Tell us about the career journey you have been on to land where you today.

I have been so fortunate to have some great opportunities during my career, the first of which was joining a big Cape Town-based investment firm as a graduate out of UCT. I started out on the IT side of the company as a business analyst, then moved on to doing project management and ended up managing the offshore admin area. It was such a great foundation and the company really invested in and nurtured its young leaders and pushed us to grow to be our best. From there I relocated to Joburg and since then have worked across most areas of the South African unit trust and investment platform industries. While I love all aspects of the business, I feel I have found my niche in product and proposition. It brings together all the things I love most – solving problems, helping clients, chatting with advisers, connecting with people across the industry, and interacting with pretty much all the areas of the business.

What made you choose the financial services/investment industry?

At the time I started out, it seemed like an interesting and challenging space to work in, which it certainly has been. To me, what matters most is that we do something that is important and makes a difference. We are the custodians of people’s wealth and their future; if we get it right we make people’s lives better. What a privilege to be able to say that, and what an awesome responsibility. I’m really proud of the work we do. I also love that I can take my work home with me – I have a fully converted set of family and friends all saving hard for retirement (I hope!) based on chats over the dinner table.

What has been the most significant turning point in your career – or describe an accomplishment that shaped your career?

Quite early on in my career, I was given the opportunity to drop out of big corporate and start our own investment platform, now called Wealthport. It was daunting, to say the least, but I’m so glad I took the plunge and went for it. We were a proper start-up: I was not only the COO, Cat 3 Key Individual, Director and Trustee, but I also ordered the groceries and had to know how to fix the printer! Building a platform business from scratch on your own like that, right from the start, allows you to learn absolutely everything about how a platform is built, licensed, and managed. It was a step change in my career and my development, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without the Wealthport team and my experience there.

Is there a personal project within the business or out of it that you are currently working on?

I’m not sure if I can call the two-pot regulation a personal project – it’s probably the biggest change to the retirement savings industry we’ve ever seen – but it’s something on my to-do list at the moment that I’m really excited about. It’s going to be a monumental challenge to execute but takes our retirement industry such a massive step forward in the right direction for everyday workers.

On the home front, I’m teaching my eldest son to read. It’s a fascinating process to be involved in, to watch him struggle and persevere and then get it right, seemingly by magic, is both humbling and inspiring.

What advice would you give to someone who is wanting to take your current position?

Learn as much as you can about the business early on – depth and breadth of knowledge is such a key foundation. Put your hand up for new things, get your hands dirty, get into the detail but don’t forget to see the big picture, and always ask questions and stay curious. Most importantly, appreciate and nurture your relationships with your colleagues. Having a strong support system inside the business and beyond is pivotal. I can’t tell you how many times I need to phone a friend in the industry to get help with something.

What makes you excited about Monday?

Everyone who knows me could answer this one: The possibility of some new regulation coming out! I am our resident legislation nerd at INN8 and I genuinely love all things regulatory. In the platform industry, we never get to stand still. We’re fortunate to be in a position where our regulator engages so thoroughly with us to shape the future collectively. It has been amazing to watch the industry develop and grow over the years and it’s so rewarding to feel like I’ve been part of that