deVere appoints new Head of Risk and Compliance in SA

Samantha Lance

Lance, the new Head of Risk and Compliance joins deVere South Africa from Nedbank Financial Planning where she held the role of Head of Legal, Risk and Compliance.

Starting in her new position with immediate effect, Lance will report directly to Greg Stockton, deVere's Divisional Manager in Africa, and Beverley Yeomans, the Group's Chief Operating Officer. She takes over from Erica Steeman-Duncan who has left the organisation to launch her own business.

Of her appointment, Samantha Lance, who will be based in deVere's Johannesburg hub office, comments: "I'm thrilled to be starting a new and exciting challenge by joining deVere for four key reasons.

"First, deVere has an enviable reputation for having one of the very strongest and strictest risk and compliance cultures in the financial advisory sector.
"Second, deVere is 100 per cent committed to using its significant resources to drive the pace of even more robust compliance procedures for the wider financial advisory industry in South Africa, as the regulatory environments and client expectations continue to evolve.

"Third, I am confident that deVere is destined for even bigger success in South Africa and will truly shape and lead the financial advisory sector which is undergoing a period of fundamental, monumental change, with, for example, the possible introduction of fee-based-only business.

"And fourth, there is soaring demand for deVere's specialist cross-border financial advice across South Africa."

She continues: "In my role as Head of Risk and Compliance, which is completely independent from other parts of the business operations, my main remits are to ensure that all clients receive the best ongoing advice and to work with consultants and managers in bringing new financial solutions to the market to help our clients achieve - and even exceed - their financial goals."

Greg Stockton, Divisional Manager of Africa, states: "We're delighted, and it is a bit of an industry coup, that one of the most talented and respected professionals in her sector in South Africa has left one of SA's largest banking institutions to join and further enhance deVere's Risk and Compliance department.

"The deVere CEO, Nigel Green, has recently made public his intention to expand across South Africa which he feels is a market of enormous potential, and to dedicate further resources here to ensure this happens successfully. The appointment of Samantha Lance is another step to achieving this important and ambitious strategic growth."