Namibian financial advisory business, Royale Wealth Management, has officially launched in Windhoek, from what has been described as the culmination of “a long and successful career.”
René Olivier, a fifth-generation Namibian, said the business was established “by Namibians, for Namibians,” to serve the country’s high-net-worth families through a selective and scientific approach to financial planning.
“We understand Namibians — their values, pride and expectations — and Royale is designed to meet those with integrity and depth,” he said at the launch event.
Olivier’s path into investments was unconventional.
After a spell as a tennis player in the United States, business improvement consulting and other ventures, including a Computer Science degree, MBA (cum laude) at USB and CFA, he entered the financial industry at 33, joining PSG Asset Management in 2011 as a financial analyst.
He later served as portfolio manager at PSG Wealth Namibia before co-founding IJG Wealth Management, where he held a 50% stake. The establishment of Royale Wealth Management, he said, represents the “natural evolution” of that journey.
Royale will cater exclusively to high-net worth families rather than pursuing a mass retail strategy.
Its services are built around a data-driven model developed by one of its South African partners, and in use since 1996, to manage billions in high-net-worth family assets globally.
This approach applies advanced financial models to tailor solutions to individual clients, to maximise the probability of achieving financial goals. “It takes the guessing out of planning,” Olivier noted.
At the event, Royale officially launched its tripartite alliance with two investment houses — Cirrus Fund Managers in Namibia and Northstar Asset Management in South Africa.
Through Cirrus, Royale clients will gain access to expertise in Namibian fixed-income and equity markets, and best in class Namibian research to optimise their Namibian assets. Rowland Brown, Co-Founder of Cirrus Capital, said Namibian fixed-income assets currently deliver “high real returns above inflation,” adding that the tax benefits for local investors further enhance these yields.
However, he warned that “risks to the growth outlook, largely linked to new policy proposals, have introduced fiscal revenue and thus deficit risks” leading Cirrus to reduce exposure to long-term government bonds.
Northstar Asset Management, Royale’s SA and offshore partner, brings what Olivier called a “deep pedigree” in research.
Chief Investment Officer Adrian Clayton explained that Northstar focuses on buying “good businesses when they are undervalued.” The firm maintains a watchlist of 125 global companies, tracking valuations daily.
Clayton drew parallels between the current artificial-intelligence-driven rally in global markets and the IT bubble of 2000, warning investors against “current stock enthusiasm.” He said Northstar has been reducing exposure to overvalued shares, holding cash and selected fixed-income assets instead, where they cannot find the right opportunities.
Although Royale operates independently, Olivier said the firm is “embedded in the Northstar ecosystem,” ensuring continuity and client protection if key personnel become unavailable.
The launch event concluded with a panel discussion featuring Olivier, Clayton and Brown, offering insights into local and international market conditions.
Royale Wealth Management’s entry adds a new dimension to Namibia’s wealth-management landscape, combining local insight with global analytical expertise to serve the country’s affluent families.
