2024 Agenda
The summit agenda is updated weekly. Join our community to receive updates.
- BTA Day One
- BTA Day Two
- BTA Day One
- What does the future hold for bank branches?
- How is our relationship with money evolving as we move towards a cashless society?
- What are the key areas of growth and opportunity that banks should prioritise?
- How do banks need to adapt to meet shifting customer expectations?
Panelists:
Dr Lance Shingai Mambondiani, Group Chief Executive Officer, Coronation Financial Holdings, Zimbabwe
Cheslyn Jacobs, Chief Commercial Officer, TymeBank, South Africa
Stephen Joannides, Vice President, Banking, TransUnion South Africa
Moderator:
Brad Kirsten, Presenter, BradKirsten.com
Sponsored by 
- AI is HYPE, AI is topical, AI is all the rage. However, secrets to success include clear focus on what you’re solving for and how to execute an ongoing transition to practical, realistic, and compliant value from the tech, otherwise, what’s the point!
- Like any new technology, the hype typically exceeds practical problems. AI is no different. In this session we will hear how to focus on the business problem and how to use AI to solve for it from the ground up.
- How have “traditional” banks reacted to a more digital landscape?
- What are the key drivers of disruption in banking and how can banks capitalise?
- What does a digital journey look like for today’s financial institutions?
- What are the main challenges and opportunities for the future?
Panelists:
Ken Chitando, Managing Director, AFC Commercial Bank, Zimbabwe
Sam Mohatle, Head of Digital Banking, FNB, Lesotho
Sivan Lapidus, Senior Design Director, Absa Group
Moderator:
Brad Kirsten, Presenter, BradKirsten.com
Panelists:
Sherwin Barlow, Senior Manager, Head of Enterprise Engagement Services, MTN, South Africa
Jonathan Mundell, Chief Executive Officer, In On Africa (IOA), South Africa
Matthew Bray, Partner: Platform Specialist, Fico
Moderator:
Brad Kirsten, Presenter, BradKirsten.com
Sponsored by 
- What is keeping payment leaders awake at night? Explore the key challenges with payment transformation and discover potential solutions
- What are payment leaders doing to remain competitive and innovative in a rapidly changing ecosystem?
- Where are the best opportunities to develop new solutions, win customers, and claim market share?
- How do you ensure a seamless customer experience?
Speakers:
Brad Gillis, Head: Payments Rest of Africa, Standard Bank
Andrew Pillay, International Team Lead, Peach Payments
Moderator:
Brad Kirsten, Presenter, BradKirsten.com
- Digital payment regulation and its impact on financial inclusion in Africa
- Addressing the continuing race between fast-moving innovation and the pace of regulation updates
- Transparency and the interchanging of data – subject to customers’ privacy requirements
- Finding the balance: Seizing the limitless potential of new and disruptive technologies while complying with regulation
- Should banks pivot to crypto and blockchain: A look at regulatory compliance
- CBDCs development: Discussing the journey so far
Panelists:
Monica Monaco, Managing Director, TrustEuAffairs, Belgium
Kumaran Selvarajalu, Senior General Manager: Payments, Banking Association South Africa
Kim Dancey, Director of Regulatory Affairs (Payments), Yoco
Nompikazi Majola, Head Payments Interbank and Regulatory, Standard Bank
Moderator:
Brad Kirsten, Presenter, BradKirsten.com
Powered by
- What are the main contributing factors of the high costs of remittances in the SADC region?
- How has the intra-SADC corridor approach taken effect and to what extent has collaboration played a part?
- Banks and non-banks, fintechs, MNOs – what barriers are they facing?
- How is regulation enabling innovation, including by fintechs?
- How does the SADC cross-border payments approach compare to cross-border payments initiatives on the continent and globally?
- What is vital for the success of SADC cross-border payments?
Panelists:
Julian Warnasuriya, FNB, South Africa
Maxine Hlaba, Manager: Executive Secretariat, SADC Banking Association, South Africa
Moderator:
Tshepo Rakhibane, Head: Stakeholder Engagements in Africa, BankservAfrica, South Africa
- What does the evolving payments landscape look like today?
- How has fintech disrupted the payments ecosystem and what does this mean for banks?
