Andrew Canter lays out the year ahead.
*This is a transcript of the video.
Over the past 20 years Futuregrowth has successfully serviced our investors, and has grown in assets, fund products, clients, and people. During this same period, there has been a data and digital revolution in the way individuals, teams and companies operate. For the 2020 year, we will be building on our track record, and continuing our journey from “small to big” – embedding learnings, processes and protocols in our business. All of this rests on our foundational culture of being fiduciaries for our investors, and proactive participants in South Africa’s journey of moral and economic recovery.
In our investments during 2019 we’ve done a lot of work re-developing our risk management and portfolio management tools, as well as improving processes in our specialist investment administration, and we will continue this work during 2020.
Recently, investors’ awareness of – and concern about – sustainable investment practices has evolved, and we will seek to maintain our long-standing lead in this area, with additional thought-leadership, analyses and reporting on client funds.
The investment team has grown in size and experience, and we will continue the never-ending search for that magic combination of passion, diligence, curiosity and psychological safety that makes great investment teams and produces reliable and sustainable investment returns.
Operationally, we will be investing in our client relationship journey, improving both face-to-face dialogue and problem-solving, as well as focusing on online access and reporting.
All of this work is towards the goal of being “FutureFit” in investments and operations.
An important focal area for 2020 and beyond is our journey of transformation. In addition to continued improvement in all areas of our transformation scorecard – racial and gender staff profile, training and opportunities, procurement, CSI and the like – we will also be taking pro-active steps to bring Futuregrowth’s black shareholding up from the current 28%.
Some other things to look out for during 2020:
During 2020 we will continue the roll-out of our Corporate Cash Fund, which is designed to assist SA’s corporate clients in optimally managing their liquidity.
Further, we’ve been active participants in the alternative energy industry for five years. We are excited about the prospects for resolving the current energy crisis and have a large commitment of staff, effort, and client funds to this sector. We believe the risk:return profile, and the on-the-ground impact of a large-scale power industry will serve both investors and South Africa.
Of course, we will continue our work in channeling investors’ capital into infrastructure, development, and corporate investments. And we hope to see forward movement in areas such as affordable housing, student accommodation, water resources and transportation, amongst others.
Alongside our asset management industry colleagues, via ASISA, we remain locked in a discussion with the JSE about how to improve the very poor state of investor protections and liquidity in the corporate bond market, and we are hopeful for meaningful changes during 2020.
We’d like to thank our clients and industry partners for helping us on our journey, and we look forward to working collaboratively with you all in 2020 and beyond.
