Claire Klassen

I am a driven individual and focused on positive change in South Africa and globally. I have over 2 decades worth of experience in the financial services industry and customer service that I use to provide services and also upskill others.

• Worked since 1994 in financial services, specifically since March 2000. 
  • Having over 23 years of experience in the financial services industry with marketing as a foundational academic qualification, I am able to see strategically what is required from a sales perspective. 
• Won a sales award from Liberty Life, as the best performing financial adviser in 2007.
  • However, the remuneration was commission only, and I required a stable income to support my growing family at the time. 
• Worked for a patent and trademark law firm from October 1994 to February 2000, which provided me with the background of forex and an understanding of what it takes to patent an invention.
• Background is quite dynamic, and when I started working at Momentum in November 2008,
  • With a strong Customer Service and Client centric background, I understand how to provide service excellence and how to teach it to others.
  • Ability to decipher and apply the 6 principles of Treating Customers Fairly (TCF).
  • I took advantage of all the opportunities to upskill myself in soft skills and form relationships within business to the point of simplifying a process for transfers of compulsory money that won me an annual achievement award in October 2019. 
  • I was awarded a trip to Swakopmund, Namibia, with my partner. We enjoyed the trip immensely, as the reward was for the sacrifices made to achieve my accolades in learning and development. 
  • Being able to develop content, facilitate, and motivate employees and young people provided me with a pathway to apply for a position in Corporate Social Investment. Specifically, Consumer Financial Education as a portfolio head in the CSI team. 
  • Started on a high note, coming from Learning & Development and winning the annual award.
  • As I am always on the lookout for purpose driven work, I took the opportunity to apply for a position in Corporate Social Investment (CSI), even though my current position within the same financial services organisation was at its peak. 
  • Enjoy interacting with people, communities, and youth.
  • At a point in my career where I can say that I have truly used the 29 years of working experience, especially the financial services industry experience I gained being on both sides of the process,
  • I provided financial advice for which I earned an RE5 (a sales representative qualification recognised by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority in South Africa) and points from INSETA in order to represent in a sales capacity. 
• After resigning from my CSI role, I started my own Non-Profit Company in November 2023, returning to community which has been my goal since the age of 16.
• In my last role as Consumer Financial Education Portfolio Head, as a spokesperson, I contributed to articles, radio interviews, or publications on the topic of financial education. A link to all the articles, interviews, and interviews/ Podcasts is available on request. 

• Diploma in Business Management & Marketing 1993. 
• RE5 Feb 2017, 
• INSETA Financial Advisory representative points through Liberty Life and FSB (now FSCA) Sep 2007 - April 2008. 
• Insurance Institute of South Africa 2006 Certificate of Proficiency in Retirement Funds 1.
• Financial Underwriting Course February 2007 at Cologne Gen Re a Reassurer. 
• Instructional Designer Course, October to December 2018 through Get Smarter from the University of Witwatersrand. 
• Advanced Project Management Course Get Smarter from the University of Cape Town, March to May 2020. 
• Currently, I am pursuing a bachelor’s degree in marketing business administration (NQF7) through the Institute of Marketing Management Graduate School.