Connecting to power

One of the services that local securities firm Sinayo Securities, backed by businessman Patrice Motsepe, offers is giving its clients access to political decision makers in the country.

Sinayo CEO Babalwa Ngonyama said: “One of the things our clients want is information and insight, and at Sinayo we provide those insights by connecting our clients with the politicians that are relevant and their own businesses.

“We also connect our clients to the senior leadership of big listed corporates in South Africa,” she said, elaborating on how the company offers access to political decision makers.

Ngonyama was speaking during the company’s recent event themed: “How markets have moved minds in 100 years.”

She said the company, in which Motsepe’s African Rainbow Capital (ARC) owns a 49% stake, had a healthy balance sheet and had employed various innovations in its operations that minimise the risks to its client.

Ngonyama said the company’s model was designed to suit its clients and that included acquisitions of other businesses in order to provide a comprehensive service.

“At any point in time, we can trade to the value of R5 billion per day without blinking.

“Through our partnership with our shareholder, we can extend that to R20 billion,” she said of the capacity of the company.

“[The extension is] a seminal milestone for an emerging company like ours. We are proud partners of ARC and even more proud to be a majority black women-owned and a women-led business.

“This is not only significant, but I dare say the first and only in South Africa.

“This partnership provides a significant value added to our clients through the depth and breadth of our understanding of the markets which this leadership brings,” Ngonyama said, pointing out that the company has also recently bought a derivatives trading business, Constellation Capital, which enables it to provide a broader innovative value proposition.

Ngonyama said this year the company has also acquired Optimize, a securities lending business, enabling it to borrow clients shares to trade.

“We don’t just trade with you, we can even borrow your shares if you want to trade, so we have expanded,” she added.

A very confident Ngonyama said she plans to drive the three-year-old Sinayo to be one of the top 10 trading companies in the world within the next five years.

During a panel discussion at the event, Motsepe said ARC’s partnership with Sinayo was one of the most fulfilling he had ever entered into and further credited ARC chief executive Johan van Zyl with the behind-the-scenes work of the partnership.

“I have had the honour of being involved in various partnerships and this is one of the most emotionally fulfilling and I am very proud of the partnership,” Motsepe said, adding that he was very impressed with the world-class service the company provides.