We Make Investments Accessible

Our technology and outsourcing services are used by some of the largest investment managers in Sub Saharan Africa. Our rich experience in the investment industry helps us continually innovate and improve our solutions to benefit our clients and their investors.

We tailor the solution to what you require – from using our proprietary technology to full outsourcing of your entire administrative function.

What we do
Tailor made solutions

If you are an asset manager, with us as your technology partner, you’ll be leaner and more agile, adding maximum value to your clients. As a financial advisor, we can build a digital interface that streamlines the flow of money, information and resources between you, your clients and asset managers.

Whatever level of support you need, we can help.
Technology that empowers your business

Looking for a technology solution to process your instructions? Or… want to outsource your entire administrative function?

We know you want to focus on your clients. But dealing with administrative tasks around investment products and handling client interactions is extremely time intensive.

 

With us as your technology partner, we can do everything from processing instructions and automating how your clients manage their investments, to handling your entire administrative function.

The end result is that you’ll be a leaner, more agile asset manager that adds maximum value to your clients.

As experts in the trade technology space, our innovative approach can help make your business more efficient, plus save you money over the long term. Join names like FNB, Investec, Stanlib, Sanlam, Nedgroup and Prudential and start streamlining your investment administration today.


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Streamlined investing
Silica’s Fund Trading solutions, is the ideal solution for LISP’s, Banks and Wealth Managers to improve their customer experience and lower the cost of administration, for investment products.
In partnership with Iress,
Silica’s Graphite solution provides access to an open market for investment managers to make funds seamlessly available to financial advisors at the lowest possible prices to investors.

It integrates directly into the financial adviser software you already use, and all information and instructions are captured at source through a single cash and application process.

You’ll be able to track investor fund performance in real time, improving client service levels and efficiency at the same time.  And because everything is cloud-based, your administrative tasks are reduced.

The benefits of Graphite for Investment Managers are the lower cost of admin services, improved margins, as well as new distribution channels.


CONTACT US TO FIND OUT HOW
ABOUT SILICA
Providing administration and technology solutions to asset managers and financial advisors throughout Southern Africa & Europe.

The story of Silica is a story of evolution


Add value to investors | Never stop innovating

It’s a story of how we’ve adapted over two decades of operation, learning from challenges and growing stronger while always staying true to our original goals: to add value to our investors and to never stop innovating.

We started as a project team within Investec in the late 1990s, building a custom software solution that would administer Investec’s unit trusts. After its huge success locally, we built a similar system for Investec’s international business.

However, we quickly realised most international asset managers outsourced some, if not all, of their administrative functions. So we expanded our offering to include an outsourced administrative business in South Africa, using our technology as the backbone that set us apart.

But we didn’t stop there.


Integration and product development

Once we had our service business in place, we again looked to innovate, asking: how can we do things more efficiently?

The answer to this was our integration capability and Graphite, our recently launched solution that allows financial advisers to buy funds online, in real time.

Throughout our journey, we’ve never stopped trying to improve, and in doing so we’ve returned to our roots as an IT business, which is where our true specialist expertise lies.

This, together with our track record in delivering world class solutions to our clients, is what will keep us relevant and competitive in a continually changing market.

Careers

Work for Silica

At Silica we look for
the unique, the special.

The individuals who go beyond the impossible. It’s your career. Own it.

Working at Silica

At Silica, our success is intricately tied to our people. Without this people-focused culture, we’d be just another IT company. But thank goodness we’re not. You’ll see this in the way we treat our staff, in our transparent leadership style, and in the small rituals we’ve created to help us build a more human-centric working environment.

Are you it?

We’re always looking to find the highest calibre talent there is. We want curious, driven team players who love collaborating, creating solutions and opportunities. We want individuals who are unique in their chosen fields, and willing to go that extra mile, and who are passionately aligned with our core values.

What’s in it for you?

Working for Silica gives you the opportunity to launch your career in many different areas. If you’re a developer for example, you’ll get valuable exposure to the financial services world, which could springboard you into working at banks, investment management companies, or even within financial departments of medical aids.

