PROpulsion Tech Agenda

The agenda is now final, but minor changes might still be made.

Day 1 - Tuesday - 5 August 2025

  • 08:50 - Welcome
  • 09:00 - Keynote - From Blue‑Sky to Bottom‑Line - Johan Steyn, AI for Business

    Johan Steyn will kick off the day with a hands-on framework for turning AI and automation from “blue-sky” ideas into real bottom-line results. He’ll cut through the hype to show what these technologies can, and can’t, achieve, then guide you step by step through defining clear requirements, building a solid ROI model and mapping an action-ready roadmap. You’ll leave ready to apply his proven “Imagine we could … In order to” method straight away.
  • 09:30 - Demo / Showcase - atWORK
  • 09:50 - Demo / Showcase - Asset-Map
  • 10:10 - Demo / Showcase - AdviceTech
  • 10:30 - Micro Keynote - Empowering the Future of Financial Services: Innovation, Collaboration, and Growth - Shaun Nicholson, CEO, Iress

    Iress will share its vision for the future of financial services, focusing on the innovations and strategic investments that are reshaping the industry. From empowering over 10,000 businesses globally with cutting-edge software for trading, wealth management, and investment, to our deep commitment to client success and local market focus in South Africa, this keynote will highlight the impact of technology in transforming financial services ecosystems. Discover how Iress is enhancing user experiences, improving operational models, and driving meaningful outcomes for clients, all while continuing to listen, adapt, and grow with their needs.
  • 10:40 - Comfort Break
  • 11:10 - Micro Keynote - COFI Readiness: A Practical View from the Tech Side - Niclaas Roets, CEO, atWORK

    Discover how tech is helping (or hindering) advisers on their COFI journey. Drawing from real client experiences, Niclaas highlights common system gaps, and the smart tools that are helping firms take action.
  • 11:20 - Demo / Showcase 4 - Commspace
  • 11:40 - Demo / Showcase - Avalon
  • 12:00 - Demo / Showcase - FSPHub
  • 12:20 - Micro Keynote - The Silent Majority: What Financial Advisors Need to Know About Dark Social, Hidden Influence and Off-Channel Trust Signals - Rizanne Oosthuisen-Botha, CEO, ProfileMe

    Explore how trust is built where no one’s looking. Rizanne unpacks dark social, invisible influence, and why the most powerful client referrals often happen off the radar, in the quiet spaces that shape real decisions.
  • 12:30 - Comfort Break
  • 13:00 - Keynote - Can You Use AI Without Breaking the Law? - Francois du Toit

    Francois du Toit tackles the pressing question facing South African financial advisers: how to use AI tools without breaching POPIA regulations. He unpacks the hidden compliance risks of uploading client information to platforms like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot, revealing critical problems around client consent, data minimisation, and cross-border transfers. Rather than just highlighting risks, Francois provides practical solutions, including purpose-built financial software with compliant AI features, safe AI use cases, and a compliance checklist that attendees can implement immediately to adopt AI smartly while protecting their clients and businesses.
  • 13:30 - Micro Keynote - Future-ready planning: interactive, holistic, global — but is it scalable? - Bennie Gouws, Asset-Map

    Holistic, interactive planning is no longer just for the ultra-wealthy. Bennie explores how client expectations are evolving — and how advisers can scale personalised advice without losing trust or time.
  • 13:40 - Demo / Showcase - Just
  • 14:00 - Demo / Showcase - Taxspace
  • 14:20 - Recap
  • 14:25 - End of Day 1

Day 2 - Thursday - 7 August 2025

  • 08:50 - Welcome
  • 09:00 - Keynote - Leading the Change: Our Journey with Tech - Zeyn Ally, Chief Operating Officer, Fairbairn Consult Fairbairn Consult shares their real-life experience of leading a tech transformation in their business, without being techies themselves. It's an honest look at how they stayed true to their values, put advisers first, and used feedback, pilots, and culture fit to guide their decisions. A powerful reminder that you don’t need to know code and tech to lead change, you just need to know what great looks like.
  • 09:30 - Demo / Showcase - ProfileMe
  • 09:50 - Demo / Showcase - Hadeda
  • 10:10 - Demo / Showcase - Iress
  • 10:30 - Micro Keynote - Dan’s Dilemma: The Comedy and Cost of Choosing the Right Advisor Software - Matthew de Wet, Business Development Manager, Hadeda

    Meet Dan, a fictional adviser on a hilariously painful quest for the right tech. This talk reveals the real cost of bad software picks and introduces Techfinder, a smarter way to match needs with solutions. A funny yet practical take on better tech decisions.
  • 10:40 - Comfort Break
  • 11:10 - Special Announcement - PROpulsion
  • 11:20 - Demo / Showcase - Elite Wealth
  • 11:40 - Demo / Showcase - Clidash
  • 12:00 - Demo / Showcase - ZapDash.studio
  • 12:20 - Comfort Break
  • 12:50 - Micro Keynote - Unifying Your Data: The Case for a Centralised Database - Matthys Brits, Key Relations, AdviceTech

    Too much data, not enough clarity? Matthys makes the case for a centralised database — the key to cleaner compliance, better decisions, and a single source of truth that powers smarter, faster business growth.
  • 13:00 - Demo / Showcase - Old Mutual Wealth
  • 13:20 - Micro Keynote - Be the Expert, Feel the Dopamine—Unless You’re a Machine - Sharon Moller, Old Mutual Wealth

    We love being the expert. It fires up our brains and makes us feel in control. So when Sharon built an AI to coach, not solve, she didn’t expect how uncomfortable it would be when it actually followed the rule. This is how AI stayed true to the coaching role while she faced her money story without being rescued.
  • 13:30 - Recap
  • 13:35 - End of Event
Buy Your Tickets to Lead the Change