30 April 2021
NEWS & OPINION
Sanlam reboots its business through a purposeful brand ‘Live with Confidence’ business reboot will entrench the group as an African champion
S
anlam announced in March that it would reboot its business to become a purpose-led organisation and brand, focused on giving millions of Africans the chance to live with financial confidence. In the next two to three years, the continent’s largest non-banking financial services group plans to catalyse this purpose through an expanded product offering, data and digital transformation, empowerment, building a future-fit culture, innovation and partnerships. Paul Hanratty, CEO of Sanlam, says, “The pandemic has placed such a harrowing spotlight on how vulnerable the impoverished are, both in our country and across the continent. Everyone deserves an equal chance at living a better life, at inclusion in the mainstream economy. At the intersection of financial inclusion and financial security, you find financial confidence. That is where we will continue to build capacity, across Africa and beyond.” According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), financial inclusion is synonymous with increased economic growth, reduced income inequality and accelerated GDP growth. However, more than 1.6 billion adults globally remain unbanked. The World Bank’s Global Financial inclusion report found the financial systems of many African countries remain underdeveloped compared to other developing economies, despite focused reforms in the last two decades. Progress is often halted due to the digital divide, social and political instability, unemployment, and unequal opportunities for women. Hanratty says true inclusion goes beyond access to banks and credit. “It’s about ensuring the previously marginalised have access to well-functioning financial infrastructure. It also means equipping individuals with the financial confidence to manage their money. The IMF ranks Africa’s growth prospects between 2018 and 2023 as one of the highest in the world. The continent is also home to the world’s fastest-growing middle class. The potential is immense, but only if it can be unlocked. He adds, “By imprinting ‘live with confidence’ in the DNA of every aspect of our business, from the financial adviser’s meeting with a client to the development of new offerings, we will empower generations to be
financially confident, secure and prosperous.” Sydney Mbhele, Chief Executive: Brand at Sanlam, says the new pay-off line ‘live with confidence’ will be brought to life through a range of initiatives, including new data- and AI-led innovations such as a Confidence Coach Chat-bot to upskill financial literacy, an Annual Financial Confidence Index to pinpoint regions where capacity building is imperative, and the launch of a financial literacy TV game show, Sanlam MoolaMoney, in April.
“No society can surely be flourishing and happy, of which the far greater part of the members are poor and miserable” Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations, 1776 Mbhele says the rebranding goes beyond ‘beautiful words’. “It’s an enabler for the business. Sanlam has always had this notion of empowerment at its heart – from its founding mission in 1918 to empower poor Afrikaners, to pioneering South Africa’s first BEE transaction in 1993. We are going back to our roots of empowerment and articulating this in a more purposeful way.” He adds that to live with confidence is a feeling of empowerment that comes from knowing you’re in control of your life. “Financial confidence gives you a better chance of reaching the goals that matter to you. It’s accessible to everyone, whether you have a lot or a little, irrespective of age and stage. It is a mindset of abundance rather than scarcity.
“We believe the way you feel about your finances drives how you act. And those actions can have a profound impact on how securely and prosperously you live your life” Going forward, it will continue to be a fortress in South Africa, while championing its longstanding pan-African diversification strategy. It currently has a direct stake in financial services entities in Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Mauritius, Malawi, Zambia, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and Nigeria. The Group has a footprint of insurance operations in Morocco, Angola, Algeria, Tunisia, Ghana, Niger, Mali, Senegal, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Cote D’Ivoire, Togo, Benin, Cameroon, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, Madagascar, Burundi and Lesotho. It also has business interests in India, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, USA, Australia, the Philippines and Lebanon. This far-reaching footprint means Sanlam has the influence to move the needle at scale. Hanratty adds that the group takes its responsibilities extremely seriously, “We are in the privileged position of being able to shape the narrative. Our actions now could foster greater socio-economic inclusion for generations to come. By focusing our efforts on instilling greater financial confidence across Africa, we believe we can best serve the continent we have always called home. Now is the time to lead with courage.”
Left to right: Paul Hanratty, CEO, Sanlam, and Sydney Mbhele, Chief Executive: Brand, Sanlam
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