The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) is pleased to announce that it has embarked on a process to incorporate JSE Investor Services Proprietary Limited (JIS) as a wholly owned subsidiary of the JSE by acquiring the minority shareholding of 25.15 % from LMS Partner Holdings. The acquisition is subject to the fulfillment of suspensive conditions. In November 2020, the JSE acquired a 74.85% shareholding in JIS (formerly Link Market Services South Africa Proprietary Limited). JIS provides Share Registry, Custody and Investor Services to its clients.
JIS CEO, Iqbal Haniff, will remain as CEO until June 2022, fulfilling his obligations as part of the transaction. A process to recruit for a new successor will begin later this year to ensure a smooth transition and handover period between the new CEO and Mr Haniff. This will support the JSE’s commitment to knowledge transfer, continuity in operations and trusted relationships with clients. Haniff will remain available thereafter on a consultative basis to JIS.
“I wish to thank Iqbal for his incredible leadership at JSE Investor Services, building the company over the years making it a full-service business that is meeting the needs of our clients. I look forward to working closely with him during his transition and continuing a long-standing relationship with him well into the future,” says Leila Fourie, CEO of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.
In order to strengthen JIS’ proposition to its clients, JIS has reached an agreement with Investec Share Plan Services Proprietary Limited (“ISPS”) to acquire a portion of its share plan services business. The arrangement includes a licensing and support services agreement with ISPS for the share plan services administration platform. ISPS will retain the brokerage business within its existing business operation. This acquisition and association will enable JIS to expand its Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment and employee share administration services product offering. JIS will assume the relationship with over 90 clients, supporting JSE Group’s strategy to expand its client base and diversify its revenue.
“We are continuously looking at new ways to innovate and to service our ever growing client needs. We believe that this expansion into executive employee share services will create more opportunities for the JSE to provide the right solutions for our clients. We are excited about the opportunities that this initiative affords both JIS and Investec,” concludes Fourie.
