A new National Chairperson and National Vice-Chairperson, as well regional Councillors, were elected at the FISA AGM in Graaff-Reinet, over the Heritage Day long weekend in March.

The Fiduciary Institute of Southern Africa (FISA) held its 2021 AGM on 19 March – unusually - in the Eastern Cape town of Graaff-Reinet in the Karoo, to coincide with the official opening of a permanent exhibition in The Old Library Museum to celebrate and preserve the rich history of trust companies in SA.

“Not many South Africans know that the concept of a trust company originated in South Africa, dating back to 1834. This concept then spread to other countries elsewhere in the world”, said Dr Eben Nel, former Chairperson of FISA, who is passionate about history.

The exhibition displays a timeline of the trust company movement, items of historical interest including plaques and century-old leather-bound ledgers and minute books, as well as a “time capsule”, filled with items and documents relevant to the fiduciary industry, sealed in 2000 and to be opened in 2032.

Council elections

Following the AGM, changes were made to the FISA Council as follows:

• Ian Brink was elected as chairperson of FISA for the next two years. He replaces Eben Nel, who came to the end of his term as chairperson after having filled the position for three years. (Please see the photo of Ian Brink attached and pensketch below).

• Penny du Plessis was elected new vice-chairperson in the place of Angélique Visser, who also came to the end of her term after having served three years. (Please see the photo of Penny du Plessis attached and pensketch below).

Dr Nel thanked those whose terms had come to an end and welcomed the new councillors, saying: “Councillors’ time is given voluntarily and we deeply appreciate the effort that they make in continuing to grow the organisation and advance the fiduciary profession.”

Council members

The 10 person FISA Council now comprises the following:

• Ian Brink, National Chairperson and Regional Councillor, Northern Region
• Penny du Plessis, Vice-chairperson and Regional Councillor, Gauteng Region

Louis van Vuren, FISA CEO

• Angelique Visser, Nationally Elected Councillor
• Aaron Roup (FISA secretary), Nationally Elected Councillor
• Carmen Venter, Regional Councillor, KwaZulu-Natal Region
• Donice Perkins, Regional Councillor, Eastern Cape Region

Eben Nel, Nationally Elected Councillor

• Rynoe Smith, Regional Councillor, Central Region
• Ryno Venter, Regional Councillor, Western Cape Region

FISA has more than 700 members. In 2018 the organisation introduced candidate membership for those with less than three years’ experience in the fiduciary industry.

The ultimate fiduciary designation, that of Fiduciary Practitioner of SA^® (FPSA^®), is attracting keen interest, with over 220 FISA members now holding the designation.

To apply to FISA for the FPSA^® designation, a FISA member needs to have successfully completed the distance-learning Advanced Diploma in Estate and Trust Administration offered by the School of Financial Planning Law at the University of the Free State.