Stanlib Botswana transforms into Vunani Fund Managers

JSE financial services group – Vunani Limited (“Vunani”)have announced the brand launch of Vunani Fund Managers Botswana.

The new brand signals completion of its acquisition of STANLIB Botswana from Liberty Holdings in January 2020.

Vunani owns 60% of Vunani Fund Managers Botswana, with the remaining 40% held by management and strategic equity partners.

This marks the group’s second transaction involving an established financial services platform in the SADC region in the last 12 months, following the acquisition of the MMI insurance business in eSwatini in December 2019.

Vunani Fund Managers Botswana is a multi-specialist asset manager with P4.3 billion (c.R5.6 billion) assets under management.

The company manages four retail unit trusts: Vunani Money Market Fund, Vunani Income Fund, Vunani Managed Prudential Fund and Vunani Equity Fund.

It also manages equity, fixed interest and global assets on behalf of institutional clients.

The company name Vunani is a nguni name meaning ‘harvest’ and inspires the diligent nurturing of an integrated range of innovative products and services, in order to deliver consistent, positive yield for clients in line with their financial objectives, appetite and scale.

Managing Director, Thabo Moipolai, says the management team has a proven track record in Botswana, which was a major driver of the acquisition by Vunani, and the team looks forward to strengthening its credentials as part of the Vunani group. 

“As we embark on our next chapter under the Vunani brand, the expertise and reach of a diversified pan African financial services group will bulwark and augment the company’s reputation and achievements in Botswana” he adds.

Vunani Group Chief Executive Officer, Butana Khoza, says it is pleasing to see the group’s SADC strategy gain traction and momentum, adding African financial services businesses closely aligned to Vunani’s existing South African strategy into the Vunani fold.

He says, “It heralds a new era in the Vunani story, one we believe will soon be recognized for its tenacity and resilience.”

Vunani Limited was established in 1998 and has offices in Johannesburg and Cape Town South Africa.

In addition, its associated businesses have operations in Blantrye (Malawi), Lusaka (Zambia), Harare (Zimbabwe), Mbabane (eSwatini) and now Gaborone (Botswana).

This financial service platform has over 500 employees across the continent.

Vunani Limited is quoted on the main board of the JSE and dual listed on the A2X alternative exchange.