Evolutionary Awards 2025 – Wealthvest: the greatest impact

Category: The Greatest Impact

Describe your evolution:

Wealthvest Investment Management: The Greatest Impact

Through Values-Based Investing in an era of increasingly complex financial systems and widening wealth inequality, Wealthvest Investment Management has carved a unique and purpose-driven path within the South African asset management landscape. Our mission extends beyond financial performance, we exist to enable access, empower ethical decision-making, and build long-term economic sustainability that serves both individuals and communities.

Nowhere is this commitment better illustrated than in the launch and continued evolution of our flagship initiative: the Wealthvest Shariah Equity 27four Fund. The Wealthvest Shariah Equity 27four Fund was born not only out of an investment need but from a deeply personal conviction. Our founder and Chief Investment Officer, Zaid Paruk CA(SA), saw the fund as an amanat – an Islamic responsibility to fulfil. He believed it was not enough to pursue returns; what mattered was how those returns were generated. For Zaid, the Fund was a way to fulfil a moral and religious obligation: to offer a transparent, interest-free, and ethically sound investment option for the South African Muslim community and beyond.

For years, South African investors adhering to Islamic principles had limited access to sophisticated, well-managed equity funds that aligned with their faith. There was a noticeable gap between religious obligation and wealth creation, often leaving conscientious investors with the dilemma of compromising ethics for returns. Zaid, having built his career in mainstream financial institutions, knew firsthand how asset management could be both powerful and transformative. He envisioned a fund that would do more than just perform, it would reflect the values of those it served.

With that vision, the Wealthvest Shariah Equity 27four Fund was launched in March 2025, carefully designed to comply with the rigorous standards of Shariah investing, overseen by a certified Shariah Advisory Board. The Fund adheres to principles that prohibit interest (riba), excessive uncertainty (gharar), and investment in non-permissible (haram) sectors such as alcohol, gambling, and weapons. What sets this fund apart is not only its ethical filter but its fusion of faith-based integrity with modern portfolio construction and risk management processes.

While the Fund is tailored for Shariah-compliant investing, its impact reaches far beyond the Muslim community. It promotes responsible investing through environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations, many of which overlap with Islamic financial principles. In this way, the Fund contributes to the greater good by prioritising businesses that operate fairly, transparently, and sustainably.

By empowering communities with a fund that aligns their wealth with their values, Wealthvest has introduced a product that is both inclusive and transformative. And, as more investors come onboard, the fund increasingly becomes a vehicle for shared prosperity.

What differentiates the Wealthvest Shariah Equity 27four Fund from others in the market is its purpose-first foundation, backed by institutional-grade execution. Managed by a highly experienced investment team led by Zaid and supported by Muhammad Paruk CA(SA), the Fund offers exposure to both South African and international equities that have passed a rigorous Shariah screening process. Moreover, the Fund’s structure ensures accessibility: available from as little as R500/month and affordability, with no upfront or exit fees and a transparent fee model, for investors who seek both returns and integrity.

The Wealthvest Shariah Equity Fund is more than a product: it’s a movement. It redefines how investment managers serve their communities. From its launch, Zaid envisioned the fund as a way of giving back, a tool for community upliftment, enabling institutions such as madrassahs, schools, and family offices to invest in a way that is not only compliant but future focused. This fund has also laid the foundation for company endowment solutions like the Wealthvest Barakah Reserve, allowing organisations to build long-term reserves, pay staff bonuses, or plan for future obligations ethically.

The greatest impact of the Wealthvest Shariah Equity 27four Fund lies in its deliberate disruption of the status quo. It has bridged a long-standing gap in South Africa’s investment landscape, empowering communities with tools that are both spiritually and financially sound. It is a fund built not just for profit, but for purpose: a demonstration that good business and good values can go hand in hand. As Wealthvest continues to evolve, we remain committed to broadening access to ethical investing, nurturing our communities, and proving that legacy and impact can be built through integrity, intention, and innovation.

Describe the impact your evolution has had in response to its identified challenges and targeted outcomes.

The launch of the Wealthvest Shariah Equity 27four Fund marked a pivotal evolution in South Africa’s investment landscape, responding to a clear challenge: the lack of high-quality, locally managed Shariah-compliant equity funds that blend ethical alignment with institutional-grade performance.

The impact of the Wealthvest Shariah Equity 27four Fund extends far beyond Wealthvest’s existing clients. Since its launch, the fund has given individuals, businesses, trusts, and institutions a credible and accessible investment alternative. It enables organisations, including NPOs, schools, and religious institutions, to build capital reserves and endowments in a manner aligned with their values. It also provides Muslim professionals, previously hesitant to invest due to lack of Shariah assurance, with an empowering solution that does not compromise on returns.

The fund is overseen by a respected Shariah Advisory Board (led by Mufti Bilal Jakhura and Sheikh Shafique Jakhura), and its investment strategy aligns with globally accepted Islamic investment criteria, excluding companies involved in interest-bearing transactions, gambling, alcohol, and other non-compliant activities. This discipline is paired with research processes, ESG integration, and active management, ensuring both compliance and competitive performance.

In a broader societal context, the fund contributes to ethical capital markets, promotes financial literacy within marginalised communities, and reinforces the idea that diversity in investment approaches is not only beneficial, but necessary. It has opened doors for collaboration between faith-based and conventional financial players and elevated the conversation around responsible investing in South Africa.

In less than 6 months, the Wealthvest Shariah Equity Fund has inspired new investor confidence, sparked industry curiosity, and positioned Wealthvest as a pioneer in values-based investing. This evolution has created measurable impact: economically, socially, and spiritually and set a foundation for future innovations that bridge ethical values and financial inclusion.

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