Blue Chip Issue 81

INVESTMENT
Hymne, please describe the path that led you to your current role.
My love for mathematics, problem-solving and challenges led
me to study Actuarial Science. I joined Momentum Metropolitan
in January 2005, after changing careers from reinsurance
to investments. I had the opportunity to fill various roles at
Momentum and RMB Investment Bank before being appointed
in my current role. In this role I have a unique opportunity
to combine my skill set and experience with my passion for
investments, clients, financial advisors and our industry at a
company that I simply love.
What do you deem to be the most critical component to financial
success – irrespective of income/social standing?
I believe it is important to always understand all aspects of your
personal finances fully and to take personal accountability for it.
While I always strongly recommend partnering with experts to
complement your own skills, I believe that you should understand
the implications of your decisions. And never live above your means.
Think about the future and remember that compound growth is
your friend when you earn it, but your enemy when you pay it.
Momentum Wealth celebrates 25 years of continual innovation
and investment excellence this year. Please share with us a brief
history of the business.
We are proud to celebrate 25 years in the investment industry.
Momentum Wealth started doing business as Momentum
Administration Services
(MAS) in September 1996
and today we are one of the
largest investment platforms
in South Africa. We soon
established the business as
an innovative player in the
industry focusing on product
innovation, efficient administration and a personal approach
in partnering with financial advisors to help clients with their
investment needs.
In the early 2000s, we launched the Momentum Wealth
International platform in Guernsey as an offshore investment
platform for South African and offshore clients. Investing through
Momentum Wealth International gives clients a true offshore
investment experience, diversification from local solutions with
exposure to multiple global markets and solutions that offer
leading estate-planning and tax benefits.
A recent and very exciting development is our partnership with
FNZ, a leading global provider of digital-first wealth management
solutions. We understand that clients and financial advisors
have different requirements than in the past. Advisor firms are
increasingly adopting technology in their practices for ease of
use and to create business efficiencies, and clients want more
convenient access to their investment information. Through this
partnership, we are accelerating the transformation of our retail
investment platforms to better serve the investment needs of
financial advisors and clients in future.
The fact that we are celebrating our 25th birthday this year
doesn’t mean we are old and obsolete! Quite the contrary – we
have a solid track record of partnering with financial advisors
to grow and protect their clients’ wealth and savings. Today, our
business is stronger than ever before.
What sets Momentum Wealth apart?
Momentum Wealth is one of the largest linked investment service
providers in South Africa.
Personal relationships and strong partnerships are in our DNA.
Financial advisors and clients become our friends and they are our
families, our grandparents, our parents, our children, and their
children – we want to make their dreams and aspirations come
to life. Their investment is something personal. It helps them to
achieve their financial goals on their life journey.
When something is personal, it really matters. That is why with
us, investing is personal.
Please outline Momentum Wealth’s areas of growth (including
new offerings, products and services) in the past two years.
We have seen exponential growth across our main solutions
over the past two years. Most notably the increase in demand
for offshore investment solutions and for guaranteed investment
solutions such as life annuities.
From a new business inflow perspective, discretionary
offshore LISP products have always been popular in our industry.
However, current trends
Financial advisors and clients become
our friends and they are our families,
our grandparents, our parents,
our children, and their children
have shown strong support
for offshore life wrappers
because of their potential
tax, succession and estate
planning benefits to clients.
During uncertain
economic times and volatile
investment markets, guaranteed solutions offer the certainty that
clients need while still offering solid returns after fees and tax.
Please provide an overview of Momentum Wealth’s local platform.
The Momentum Wealth local platform provides clients with
investment administration services, as well as access to the
Momentum Investments team’s skill and expertise and those
of other reputable investment managers and discretionary
fund managers.
We offer a diverse range of investment and retirement solutions,
with access to local and global investment markets to suit all
investment needs. Whether the need is to create and grow wealth,
protect it, or earn an income from it, we have a personal investment
solution for each client on their journey to success.
With the help of their financial advisors, clients can choose
from the broadest available suite of local and global investment
components and instruments. From basic unit trusts and
personalised model portfolios to exchange-traded funds,
direct shares and personal share portfolios, as well as other
specialised investment products. With our comprehensive range
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