Introduction

The financial services sector globally and in Southern Africa is undergoing very drastic changes and facing serious challenges that impact greatly on the financial security of individuals and businesses. We list below a few of these:

Demographic – the scourge of AIDS and the growing rural & urban poverty and unemployment will widen the gap between the haves and the have-nots. Medical advances will ensure that individuals live far longer than before especially for those that can afford the high cost of Medicare.
Globalisation – ensuring great opportunity for a few and greater marginalisation of many and makes it possible for investors to invest anywhere in the world. Markets are now more volatile and more interconnected resulting in investments becoming complex and wide-ranging.
Inflation – not dead yet and leading to massive losses for individuals and companies that do not manage wealth creation in a professional manner.
Taxation – the government is very determined to sharpen its tax collection and enforcement mechanisms which call for more expert advice to reduce tax bills of companies and individuals.
Medical Care costs are growing very fast and outpace inflation and the ever-decreasing public health system has to be shared by ever-increasing needy population.
Quality Education is increasingly in private hands and costs growing at astronomical rates.
Retirement is increasingly being privatised through defined contribution pension and provident funds giving more power and responsibility to the individual without providing them the skills to manage this challenge. 94% of retirees in South Africa are financially dependent.
Information Technology ensures more information is available leading to potential for education but also of information overload and confusion.
New Laws (legislation) have been passed aimed at protecting the customer and to ensure more professional financial service is provided.

We invite you to ponder over these and many more changes and challenges and how they affect you now and in the future!

In particular it is important to see this in the backdrop of the South African reality of the following:

The high incidence and ravages of the vicious cycle of poverty
Poor savings culture in SA is below 1% of GDP compared to Japan’s 25%
The Debt Trap that majority of South Africans find themselves in.
The education system that disempowers individuals in the understanding and management of their finances and in many cases undermine the very psychological make-up of the ordinary South African.
The very poor service that the insurance industry has been known to provide.

Personal and Corporate wealth Management was established to respond to this reality and making a difference by minimizing the misery, impact and affect of death, disability, disease and old age to individuals and businesses.