Purple Group team.
Top Stockbroker Awards 2015.
Mark Barnes, left, and Charles Savage, right, of Purple Group.
The annual Financial Mail/Investors Monthly Top Stockbrokers Awards was held at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange on 22 September 2015, where Purple Group, through its products GT247.com, EasyEquities, Emperor Asset Management and GT Private Broking, was named Top Stockbroker of the Year. In addition, the EasyEquities tax-free savings account was named Best Tax-Free Saving Account on the market, while GT247 placed third for the very tightly contested People’s Choice award.
The Top Stockbroker awards were established in 2010 and have since become recognised as the industry’s premier ranking. This year, 4 525 clients participated in the survey, with Purple Group beating out the likes of Standard Bank, Investec, among other industry bigwigs. The fact that clients and peers take part in the voting process to weigh in on who walks away with top honours at the awards, speaks volumes about Purple Group’s offering and approach.
Purple Group CEO Charles Savage expressed delight at the group’s performance. “We’ve always been about innovation and making it easy for our clients to invest,” he said. “These awards tell us that we’re doing it right in all areas of our business. We’re particularly proud of EasyEquities, which participated in the survey for the first time last year and won the award for top stockbroker for the young investor – even though we were still in the test phase!”
Although less than a year old, EasyEquities is no stranger to the awards podium, having won the 2014 Accenture Innovation Award and been named Top Stockbroker for the Young Saver by Business Day.
Stuart Theobald, chairman of Intellidex, the company that conducted the survey and analysed the results, noted that the biggest shift has come with the introduction on online share trading. “Over the years we have seen a radical shift in the proportion of investors who invest directly online, through a broker and via the telephone.”
Purple Group are by no means a new kid on the block. They’re a listed company on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange; were the first to introduce CFDs to South Africa; and were the first to bring fractional share rights to SA (through EasyEquities.) In addition to this, they actively support the insurance industry - big time. They recently sponsored the FIA Roadshow; jumped on board with the annual IIG golf day; and Purple Group’s Chairman, Mark Barnes, will be speaking at the IISA event on 7 October 2015.
Purple Group definitely look to be a brand to watch as they aim to reach even greater heights, while disrupting the local market in the most innovative way possible.
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