Who We Are
Luminaris Securities & Capital Ltd is a global specialized equity investment and trading management firm established in the United States between 2023 and 2024. Headquartered in the U.S. financial center, Luminaris’s core identity is that of an “Emerging Markets Capital Enabler,” dedicated to connecting world-class capital with high-growth potential markets. Luminaris Securities & Capital Ltd is a global specialized equity investment and trading management firm established in the United States between 2023 and 2024. Headquartered in the U.S. financial center, Luminaris’s core identity is that of an “Emerging Markets Capital Enabler,” dedicated to connecting world-class capital with high-growth potential markets.
The company's global mission is: To leverage the established financial technology and stringent risk management experience of North America to drive and optimize capital operation efficiency and transparency in South Africa and other emerging markets, thereby unlocking their inherent value. Luminaris focuses its expertise on equities and their derivatives.
Global Structure and Cross-Cultural Synergy Luminaris employs a refined, multi-center global deployment strategy to ensure robust business growth and cross-cultural synergy:
United States (Global Headquarters & Technology Hub)
Serves as the nerve center for corporate strategy, core capital allocation, FinTech R&D, and advanced risk management. U.S. operations ensure adherence to the highest international standards for professional operation.
South Africa (African Operations Core)
A strategic priority for the company, handling local equity trading execution, deep market research, institutional sales, and local asset management services. We aim to be the preferred gateway for international capital entering the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE).
Spain (European Strategic Channel)
Responsible for multilingual client service, linking with European institutional funds, and offering cross-time-zone trading support.
South America (Market Diversification Anchor)
Focuses on uncovering equity investment opportunities in the region that exhibit complementary or similar growth patterns to the South African market.
Core Business Segments and South Africa Focus Our business revolves around equity assets, forming three mutually supportive core segments:
Institutional Equity Trading & Brokerage
Providing superior trade execution services, including high-efficiency, low-latency algorithmic trading and Direct Market Access (DMA).
Emerging Market Asset Management
Constructing and managing equity funds and customized investment portfolios focused on regions like South Africa and South America.
Cross-Border Capital Market Advisory
Offering advisory services for initial public offerings (IPOs), private placements, or strategic mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in emerging markets like South Africa. Our core value in the South African market is “Localized Research with International Execution.” We leverage our U.S. technology platform to ensure client trade orders are executed with maximum efficiency and best pricing, effectively bridging the gap in execution standards prevalent in some emerging markets.
Our goal is simple: to make investing understandable, transparent, and accessible to South Africans from all backgrounds.
Our Investment Philosophy - We Believe In
- clarity over complexity
- long-term thinking over speculation
- transparent fees and transparent risk
- continuous learning as the core of financial growth
Stefanus Willem van der Merwe
Senior Investment Strategy Advisor & Board Member
- Stellenbosch University – MSc Economics
- London Business School – Financial Management Programme
- Former strategist at Standard Bank & Van der Merwe Advisory Group
- Cape-based, multilingual, experienced in macroeconomic and equity analysis
Guiding Belief :
“Wealth is not built overnight. It is built through disciplined decisions made repeatedly over time.”
Leandri Reynolds
Board Administrative Officer & Senior Analyst
- London School of Economics – MSc Finance
- Investment banking analytics background
- Strong Afrikaans and Huguenot heritage, grounded in global financial understanding
Thandeka Ndlovu
Investment Analysis Associate
- University of KwaZulu-Natal – Finance & Economics
- Fluent in isiZulu and English
- Focuses on client education, risk awareness, and structured portfolio guidance
Thabo Khumalo
Head of Index Portfolio Management
- Mr. Khumalo (46) holds an M.Sc. in Applied Mathematics from the University of Cape Town (UCT). He spent 18 years at a large South African asset management firm, focusing on strategy development and risk control for ETF and index funds. He ensures Luminaris's index products achieve the highest replication accuracy in the JSE market.
Zola Naidoo
Head of Portfolio Management
- Ms. Naidoo (41) holds a Ph.D. in Finance from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) and previously served in senior management at Standard Bank's wealth division. She specializes in emerging market multi-asset strategies, combining deep local macroeconomic knowledge with international risk frameworks to lead the strategy and performance management of all customized portfolios.
Rian Botha
Investment Analyst
- Mr. Botha (39) is a CFA charterholder and a Stellenbosch University graduate. With over 10 years of experience at local South African brokerages, he specializes in deep fundamental research across the Energy, Mining, and Finance sectors, bringing unique insight into JSE-listed companies and corporate governance.
Nomusa Dlamini
Portfolio Analyst
- Ms. Dlamini (37) holds an M.Sc. in Financial Economics from the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits University). As a former Senior Consultant at Deloitte South Africa, she is expert in investment performance attribution and risk reporting. She is responsible for maintaining Luminaris's performance evaluation framework to meet the highest international standards for transparency and accuracy.
Jabu Sibiya
Quantitative Analyst
- Mr. Sibiya (35) holds a dual M.Sc. in Computer Science and Statistics from the University of Cape Town (UCT). He specializes in using machine learning and Big Data to construct quantitative factor models, aiming to capture unique alpha opportunities in the JSE market. He is a key technical talent bridging the firm's North American technology with local market insights.
Anika Smit
Senior Quantitative Developer
- Ms. Smit (44) holds an M.Sc. in Software Engineering from the University of Pretoria. She previously served as a Chief Architect in the IT division of a large South African investment bank, focusing on the architectural design and optimization of high-performance, low-latency trading execution systems (EMS/OMS). Her expertise is crucial for ensuring the platform's speed and stability.
