I have just wrapped up a ten-day Private Wealth Roadshow that took Guernsey Finance across eight South African towns, concluding with the Columba Leadership Academy charity dinner in Johannesburg.
The itinerary reminded me of two essential truths. First, Guernsey's cross-border structures remain central to many high-net-worth conversations, prized for their stability and substance. Second, genuine business development in South Africa goes beyond transactions - it's about uplifting communities by raising funds for and partnering with charities and their networks.
Throughout our meetings, we observed a notable increase in South African trustees relocating assets into Guernsey structures, a testament to Guernsey's strong reputation in the market. This multi-jurisdiction approach affords clients the flexibility, resilience and peace of mind they're looking for.
The dinner with Columba Leadership was a particular highlight. Columba is a renowned social-impact organisation that empowers young people and transforms public high schools through values-based leadership programmes. Funds raised from the night will develop 600 emerging leaders and train representative learner structures in 114 schools nationwide - tangible numbers that demonstrate how far a single evening's generosity can reach.
This was our first, and hopefully not our last, Columba charity dinner. Hearing past students describe how the programme changed their lives was a powerful reminder that wealth is more than figures on a spreadsheet; when channelled thoughtfully, it becomes a catalyst for sustainable, community-driven change.
Most international delegations head straight for Cape Town or Sandton. This time, I chose the back roads. We logged more than 2,000 kilometres, met with exporters, farmers, and miners, and held multiple adviser briefings. Crucially, having an Afrikaans-speaking colleague from Guernsey beside me meant we could unpack complex cross-border principles in a language that clients felt truly comfortable with.
Johannesburg and Cape Town remain vital hubs; however, future roadshows may blend city stops with deeper rural outreach; in my view, balance is the only way to keep growing our share in what is already Guernsey's second-largest private-wealth market while demonstrating long-term commitment to every corner of the country.
Looking ahead, on 18 September, we will co-host a revamped event with Suntera Global in Cape Town, which will be rich in African art and culture. October brings an autumn roadshow linked to One-to-One in Franschhoek, alongside two STEP-branded dinners with bespoke panel sessions.
If you would like a deeper dive into any of these trends or an early briefing on our September and October events, please get in touch. I will be delighted to share further details and explore how Guernsey's solutions can work for you.
For more information about Guernsey's finance industry please visit www.weareguernsey.com.
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