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our clients

Meet Our ExCo Team

Jennifer Van Oerle

Yashin Reddy

Madeleine Kotze

Daniel Micali

Billal Saloogee

Garth Smith

Vanessa Ruch

Hans Gildenhuys

Shainal Gosai

Hennie van Wyk

Jennifer Van Oerle

Director:  Funds Client Engagement

Jennifer is a Director of Silica Software Solutions and is currently the head of the Client Engagement team. She and her team own the relationships with our Funds clients and work together with the rest of the Silica team to deliver on our clients’ strategic objectives.

Jennifer joined the group in 1997 as an administrator in the Investec IMS business. After developing a wide understanding of administration services, she became a Business Analyst and worked on some big initiatives including the Investec/TMA merger, and the launch of an offshore product. When moving to Silica in 2004, she started the role of the CRM and the Client Services team in the new Silica administration business. She has since managed Operations teams, Web and BI teams in IT, and currently has a team of Project Managers, Client Relationship Managers, and Business Analysts. Jen is passionate about improving the level of savings and investments in South Africa and is proudly Silican. She strives to drive Silica’s business, and our client’s businesses, forward.

Yashin Reddy

Head of Cyber Security

Yashin is a new addition to the Silica family and has spent the last 10 years running managed network and security services for clients of all sizes within South Africa and internationally.

Before that, he spent 10 years in the corporate information security space at Telkom and was one of the founding members.

Yashin is passionate about Information and Cyber Security focused on helping our clients to deliver on their vision while building strong trust and assurance. He holds several international certifications such as CISSP and has completed his MSc in Information Security.

Madeleine Kotze

CFO

Madeleine joined Silica in January 2014 as CFO when Silica’s finance, risk, human resources and facilities operations formed part of her areas of responsibility, and in 2017 a business performance function was added to her portfolio.

With a B.Com Marketing qualification, she started her career at FirstRand in internal audit and later moved to the newly established operational risk function of the group. After part-time studies and a secondment to Deloitte, Madeleine qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2003 and returned to FirstRand Internal Audit for three years, before being appointed as CFO of RMB Asset Management. She later joined a start-up boutique asset management company, Truffle, where she spent four years before joining Silica.

Daniel Micali

Director: Business Development and Strategy

Daniel Micali is a director of Silica Holdings and was part of the original founding team that started Silica. As part of his role he’s responsible for the strategy and innovation for Silica. Silica has grown from 2 to 700 employees in the past 16 years and is the leading Business Process Outsourcing and Technology Company specialising in the provision of investment product and shareholder administration services solutions to Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

Daniel is passionate about how technology influences business and how it can change the world.

Daniel has a Bachelor of Information Systems and Economics degree and is an alumnus of Cambridge Judges Business School, Chicago Booth University and Singularity University.

Billal Saloogee

CTO

Billal joined Silica in 2004, after moving from Investec, and he’s worked in multiple areas within the IT space at Silica over the years.

Billal is responsible for delivery from an IT perspective within the platform domain and multiple teams report to him, including support and project teams. Billal works closely with the IT Exco and Leadership within the platform domain and he plays a key role in leading the platform area, giving strategic direction to move the organisation forward.

Garth Smith

CEO

Garth was appointed as Silica’s CEO in September 2017. He filled the role of CIO in 2016, after spending his first year growing Silica’s platform solutions business. Garth’s career began in the engineering industry and progressed into the Operational & IT environment in the Financial Services Industry.

He was part of the Standard Bank Group from 2003 until joining Silica in August 2014, during which time he took on various roles including: Director: Retail Operations at Stanlib, CIO and Business Change Executive at Liberty Life and CIO: Transactional Products and Services business unit at Standard Bank.

Vanessa Ruch

Director:  Funds Transactional Services

Vanessa joined Silica in 2000 and has held the position of Director in the Silica Software Solutions. She is currently a director of the Silica Administration Services business.

