Semadi Ernaus Motau

Semadi has over 20 years’ experience in financial markets, with extensive experience in stockbroking and investments – and has served in various leading roles within investment banking.

Semadi served as a director for Bank of America in the global markets division covering both local and international institutional clients across multiple asset classes. He was also a founding shareholder and director of Noah Financial Innovation with the principal role of heading up the equity and equity derivative trading desk. He has served on several professional bodies including the JSE Trading Advisory Committee as well as a member of the ABSIP Executive. He continues to play an entrepreneurial and development role across varying sectors, including but not limited to advisory in project finance in the mining, healthcare, and property sectors. Semadi joined Navigare in January 2018.

“In our journey to be better versions of ourselves, let us take the path less travelled, knowing that it will make all the difference” – S.E.M

Erica Bruce, CSb (SA)

Erica has over 35 years of experience in the South African financial markets, and is one of the founding members of Navigare. She is a member of the South African Institute of Stockbrokers (SAIS) and a certified stockbroker, CSb (SA).

Erica began her career at Ferguson Brothers in 1985. After consulting to the JSE, she accepted a permanent position there in 1987, where she was part of, and played an instrumental role in, the development, testing, training and implementation of the Broker Dealer Accounting (BDA) system, the JSE’s electronic trading system when converting from open outcry trading to an electronic trading platform as well as the conversion from paper settlement to electronic settlement with the implementation of STRATE (South Africa’s Central Securities Depository). In 1994 Erica joined HSBC as the training and liaison manager and subsequently joined the Cadiz Group in 1998 (as a director, stockbroker in control and head of compliance and settlement) to be part of and launch its stockbroking business.

Erica continues to sit on various industry advisory committees and forums, including the JSE Trading and Advisory, JSE Clearing and Settlements, STRATE advisory committee, FMP (Financial Market Review Committee), to name but a few. She has been president of the South African Institute of Stockbrokers (SAIS) since 2005. In this capacity, she has spearheaded the development of a learnership and two qualifications within the financial industry. She continues to play a major role in setting standards of excellence through mentoring, training, and the development of education within the industry – with the focus on driving transformation through skills development.

Ruanne Foster, CFA, FDP

Ruanne has more than 15 years’ experience in asset management and research. He holds a BCom in Investment Management and is also a CFA^® and FDP (Financial Data Professional) Charterholder.

Ruanne’s skills have evolved as the data science field has grown and he is currently focused on applying data science methods to alternative datasets in the equity investment space. He has been driving the research function at Navigare since 2011.

Vuyisile Radebe

A Tribute – Vuyisile Onasmus Radebe

After several years battling with ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) a motor neuron disease, Vuyisile Radebe our chairman, former CEO and partner passed on the morning of Saturday the 9th of January 2021.

In one’s lifetime it is rare to encounter someone who was global in his perspective but firmly rooted in his cultural Identity. This was Vuyisile Onasmus Radebe!

We at Navigare have been truly fortunate to have had Vuyisile touch our lives both as a friend and a leader of our business. Vuyisile joined Navigare in April of 2016 with limited exposure to our stockbroking environment and yet he left an indelible mark on our business that will be with us as we grow.

A simple and yet powerful question was asked by Vuyisile. ‘Why do we exist and why should our clients pay us?’ The answers have led us to build a data centric approach to investment research driven by the explosion in big data trends.

This idea developed and delivered a more deeply integrated business that created a unique data-driven offering, tailored to our clients’ needs and processes, that is both transparent and reconcilable, and which enables markedly improved investment decisions – among other initiatives. Thank you Vuyisile for this lasting contribution to Navigare.

Vuyisile asked of us to reimagine ourselves both as individuals as well as a collective. Belief in oneself was his point of departure however a strong sense of presence rooted him to an awareness of our world and how we can leave it a better place than we found it.

Excellence & dedication to his craft were his guiding principles in business. His articulation and ability to share ideas with the team with such clarity was exemplary. Throughout his journey with ALS Vuyisile remained present and accessible to all of us, always ready to listen & impart wisdom.

We as Navigare want to express our heartfelt condolences to Vuyisile’s wife Pamella and his children Hlangalethu and Zoluntu as they learn to live each day without him.

