Niki Giles has rejoined Prescient as the head of strategy for its fund services unit after a brief tenure as the chief financial officer at Sygnia. Her appointment comes after a period marked by significant executive changes at Sygnia, including a rapid succession of CFOs.
At Prescient, Giles will oversee the administration of funds for both Prescient and third-party asset managers, playing a pivotal role in developing infrastructure for unit trusts and exchange-traded products. She previously worked at Prescient from 2019 to 2023, where she held various leadership roles, including head of governance and compliance.
Giles’ return to Prescient follows her stint at Sygnia, where she was appointed CFO in May 2023 but left shortly thereafter due to a mismatch in the corporate environment. “I reached a point where the environment wasn’t working for me at Sygnia. I thought I wouldn’t stick around if it wasn’t where I wanted to be long term,” she stated.
With over 25 years in financial services, Giles brings extensive experience, including prior roles at African Harvest, where she co-founded Sygnia with Magda Wierzycka. In her new position, she aims to drive strategic growth for Prescient Fund Services, which serves a range of institutional clients and aims to expand its offerings, including actively managed exchange-traded funds. “I’m here to help guide strategic initiatives and work on new projects,” she noted.