Global Insurance and Reinsurance Companies lowering their operating costs by utilizing South Africa
By Richard Hartley
Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Acumen Group Ltd.
Introduction
At Acumen Group we continue to provide interim and recruitment services for Qualified Accountants and Actuaries from our core markets of Bermuda, Cayman, UK and USA. However, a growing trend with our clients is that they are increasingly utilizing our staffing solutions in South Africa. This shift is driven by a combination of world-class talent, cost efficiency, and operational flexibility. Acumen Group offers cost effective remote client solutions in a number of jurisdictions, primarily India, Mauritius and South Africa. Increasingly South Africa offers our clients a unique balance of a highly skilled workforce and excellent IT infrastructure in a business friendly time zone.
Why South Africa?
Quality of Education
South Africa boasts a robust educational system that consistently produces highly skilled professionals. The Chartered Accountant CA(SA) designation has earned global recognition, recently securing the top position in the Global Professional Trust Survey. Additionally, the Actuarial Society of South Africa (ASSA), established in 1948, offers the prestigious FASSA (Fellowship) designation and maintains Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) with actuarial bodies in Canada, Australia, Ireland, and the UK.
Communication and Professional Skills
South African professionals are known for their strong communication skills and work ethic, and favourable time zone closely aligned with Europe. The country offers a deep talent pool across disciplines such as accounting, finance, legal, company secretarial, HR, IT, and procurement—particularly concentrated in Johannesburg and Cape Town, where many large insurers and reinsurers already operate.
Examples
An international life insurance group, with over $125 billion in assets under management, partnered with Acumen to set up their South African office in Cape Town. We have successfully onboarded the on-site Team Lead, along with 25 dedicated staff members. The team is expected to grow to over 100 staff in the coming years. The client is impressed with the quality and availability of industry specific skills in South Africa and anticipates significant benefits from the support of the South African team and cost savings for the group.
Examples of roles we provide
- Accounts Payable/Receivable administrators
- Actuary
- Compliance
- Company secretarial
- FP&A
- Global Finance Operations
- Group Consolidation Accountant
- Group Tax
- Head of HR
- Human Resource Operations Partner
- Insurance Accountant
- Internal Controls
- Investment Accounting
- IT Operations Manager
- Operating Expenses
- Regulatory Reporting
- Reinsurance Accountant
- Reporting
- Risk Analyst
- Senior Accountant Bermuda Finance
- Senior Accountant US Finance
- Senior Reinsurance CA
- Site Lead (Reinsurance)
- SOX
- SOX Team Lead
- Systems Implementation Specialist
- Treasury Analyst
- US GAAP Reporting
Flexible Resourcing Models
South Africa supports both remote and dedicated office models. Companies can choose from fully serviced office spaces or hybrid setups in premium locations like https://www.workshop17.co.za/the-bank and https://www.workshop17.co.za/cpt-gardens-kloof04. These spaces offer high-speed connectivity, modern infrastructure, and shared services support from Acumen Group.
Some of the most popular remote resource models:
- Source a single resource – Perfect for short- or long-term integration into your existing team, offering flexibility without the overhead of a full-time hire.
- Build a dedicated team – Acumen appoints a key contact to streamline communication and coordination between your business and the contractor team.
- Establish a local office – Acumen can set up a small South African office staffed with full-time professionals (e.g., accountants), operating under hybrid or on-site models to support your operations.
- Launch a full entity with local team – Acumen supports the setup of a legal entity in South Africa, including recruitment of a local team lead and full-time staff—ideal for scaling while keeping overheads low.
Cost Efficiency and Speed
Hiring from South Africa allows companies to reduce overheads significantly. With a network of 25 specialist recruiters, roles can be filled or replaced quickly—often within days. This agility is especially valuable for firms seeking to scale or manage project-based work.
Conclusion
South Africa continues to emerge as a strategic hub for remote staffing, offering skilled professionals, strong work ethic, and cost-effective solutions. Acumen Group helps businesses—including startups—scale efficiently by keeping overheads low while delivering high-quality talent. With offices in Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Cape Town, we’re well-positioned to support your growth across the US, UK, Bermuda, and Cayman Islands.