Money, Markets and Masterminds

FSCA’s Astrid Ludin on two-pot, Cofi and the next era for regulation

In this special edition of the Regulatory Rulebook series, Citywire South Africa sits down with Astrid Ludin, outgoing deputy commissioner at the Financial Sector Conduct Authority and president of the International Organisation of Pension Supervisors, for a rare exit interview. From the successful rollout of the two-pot retirement system to the shift towards risk-based supervision, Ludin unpacks the defining moments of her tenure and the unintended consequences now emerging. She also addresses industry pressure points, including employer non-payment of contributions, rising withdrawals, and the growing importance of data and digital infrastructure.

DFM value has moved beyond portfolios

Investment Solutions by Alexforbes has reached its two-year track record, giving advisers a clearer view of where the discretionary fund manager (DFM) is adding value and where the model still faces friction. In this episode, Alexforbes DFM specialist and portfolio manager Nadir Thokan discusses performance, manager selection, platform constraints, private markets, fee transparency and why the next phase of DFM growth will depend on genuine differentiation.

Where insurers are still failing customers

From complex products no one fully understands to pricing that quietly erodes value, the Financial Sector Conduct Authority lifts the lid on the biggest conduct risks still lurking in South Africa’s insurance sector in the latest segment of the Regulatory Rulebook. In this episode of Money, Markets, and Masterminds, Brenda Norton, manager in the Insurance Supervision Department within the Conduct of Business division at the FSCA unpacks why disclosure is no longer enough, where claims are still breaking down and how upcoming reforms could reshape accountability across insurers, advisers and distribution models.

Advisers should not get distracted by the wrong things - DFM CEO

In this episode of Money, Markets, and Masterminds, Cogence CEO and CIO Jonel Matthee-Ferreira explains advisers risk making poor decisions if they react to short-term volatility instead of staying focused on long-term outcomes. She further unpacks the firm’s move into private markets for retail investors, arguing that access to unlisted assets is becoming increasingly important as public markets shrink, but warning that diversification and liquidity management remain critical. Beyond portfolios, Matthee-Ferreira highlights how DFMs are evolving through technology, partnerships and behavioural insights, allowing advisers to spend less time on implementation and more time with clients. Listen below for more on where Cogence is finding opportunity – including South African fixed income, global equities and gold – while keeping a close watch on concentrated risks such as the build-out of AI.

Why markets are trading the wrong war

Markets are reacting to missiles and oil spikes, but what if that is exactly where investors go wrong? In the first 2026 episode of the Long Game series, Adrian Saville, investment strategist and professor of economics and finance at GIBS, unpacks why the real drivers of returns sit far beyond the headlines and where the smartest capital is quietly positioning for what comes next. Markets price the event, but economies absorb the structure. Understanding that gap, and the lag between them, may be the difference between reacting to noise and capturing long-term alpha.