Vuyisile’s lasting legacy to us is the lesson that the desire to live takes courage and commitment to those that matter in your life. Thank you for your generosity in spirit and selflessness, you always showed care and concern for all of us despite your own struggles with ALS. Thank you to all that you were to your family, friends and Navigare.

Lala ngoxolo Vuyisile.

James Bruce

James has over 30 years of trading experience in the South African equities market, and is one of the founders of Navigare.

James entered the industry in 1987 as a trader on the Open Outcry Trading Floor. In 1993 he moved to Ed Hern Rudolph as a senior trader, primarily trading resource stocks, foreign arbitrage, and managing propriety trading activities. In 1996 he was made head of trading and appointed a director. in 2002, he joined Citigroup as a director and head of South African trading. James spent six successful years at Citigroup before accepting the opportunity to join Navigare as one of the founders.

Gavin Bouwer

Gavin has 26 years trading and sales experience in the South African equities market, and is one of the founding members of Navigare.

Gavin started his career at EW Balderson. He later joined ING Barings where he was initially a trader but was promoted to head of sales in trading in 1999. In 2001, he joined Citigroup, where he was part of the original team that started the group’s South African equities division, namely Salomon Smith Barney, and was a director responsible for sales trading to both local and offshore accounts. Within three years of launching the business, the company was ranked the number one research house in South Africa.

Akhona Stafane

Akhona joined Navigare in January 2021 as a Data Scientist to focus on continued use of alternative data for valuable business solutions. Akhona holds a BCom Economics & Statistics (UCT) and an Honour’s Degree in Economics (UCT).

Siyanda Matika

Siyanda is someone who enjoys solving problems in creative ways. He is a Data Scientist with 3+ years in the banking space working with big data and has 4+ years of experience in academic research.

His current areas of interest are Machine Learning; these particularly include computer vision and natural language processing.

Mpho Komape

Mpho joined Navigare in May 2022 as a data scientist and has a BCom in Actuarial science specializing in quantitative finance from the University of Cape Town.

He worked in the analytics and pricing teams at a local insurance company where he gained experience in analyzing data to find insights and patterns needed to make business decisions

Tlotlo Lekgoba

Tlotlo has recently joined our team as a Graduate Trainee in the Research and Data Science team through the Coronation Catapult Programme. She completed her undergraduate studies in Actuarial Science & Mathematical Statistics at the University of the Witwatersrand and has a keen interest in the application of data science for financial solutions.

Henrish Maluleka

Henrish joined Navigare in June 2018 as a software developer to focus on the continued development of the Navigare research product.

Henrish holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Earlham College, Indiana, and has worked at various local and international companies as a full-stack developer. Henrish brings a crucial skillset to the research team by harnessing the potential of data.

Thapelo Mafiri

Thapelo is a highly skilled and motivated individual with a BSc in Computer Science and an Honors degree in Big Data Analytics from the University of the Witwatersrand. He has experience as a Software Development Engineering intern at AWS and has worked part-time at a software startup. Thapelo is passionate about problem-solving and enjoys learning new skills. His expertise in software development and data analytics makes him an invaluable asset to any team.

Jennifer Titus, CSb (SA)

Jennifer has almost 20 years’ experience in the stockbroking environment, starting her career in 1997 at HSBC Securities, and following that as an alternate settlement officer at Cadiz Securities from 2004.

Jennifer has completed all the SAIS and FAIS (RE5) exams, as well as the derivatives and equities compliance officers’ and settlement officers’ exams. She has also completed her Advanced Diploma in Financial Markets. She is a member of the South African Institute of Stockbrokers (SAIS) and a certified stockbroker, CSb (SA).

Chris Beiling

Chris has been in the financial services industry for more than 25 years and joined Navigare in May 2020.

Chris worked at the JSE for 11 years, supporting and training users of the BDA system. He was also part of the support team that moved the South African equities market from a T+5 to a T+3 settlement cycle. His expertise extends to local and global market operations and he has held the positions of settlement officer and compliance officer at various stockbroking firms. He has passed the equities trader, settlement officer and compliance officer exams.