Mthobisi joined Allan Gray in 2011 as an operations consultant. When he realised that he could build a long-term career at the firm, he sought advice from the head of a department he wanted to join. Their conversation inspired him to expand his horizons. He pursued roles in the Client Service Centre and Retail Distribution teams, where he improved his investment knowledge and developed a real understanding of the business.

Through these roles, he discovered that he had a real passion for client service and his managers quickly noticed his efforts. “I was always willing to go the extra mile, and I think I was clear about what I was looking to learn. From there, I grew into the space,” he says. True to his passion for people, Mthobisi spent five years leading the Private Clients team before moving into a management role within the Direct Clients team. 

Having lived all over the country, Mthobisi is determined to improve financial literacy. He says his role at Allan Gray helps him make a difference. “The majority of South Africans struggle to save for retirement. Only 6% of South Africans are able to retire comfortably,” he says. “My fulfilment comes from the knowledge that I am making a positive impact on those whom I engage with.”

Shortly after completing Allan Gray’s internship programme in 2015, Zikhona joined the Life and Retirement Operations team. The transition from university to the world of full-time work is seldom easy, but Zikhona felt supported and was glad to see that the organisation valued independent thinking and taking initiative with problem-solving. “It is a culture of excellence,” she says.

After a year and a half in Life and Retirement Operations, Zikhona joined the Key Accounts Operations team where she gained exposure to a different area of the business and expanded her learning journey. “What I appreciate about Allan Gray is the opportunity to be involved in different parts of the business. It’s so much more than the job that’s in front of you, it’s about your development, what you want to do and how the business can help you get there,” she explains.

As a Fellow of the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation, the business’s dedication to philanthropy resonates with Zikhona. The Philanthropy Initiative with employees of Allan Gray provided her with a platform to nominate the non-profit business school that played a role in her own career for funding support – ensuring that many others receive the same opportunities that she did. “Being able to help the business school in this way has been, for me, the greatest reward,” she says.

Zikhona is currently a business development manager based in Allan Gray’s Durban office. In this role, she interacts with independent financial advisers. “I enjoy being able to work closely with advisers to help their clients make the right investment decisions and reap the rewards of staying invested for the long term,” she says.

After starting his career at another firm, Bongani joined Allan Gray as an operations consultant at the end of 2017 and is currently a team leader in the same department.

The company’s warm, open-plan environment and focus on client service helped him settle in. “My love for interacting with people is my ‘why’. It keeps me going and it’s the reason I get up in the morning.”

Bongani says he is privileged to work with some of the best and brightest people in the industry on a daily basis. “At Allan Gray, we are always pushing each other to reach the pinnacle – in our careers and our lives.” This has enabled him to stretch himself in a challenging but supportive environment.

Working with high-performance teams meant that there have been many opportunities for Bongani to learn and invest in the progression of his career. “Allan Gray has provided pivotal support to help me reach the goals I want to reach.”

Bongani says that resonating with Allan Gray’s core principles has been key to his professional fulfilment. “Find a company with values that align with your own values as a person. Once you find that match, it’s easy to wake up in the morning and come to work.”

Hailing from Hwange in Zimbabwe, Nokuthaba started at Allan Gray as a trainee business analyst. As she puts it the opportunity came through a series of lucky events: falling into IT as a student, declining what seemed to be a good position in Johannesburg and, finally, having a friend who worked at Allan Gray. “My friend told me about working at Allan Gray, because I did not know much about it. It seemed like a distant, unreachable brand, but I could not be more wrong…”

“That first interview really set me straight on the type of place it was. It felt like the people interviewing me were most concerned with who I am as a person and how I would fit into the business. The following interviews did get tougher though, but looking back I think it was necessary.” 

And that theme continued as she started her career at Allan Gray. “When I started I had an issue with being heard, especially in meetings, having just come out of university. My mentor at the time really helped me learn to stand my ground and argue my point. Having someone who has your back like that has been very valuable to me…In fact, she has pushed me to develop myself from the moment we met. Allan Gray as a whole is not a sink or swim environment; as much as you might have the talent, you also need people supporting your development.” 

Nokuthuba has gone on to be a senior business analyst and is now a domain owner. “As great as it has been to grow in the business, I think the thing I most enjoy is being able to get outside the box of IT. When we recently launched Umbrella Funds I got to be involved in strategic and business conversations – it really opened my eyes to how the business works from the inside,” she ends.