"With more than 70% of South African households classified as low income, we are looking at a huge market that has very specific insurance needs," says Kuyper. "SDT has been providing administration solutions to the insurance sector in Africa for more than a decade, so we have an in-depth understanding of the industry's requirements."
Kuyper will explore the latest developments in the micro-insurance industry with a view to encouraging insurers to look at new opportunities for their companies. "I will be looking at three aspects of the industry: the history of micro-insurance in South Africa; the current demands for micro-insurance in the country; and who the current market leaders are and why."
Kuyper qualified as a chartered accountant (SA) after completing his studies at the University of Pretoria and articles at PricewaterhouseCoopers. He worked as an audit manager at PwC and during this time was seconded to the Gautrain Management Agency as acting CFO on a full-time basis for a year. He joined SDT in 2007, and is responsible for commercial development. His duties include overseeing the new business development function, as well as commercial partnering and relationships.
Kuyper has also been involved in a strategic initiative to grow SDT's business into the Indian insurance market, and as such, has gained an understanding of one of the world's largest micro-insurance markets.
