In this Business Talk with Michael Avery interview, Standard Bank Group\u2019s Schalk Malan discusses the future of insurance in South Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Malan is the Head of Insurance for Standard Bank\u2019s Insurance and Asset Management Business (IAM) Unit, a role he was appointed to in late 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this position, he oversees Liberty’s Retail Life and Savings and Corporate Benefits offerings, a Standard Bank subsidiary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition, he manages Standard Bank Standard Insurance Limited (SIL).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Malan rose to prominence when he co-founded the life insurance company BrightRock in 2011, serving as its CEO for nearly eight years and as its Director for over 14 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Under his leadership, BrightRock became one of South Africa\u2019s most innovative risk insurers, helping him build a reputation for his actuarial expertise and entrepreneurial drive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Malan boasts a Bachelor of Science Honours in Actuarial Science from the University of the Witwatersrand and a Bachelor of Science from Rand Afrikaans University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this Business Talk interview, Malan outlines the defining moments over the last year that have changed the insurance industry, and highlights where he sees new growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Malan unpacks what it means to move from a limited, case-by-case approach to customer interaction to a long-term, financial-journey-focused method, and how they support their customers with automated services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He also highlights the differences between creating innovative solutions in a large organisation compared to a start-up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Malan concludes the interview by sharing what it takes to be a leader in a constantly evolving modern marketplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Watch the interview with Schalk Malan below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n