About Deresh Lawangee

The Worlds Times: Explain your background and your firms in detail.

Deresh Lawangee: I have an actuarial and mathematics background and have been working in the pension fund industry since 2006. In 2012 my focus changed to retirement fund assets. In 2019 we founded RISE (Retirement and Investment Savings for Everyone). With EasyEquities as the fintech partner, RISE’s objective was to democratize savings and investments for everyone and ensure dignity in retirement by leveraging new technology and thinking.

Goals & Strength of Deresh Lawangee

The Worlds Times: What are your goals?

Deresh Lawangee: My goals for RISE is to ensure that RISE members retire in dignity and are able to maintain or even improve their lifestyles by virtue of being invested in RISE products and services.

The Worlds Times: What do you feel is the biggest strength of EASYEQUITIES right now?

Deresh Lawangee: Our biggest strength is our team. We have a team of experienced and dedicated professionals who are passionate about making investing accessible to everyone. We also have a strong track record of innovation. We were the first online investment platform in South Africa to remove investment minimums and demoscratise access to the investment markets via fractional shares, and we continue to be at the forefront of innovation in the financial industry.

Career Path of Deresh Lawangee

The Worlds Times: What was the path you took to get to where you are today?

Deresh Lawangee: in 2017 we had realized that preparing member for a wonderful retirement was not enough. We needed a cohesive ecosystem to ensure financial well-being during economically productive years before retirement. Members needed access to capital to purchase their first home, educate their children or themselves. A key component was to ensure members could save in a cost-effective and transparent way with no minimum amounts. EasyEquities platform and technology was game changer in the industry in democratizing access to investing but beyond that there was a shared understanding on the need to for financial inclusion in the African continent. It was this shared ethos that gave birth to RISE and our purpose.

The Worlds Times: Why did you start RISE?

Deresh Lawangee: we founded RISE to ensure that RISE members retire in dignity and are able to maintain or even improve their lifestyles by virtue of being invested in RISE products and services.

Vision & Challenges of RISE

The Worlds Times: What have been the biggest challenges you’ve had to overcome during the journey of your leadership?

Deresh Lawangee: Executing the strategy required to deliver the purpose of the business with as little practical compromise as possible.

The Worlds Times: Give us one word that describes you the best.

Deresh Lawangee: Persistency

The Worlds Times: What do you value the most about EASYEQUITIES vision?

Deresh Lawangee: while the business is agile and innovative there is an unwavering commitment and resilience to its purpose to democratize investing for everyone.

The Worlds Times: What are the key values which helped you to overcome the challenges in your path? Tell us something about your memorable incident in your leadership?

Deresh Lawangee: I believe all challenges have eventual solution. Managing the amount of time required to find a solution is the key. Being patient but persistent and focused on the end goal will result in solutions that arise from unlikely or unusual sources or circumstances.

Competition & Future of RISE

The Worlds Times: How do you see the RISE changing in two years, and how do you see yourself creating that change?

Deresh Lawangee: I see RISE having a more international footprint dovetailing EasyEquities expansion. To create this change we need to maintain our commitment to purpose of the RISE.

The Worlds Times: What benefits are people getting from EASYEQUITIES in this competitive world?

Deresh Lawangee: Access to the best investment platform to realize their investment goals in a transparent, easy, and non-intimidating format.

The Worlds Times: How many people are registered to receive benefits  from RISE?

Deresh Lawangee: at the moment RISE has over 34 000 members.

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