1995

Founded over 25 years ago in London

6

Offices helping clients across four countries

150+

Dedicated staff across our business divisions

2m+

Clients helped with global services

89.6

Net promoter score from happy clients

Cross-border financial and immigration services

Citizenship

Professional consultancy providing advice and representation in nationality law matters.

We are Sable International

Our clients are always at the heart of what we do and our teams in the UK, South Africa and Australia are perfectly positioned to ensure that when you decide to move overseas, invest offshore or expand your business internationally, you’ll do so with a team of local experts in your corner.

The world is getting smaller, isn’t it time you started thinking bigger?

What our customers say

 

Meet our directors

  • Reg-Bamford
    Reg Bamford
    Group CEO
  • Andrew Rissik
    Group International Director
  • Marilie-du-Toit
    Marilie du Toit
    Chief Financial Officer
  • Kendal Krober
    Kendal Krober
    Group HR Director
  • James Barnett
    Managing Director: Sable Wealth
  • Lauren Meeser
    Lauren Meeser
    Business Director: Sable Wealth
  • William Louw - Director: South African tax
    William Louw
    Director: South African tax
  • Scott Brown: Director - SME Accounting
    Scott Brown
    Director: SME and Accounting
  • Alan Robbins: Client Manager
    Alan Robbins
    Accounting Director
  • Gemma Blommaert
    Gemma Blommaert
    Forex Global Manager
  • Tim Powell: Director
    Tim Powell
    Director: Forex SA
  • Graham Barratt
    Head of Sales Director: Forex
  • John Dunn: Citizenship and Immigration Manager
    John Dunn
    Director: Citizenship and Immigration
  • Mishal Patel: Casework Manager
    Mishal Patel
    Director: Citizenship and Immigration
  • Sam Hopwood: Director - Australia and Oceania regions
    Sam Hopwood
    Director: Australia and Oceania Region
  • Darren Faife - Director of Work permits
    Darren Faife
    Managing Director: Business immigration
  • Saskia Johnston
    Service Delivery Director
  • Steve Paxton
    Managing Director: UK Education Corporate Services
  • Sandra Zegarac
    Sandra Zegarac
    Director: Sable International Public Interest
  • Sharifa Chowdhury
    Director: Sable International Public Interest
  • Richard Haller
    Managing Director: Offshore Real-Estate & Investment Migration
  • Vera Holland
    Head of Marketing
  • Tyler Hollingsworth
    Business Director
  • Brent-Morris
    Brent Morris
    Managing Director: Study abroad
  • Gary-kockott
    Gary Kockott
    Chief Operating Officer
  • Philip Gamble: Founder and Senior Partner
    Philip Gamble
    Founder and Senior Partner
  • Reg Bamford
    Group CEO

    Having qualified as a Chartered Accountant at Deloitte & Touche in Cape Town, Reg moved over to London and spent three years in investment banking in the city.

    There, he founded a small tax consultancy in 1996. The group now has 14 different business across three continents and operating in eight countries. It employs over 200 employees, a third of whom have bought and own shares in the group company.

    Reg’s primary role is to deliver on our stated goal of becoming a GREAT business. He is the guardian of the company’s Core Values (of Care, Solve Grow and Enjoy), and looks to inspire and drive performance from our business leaders and staff.

    Reg lives in Putney, with his wife and two young sons. In his spare time, he competes internationally at croquet – he is a seven-time winner of the World Championships.

  • Andrew Rissik
    Group International Director

    Andrew grew up in South Africa, where he was schooled at Michaelhouse after which he completed his education at the University of Stellenbosch.

    He served as an officer in the South African Navy before completing his management training with the McCarthy Group.

    He established a company that facilitated the investment of UK client money into the emerging South African property market. He successfully sold his interests before being appointed to head up Sable International's forex team.

    Andrew is a keen sailor who has competed internationally and spends many weekends away either sailing or enjoying the outdoors with his wife and two children.

  • Marilie du Toit
    Chief Financial Officer

    Marilie qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1998, after which she worked at Deloitte & Touche in Cape Town, London and Brussels.

    After returning to Cape Town in 2003, she fulfilled the role of Finance Director for South African operations at Panalux until she joined Sable International in 2008.

    Marilie describes herself as meticulous, fair, committed and lucky. She loves rules and reasoning. She taught herself to read at age five and has not stopped. She is also a closet chef with a deep love for gnocchi.

  • Kendal Krober
    Group HR Director

    In her position as Group HR Director of Sable International, Kendal is an integral part of the support team. She is ambitious, empathetic and strives to create a culture of motivated employees who will provide expert support to all Sable International clients.

    She has been with Sable International for several years, over which time she has built up invaluable HR generalist experience. With an undergraduate degree in Organisational Psychology and an honours in Change Management from the University of Cape Town, she leads on HR policy, strategy, and employee support in all divisions and countries within the Sable International portfolio.

