Women’s Month Profile:: Kere‘shea Govender, Head of Institutional Business at Sasfin Asset Managers

How did you get involved in financial services – was it something you always wanted to do?

My introduction to the financial services industry was surprising enough through a nontraditional interview process. I started working in the industrial sector and transitioned to the financial sector by exposing myself to financial distribution opportunities. I have always had a penchant for working with ‘money‘, learning about the investment world and the interesting dynamics the market played in moving the value of money. One of my fondest childhood memory was a ‘money game’ that I often played with my family enacting a full trading business and using ‘leaves‘ as money.

What new investment lessons did you pick up from the Covid crash and ensuing market swings?

I don’t know about it being a new lesson, but more an ingrained mantra that spoke to my investment beliefs through the Covid crash and ensuing market swings that we face. 

There are always new lessons when it comes to the investment world because, as we know, markets have a mind of their own. However, the mantra “appropriate risk at appropriate times” gave me a sense of comfort through the covid-19 pandemic. I honed in on this mantra during my many engagements with Arno Lawrenz, who eloquently explains the rationale of investing with the understanding of the risks during certain market cycles.

What have been your recent best financial/investment/professional moments?

Each individual defines their best financial, investment and professional moment differently. I think it is important to appreciate that every moment during your financial, investment and professional journey acts as steppingstones through the many accomplishments and lessons that we learn from. Having said that, a moment in my career that stands out was when I embarked on a joint venture with what would traditionally be a competitor to build a value proposition that focused on the right strategy for the client.

All too often, as investment professionals, we find ourselves trying to compete with our peers to grow our businesses individually, and that is just the nature of the role, but during this specific moment, we found a way to collaborate and work together as providers to do what was in the best interest of the most important part of our financial ecosystem – the end member – which includes both you and me. This was one of my best moments professionally.  

As the eldest child in my family one of my most fulfilling investment moments was when I saw the passion that I had for the investment world spark something in both my younger siblings. I watched them take an interest in my professional world and ask me questions about the ins and out of my day-to-day role.

For me, this was my ‘investment best moment’ as I had invested in sharing my passion with my siblings only to have them both follow their own dreams in the financial industry. 

My sister has just qualified as a CA and is working in London, but she is also personally fascinated with the investment world and is experimenting on her own with understanding the market and the way it works. My brother is in his final year at Wits studying BAccSci and has shown active interest in learning about stocks and investment management from a very young age. For me, this was my personal best investment, and the dividends are phenomenal.

My financial best moment does not just focus on accumulating assets and being financially stable. A great deal has changed in the world over the last two years, but there was one thing that stayed the same: No amount of money can buy time. My focus is on fostering peace of mind and financial well-being. To find balance in my world whilst striving to pursue my dreams. Each individual has their own set of goals based on what’s important to them. My financial goal list is quite a lengthy one too.. but it feels awesome each time I am able to reach one of my goals, no matter how big or small they may be.

What are some of the biggest lessons you have learnt in and about the finance industry as a woman?

That’s an easy one. It’s a ‘dog eat dog‘ world out there, and in order for me to be on top of my game, financial morality and trust are two of my basic building blocks. This is my defining strength. I do not invest money; I invest in people. Behind every lucrative investment I make, there is a person (there is an Elon Musk, but there’s also my helper Polite who invests her hard-earned money in the lucrative stokvel portfolio. Therein lies my strength: Investing for an investor who chooses to entrust life savings to a person with a deep sense of investment morality.

What would you say are some of the challenges faced by women in financial services today (from observation or being an active participant in the industry), and how could they best be tackled? 

While I admit the age-old battle in the financial arena, a male-dominated management structure prevails, this has only capacitated me to be bolder in my approach. I choose not to put myself on the backfoot by giving this too much focus. I simply am, and in so believing, I always undertake to push: persist until something happens. 

I have transcended from the timid, unassuming roles women used to portray into a formidable woman with a passionate quest to be a most compelling and admirable force in the world of finance. 

All too often, I hear my female contemporaries complaining about ‘not being taken too seriously‘. My game plan is to always know my audience so that any project I talk about resonates appropriately with its people. I emphasise once again: I invest in people. The best tool to tackle players on the playing field is having the utmost confidence in my professional expertise as a woman, as I am stronger for it.

What’s the best book on investing/professional development have you read — and why would you recommend it to others? 

I just finished a book titled The End of Money: The Story of Bitcoin, Cryptocurrencies and the Blockchain Revolution by David Buckham, Robyn Wilkinson & Christiaan Straeuli. I would absolutely recommend this book as it re-engaged my mind to absorb information again on the wall street crash of 1929 all the way to the covid 19 pandemic. The reality is that foresight requires hindsight and this book takes you through the learnings of the banking industry and some of the pinnacle moments in financial history. The book grabbed me from the very beginning which started on understanding the problems of leverage all the way to the consequences of printing money. 

What career advice would you give a young woman in 2022 who is about to start their career in financial services, especially in the space you operate in?

Being a woman in the financial industry requires a whole lot of ‘wolf‘ in you. A wolf is characterised by its fourth instinct, intelligence, appetite for freedom and awareness of social connections. Women, in my opinion, are wolves and when a wolf shows up in your life, pay attention as this is the start of something spectacular.

My advice to young women who are about to start their career is to allow your inner wolf to manifest your passion and success. Challenge the status quo, but do so respectfully. Be thankful to the investment professionals before you who have set the scene for the financial world we live in. Learn from them and adapt their teachings to make investment sense to you. Remember that Succession is inevitable so enter the industry and make every day of your career count.