Meetings and magic collide at WFII Cape Town

By Llewellyn du Plessis

Cape Town really does know how to put on a show. And last week it did exactly that as CN&CO Events hosted the World Federation of Insurance Intermediaries (WFII) Conference on behalf of the Financial Intermediaries Association of Southern Africa (FIA).

From the moment delegates arrived on 25 March, there was a sense that this was going to be something special. The Radisson Collection Hotel, Waterfront set the scene beautifully, with Table Mountain doing its usual thing in the background and the Atlantic stretching out in front. Not a bad way to start a global conference.

The official welcome the next evening at the Mount Nelson Hotel was pure magic. Guests were greeted by a bold, bright African print “living carpet” before spilling out into the gardens for drinks and canapés. Dinner followed in the Oasis Restaurant, with plenty of laughter, reconnecting, and the kind of easy conversation that reminds you why this industry works so well when people get together in person.

Thursday brought the business end of things, with conference sessions running during the day. But it wasn’t all work. That afternoon, we had the privilege of hosting a very personal and memorable moment, a farewell garden cocktail event for Tarina Vlok of Elite Risk Acceptances. It was one of those gatherings that hits a bit differently. Colleagues, friends, family. Stories shared. A proper send-off that reminded everyone that this industry is built on relationships first, everything else second.

And then, just as the day began to wind down, we headed out to Constantia Glen Wine Estate. If you’ve ever needed a reminder of why Cape Town is such a drawcard, this was it. Wine tasting, long tables, incredible food, and that golden light rolling over the vineyards as the sun dropped behind the mountains. One of those evenings where nobody is in a rush to leave.

By Friday morning, it was time to wrap things up. Final sessions, last coffees, a few more handshakes, and then the official close at 16h00. After that, delegates headed off to explore, whether along the V&A Waterfront, onto the beaches, or deeper into the city.

Guests loved the event, praising the conference for its “great hospitality, perfect organisation, great communication, great venue, local touches, people welcoming people, and friendship in professionality.”

For us at CN&CO Events, this was part of a particularly busy and rewarding stretch. Earlier in the month, we also delivered the IIG Inaugural Dinner in Johannesburg, another standout moment on the industry calendar.

This is the stuff we love. Bringing people together. Creating the space for conversations that matter. And adding just enough magic around the edges to make it all memorable.