By Mayo Twala

Intellidex starts the new year with a refreshed brand and a website revamped from top to bottom. The new elements are largely to accommodate the company’s rapid expansion.

We have upgraded our website to accommodate the rapid expansion in our products and services. Intellidex chairman Dr Stuart Theobald says the site plays two key roles: a shopfront that informs the public about the business; and a repository where the company’s reports and other content can be accessed by the public.” I think the site does that in two unique ways – the menu system integrates with our business structure, so it is very simple to see the services we offer from the home page. Then, the i-Blog introduces a dynamic content element where Intellidex thinkers can share short and sharp opinion pieces to help drive the public debate.” The website page can be accessed here: https://www.krutham.com/ .

Intellidex’s refreshed branding is designed to reflect the company’s deep insight and integrity, says Theobald. “When our clients engage with us they are engaging with genuine thought leaders – people who are able to not only understand the global context and debates concerning the world in which our clients operate, but to lead those debates. As a result, our clients can lead in their societies and marketplaces.

“We also operate with utmost integrity. That means more than just being straight with our stakeholders – it means being leaders in our societies, ensuring that we play a positive role in making everyone’s lives better.”

The brand has evolved as Intellidex has produced work that is widely noticed. “We are not afraid to make a real impact with the type of research we undertake,” he says. “We’ve shifted the policy discussions around financial services and black empowerment. The crucial feature is that our work is informed by research – we go out and undertake first-hand research.”

Dr Graunt Kruger, Intellidex head of strategy research and heads the group’s US business, says the brand was refreshed to reflect the reality of Intellidex now being a multinational research firm with offices in three countries. “Our branding is now in line with this international spread and for our clients this means they will now be much more aware of the global perspectives and standards that we bring to their projects.”

He says the Intellidex team has worked very hard to build a reputable brand in South Africa. “We now have country offices in the UK and the US. We have also worked in many countries in sub-Saharan Africa, most recently in Tanzania, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius and Nigeria. We firmly believe that high quality research benefits the audiences both in the client country and the country in which the research is done. This means that we have to work hard to ensure that our research process closes the loop between the study and the dissemination of the research results. Increasingly, we will then need to build audiences in the rest of Africa so that we can share what we learn about the financial services industries in their countries.”

Intellidex’s focus has always been on financial services and capital markets in Africa, Kruger says. Even as it expands to new geographies and markets, the company’s core client base remains those firms and organisations that have an interest in Africa. “Now that we’ve expanded our capacity in capital markets and strategy research alongside our market research capability, we remain true to our mission. We help investors, financial services firms and regulators make informed decisions based on rigorous research.”

He says Intellidex’s intention has always been to deliver exceptional, quality research and insight to clients. “Becoming a leader in many of the areas we focus on has come as a result of this unwavering commitment to outstanding work. We are not focused on leading as such, but rather to constantly challenge ourselves to excel at delivering the best services to our clients. If as a result, we end up as a leader in the industry, it is because our clients have placed us in that position.

“We are ready for what follows the launch of the new website,” says Theobald, “and we look forward to an enhanced engagement with all our stakeholders.”