    She is adventurous and has travelled widely. She ranks exploring different countries and cultures as one of the best ways to expand her knowledge.

  • James Barnett
    Managing Director: Sable Wealth

    James grew up in South Africa and moved to the UK in 1999, and since then has lived and worked in the UK, South Africa and Mauritius.  He is a Chartered Accountant by profession, completing his Articles with EY.

    James has almost 30 years of experience in the Financial Services and Professional Services sectors.  His career has spanned Audit and Business Valuations at EY, Market Risk at Credit Suisse, Strategic Change Management at Credit Suisse and UBS, Financial Services Audit and Corporate Finance as a Partner at Grant Thornton, and Financial Planning and Wealth Management as Director and later CEO of Plexus Wealth.

    James now leads the Sable Wealth team from London on a growth journey from Good to Great, and hopes to make a meaningful contribution towards Group strategic goals and revenue synergies.

    Outside of work  James loves travelling, snowboarding with friends, stand-up paddle boarding with his wife, swimming in the ocean and spending time with his children and family.

  • Lauren Meeser
    Business Director: Sable Wealth

    Lauren has an Advanced Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning from the University of the Free State in South Africa and obtained a Diploma for Financial Advisers from the London Institute of Banking & Finance.

    She has been working in the financial planning industry since 2005 and previously worked as a practice manager and as a financial planner. She is a Certified Financial Planner® professional and a member of the Financial Planning Institute.

    At Sable International, Lauren is the Business Director of our Wealth division and is responsible for the operational and compliance overview for both the South African and UK offices.

    Outside of work, she enjoys going to the theatre.

  • William Louw
    Director: South African tax

    William started his career by studying towards a Chartered Accountant degree through Unisa. Since then he has worked in firms around South Africa and Namibia as a Professional Accountant.

    He has led teams across several companies including 1st Contact’s South African tax division and started his own firm in 2011.

    In 2019, William merged his company with Sable International to form our South African tax division. His goal has always been to help clients get the maximum benefit from their tax situation.

    He is an avid croquet player and has frequently represented the country.

  • Scott Brown
    Director: SME and Accounting

    Scott majored in Accounting and Business Administration at Canterbury University in Christchurch, New Zealand. After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant and working for five years within business services and taxation, he headed to London and joined 1st Contact.

    In 2010, following the merger with a number of smaller accountancy practices to form Sable International's accounting team, he became Managing Director of Accounting, heading a team of accountants and assistants specialising in SMEs and contractors.

    Scott is also interested in travel, music, fine dining and wine.

  • Alan Robbins
    Accounting Director

    Alan went to school, studied and completed his articles in Cape Town, after which he started work as an audit manager. His next move was across to the UK in 2003, where he joined Quotient Financial - later part of Sable International - and worked as a client accountant for just under two years. He then worked as an internal auditor for Interserve PLC, a FTSE-listed facilities management and construction company.

    With a view to returning to Cape Town, he re-joined the Quotient team in June 2007 in the role of client manager. In August 2009, he relocated to the Cape Town office to manage the accounting team based there.

    Alan enjoys most outdoor activities as well as any opportunity to travel.

  • Gemma Blommaert
    Forex Global Manager

    Gemma was raised and schooled in Cape Town, South Africa. She studied business management and computing before quickly being snapped up by Sable International.

    Gemma holds the position of Forex Global Manager at Sable International, with a keen focus on customer service which she believes is what “separates us from the rest". She brings an outstanding enthusiasm, dedication and knowledge of the company to the role.

    Gemma is happily stationed at Sable International’s Cape Town office with her team who take care in moving money around the world for their clients.

    Outside of the office she enjoys travelling, spending time with family and wining and dining at Stellenbosch’s wine estates.

  • Tim Powell
    Director: Forex SA

    Tim has 25 years of work experience, including at the likes of Price Waterhouse Coopers, Combined Motor Holdings, BoE, Ernst & Young, JD Edwards in South Africa, Deutsche Bank and 1st Contact Forex in London.

    He started an online forex business in London before returning to South Africa. He then joined FX Capital, growing the business to annual trade in excess of R4 billion per annum.

    In 2017, FX Capital merged with Sable International and Tim is now the director of Sable International’s South African forex business.

    On weekends, Tim enjoys climbing mountains with his wife and two sons.

  • Graham Barratt
    Head of Sales Director: Forex

    Graham was born and bred in the Mother City. 

    With a background in education (PGCE, UCT), financial planning (Liberty Life) and experience as a currency trader, Graham has over 15 years sales experience in financial services. 

    He spent the last 12 years leading a global forex business in SA and joins Sable International's South African Forex Team as Head of Sales Director to further grow and develop the SA team. 

