Archives: Speakers

Dennis has over 23 years of demonstrated career success in banking encompassing experience in Product propositions, Sales, Remittances and Banking Operations. He is a futurist and thought leader in innovation. His interests include Consumer Behavior and biotech applications in Artificial Intelligence. As Head of Digital Innovation in the Business Banking Group at First City Monument… Read more »

Shareholder in Imara Asset Management. Co-portfolio manager for the full range of Imara mutual funds and segregated portfolios specialising in consumer and agricultural companies. Last 13 years travelled Africa extensively, researching companies and engaging management, government and regulators, initially as an investment analyst, then as part of the first pan African sell side research team… Read more »

Most recently, Chris Low was Group CEO of Letshego Holdings Limited, one of Botswana’s largest public quoted and multinational Groups, where he grew the business to $100m+ in pre-tax profits and a market capitalisation of $400m. As a truly African financial services provider, Letshego is headquartered in Gaborone and has a footprint in 11 Southern,… Read more »

Brenton is an experienced investment professional with a demonstrated history of working in financial markets, across the listed and unlisted environment. In his current role at the PIC, he is responsible for overseeing their Africa strategy, across mandates and sectors, with a focus on impact investing, private equity and properties. Prior to the PIC, Brenton… Read more »

Ben Botes – CEO SeedsLife Investment Group – Highly experienced entrepreneur, angel investor and VC with a passion for emerging markets and societal impact. With more than 25 years of international experience in multi-national settings where he held several executive positions in General Management at global and European levels in the UK, South Africa Ghana,… Read more »

Ashraf has over 20 years’ combined experience in corporate finance, banking, fund management and more recently, in development finance and impact investing. He has led pioneering financing institutions such as the Mauritius Leasing Company, Bramer Bank and National Commercial Bank with expertise in Corporate, SME, Retail Banking and Asset Financing. He studied Information Technology and… Read more »

Arnaud de Lavalette is currently leading the Digital Finance Initiative at ADA, helping African MFI digitalize their operations. He is a seasoned expert in microfinance and SME funding with over 10 years of experience in this domain in Asia (Nepal, India and Philippines), West Africa and Latin America (Mexico). In the SME domain, Arnaud has… Read more »

Anusha heads up Corporate Finance, including capital raising, structuring and investor relations at Select Africa, a pan African housing-focused microfinance institution. She is a South African Chartered Accountant with specialist financial services experience across local and international markets. Prior to joining Select in 2016, Anusha worked at various PricewaterhouseCoopers (“PwC”) global offices. She spent three… Read more »

Andrew Slater is an actuarial and investment expert with 25 years’ experience. In his career in institutional investment, he has worked in many countries with pension funds, insurers and wealth management institutions, ranging from high-net-wealth private banks to mass-market defined contribution providers. During his career he has successfully deliberately sought out the areas that presented… Read more »

Andrew McCusker oversees Opportunity’s work developing financial products and programs to improve access and the quality of affordable education around the world. Andrew is responsible for scaling EduFinance to more markets, allowing more students go to and stay in better-quality schools. Prior to joining Opportunity, Andrew served in the Corporate Finance team for Bridge International… Read more »