- A cashless future: How do banks react to the trend towards a cashless society
- How can banks innovate their payment infrastructure to stay in the game?
Panelists:
Diederik Bruggink, Head of Payments, Digital Finance and Innovation, WSBI-ESBG, Belgium
Sean Ndongeni, Senior Specialist: Payment Partnerships, Absa
Moderator:
Kim Dancey, Director of Regulatory Affairs (Payments), Yoco
Sponsored by
- BTA Day Two
- Exploring the challenges of integrating AI and ML, including data integration, model development, scalability, and infrastructure requirements
- What are the best practices and solutions?
- How to establish a robust data management platform?
- Managing investments in scalable computing resources, including cloud infrastructure and high-performance computing clusters?
- How to establish a framework for deploying and monitoring machine learning models?
Speaker:
Dr Alet Smith, General Manager – Business Intelligence Competency Centre, MTN
Moderator: Pragashani Reddy, Executive: Digital, Absa Relationship Banking Exco, Absa, South Africa
- How is data re-shaping business decisions for banks?
- How do banks efficiently collect, consolidate, and use data at scale?
- As a sector, are we maximising customer insights to drive personalisation and customer experiences?
- How can AI uncover growth opportunities for banks through data-driven innovation?
- How do businesses ensure data governance and privacy compliance?
Panelists:
Marianne Kekana, Chief Data and Analytics Officer, FNB ConnectMe, South Africa
Lazola Ndamase, Head of Data Enablement & Analytics, Nedbank, South Africa
Bradley Smith, Engineering Lead: Data and Analytics, Standard Bank, South Africa
Moderator:
Brad Kirsten, Presenter, BradKirsten.com
- Fortifying cybersecurity in a digital-first era
- What is the future of fraud prevention?
- Digital banking security risks and best practices
- How to unlock the power of digital banking through security technology?
Speaker:
Itumeleng Makgati, Divisional Executive: Group Technology, Nedbank, South Africa
Moderator:
Kamogelo Motshidi, Chief Operations Officer, Zora
- How is the increase in digital lending reshaping the sector?
- Why digital approaches should be seen as an opportunity for competitive differentiation, not a threat
- How to leverage AI, machine learning, and predictive analytics in lending decisions
- How is the rise of embedded lending solutions changing the landscape?
Speakers:
Anthony Morris, Chief Industry Transformation Officer, nCino
Phiwokuhle Mlotshwa, Head of Digital Products: Secured Lending, Absa
Moderator:
Brad Kirsten, Presenter, BradKirsten.com
Ryan Cohen, Co-Founder and Chief Relationship Officer, Merchant Capital
Craig Newborn, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, PayJustNow
Moderator:
Brad Kirsten, Presenter, BradKirsten.com
- Will fintech challengers dominate the future, or will traditional banks maintain their presence?
- Collaboration vs. Competition: How crucial are partnerships between fintech and banks?
- In the emerging fintech ecosystem, where do traditional banks find their place?
- Amid fintech disruption, what exciting transformations can we anticipate in the market’s future?
Panelists:
Akhona Bashe, Lead: Strategic Partnerships and New Capability Development, Liberty Group, South Africa
Christopher Gwanmesia, Partnerships Manager (Africa), Bamboo, South Africa
Moderator:
Danielle Lawrence, Interim Chief Operating Officer, Fintech Association of South Africa
- How is open banking evolving, and what does this mean for the banking industry?
- How can banks leverage APIs to drive innovation in financial products and services?
- Customer impact: How is Open Banking benefiting the customer and can we do more?
- As the API landscape develops, what are the key considerations for designing and managing a secure, scalable future?
- How can we foster collaboration between banks and fintechs for mutual growth?
Panelists:
Alcinda Massango, Head: Transactional Banking Sales Enablement, Rand Merchant Bank, South Africa
Devina Maharaj, Head: API Channel, Investec, South Africa
Steven Valoi, Head: Open and Integrated Payment Systems, Standard Bank, South Africa
Pearl Tuling, Product Partnership Manager, Chenosis, South Africa
Moderator:
Nqobile Kubheka Mhlanga, Digital Marketing Manager, Standard Bank