    Graham is happiest when outdoors, surrounded by family and friends. He endeavors to live in the present as far as possible… #living

  • John Dunn
    Director: Citizenship and Immigration

    John joined Sable International in 2008 and has managed multiple divisions during his time with the company.

    He has over a decade of experience in immigration, citizenship and residency-by-investment. He combines that with a background in sales, marketing and management to ensure that Sable International is the go to for all things relating to citizenship and immigration around the world.

    Outside of work, John is dedicated to his young family. He enjoys fitness activities and loves the outdoors.

    Read John's latest articles and insights.

  • Mishal Patel
    Director: Citizenship and Immigration

    Mishal was born in Mombasa, Kenya and relocated to the UK in 2004 after a successful colonial nationality claim through Philip Gamble & Partners.

    Mishal joined Sable International in 2009 and is a registered Level 1 adviser in UK immigration with the OISC. Mishal works closely with Philip Gamble and assists in isolating claims to British nationality for those who have connections to former British Territories, those who are resident in the UK and those adopted by British citizens. Mishal has a special interest in East Africa and the sub-continent. He is fluent English, Kiswahili and Gujarati.

    Read Mishal's latest articles and insights.

  • Sam Hopwood
    Director: Australia and Oceania Region

    Sam is a registered migration agent and a member of the Migration Institute of Australia.

    Sam studied as an undergraduate at the University of Newcastle, NSW and later completed the postgraduate certificate in immigration law at Victorian University. He has worked in the area of Australian immigration law for 14 years and has helped thousands of people relocate to Australia.

  • Darren Faife
    Managing Director: Business immigration

    Darren has over 30 years’ experience heading award-winning organisations as well as providing immigration and compliance services to large-scale, multinational businesses.

    Having run his own successful immigration practice for over 20 years, Darren possesses a strong commercial mindset and provides an efficient delivery of strategic solutions, while consistently driving value contributing to core business objectives.

    Darren joined Sable International in 2020 to bring his wealth of expertise to our business immigration services. He is registered with the OISC at level 2 in UK Immigration.

    Outside of work, Darren is a “car man”, who makes his annual trip to Le Mans every year.

  • Saskia Johnston
    Service Delivery Director

    Saskia has over 10 years of experience within the Sable International Team. Saskia graduated from the University of Cape Town with a B. Sc. (Masters) in finance and a sub-major in economics. She has a keen interest in financial services and immigration which made her the perfect candidate to help drive our Business Immigration team forward. Saskia has a passion for exceptional customer service and is now responsible for the Business Immigration team’s service delivery.

    A confident, enthusiastic individual with a great attitude and a keen motivation to learn. Saskia has spent the last decade growing a very strong and powerful professional business development network in London. Her growth and strategic approach to relationship-led new business has produced some fantastic results and she has enjoyed implementing these successful sales strategies with her team in London. She has extensive experience in all aspects of foreign exchange and business immigration and can apply her high-level, target-driven sales and account management approach to the success of her role.

    Outside of work, Saskia loves experiencing new cultures and travel is at the top of her “spare time” list.”

  • Steve Paxton
    Managing Director: UK Education Corporate Services

    Steve is the Managing Director of the UK Education Corporate Services division. He is an experienced international investment business owner, UK independent school boarding expert, UK Child/Student sponsor licence specialist, including overseeing many UKVI compliance inspections and has been the Commercial Director of a UK immigration firm.

    As a student global mobility specialist, he intends to make Sable International a trusted supplier of advice and support to UK independent schools and their worldwide agents, in the complex sector of Home Office compliance and visa acquisition for UK-bound international students.

    Outside of work, Steve loves travelling, spending time with his family and new grandchild, a quadruple World Cup hockey coach and player, and is currently an England hockey masters player. 

  • Sandra Zegarac
    Director: Sable International Public Interest

    Sandra Zegarac grew up in Croatia and has completed her degree, in Zagreb, studying pedagogy. 

    Sandra joined Sable International in 2005 having previously worked with another leading UK visa agency. She is a L1 Registered Adviser in UK Immigration with the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner. 

    Her talents lie in producing constructive and helpful solutions for clients with unusual problems. Sandra has been strongly involved with the NHS and other publicly funded bodies and specialises in UK immigration for healthcare professionals, visa audits for UK employers as well as general work sponsorship matters.

    Outside of work Sandra loves spending time with her family. 

  • Sharifa Chowdhury
    Director: Sable International Public Interest

    Sharifa is a qualified solicitor and joined Sable International in 2018 as a Level 1 OISC registered adviser. Prior to joining Sable, she gained extensive advocacy experience in Immigration Tribunals, representing clients at appeal stage in all areas of immigration. 

