Tag: RiskManagement

When two architects design the same house independently, they do not create a stronger house. Instead, they create misaligned foundations. Every now and then, a client tells me they use two financial advisers. The explanation is almost always the same. They value a variety of opinions and feel more comfortable knowing multiple professionals oversee their wealth.

Investors often turn to alternative investments. They seek something that listed markets cannot always provide. For instance, they want a different return profile. They also want less exposure to daily market sentiment. In addition, they want better portfolio risk management when conditions become more volatile.

The enterprise Goliath is worried about its suppliers. These Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) are underprepared. They are also disproportionately targeted. In fact, 43% of cyber-attacks target their digital front door. In addition, the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) holds large organisations legally responsible when a supplier is breached.

Today’s business environment is no longer defined by a single shock but by overlapping geopolitical and economic disruptions reshaping the macroeconomic landscape. Businesses are operating amid a polycrisis, where conflict, trade tensions, inflationary pressure and supply chain instability continue to reinforce uncertainty.

South African businesses do not need to look far for a cautionary tale. The fallout from the Steinhoff scandal continues to reveal how weak governance, inadequate scrutiny of business relationships and unchecked transactions can destroy billions in shareholder value. What began as aggressive growth ultimately became one of the country’s most expensive lessons on the cost of insufficient oversight.

The Plaintiffs operated restaurant businesses and appointed the defendant as their insurance broker. The defendant's mandate required it to procure commercial insurance on the Plaintiffs' behalf. On 4 June 2019, the defendant obtained policies from Renasa Insurance Company Ltd. However, these policies did not include an extended business interruption clause covering losses arising from infectious disease outbreaks.

The shift from Johannesburg Interbank Average Rate (JIBAR) to South African Rand Overnight Index Average (ZARONIA) marks a turning point in South Africa's financial landscape. It forms part of a global movement toward more reliable and transparent interest rate benchmarks. However, for businesses, it represents far more than a regulatory change.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly moving from experimentation to execution within South African organisations. Organisations increasingly embed AI agents across business functions, including finance, customer service, IT and operations. However, a significant governance concern is emerging.

Investors have a limited edge in predicting geopolitical outcomes. Our value-add lies in assessing the relative economic exposure of different countries. It also lies in judging what the market has priced into different sectors and determining how to allocate risk accordingly within a geopolitical risk investment strategy.

South African bond markets rewarded fixed-income investors with exceptional calendar-year returns in both 2024 and 2025. The All Bond Index (ALBI) returned 17% and 24%, respectively. These returns significantly exceed the norm. Therefore, we anticipated moderating performance in 2026.