BFSI INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY SUMMIT
South Africa
Co-Located With
Recalibrating South Africa’s Financial Edge
- 10th June 2026
- 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Focus Rooms - Universe
Co-Located With
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We are a CPD Certified Event!
BFSI Innovation & Technology Summit South Africa is certified by the CPD Certification service. Attendees will receive a CPD certificate after attending the event.
Earn up to 8 hours of CPD points
Strategic Partner
About BFSI Innovation & Technology Summit South Africa
The South African BFSI sector is undergoing significant transformation due to the rapid pace of digital advancements and evolving business landscapes.
The 36th Edition BFSI Innovation & Technology Summit is an invitation-only in-person event for South African BFSI technology and innovation leaders. Under the theme “Recalibrating South Africa’s Financial Edge” the BFSI Innovation & Technology Summit South Africa will bring together South Africa’s 200+ CTOs, CIOs, CISOs, heads of digital transformation, IT infrastructure, cyber security, information and communication technologies, and other IT Experts from the Banking and Financial Service industry.
The BFSI Innovation & Technology Summit provides an educational and networking opportunity to explore the significant challenges faced by the financial industry and to discover optimal approaches for addressing them. The summit will emphasize on examining the policies and tactics used to cultivate a diverse and efficient financial sector, with conversations revolving around topics such as digital banking, financial inclusivity, electronic payments, and safeguarding data privacy.
What Sets Us Apart?
An exclusive platform designed to connect South Africa's BFSI leaders and accelerate industry innovation.
Invitation - Only Access
Connect with 200+ CTOs, CIOs, CISOs, and innovation leaders from South Africa's top banking and financial institutions. Network with decision-makers shaping the future of financial technology
Strategic Learning
Explore cutting-edge topics including digital banking, cybersecurity, financial inclusion, and data privacy through expert-led sessions. Gain actionable strategies to address your most pressing IT challenges
Meaningful Connections
Build lasting partnerships with peers facing similar challenges in an intimate, focused environment designed for collaboration. Transform conversations into strategic alliances and real business outcomes
What Sets Us Apart?
An exclusive platform designed to connect South Africa's BFSI leaders and accelerate industry innovation.
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Inside South Africa’s Evolving BFSI Ecosystem
View Industry Insights
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Fintech revenue in Africa showcasing robust advancement
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South Africans rely solely on digital banking
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Users in the Digital Payments market by 2027
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Advisory Board
Lelané Bezuidenhout
Chief Executive Officer
Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa
Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa
CEO of the Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa with 26+ years’ experience. Certified Financial Planner passionate about ethical standards, professional excellence, global collaboration, and empowering financial planners and individuals.
Pragashani Reddy
BFSI Digital Expert
Executive Director of Digital, Absa Group; led innovative banking products across major banks, driving financial inclusion, fintech solutions, and digital transformation with measurable operational impact across Africa.
Speakers 2026
We bring together the industry’s most respected voices, delivering sessions that inspire, educate, and leave a lasting impression.
Khetha Cele
Group Chief Information Officer
Ithala Development Finance Corporation
Ithala Development Finance Corporation
Khetha Cele, Group CIO, drives digital transformation, cybersecurity resilience, cloud adoption, and IT alignment across financial services, with decades experience.
Lelané Bezuidenhout
Chief Executive Officer
Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa
Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa
CEO of the Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa with 26+ years’ experience. Certified Financial Planner passionate about ethical standards, professional excellence, global collaboration, and empowering financial planners and individuals.
Alex Comninos
Chief Risk Officer
JSE Clear
JSE Clear
Chief Risk Officer at JSE Clear, overseeing risk for derivatives, equities and bonds; joined JSE in 2006, ex-Merrill Lynch and Commerzbank, 25+ years’ experience, engineering, MBA, CFA Level I qualified.
Meshack Ndwandwe
Chief Information Officer
First National Bank
First National Bank
Meshack brings 30+ years’ experience leading digital transformation, Oracle implementations, and enterprise systems across industries, while fostering high-performing teams, innovation, and inclusive talent development globally.
Dr. Gavin Moss
CIO: Corporate Banking
Rand Merchant Bank
Rand Merchant Bank
Collaborative, innovative leader passionate about mentoring, solving complex problems, driving agile transformation, and creating impactful technology solutions that deliver real value.
Sanisha Packirisamy
Group Economist
Momentum Investments
Momentum Investments
Economist with 15+ years’ investment experience, translating global and local macro trends into actionable market insights. CFA, FRM, and CAIA charterholder, currently delivering research-driven investment perspectives at Momentum Investments.
