I am pleased to report that Appleton had a successful Q1, beating its budget forecast, and meeting its billing and banking targets, so thank you and well done to Team Appleton!

As The Fiduciary Specialists, Appleton has one objective: to deliver the best fiduciary service in South Africa - it’s that simple. Well not quite that simple! As all of you who have dealt with Wills and deceased estates know, it can be a complex, time-consuming and exacting process, but it’s one that we excel at and continue to get better at.

Allow me to thank Warwick Wealth for the Wills and Estates you introduce to Appleton. We have been particularly pleased with the Wills that are being introduced by the M&A professional network, and it is gratifying that so many of you are entrusting Appleton with your clients’ fiduciary needs.

We have also seen a steady but marked increase in the value of the Wills and estates brought to us, which in turn hits Appleton’s bottom line and ensures that we achieve budget as we have done in Q1.

If I could extend a message to all our business introducers in the Group, it would be to consult with us if in doubt about any matter before drafting the Will application, or estate summary or even before collecting documents for a deceased estate. We are always available to you as we have a depth of knowledge and expertise to assist you.

I will continue to travel around the country to conduct training in all the regions and of course am available to consult and conduct training with the M&A professional network partners who may be using our professional service for the first time.

As you will read in the Appleton Times (and please do read it!), we continue to experience problems in some Masters offices, but will continue to strive to deliver the best service for you and your clients across the country.

Finally, my thanks to the Finance and Operations divisions, to Group Marketing and of course the Appleton A TEAM for being the best in the business.

Until next time, take good care.