She is responsible for the implementation of change that addresses process optimization, automation, digitization and standardization across the Silica client base. She is also responsible for developing the Silica Web and Management Portals in line with Silica’s strategic direction. She works with the IT delivery teams, Program Office, clients and the operational business sponsors to ensure successful delivery.
Vanessa also works with the Silica directors to define the strategic direction of the Silica business in line with new technologies and business opportunities.

Hans Gildenhuys

Director

Hans started at Silica in April 2004 as the head of legal, after being transferred from Investec Asset Management. In 2006 the compliance, risk and governance functions were added to his portfolio of responsibilities.

Hans is a member of ASISA’s Governance board committee and serves on various sub-committees within ASISA. He interacts on a regular basis with the FSB, SARS, Treasury and the FIC, advising Silica’s client base of regulatory obligations and related matters.

Hans currently provides independent oversight of the activities of Silica as a whole, with regards to compliance with legislative obligations and the associated changes. Hans is also responsible for Silica’s Tax, Finance and liability register technology services in the Funds business, representing the core Funds service offering to Silica’s clients.

Shainal Gosai

Head of Digital Channels

Shainal joined Silica in 2018. He was at Standard Bank from 2013 to 2018 where his last positions were Head of Corporate and Investment Banking East Africa, and Chief Information Officer for Commercial Banking South Africa respectively.

He started his career in software development in 1996, and has since always had a role in technology. Shainal is passionate about building capability on digital channels for use within Silica and for our clients with the aim of making investments easy.

Shainal has an engineering degree and an MBA from the University of Witwatersrand.

Hennie van Wyk

Head of Business Performance

Hennie joined Silica in 2003 and spent the majority of his time at Silica as Head of the Project Management Office. He was previously responsible for the initial set up of this, including the creation of the Silica Project Management Methodology and Governance Framework.

Hennie facilitated the migration to the offshoring model of the Indian based development partner, as well as Silica’s agile adoption. Thereafter, establishing the new team – Silica Business Performance.

His main focus is Strategic Planning and Performance, including the Exco Balanced Scorecard, and Data insights and strategy. His determination lies in transforming the extensive data available into valuable insights for optimal business decisions for Silica and their clients.

LATEST NEWS

Silica Making Moves

08 Sep 2020

Tailor Made Tech Solutions Making Investments Accessible

From starting as a software developer to becoming a unit trust third-party administrator of choice and regional market share leader, Silica has come a long way in the past 20 years. CEO Garth Smith tells Enterprise Africa more about how this inventive organisation will grow its clients further in the future. For Sandton-based software and […]

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31 Jul 2020

Savings Month Reflections

As Saving Month draws to a close, and South Africans enter our 5th month of the COVID 19 lockdown, we would encourage everyone to pause, reflect, and review your financial situation, if you haven’t already. We are all dealing with different, unexpected, and unplanned financial circumstances – some are particularly tragic when there has been […]

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21 Jul 2020

Partnerships of Hope

Silica is a purpose-driven team. Our purpose is to “Make Investments Accessible”. We do this by helping our clients, Asset and Wealth Managers, service their clients, and grow their businesses.  One of our core values is being a trusted partner, to not only our staff & clients but also our community. Today the challenges faced […]

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20 Jul 2020

Silica Internship with YES4YOUTH

Silica is acutely aware of the economic crisis facing our country, even before the COVID-19 pandemic. An even bigger crisis is the level of unemployment in South Africa. As a company, we recognise the critical role that youth play in our economy and country. Silica is fortunate enough to be able to provide vital employment […]

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10 Oct 2019

SiO2019 Event Review

Silica’s SiO2019 Idea-Ology, held in the beautiful Cape Town. Shaping the conversation with inspiring and thought-provoking ideas. People and Technology working together to make Investments accessible.

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09 Sep 2019

SiO2019 Event

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Get In Touch

T:+27 11 302 4000
Grayston Office Park
128 Peter Road
Sandton
2196
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Back Office Outsourcing

Silica Back Office Outsourcing services, provide an end-to-end service in which all instructions are sent directly to Silica, who perform quality checks and assume the risk to ensure the instruction is captured in line with business and regulatory rules/procedures, as agreed with the customer.

