100% Black-owned businesses notable victims, South Africa has one of the world’s highest SME failure rates. The consequences are stark. With their higher capacity to absorb labour, and a...
NFB FINANCIAL SERVICES: Steadfast in Quest to Turn Knowledge Into Wealth
NFB’s financial advisors are, to a man and woman, industry-leading experts placed to offer independent financial advice, products and services to high worth individuals, trusts, businesses, and institutions. “We have a history of bringing shared...
GAIA: Catalysing the African Infrastructure Investment Landscape
Established in 2012 as a specialist asset manager, Gaia focuses exclusively on facilitating the investment of long-term investor capital in infrastructure and agriculture investments in Southern Africa. “We pride ourselves on our unique...
STANDARD BANK: The Best Bank in Africa, Officially
“We are a proudly African, integrated financial services group with compelling competitive advantages,” SBG explains, “providing banking, insurance, investment as well as non-financial complementary solutions that drive the financial wellbeing of...
OUTSURANCE: Out-of-this-World Service When You Need It Most
Today comprising some 5000 employees and South Africa’s third-largest insurance group, OUTsurance was launched in 1998 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Rand Merchant Investment Holdings (RMI Holdings), a South African based financial services...
AVBOB: Incomparable Care and Compassion in Times of Covid and Beyond
Established in Bloemfontein in 1918, AVBOB has grown over a century into Africa’s largest Mutual Assurance Society, with around 7000 staff providing a one-stop shop for funeral insurance and funeral service. Partly due to its relative...
VODACOM: Super App Set to Disrupt South African E-Commerce
Vodacom, the South African telco group majority owned by one of the world’s largest communications companies by revenue in Vodafone, is a leading and purpose-led African connectivity, digital and financial services company. Roots in South Africa...
GRAYSWAN INVESTMENTS: Gray Swans and Blue Waters
Far away places for far-sighted funds? Offshore assets have always been part of the investment armoury of the super-wealthy. But now South Africa is seeing a boom in middle-class investors looking to move money offshore for wealth diversification...
CAVMONT BANK: Cavmont’s Customer Service to the Core
On Monday October 1, international customer service week kicked off. Started in 1984 in the US by the International Customer Service Association (ICSA), the week-long celebration takes place annually during the first full week in October when...
EXPERIAN SA: Acquisition to Improve Financial Inclusion Across sub-Saharan Africa
“We’re in a world where technology can disrupt businesses,” said Experian Group CFO, Lloyd Pitchford at the company’s results presentation in May. And he meant it in a truly global sense. All markets around the world are being disrupted by new...
HELLO GROUP: Hello Paisa – The Journey Continues
In 2015, South Africa’s Hello Group was labelled as the country’s next big Fintech player. Founded in 2005 by brothers Nadir and Shaazim Khamissa, Hello Group recognised a gap in the industry for a mass market player, specifically in the migrant...
MARSH AFRICA: Bringing Order to Chaos
Since 1871, clients have relied on Marsh for its unique brand of trusted advice, as they seek to have their interests represented in the marketplace, to make sense of the increasingly complex world of today, and, perhaps most crucially, to help...
RAND MUTUAL ASSURANCE: Changes at the Top for 125-year-old RMA
2020 looks set to be a big year for one of South Africa’s leading financial services businesses, Rand Mutual Assurance (RMA). The company - which was formed in 1894 by three mining houses to administer workmen’s compensation benefits for those...
STANDARD LESOTHO BANK: Lesotho’s Leading Bank Takes Digital Strategy
Standard Lesotho Bank is going through something of a transformation. The largest bank in the small African nation is targeting growth as a digital provider, something which the dispersed and often rural population will surely benefit from. The...
SURESWIPE: Quality Service Delivery Sets Sureswipe Apart
The way people pay for the products and services they consume is in a constant state of shift. Before we get settled with whatever the latest trend is, payment systems will likely change again – it’s just the nature of technology, forever adapting....