Dear Stakeholder

As we take stock of the year gone by and plan for next year it is more than a little pleasing to look at how far we have come. We trained more than 4 000 people this year, a big jump from the 104 people who came through the ASISA Academy’s doors in 2008. To date, more than 22 000 delegates have learnt with us – thanks to our industry partners and team who make it all possible.

Tired as we might feel as the year draws to a close, it is energising to reflect on how we have grown. Then there is the breadth and the depth of the talent we have had a hand in developing. Some of that was showcased at the second of the ASISA Academy’s annual alumni events, in Johannesburg on Saturday November 16. Apart from a good turnout of alumni and graduate interns, the event was notable as the first to be hosted by the Johannesburg chapter of the ASISA Academy’s Alumni Committee.

In what felt like an elegant passing of the baton, the panel discussion at the event simultaneously put the spotlight on ideas that are important to budding professionals, while honouring ideals that the ASISA Academy has always valued.

The subject of the panel discussion – which featured Petronella Nkobe, Investment Specialist at Coronation Fund Managers; Dez Tswaile, Personal Finance Architect at Emphasis Wealth Advisory; and Thabo Mothibi, Wealth Manager at Nedbank Private Wealth – was Building Your Brand.

From left, host Emmanuel Muhumuza with panelists, Petronella Nkobe, Dez Tswaile, and Thabo Mothibi.

At the ASISA Academy, we have always felt that developing students goes beyond turning them into good employees. All of our graduate programmes place an emphasis on personal effectiveness alongside the development of technical knowledge and skill. It is very satisfying to see that our alumni agree that a successful career is not purely reliant on your technical skills, and that personal effectiveness is critical to building a satisfying working life.

Quite a few alumni approached me at the event, thanking me personally for the opportunity the ASISA Academy had given them. It means a lot to me that, even a few years down the line, our alumni feel that our programmes played a pivotal role in their career growth.

Talking to our alumni, our future industry leaders, at events like this really increases my sense of hope for the future.

Alumni and graduate interns connected with old friends and made new ones at the ASISA Academy’s annual alumni event in Johannesburg.

GRADUATE PROGRAMMES

Fezeka Graduate Programme

Still on the subject of inspiring young people, I think that Laylaa Davids, a current member of the ASISA Academy’s Fezeka Graduate Programme,  deserves a medal for excelling at work and at play. Thanks to support from her host companies, she is keeping her international hockey-playing career on track while taking part in this intense introduction to investment management for promising Black female graduates. Next stop: the Indoor Hockey World Cup in Croatia in February 2025. Read her story: At the top of her game on the field and in the office

At her best, at work and at play: Laylaa Davids.

Independent Financial Advisor Internship

I was delighted to hear recently that Matthew Beelders, an alumnus of the ASISA Academy Independent Financial Advisor (IFA) Internship (2017), is on his way to becoming a Chartered Financial Analyst after passing his CFA3 Exam last month.

Beelders is an investment analyst at Core Wealth, a company that has been a fantastic supporter of the IFA Internship from the start. After completing his IFA Internship at SWI Financial Consultants in February 2018, Beelders accepted a permanent role as a junior investment analyst at Core Wealth. Matthew is a role model to our alumni who are aspiring to become CFAs.

Matthew Beelders: on his way to becoming a Chartered Financial Analyst.

All our Johannesburg-based IFA interns were privileged to attend the Association of Black Securities and Investment Professionals (ABSIP) Retail Symposium on November 7.

Thank you to Kevin Hinton of the Collaborative Exchange and ABSIP for sponsoring all 21 places at this full-day retail symposium. 

Johannesburg-based IFA interns at the ABSIP Retail Symposium.

IMACS@TSiBA Internship

There are a number of opportunities available for firms to connect with ASISA Academy IMACS@TSIBA Internship graduates. Interns who completed this programme in November are in the market for positions, either fulltime or for the holidays, ideally in investment management administration. In addition to Bachelor in Business Administration (BBA) Finance degrees, these talented young people have a practical understanding of the investment administration environment and its systems after completing a 4-month internship.

High-potential undergraduates completing a BBA Finance degree through TSIBA Business School, a Cape-based private higher education institution, participate in the ASISA Academy’s investment management administration programme (IMACS@TSIBA), which provides a powerful combination of theoretical knowledge and work-readiness input. Companies who are interested in sponsoring a student in next year’s intake, hosting a 2^nd year student from 1 August to the end of November next year, or interviewing work-ready graduates for employment should reach out to us via email. 

HIGHLIGHTS

UCT Investment Management Administration & Client Servicing (IMACS) Short Course

Most of the 17 delegates at the final UCT IMACS Short Course of the year were from Intembeko Investment Administrators, bringing to 31 the number of employees of this business who have taken part in four iterations of this course since 2022.

The course was delivered in a hybrid format and included delegates from the Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority, Momentum Investments Namibia and Botswana Insurance Fund Management.

Wrapping up a busy year: the final UCT IMACS Short Course of 2024.

Retirement Fund Trustee Education

At last count, we had trained 3 298 delegates in a total of 202 RFTE workshops this year. The ASISA Foundation sponsored 3 184 of those delegates, and 114 were paid-for places.

Thanks to ASISA Foundation sponsorship, this training is provided for free to all retirement fund trustees. The number of paid-for places is testament to the relevance of topics to people who are not trustees. Many board members of retirement funds and other non-trustees attend the workshops. Seeing value in the content presented in these workshops, such organisations as the FSCA and Reserve Bank have enrolled various staff members, too.

The RFTE workshops have proved attractive beyond their original target market.

For a complete overview of learning opportunities, please visit the 2025 ASISA Academy Learning Calendar.

Last, but definitely not least, I want to say a big thank you to the amazing ASISA Academy team, our board of directors, delegates, industry presenters, host employers and partners who have made 2024 a phenomenal year.

We will all be taking a break over the festive season and wish you and your families the happiest and most blessed of holidays. I look forward to returning in the new year feeling refreshed and invigorated for what is certain to be another very productive year.

LEARN WITH US

The ASISA Academy is recognised as a Level 1 B-BBEE Qualifying Small Enterprise, with more than 83% of the Academy’s beneficiaries being Black South Africans. This means employers can claim 135% of their skills development spend with the ASISA Academy. Please get in touch with us to discuss how we can support your skills development requirements.

Please visit our website for more information on our many learning opportunities. We also invite you to interact with us on LinkedIn.

Best wishes

Alicia Davids
ASISA Academy CEO

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