Magda Wierzycka is the co-founder and chief executive officer of asset management group Sygnia.<\/p>\n
Wierzycka began her career as a product development and investments actuary at Southern Life in 1993, and then worked as an investment consultant for two years at Alexander Forbes.<\/p>\n
In 1997, she joined Coronation Fund Managers, which she then left six years later to start IQvest, a fund of hedge funds management company. Later that year, after selling IQvest to the African Harvest group, she was appointed to the position of CEO of African Harvest.<\/p>\n
After negotiating the sale of African Harvest Fund Managers to Cadiz Financial Services in 2006, Wierzycka led the management buy-out of the remainder of the African Harvest group, which resulted in the formation of Sygnia.<\/p>\n
Today, Sygnia has in excess of R250 billion in assets under management and administration, and is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. <\/span><\/p>\n In this episode of Business Talk with Michael Avery, Wierzycka discusses the global challenges brought on by the prolonged Covid-19 pandemic, including travel restrictions and the impact of various lockdowns.<\/p>\n Currently in London, Wierzycka talks through South Africa’s approach in obtaining a vaccine – with detailed knowledge in this regard, having set up a venture-capital company called Bravos which has investments in two companies involved in the development of Covid vaccines, including AstraZeneca.<\/p>\n Wierzycka talks Michael through vaccine development, testing, and market readiness, highlighting the challenges around the South African variant, while also providing some insight into the rollout of a vaccine to citizens in the UK.<\/p>\n The full interview is embedded below. You can find all the Business Talk with Michael Avery interviews here<\/a>.<\/p>\n