After doing a seven year stint in IT, I was lucky enough to meet the Director of Nedgroup Securities through one of the strategic IT projects I was working on. Once I realised that the world of stockbroking involved in-depth sell-side company analysis and aligned to my finance major at university, I got the courage to ask this director to be a sell-side analyst. He was impressed by my passion for investments and commitment towards becoming a CFA Charterholder and gave me the opportunity to join his team as an assistant analyst. While I was senior in my IT role, I jumped at the chance to be part of the vibrant and fast paced world of stock-broking and it didn’t matter that I had to start from the bottom.

From the first Monday I started as an assistant analyst and sat in on the morning market meeting, I knew this is the industry I wanted to be in. I was just so engaged and wanted to learn about all types of industries and companies; and what drives them to be profitable that it didn’t take me long to get my ear-in for the different lingo. In about a year I was covering small caps on my own – no longer an assistant analyst. My hard-work and insights into some companies with scant information, gave me the opportunity to cover Media stocks and I became a top-rated analyst with the coverage of first big company Naspers (which wasn’t that big in 2008). Getting top rated then was no easy feat. I completed my initiating coverage report on Naspers and the roadshow on my analysis when I was five months pregnant with my first child, Taetum.

At the beginning of 2011 I joined Standard Bank Group Securities with an expansion of coverage in the Electronics sector. I continued to be top rated in both the Media and Electronic sectors. I became a CFA Charterholder in 2013 and the best part about studying for level III exam (which I wrote when my second child Reese was just eight months old) is that it opens up your world to asset allocation and thinking through the complexity of capital markets in a global context. I found this way of thinking to be stimulating and looked to expand my investment experience from just equities. Therefore, the opportunity to be a portfolio manager at STANLIB Multi-Manager (SMM) was perfect in terms of my knowledge aspirations. I joined SMM as a portfolio manager at the beginning of 2014. I got even more diverse experience than I expected. In addition to asset allocation experience, I gained knowledge in fixed interest, property, a variety of alternatives investments and quantitative techniques that really stretched my brain.

My contribution to SMM went beyond investment analysis and decision making. I was a leader in terms of bringing structure, insights and shaping a great team culture. Therefore, I was asked to join the SMM EXCO in May 2016 continuing to help drive the people side of the business. In February 2017 I was promoted to one of the heads of portfolio management, continuing to build on my investment experience and leadership skills.

In November 2019, I took on the role of Head of Strategic Investments and Manager Research, which includes being the lead PM for Alternatives in SMM. I am also so lucky to be involved in the development of the African Women Impact Fund, which is a collaboration between Standard Bank and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. I feel very privileged to be the lead portfolio manager coordinating the selection and blending of women fund managers across the African Continent. I feel that this is truly a win for African women investment professionals, as the goal is to allocate more capital to women fund managers and move women from mostly micro finance into directing the flow of larger capital allocation decisions. At the same time, these women are driving impactful change in much needed sectors such as healthcare, education and food security.

I am also fortunate to lead a fantastic team that includes strong women investment professionals and I am very happy working within such a dynamic and focused team that is SMM.