Siphesihle started his journey with Allan Gray when the Allan Gray Obis Foundation identified his leadership potential and awarded him a high school scholarship. He then went on to complete an Honours degree in Economics and Finance as a member of the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation’s programme for university students. After completing his studies, he joined Allan Gray as an investment analyst.

Likening the role of an investment analyst to that of an investigative journalist, Siphesihle says that becoming a leading stockpicker requires you to dig deep into the crux of an investment opportunity to understand it better than your competitors. Allan Gray’s long-term focus and proven track record have contributed to the firm producing generations of talented investment minds who stand out in the industry.

“Allan Gray is a university for investment thinking. Alumni have done very well in their careers, both in South Africa and all around the world,” he says. “It offers a space where people are given opportunities to learn and develop investment thinking, with resources and research that span almost 50 years of investing.”

Siphesihle says that Allan Gray’s dedication to philanthropy through various impactful activities gives him a greater sense of purpose and fuels his passion for the work that he does. “The idea that you work for a business that gives a reasonable portion of its profits to charity and the development of South Africa is an intriguing one.”

Martine joined Allan Gray as a graduate recruit immediately after completing a degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics. She was introduced to the world of work in the Unit Trust Administration department before becoming a consultant in the Key Accounts team. In the latter role, she discovered that she really enjoyed working with financial advisers.

This led her to move to IFA Distribution, where she worked closely with financial advisers as a business development manager for a number of years. During this time, she was able to study part-time and become a Certified Financial Planner® – improving her knowledge of the investment landscape.

In her current role, one of Martine’s key responsibilities is ensuring that advisers, consultants and clients are well-informed so that they can achieve the best possible investment outcomes. “Every single day, you see clients, you interact with clients or you are thinking about interacting with clients.” She finds working in a client-centric environment extremely stimulating and rewarding.

Martine says that she has stayed at Allan Gray for well over a decade because there have been so many opportunities for her to grow, explore and develop her passions. “One of the special things about our culture is that we trust young people who show talent and are willing to put in the work.” We aren’t fearful of promoting young talent.”

Amrisha joined the investment industry as an equity analyst but developed a deep interest in business strategy and customer value proposition.

In her current role, she is responsible for ensuring that our clients receive the best possible service interactions and enhancing our client experience. Amrisha says that Allan Gray’s desire to provide clients with “service alpha” in addition to “investment alpha” really sets Allan Gray apart. “I have been fortunate enough to work for some really great companies in the industry, but none are as passionate about delivering a great client experience as Allan Gray is.”

In addition to investing on behalf of clients, Amrisha highlights the investments Allan Gray makes in employees by supporting their growth, ongoing education and career development. As a manager, she takes an active role in mentoring and coaching. “Helping the people around us grow and develop and being invested in their careers is really important.”

Amrisha is passionate about improving the access that ordinary South Africans have to financial services and resonates with Allan Gray’s values-based, client-centric approach. “I believe in doing right by our clients, right by the average South African and right by our staff. To do that, you have to be individually accountable – and that is expected at Allan Gray.”

In a relatively short space of time, Enrico has managed to gain professional experience through a number of stimulating roles. He joined Allan Gray’s Work Coordination team, before becoming an operations consultant. He is currently a client relationship manager, working as part of a team that is responsible for dealing with service queries and complaints.

Enrico believes that being given room to work independently in Allan Gray’s performance-driven environment has allowed him to thrive and gain recognition for his efforts. “We are individually accountable for the work that we do, and we are responsible for resolving any matter that is allocated to us.”

Enrico’s driven nature has been matched by the company’s focus on developing its people. “Within six months of joining Allan Gray, management approached me and had conversations about what my long-term career goals would look like within the business,” he says. His managers have partnered with him to create a career plan and help him gain the necessary experience and exposure he needs to achieve his career goals. In an effort to develop himself, Enrico decided to study further and complete some investment-related professional qualifications.

“The learning opportunities are endless. The management teams are compassionate and care about the people who work here. They really support your journey. They have ensured that I have mentors and they have paid for my studies,” Enrico says.