Following the annual two-day SAVCA private equity conference, our Market Development Consultant – Africa, Dr Rufaro Nyakatawa, will welcome finance professionals from Jersey and South Africa at an exclusive funds-focussed roundtable event in Johannesburg.
The event will open with a welcome address from Rufaro and will followed by an in-depth fireside chat with Dr Eugene van Rensburg, CEO and Co-Founder of EduInnov8 and Elliot Refson, Head of Funds at Jersey Finance.
The session will explore the intersection of global fund trends and the transformative potential of tokenisation, offering insights highly relevant to funds and wealth management professionals.
Invited guests will have the opportunity to learn and participate in discussions on key trends, including the growing demand for alternative asset structures, the role of tokenisation in enhancing liquidity and transparency, and how South African investment managers can leverage Jersey’s flexible regulatory environment to access global opportunities.
If you are interested in attending this event, please contact a member of the events team.
Dr Rufaro Nyakatawa › Market Development Consultant – Africa, Jersey Finance
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Based in Johannesburg, Dr Rufaro Nyakatawa’s primary focus is developing the strategy for Jersey Finance’s engagement in the South African market. She also plays a vital role in supporting the organisation’s wider activity across the continent.
Dr Nyakatawa is a multifaceted business consultant with more than 20 years’ experience working in financial services, specifically wealth management in large financial services companies in South Africa and across Africa. She joined Jersey Finance in 2021 and is responsible for market development in Africa, currently with a primary focus on South Africa.
An international speaker and thought leader, Dr Nyakatawa has been interviewed on various platforms including the BBC, CNBC, ENCA and various publications. She champions women’s issues as an Advisory Board Member of Women in Tech (SA Chapter) and an International Campaign Advisor for the Cherie Blair Foundation’s 100,000 Women Campaign Board, among others. She was recently elected by members to the Board of Directors of the Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa(FPI), she is a Non-Executive Director at Masthead and is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®), CFA member and SAVCA member. She holds an MBA and PhD from the University of Cape Town.
Elliot Refson › Head of Funds, Jersey Finance
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Elliot re-joined Jersey Finance in November 2018 from Crestbridge where he managed their Management Company Services Group.
Elliot’s role is to help define Jersey’s product offering for funds as well as to oversee the strategy and execution of marketing Jersey as both a domicile and destination for Alternative Investment Managers and their funds.
Elliot moved to Jersey in 2006 to establish a Macro strategy Hedge Fund under the Ermitage umbrella for whom he also seeded other Macro / CTA strategy Hedge Funds.
Elliot founded the Jersey Hedge Fund Managers Group and the Digital Asset Managers Group aimed at linking the growing community of local Managers and is a committee member of the Jersey Funds Association, the BVCA Channel Islands working group and the islands Funds’ Innovation Committee.

Dr Eugene van Rensburg CEO & Co-Founder, EduInnov8
Eugene is a seasoned entrepreneur and investor with over 25 years of investment and executive management experience in financial markets having managed capital market trading and investment teams, and SaaS technology businesses. He is CEO and co-founder of Education Innovation Partners (EduInnov8) and board member and co-founder of Hlayisani Capital. He previously served in executive leadership positions at IRESS Ltd, Nedbank Capital, Sanlam Capital Markets, and ICAP South Africa.