Morningstar, a provider of independent investment research, has launched Morningstar Investment Management South Africa, an investment management business in Cape Town.

Tal Nieburg, managing director for Morningstar South Africa, said: "We are pleased to expand our proprietary asset allocation, manager selection, portfolio construction, and investment advisory services to South Africa."

Morningstar Investment Management South Africa has been granted Category I and Category II licenses from the Financial Services Board to provide investment advisory and discretionary investment management services to South Africa-based financial institutions and financial advisers.

"There is growing demand among investors in South Africa for investment solutions that cross the full range of investment advisory services. These licenses enable us to leverage Morningstar's global capabilities to deliver investment solutions that help investors achieve better financial outcomes,” added Nieburg.

Morningstar Investment Management South Africa is part of Morningstar’s Investment Management group, which offers investment advisory services through more than 100 investment professionals around the world.

The firm will provide research-driven, innovative investment services to the local market, including asset managers, wealth managers, family offices, and advisers.

Morningstar also announced that Victoria Reuvers has been named a director and senior investment consultant for Morningstar Investment Management South Africa.

Before joining Morningstar Investment Management South Africa, Reuvers founded Trivium Capital, an investment consulting and research firm in Cape Town.

Before founding Trivium, Reuvers held several management and research positions at Investec Asset Management.

“Vicki is a proven leader with expertise in fund analysis, quantitative research, and portfolio construction and management,” Simon Ewan, head of Morningstar’s investment advisory and portfolio management services for the EMEA region, said.

“Our experience working with asset managers to deliver sub-advisory and asset allocation services, and with advisers for managed portfolios, is a natural extension of our business and will transition well to South Africa’s open-architecture environment. We are expanding our team on the ground in South Africa and look forward to working with local clients to deliver enhanced propositions to investors,” he added.