e-conference for leading women in banking, finance to promote gender diversity in leadership

The Kenya Bankers Association (KBA) is set to convene the Africa Regional e-Conference for Leading Women in Banking and Finance from 15-16, October, 2020.

The virtual summit will bring together senior women officials from more than 10 countries. The online event will enable networking, exchange of ideas, and inevitably promote gender diversity in leadership.

Themed “Breaking Barriers and Redefining Leadership in Africa,” the e-conference sponsors are KBA, DTB, Stanbic, Mastercard, Safaricom and Strathmore Business School.

Other strategic partners are Rwanda Bankers Association, Bankers Association of Zambia, New Faces New Voices, a network organization under the Graca Machel Trust, and Kenyan Wallstreet, a leading digital business media content platform.

The e-summit will consist of fireside chats, panel discussions and interactive breakout sessions.

KBA CEO, Dr. Habil Olaka said, “The e-conference topics have been designed to showcase the immeasurable opportunity a gender inclusive leadership has on the overall performance of an organization.”

He called on financial service providers and corporates across Africa to tap into the different viewpoints emanating from a diverse leadership team to aid further innovation.

The pertinent topics set to be covered include the impacts of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and the Fourth Industrial Revolution on the financial services sector, and transformational leadership and cross-generational culture management approaches.

The former World Bank Treasurer Ms. Arunma Oteh, who currently serves as an Academic Scholar at St. Antony’s College, as well as, an Executive-in-Residence at SAID Business School, at University of Oxford, is confirmed as the Keynote Speaker.

Prior to the World Bank, Ms. Oteh served as Nigeria’s Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Central Bank of Kenya Deputy Governor Sheila M’Mbijjewe and Bank of Zambia Deputy Governor Rekha Mhango are confirmed as Guests of Honour. The other conference speakers include:

– Bank of Kigali, Chief Executive Officer, Diane Karusisi
– Mastercard, Senior Vice President, Franchise, Omokehinde Adebanjo
– DTB Group, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Nasim Devji
– Stanbic Bank Kenya, Chief Executive Officer, Charles Mudiwa
– Safaricom, Chief Customer Officer, Sylvia Mulinge
– Citibank, Head of Treasury and Trade Solution, Sub-Saharan Africa, Esther Chibesa
– Egyptian FinTech Association, Founder and Secretary General and Africa FinTech Network, Vice President, Noha Shaker
– Co-founder of Ushahidi and Boya App, Juliana Rotich
– International Banking Federation (UK), Managing Director, Hedwige Nuyens
– FSD Africa Investment, Chief Investment Officer, Anne-Marie Chidzero
– Absa Group Board Member & Serena Group Board Chairman, Francis Okello
– KCB Group, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Joshua Oigara
– Family Bank Kenya, Chief Executive Officer, Rebecca Mbithi
– Access Bank, Zambia Managing Director, Joana Bannerman
– Absa Bank Ghana, Managing Director, Abena Osei-Poku
– Old Mutual South Africa Responsible Business Director Maserame Mouyeme
– Credit Bank Kenya, Chief Executive Officer, Betty Korir
– UBS Investment Bank, South Africa, Head of Equity Advisory Sales, Lindi Farisani
– Bloom Consultancy, Chief Executive Officer, Rose Ogega

KBA held the inaugural Leading Women in Banking and Finance Symposium in Nairobi in 2016 as a means to encourage gender inclusivity in the financial services sector.

The Association sponsors the Leading Women in Banking and Finance initiative which has provided a platform for leadership capacity building and networking.

“This conference is a conscious step towards promoting inclusivity in financial sector management. Organizations have the responsibility to ensure that gender parity is achieved in leadership, from C-suite and the board to senior management,” said Ms. Nuru Mugambi, KBA Public Affairs Director.

“It takes deliberate efforts to break the systemic barriers and unconscious biases inhibiting gender parity. We are excited to broaden our scope and bring in other countries so that we can collaborate towards a more diverse and inclusive banking industry across the Continent,” she said. “We thank all the speakers, sponsors and partners for their support.”

During the e-summit, KBA in partnership with Strathmore Business School, New Faces New Voices and Kenyan Wallstreet will launch the Amari Book Club, which will build a community of women in the financial services sector and facilitate transformational leadership development through mentorship and networking.

The Group CEO and Managing Director of DTB, Nasim Devji said: “As a signatory to the United Nations Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), DTB is keen to support diversity and inclusion, and we have, as a Bank, done this within and in the form of support of a variety of businesses. It is important that we come together as an industry to promote gender parity across the continent, and this conference is a progressive step to achieving this.”

Mastercard Director, Marketing and Communications, Sub-Saharan Africa, Ifeoma Dozie said: “Inclusion, opportunity and empowerment are global priorities at Mastercard. From our dynamic workplace to our products and solutions, we’re furthering our commitment to gender equality around the world. At Mastercard, we believe that a world that works better for women creates limitless possibilities for us all, hence gender equality is a central, guiding theme, not only in our diversity and inclusion efforts and hiring practices, but in our business strategy in general. This is why we are excited to partner with the Kenya Bankers Association and join the great line-up of thought leaders in driving conversations towards creating a more inclusive business and social environment that works for everyone.”

Graca Machel Trust Investment Director Andia Chakava said: “Embracing diversity requires a willingness to challenge the status quo and deliberately seek people who think differently. An inclusive and diverse agenda has moved from a ‘nice-to-have’ to a critical business strategy component. The financial services sector plays a critical role in anchoring sustainable development, how firms recruit and incentivise their teams, and how they extend financial services to the public, must be viewed with a gender lens.”

Stanbic Bank Kenya, Chief Executive Officer, Charles Mudiwa said: “Stanbic has a tradition of being a purpose driven bank, we have fostered this shared value culture and firmly believe that an inclusive and responsible banking system is imperative for Africa’s sustainable development. We also believe in supporting our women customers which is why we launched the Dada proposition which has been a great success. We are proud to join KBA and the other partners in promoting diversity in leadership and are committed to continue investing in our workforce and our customers.”

The CEO of Bankers Association of Zambia, Leonard Mwanza said: “There is power in diversity; harnessing it will be the catalyst needed to break barriers that have limited Africa’s potential. As the Bankers Association of Zambia, we are keen to promote gender parity in the financial services sector to spur Africa’s growth. To that end, we are proud to be one of the strategic partners for the Africa Regional e-Conference for Leading Women in Banking and Finance.”

The Executive Secretary of the Rwanda Bankers Association, Tony Francis Ntore said: “Indeed, as the umbrella body for banks in Rwanda, we are proud to sponsor and be involved in the Africa Regional e-Conference for Leading Women in Banking and Finance. Our involvement signifies Rwanda’s high regard for gender inclusivity in both public and private sectors, the financial sectors included. May our collective efforts inspire change for a better world where gender inclusivity in leadership will eventually be the norm.”

The Executive Dean of Strathmore University Business School Dr. George Njenga said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has reset major work trends. Women professionals will need to engage new knowledge for either personal or professional reasons to enhance social inclusion, active citizenship, personal development, competitiveness and societies’ sustainability.”