Ms Nicky Newton-King, CEO of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), addressed students and staff of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences on 4 August 2016, as part of the EMS Talk series.

A variety of topics were covered during the engaging talk, ranging from the rationale behind insider trading regulations to trends in listings on both the JSE Main Board as well as AltX. Prof Henco van Schalkwyk, Head of the Department of Financial Management, co-chaired the interactive question and answer session with Senior Lecturer Dr Michelle Reyers.

Ms Newton-King, who also serves on the Board of the World Federation of Exchanges, explained the local impact of global issues on market developments during discussions concerning the Brexit vote and the upcoming presidential election in the United States.

She also gave advice to beginner investors looking to invest in the South African financial markets, recommending that they look into signing up for a tax-free savings account or consulting with an online broker. 'You need to have a clear idea of what you are trying to achieve, because there is never a sure bet from an investment perspective and you therefore need to carefully investigate each opportunity', she cautioned.

The world-leading capabilities of the JSE were also highlighted by Ms Newton-King, such as the pioneering work in developing and introducing a sustainability index. She also provided insights on job opportunities for graduates at the JSE. 'We look for people who understand that the financial markets are the centre of the economy and are passionate about finding efficient and creative ways to run operations', she pointed out.

An exceptional workforce, she concluded, is what enables the JSE to maintain its status as one of the best-regulated exchanges in the world.

Ms Nicky Newton-King