FROM THE
CEO ’ S DESK
It is a privilege to pen down a few opening thoughts for this second edition of The Professional – the PPS member magazine . Our intention is that this publication is distributed three times a calendar year . This edition is the first for 2021 – the year in which PPS celebrates its 80th birthday . We are proud that our purpose has remained unchanged over the eight decades : to enhance the financial security of our professional members . This purpose has seldom been more germane than in these exceptional times we find ourselves in .
I mentioned in the first edition of The Professional last year that , having served professionals for so long , we know that they are time-deprived . A publication like this should not add to the noise and clutter , and be of a high standard . It should be relevant , valuable , provide context , stimulate interest , educate and entertain .
From the positive feedback that we received from members thus far , it seems that we are on the right track to clear this bar . We welcome your feedback , comments and views – simply click on the hyperlinks , rate the articles and share your thoughts !
I also pointed out that one of the objectives of The Professional is to make our members more aware of the full spectrum of bespoke financial services that the PPS Group offers to professionals . PPS has outgrown the illness-benefit focus it had at the turn of the millennium and is today a fully-fledged financial services provider covering life , shortterm insurance , investments , medical aid , and more . The ethos of mutuality always guides us – we get involved in value propositions for our members if we are convinced that we can provide them with better value than they might find elsewhere . More often than not it is to return to our members the market ’ s profit margin .
Given the challenging environment , a few articles in this edition have a COVID-19 flavour . We note in our feature article – Forces of Change on page 5 written by Louis Fourie in his usual punchy style – some of the trends and shifts that we can start to count on when life returns to normal . On page 40 ’ s Boredom busters I argue that the lockdowns have prompted many to dabble with new pursuits , and why it is important that professionals
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