The coveted Financial Services Achievement Award from the Association of Black Securities and Investment Professionals (ABSIP) was awarded to Someshini Packirisamy, fixed interest portfolio manager at Prudential Portfolio Managers (SA), last Saturday at the 6th ABSIP Financial Awards ceremony.
The annual ABSIP Awards celebrate black brilliance within the South African financial services industry. The Financial Services Achievement Award in specific recognizes black professionals for outstanding achievements. The criteria for assessing finalists in this category include professional achievement, innovation, leadership and impact on transformation.
Packirisamy manages the Prudential Money Market Fund, the second largest unit trust fund in Africa with R24-billion under management. This fund has consistently ranked number one in its category since inception to the end of September 2007.
Graham Mason, CEO of Prudential Portfolio Managers in South Africa, says Packirisamy has gone beyond just being an excellent portfolio manager. In an effort to ensure that the Prudential Money Market Fund continues to outperform on a consistent basis, she also developed an innovative front office tool, which has contributed to the fund’s out performance over competitor funds.
Packirisamy is a member of Prudential’s fixed interest team where she is responsible for the cash management of the portfolios, bond analysis and dealing. She recently obtained the title of Financial Risk Manager from the Global Association of Risk Professionals.
She is also an experienced Quantitative Market Risk Analyst and has a BSc in Actuarial Science and Statistics and a MSc in Financial Maths.
Packirisamy recently started a 12 month secondment to Prudential in London as a member of the asset-backed securities team. This will enable her to gain valuable global portfolio management experience.
Mason points out that Packirisamy has also shown commitment beyond the world of asset management. As a member of Prudential’s Corporate Social Investment Committee she has actively made a difference in the lives of those less fortunate through involvement in the following projects:
• The establishment of the TuxLabs computer laboratories at three different schools in the North West Province and in Cape Town.
• Identifying deserving candidates for bursaries provided by Prudential in partnership with StudyTrust.
• A Maths Support Programme in Philippi (Cape Town), as well as a Maths Literacy Programme currently being researched by Social Advantage.
• Rehabilitation of street children in partnership with Cape Town City Mission and Homestead with a view to training them in particular skills sets.
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