•NBC ICS provides investment consulting services to the key institutional clients of the NBC group. The division provides advice and reporting to clients with assets in excess of R10bn.•Responsible for all strategic and operational issues within the division, together with the co ordination of overall investment policy for the group. This includes the facilitation of all key client interactions, the oversight of the research and analysis process of service providers and the co ordination of strategic partner relationships.

•Three Apples is a consultancy providing independent trusteeship services to retirement funds, umbrella funds, medical aid schemes and retirement annuity funds.•The emphasis is on independence and transparency. The advice given focused on and asset management strategies (including implementation), fund governance issues, benefit design.•A key attribute is understanding the personal dynamic within trustee meetings, the behavioral psychology at play during group based decisions and the effects that these can have on the long term effectiveness of a fund.

Primary responsibilities:•Providing implemented consultancy advice to retirement funds and other benefit funds.•Analysis of individual members' financial needs, and the amalgamation of those into fund level investment strategies.•Maintenance and continued development of the existing institutional client book, including report back presentations, query resolution and product development.•Co ordination of all report back and new business presentations. Included in this function was the assessment of specific fund needs, together with the in-depth analysis of the existing and recommended investment strategy.•Liaison with the research and implementation team with regard to product development and innovation. This included key product design initiatives, portfolio implementation and strategic positioning of the business.

Primary responsibilities:•Overall strategic and operational responsibility for new business flows from the institutional market, primarily retirement funds and medical schemes. This included the development of client specific proposals, operating as primary lead in the new business presentations and steering the new client installation team.•Development of new relationships within the asset consulting and employee benefit industry.•Close interaction with the investment team, research team and external managers to enhance existing product lines and develop new product offeri ngs, based on market demand, strategic fit and the investment environment. This included utilising their skills on a client specific basis where necessary.•Preparation, facilitation and co ordination of all report-back and new business presentations.Included in this function was the assessment of 'best fit' for each client when determining presentation content and the actual presenter.Facilitating the effective communication and interaction between our internal units.Overseeing and participating where required in the design and distribution of generic marketing material as well as client specific communication and reporting.•Budgetary oversight on marketing expenditure, including client function costs, sponsorships and advertorial expenditure.Key Strategic Skills:•Providing the bridge between the highly theoretical investment funct ion and the practicality of client needs. This included an in-depth understanding of the trustee dynamic, as well as the issues that drive their decision-making processes.•Developing and maintaining relationships with the 'asset gate keepers' in the institutional market. These included the asset consultants, employee benefit consultants and investment committees. A critical function in this sphere is the active management of the relationships between these parties, as more than one may be involved with a specific fund.

Primary responsibilities:•Head of new business and existing client servicing for the multi-manger assetmanagement division.•Key liaison with retirement fund trustees, medical aid scheme trustees and employee benefit consultants•Overall strategic control of the institutional multi manager unit, including all marketing initiatives, product design and strategic market positioning.•Internal distribution on the service offering to the larger financial services group, leveraging off the existing corporate relationships.•Liaison with the portfolio management team and external managers with regard to product development and innovation. This included key product design initiatives, portfolio implementation and strategic positioning of the business.Strategic Successes:•Substantial growth of the institutional assets under management, including thedevelopment of key asset streams from outside the group.

Primary responsibilities:•Key component of the investment team, performing existing client report backs and new business presentations.•Operating as the key liaison between the asset management company and the employee benefit division, facilitating client information flows and product development requirements.•Developing additional distribution relationships within the single asset manager environment.•Developing an in-depth knowledge of the Employee Benefit market and its distribution structures.•A core focus on key client retention, incorporating both the Employee Benefit on balance sheet book as well as the substantial off balance sheet segregated clients.Key Successes•Forging an strong link between the EB and Asset Management businesses