PhD candidate finds path to academic excellence at AIFMRM

Growing up in Mthatha in the Eastern Cape, it was initially Siphokazi Hlalukana’s dream to be a medical doctor. However, during Life Sciences classes at school, she started to realise that this may not be the right choice for her after all.

A love of numbers and an aptitude for mathematics were early indicators that Siphokazi Hlalukana’s studies would take her away from the world of biology and deep into the realm of statistics and probability, numerical systems and algorithms.

“By the time I had to pick a course at university, I was ready to study applied mathematics,” she says, even though she didn’t yet know which direction she would take. Initially, she studied actuarial science, and it gave her the chance to become familiar with the workings of the financial sector. She especially liked risk management.

“But I didn’t know if I wanted to go into insurance so quickly,” she says. “So, I thought to rather broaden my finance background before taking any decisions.”

This turned out to be a wise decision. Following her BCom in actuarial sciences and an honours in finance, her academic journey led her to AIFMRM where she was looking to combine pure finance with risk management.

“Friends say I sound like a recruiter for AIFMRM,” she quips. “But the Master’s in Risk Management of Financial Markets was really exactly what I was looking for.”

After completing her Master’s degree, she felt ready to tackle something that she had spent a long time considering, her PhD.

“This was the best decision I’ve ever made in my life,” she says, explaining that it has given her the freedom to pursue her academic interests and explore new territories in the field of risk management and the financial sector.