27 Feb 2019
Investec launches Investec for Intermediaries in a fast-changing world
In a world where change is happening in an exponential way, businesses need to think differently if they are to deliver value for their clients – and this is particularly relevant in the financial intermediary space.
This exponential change brings new levels of complexity and uncertainty but also creates an opportunity for Intermediaries to help their clients navigate this changing world.
Equally, banks, asset managers and product providers need to adapt, in order to assist intermediaries to deliver a first-class service to their clients.
With this imperative in mind, Investec for Intermediaries was launched, bringing dedicated relationships, an integrated digital platform and client-focused solutions together under a single Specialist Bank offering and enabling intermediaries to do what they do best: advise their clients and help them to deliver on their goals.
Speaking at the launch of Investec for Intermediaries, a new dedicated business unit within Specialist Bank, guest speaker and technology expert, Willem van der Post, explained how exponential change is affecting our lives on every level. “Because new technologies can find better ways of doing things, change happens in an exponential way,” he says. “Unfortunately, humans understand change in an incremental, linear way. The challenge is for us to think exponentially about change.”
It’s a challenge Investec for Intermediaries is rising to. “At Investec, we have always prided ourselves on the level of service and expertise we provide to clients and these stay,” says René Grobler, head of Investec for Intermediaries. “As the business and our partnership with intermediaries has evolved so has the need to offer these in a holistic way that is integrated and seamless for our intermediary clients. This means we don’t compromise on the product solutions and trusted relationships that we have offered in the past but rather enhance our offering to deliver these in an efficient and innovative manner.”
Based on this premise, Investec for Intermediaries was born, bringing together all the current Specialist Bank products and services financial intermediaries receive from Investec – Cash Management (CCM); Forex; Structured Products; Specialist Investments; Equities and Prime Services
“We listened closely to our intermediary clients and the feedback was clear – they want a focus on their specific needs as well as access to all of our services, they want to leverage off Investec’s expertise across the product and service offerings and solutions that help their businesses to grow in this exponentially changing world,” says Grobler.
Investec for Intermediaries is designed to deliver these in a holistic way. “The digital platform through which we offer these services is important, but equally important are the relationships that we foster through Investec for Intermediaries,” It’s a balance to ensure intermediary clients still have access to the strong product offering and the team of specialists that help deliver these products and ensuring we stay ahead of the curve in terms of innovation and disruption, explains Grobler.
“Through a single dedicated relationship manager, each intermediary will get access to all of our solutions. However, they won’t lose access to the product or service specialists. All of this is supported by the Intermediaries Online platform.”
Intermediaries Online provides a single, seamless digital platform to facilitate and manage their client portfolios, along with a single solution and content hub (Toolkit) that gives access to the latest product and system information as well as industry related and thought-leadership content.
“What’s key for us at Investec is the partnership approach to business that we have with our intermediary clients: entrepreneurial, flexible, solutions driven with a passion for helping our clients to achieve their business and investment goals,” adds Grobler.
About Investec Corporate and Institutional Banking
Investec Corporate and Institutional Banking provides a wide range of products, services and solutions to select corporate clients, public sector bodies, financial institutions and private investors. The division undertakes the bulk of Investec’s proprietary trading activities, as well as all non-private client deposit-taking, corporate and public sector lending, project finance, acquisition and leveraged finance as well as advisory, for large corporates, and structuring activities. The division has eight product teams that are divided equally between banking activities and financial markets activities.
About Investec for Intermediaries
Investec for Intermediaries is focused on providing a holistic value proposition for financial intermediaries, helping them save, trade, invest and administer funds for their clients. The offering consolidates all the current Investec Specialist Banking products and service solutions – Cash Management, Foreign Exchange, Structured Products, Specialist Investments and Equities and Prime Services – and ensures that financial intermediaries can easily engage with us through different channels and platforms.