Saffron is the most sought-after and expensive spice in the world – and with good reason.

Saffron is heralded for the intense yellow colour it imparts to dishes and the complexity of flavour it lends. Throughout history, the spice has evoked a reputation of affluence and elegance. Luckily, a tiny bit goes a long way. Saffron comes from the dried bright orange-red stigmas of the flower Crocus sativus. This delicate flower cannot survive in the wild and cannot survive without human care. The flower only blooms in the morning. Each flower is meticulously propagated and harvested by hand. Approximately 150 flowers are needed to make 1 gram of dried saffron. The more careful the cultivation, the higher the price.

Saffron funds are likewise meticulously cared for. The efforts of a highly skilled and dedicated investment team combined with robust operational and risk management processes make for investment strategies of unique performance.

It is Saffron’s mission to manage our investors’ hard-earned wealth with the same skill, care and purpose we observe in the harvesting and production of the spice.

OUR HISTORY

Saffron is a Category IIA FSP registered with the Financial Services Conduct Authority (FSCA) and has been in existence since 2007. Saffron manages both its own branded funds as well as outsourced funds from large financial institutions, including insurance companies and other asset managers.
Located in Stellenbosch, South Africa, Saffron manages assets across a diversified set of investment strategies across all the major asset classes within South Africa and offshore in hard currencies. Saffron operates four South African unit trusts, the Saffron BCI Opportunity Income Fund, the Saffron BCI Active Bond Fund, the Saffron BCI Flexible Fund, and a hedge fund, the Saffron Prescient Qualified Hedge Fund One. Saffron also manages the Saffron Global Enhanced Income Fund in Ireland (Republic).
The portfolio managers are Brandon Quinn and Anina Swiegers. Brandon headed the Hybrid & Structured Investment area at Metropolitan / Momentum Asset Managers before founding Saffron Wealth. Brandon specialises in multi-asset class investment strategies and holds a BCom, CFA. Anina co-manages the fixed-income funds and holds a BCom (Hons), CFA. Both Brandon and Anina are supported by quantitative and fundamental analysts and comprehensive cash management, risk management and compliance functions.

THE EXECUTIVE TEAM

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BRANDON QUINN, CEO & Fund Manager

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TOM BARLOW, Director

THE INVESTMENT TEAM

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BRANDON QUINN, CEO & Fund Manager

Brandon has been actively managing long-only and hedge fund assets since 2005. He graduated with a B Com (Economics) in 1992 and holds a CFA Charter since 2003. Brandon has experience investing in Developed Markets, Emerging and Frontier Markets across fixed income, currency, structured credit and equity asset classes.

Brandon’s financial services experience started in 1993 in market research within NBS Corporate Bank where he was responsible for sectoral research and strategy, informing the lending operations of the bank. It was over this period that Brandon completed an advanced diploma in bank credit management. Following the merger between NBS Bank and BoE Bank, he joined BoE Bank Treasury in 1996 where he focused on currency dealing and interest rate arbitrage in the dollar/rand currency pair.

From 2000 to 2003 Brandon managed the market risk of BoE Treasury, BoE Securities and the BoE Hedge Funds while completing his CFA. Following the merger between BoE Bank and Nedbank he was appointed Treasurer (Global) of Seaboard Overseas Limited (SOL), a NYSE listed multi-national commodity trading company. At SOL Brandon took overall responsibility for optimising the syndicated loan facilities and physical versus soft commodity hedging strategies using CBOT options and futures.

In 2005 Brandon took the position of portfolio manager at Metropolitan Asset Managers. There, Brandon was responsible for Liability Driven Investments of the Guaranteed Annuities products utilising nominal bonds, currency and interest rate derivatives in multi-asset investment strategies. He managed a portfolio with AUM in excess of R7.0bn (c. USD 1bn). Brandon also managed an on-balance-sheet hedge fund for the Metropolitan Group from 2005 to 2011 with AUM in excess of R3Bln (c. USD 0.5bn). Brandon then developed his business area to include multi-asset income enhancing strategies, growing an initial unit trust fund of R20m to R1.3bn in assets in just over 2 years.

In the wake of the Momentum Life / Metropolitan Life merger in 2012, Brandon and a group of investors bought a hedge fund company, renaming it Saffron Wealth (Pty) Ltd, relocating it to Stellenbosch from where it operates today. In 2013 Brandon won the Raging Bull Award for the best performing multi-asset income fund on a risk adjusted basis over 5 years. The fund continues to be a top performer in the Enhanced Income investment space. Saffron manages in excess of R2.5 bn in assets in the Saffron Opportunity Income Fund, the Saffron Active Bond Fund, the Saffron Large Cap Fund, the Saffron African Yield Opportunity Fund and the Saffron QHF1.

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CALUM HARDING, Trainee Investment Analyst

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SANDISIWE MBUYAZWE, Operations Specialist

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NIKOL HEARN, Strategist

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ANINA SWIEGERS, Assistant Fund Manager

Anina has more than ten years investment experience. After graduating in 2012, she joined the Saffron Graduate Program as a Trainee Investment Analyst. Anina holds a BComm Honours (cum laude) degree from the University of Stellenbosch and earned her Chartered Financial Analyst accreditation in 2017. Anina managed the Cash Management Function at Saffron while obtaining hands-on experience in a range of asset classes, funds and strategies managed by Saffron Wealth. In April 2017, Anina was appointed Key Individual for the Category 2A licence of Saffron Wealth and has since held the position of Assistant Fund Manager.

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JASON KREYFELT, Trainee Investment Analyst

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HEIN BREUNISSEN, Trainee Investment Analyst

FUND DISTRIBUTION

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MARK ATTWOOD-SMITH, Distribution

STRATEGIC & OUTSOURCED PARTNERS

POLICIES

  • Complaints Resolution Procedure

  • Conflict of Interest Management Policy

  • Disclosure Document

  • Treating Customers Fairly Policy

  • PAIA Manual

  • Personal Information Protection Policy

  • Privacy Policy