Silica also assumes responsibility for the full compliance monitoring function on the customer’s behalf.

Silica issues all bulk trades, submits the trades to market and reconciles all transactions received to the trades taken place with the Investment Vehicle Provider (Collective Investments, Share Portfolios, Hedge Funds, International Funds and many more).

We also provide a full service for all bulk runs including: Fees, Debit Orders, Phase Ins, Annuities, etc. and take responsibility for all payments including: annuities, redemptions, advisor fees, admin fees, etc.

Additionally, Silica assumes responsibility for all tax administration relating to the investor with the relevant tax authority (SARS, HRMC, EUSD). Silica provides the full accounting requirement by preparing reconciled general accounts for the products, trial balance, income statement and balance sheet using accounting information supplied by the customer if required. Moreover, Silica facilitates the audits of the products that we administer.

As part of this service, Silica provides all technology including the ability to deliver a workflow solution within our customers business. The service includes a customized web portal utilising Silica’s standard web parts and web services. Incorporated is the ability to transact online, present information using 3rd Party sources (eg. Morningstar), request reports and correspondence. This full service includes the capability to view information across mobile devices such as IPADs and smartphones.

Investor Content

Silica Back Office Outsourcing services, provide an end-to-end service in which all instructions are sent directly to Silica, who perform quality checks and assume the risk to ensure the instruction is captured in line with business and regulatory rules/procedures, as agreed with the customer.

Silica also assumes responsibility for the full compliance monitoring function on the customer’s behalf.

Silica issues all bulk trades, submits the trades to market and reconciles all transactions received to the trades taken place with the Investment Vehicle Provider (Collective Investments, Share Portfolios, Hedge Funds, International Funds and many more).

We also provide a full service for all bulk runs including: Fees, Debit Orders, Phase Ins, Annuities, etc. and take responsibility for all payments including: annuities, redemptions, advisor fees, admin fees, etc.

Additionally, Silica assumes responsibility for all tax administration relating to the investor with the relevant tax authority (SARS, HRMC, EUSD). Silica provides the full accounting requirement by preparing reconciled general accounts for the products, trial balance, income statement and balance sheet using accounting information supplied by the customer if required. Moreover, Silica facilitates the audits of the products that we administer.

As part of this service, Silica provides all technology including the ability to deliver a workflow solution within our customers business. The service includes a customized web portal utilising Silica’s standard web parts and web services. Incorporated is the ability to transact online, present information using 3rd Party sources (eg. Morningstar), request reports and correspondence. This full service includes the capability to view information across mobile devices such as IPADs and smartphones.

Financial Content

Silica Back Office Outsourcing services, provide an end-to-end service in which all instructions are sent directly to Silica, who perform quality checks and assume the risk to ensure the instruction is captured in line with business and regulatory rules/procedures, as agreed with the customer.

Silica also assumes responsibility for the full compliance monitoring function on the customer’s behalf.

Silica issues all bulk trades, submits the trades to market and reconciles all transactions received to the trades taken place with the Investment Vehicle Provider (Collective Investments, Share Portfolios, Hedge Funds, International Funds and many more).

We also provide a full service for all bulk runs including: Fees, Debit Orders, Phase Ins, Annuities, etc. and take responsibility for all payments including: annuities, redemptions, advisor fees, admin fees, etc.

Additionally, Silica assumes responsibility for all tax administration relating to the investor with the relevant tax authority (SARS, HRMC, EUSD). Silica provides the full accounting requirement by preparing reconciled general accounts for the products, trial balance, income statement and balance sheet using accounting information supplied by the customer if required. Moreover, Silica facilitates the audits of the products that we administer.

As part of this service, Silica provides all technology including the ability to deliver a workflow solution within our customers business. The service includes a customized web portal utilising Silica’s standard web parts and web services. Incorporated is the ability to transact online, present information using 3rd Party sources (eg. Morningstar), request reports and correspondence. This full service includes the capability to view information across mobile devices such as IPADs and smartphones.

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