Chanel Schoeman will address the FISA Conference, sponsored by Hollard Court Bonds, on 9 September 2026 on the topic: “The Fiduciary Paradox: Navigating Risk, Responsibility and Value Creation”.
To register for the 16th Annual FISA Conference – click here
In the fiduciary environment, risk is traditionally viewed through a defensive lens—compliance, liability, and the avoidance of error. However, this perspective is incomplete. Fiduciaries operate in one of the highest-duty relationships recognised in law, where trust, accountability, and care form the foundation of every decision.
The modern fiduciary landscape is becoming increasingly complex, driven by heightened regulatory scrutiny, evolving client expectations, and the growing sophistication of family structures and cross-border assets. As a result, fiduciary risk extends far beyond technical compliance—it includes reputational risk, relationship risk, and the risk of failing to achieve the client’s intended legacy outcomes.
At the same time, there is a significant and often underappreciated reward dimension. When fiduciaries move beyond a purely compliance-driven approach and adopt a more holistic, client-centric perspective, they become enablers of long-term wealth preservation, family cohesion, and intergenerational success. The true “reward” lies in building trusted relationships, guiding complex decisions, and delivering outcomes that align with the client’s broader purpose.
This session challenges fiduciaries to reframe their approach:
- To see risk not only as exposure to liability, but as something to be actively managed, understood, and communicated;
- To recognise that good governance and strong advice are value-creating, not just protective; and
- To embrace a balanced mindset, where prudent decision-making and strategic foresight unlock both protection and opportunity for clients.
Ultimately, the future of fiduciary practice lies in striking the right balance between protection and progress—where managing risk effectively becomes the very mechanism through which meaningful, long-term reward is achieved.
Chanel Schoeman is the Head of Alpha Trust and Fiduciary and an admitted Attorney, Notary, and fiduciary specialist with over 12 years’ experience in the fiduciary industry. She is deeply passionate about assisting clients with holistic wealth protection, structuring, and legacy planning for future generations.
Chanel holds a BCom Law and LLB from North-West University, an Advanced Diploma in Trusts and Estates from the University of the Free State, and an Advanced Professional Certificate in International Taxation from the International Bureau of Fiscal Documentation.
She began her career in a boutique law firm specialising in family law, before joining a leading trust and fiduciary firm in 2017, where she spent eight years expanding her expertise in estate planning, trust structuring, and fiduciary advisory. She now heads up Alpha Trust and Fiduciary, where she focuses on delivering bespoke, client-centric solutions in an increasingly complex regulatory and cross-border environment.
She is a Full Member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and currently serves as Chair of STEP Johannesburg. She is also a Registered Fiduciary Practitioner of South Africa® and an active member of the Fiduciary Institute of Southern Africa (FISA).