Leadership and talent retention often part of year-end business challenges
Against the backdrop of unending global economic and geo-political turmoil, the South African financial sector faces significant localised challenges. Asset Management firms have spent most of 2025 navigating the country’s modest economic growth as well as the significant demands from evolving regulatory frameworks, and ongoing investor demand for more innovative products. Without a meaningful economic […]
4 changes in 30 years still shaping recruitment in SA financial services
The scope and rate of transformation today is so intense that it can be easy to overlook that things have always been changing, often radically. Just over three decades ago, when businesses were still sending faxes, the country made the stunning change to a democratic government, setting in motion the long journey to heal, restore […]
Can succession planning for women break barriers in SA Financial Services?
As several annual general meetings have taken place across the South African Financial Services sector this month, progress towards gender parity has been high on the activist shareholders’ agenda. In its annual round-up reports non-profit shareholder activism organisation, Just Share has so far put the leadership of Absa, Nedbank, Sanlam and Old Mutual on the […]
SA Financial Sector transformation in the spotlight
It has been a year since President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the Employment Equity Amendment Act into law which has empowered Thulas Nxesi, the Minister of Employment and Labour to update thresholds for employment equity for each of the country’s national economic sectors. The minister republished these five-year targets on 1 February 2024, giving 90 days […]
Hiring demand in Asset Management still high and resolute
As we come close to the end of another post-pandemic year, many of my clients are asking me whether hiring has been increasing or decreasing across the industry. There were predictions that the widespread hiring freezes, put in place during the worst of the pandemic, could take years to thaw. That didn’t happen. Despite the […]
Save your firm from the ordeals of succession
Pause for a moment and scan your company, department or team – do you recognise the potential successors, the individuals poised to assume pivotal roles within the organisation? Where can they be found? Who are these successors, are they well-prepared to assume leadership responsibilities? In South African asset management firms, a wave of portfolio managers, COOs, CIOs, […]
Asset management hiring practices are not keeping up with a changing world
In her latest column for Citywire, Phryne Williams looks at the challenges asset management firms face in hiring – and retaining – scarce, tech-focused skills. View this Article on LinkedIn In 26 years of recruiting in the investment industry, I have never seen such a high volume of hiring as today. And, unfortunately, a lot […]