    She has vast experience dealing with applications under the UK immigration rules, including the points-based system, sponsor licence applications, and immigration and nationality rules. She currently specialises in public interest, working closely with hospitals, schools, and other public bodies for sponsorship matters.

    Sharifa loves travelling, socialising and fitness. She regularly volunteers in pro-bono work for various charity events and, is passionate about politics, immigration policy and client relationships.

  • Richard Haller
    Managing Director: Offshore Real-Estate & Investment Migration

    Richard grew up in Cape Town and graduated from the University of Stellenbosch in 2001. Like many South Africans at that time, he then moved to London and spent four years working at Goldman Sachs Investment Bank.

    In 2004, Richard returned to Cape Town and joined the Pam Golding Property Group’s international division, where he moved through the ranks from finance to operations and then the Director of their Mauritius Operation. Richard and his family moved to Mauritius in 2017, where he headed up the group's Mauritius operation on the Island, with a specialised focus on successfully launching new real-estate developments to the Southern African and EU market.

    Richard has an extreme passion for real estate and the investment migration industry, which focuses on residency- and citizenship-by-investment programmes that allow individuals and families alike the freedom of global movement.

    In his free time, Richard enjoys travelling, a session of surfskiing, a round of golf, or a walk up the mountain with his family.

    Richard holds an MBA from the University of Cape Town, a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Stellenbosch and a diploma in Real Estate Development from Cape Town Technical University.

  • Vera Holland
    Head of Marketing

    Vera grew up in Cape Town and achieved her Institute of Marketing Management (IMM) Graduate Diploma after 5 years of studying Marketing.

    Since graduating, Vera has worked at global advertising agencies as well as top South African corporates managing the brand, CRM and digital marketing for industry verticals such as banking, insurance, investment and local and offshore property.

    Vera has over 25 years’ experience and believes that successful marketing combines the art of compelling creative messaging with the technical innovation of online platforms in order to create valuable client relationships, and ultimate sales.

    In her spare time, Vera loves taking long walks in nature as well as expressing her creativity via home DIY and writing.

  • Tyler Hollingsworth
    Business Director

    Tyler is a former US college student-athlete who earned a finance degree at Gannon University while playing soccer. Driven by his passion for sports and dedication to helping young athletes, he founded a company in 2015 to assist talented students in following his path. His team has successfully helped over 600 students study abroad, securing over R1 billion in academic and sports scholarships.

    Tyler was listed in the Fast Company's Top 30 Under 30 and The Mail and Guardian's Top 200 Young South Africans. In 2024, he and his team joined Sable International to expand his mission to help thousands of athletes worldwide pursue their passion for sports while obtaining a world-class education.

  • Brent Morris
    Managing Director: Study abroad

    Brent was born and raised in South Africa and then travelled to the UK as an international student, where he completed his master’s degree with Anglia Ruskin University. He worked for several public universities in the UK and the US with a continuous focus on Africa. He has spent time travelling the entire continent, supporting students on their journeys to study abroad.

    In 2016, he moved back to South Africa where he set up a pan-African study abroad consultancy. He joined Sable International in 2021 and now manages the Study abroad division.

    When he is not travelling, you will find him in the water, surfing. 

  • Gary Kockott
    Chief Operating Officer

    Gary is a South African, having graduated with a BComm degree from UPE. He relocated to the UK in 2004, where he joined Sable International as a manager of our tax business. He returned to South Africa in 2012 to run the Cape Town office, and now takes overall responsibility for the Group’s operations.
     
    He has dual British and South African nationality, and lives in Cape Town with his wife and two children. 
     
    Outside of work, Gary enjoys connecting with nature and spending time in St Francis Bay with his young family.
     
    He has great judgement and wisdom, and brings strong discipline to the business and its operations.

  • Philip Gamble
    Founder and Senior Partner

    Philip trained with the Home Office within their Citizenship Directorate until 1992. He was the founder partner of Montgomery and Co and later Managing Director of 1st Contact Visas.

    He has assisted in developing Government policies with the Points Based System and has instigated changes in Policy towards the descendants of Government employees of former British Territories. Philip is also responsible for immigration training in NHS Hospitals.

    He is widely regarded as an authority on British nationality law and the effects of decolonisation within the former British Empire. Philip is registered with the OISC as a level 2 adviser in Immigration.

Our latest news and articles

Mistakes to avoid when renewing your UK spouse visa

Dec 2, 2024 By John Dunn

Don’t let SARS’ new eFiling regulations stand in the way of your retirement annuity

Nov 27, 2024 By William Louw

Which country is best to study engineering?

Nov 27, 2024 By Brent Morris

Six reasons your UK sponsor licence can be refused

Nov 27, 2024 By Darren Faife

A closer look at the new Sponsor UK system

Nov 27, 2024 By Darren Faife