Mandla Mbasane
Acting Chief Information Officer
National Housing Finance Corporation SA
National Housing Finance Corporation SA
Senior ICT Executive (CIO/CISO) with 22+ years driving ICT innovation, digital transformation, cybersecurity, and governance. Delivered measurable business value through large-scale ICT programmes across multiple industries.
Jacobus Eksteen
CEO
Bonisa Applied Insights (Pty) Ltd.
Bonisa Applied Insights (Pty) Ltd.
Co-founder and CEO driving data-driven consulting solutions through decision science, analytics, modelling, and innovation to solve complex business challenges globally.
Muvhango Sipho Steven Livhusha
Vice President
ISACA South Africa
ISACA South Africa
Experienced risk and audit professional with 10+ years across industries, passionate about people, technology, and process improvement. Skilled in stakeholder management, governance, compliance, and driving strategic value through effective risk management.
Pragashani Reddy
BFSI Digital Expert
Executive Director of Digital, Absa Group; led innovative banking products across major banks, driving financial inclusion, fintech solutions, and digital transformation with measurable operational impact across Africa.
Paul Eccleston
Scored Product Head
FNB South Africa
FNB South Africa
Senior manager with cross-sector experience delivering full lifecycle implementations on time and budget. Known for strategic vision, operational excellence, and leading teams to execute complex business-critical projects.
Grace Brown
Head: Customer Experience and Client Services
JSE
JSE
Head of Customer Experience, JSE; 20+ years delivering client-centric strategies across finance, FMCG, automotive. Leads high-performing teams, drives operational excellence, customer satisfaction, and measurable business impact.
Jesang Kiptorus
Regional Digital Payment Specialist, Africa
Better than Cash Alliance
Better than Cash Alliance
Jesang Kiptorus is a Regional Digital Payment Specialist for Africa at the Better Than Cash Alliance, where she leads initiatives to advance responsible digital payments and financial inclusion across the continent. Based in Johannesburg, she works with governments, regulators, and industry leaders to design and implement inclusive digital payment ecosystems.
Dr Thabang Chiloane
Head of Financial Inclusion and Public Policy
The Banking Association South Africa.
The Banking Association South Africa.
Driving financial inclusion through strategic policy, stakeholder engagement, and communication, while fostering collaboration with government to enable meaningful societal impact.
Pride Ndhlovu
Business Information Security Officer
Nedbank Corporate and Investment Banking
Nedbank Corporate and Investment Banking
Pride Ndhlovu is a BISO at Nedbank CIB with 10+ years’ experience strengthening cyber resilience, aligning security with business goals, and enabling secure digital transformation through a pragmatic, risk-based approach.
Theo Groenewald
Head Of Data Management
Discovery Limited
Discovery Limited
Theo Groenewald is a senior data and technology leader driving scalable data strategy, platform innovation, DataOps excellence, and cross-functional collaboration at Discovery.
Lorraine Mekwa
Managing Executive: CX
Sanlam Corporate
Sanlam Corporate
Lorraine Mekwa is a financial services leader driving customer experience, marketing, digital transformation, and client-centric growth through multidisciplinary team leadership.
Jason Moss
Executive Head: Data and Analytics, Group Risk
Standard Bank
Standard Bank
Jason Moss is a strategic data leader with 25+ years’ experience driving enterprise transformation, AI innovation, governance, operational efficiency, modernization, and high-performing global teams.
Tshidiso Ledimo
Group Head: Core Platforms, Cloud Engineering, Applications, Infrastructure, ITSM & Operations
Santam Insurance
Santam Insurance
Tshidiso Ledimo is a banking and insurance technology executive leading cloud, platforms, and digital transformation initiatives at Santam.
Candice Lachman
Head of Customer Experience
Old Mutual Corporate
Old Mutual Corporate
Candice Lachman is a financial services leader driving customer experience, market conduct, compliance, innovation, operational excellence, and sustainable business transformation initiatives.
Phathutshedzo Mathivha
Head Digital Chapter
Hollard Insurance
Hollard Insurance
Phathutshedzo Mathuvha is an IT executive specializing in digital transformation, strategy, operations, Agile delivery, and technology-driven business efficiency across industries.
Caroline Belrose
Head of Group Client
Capitec
Capitec
Caroline leads Capitec’s KYC and due diligence strategy, combining expertise in cryptography, fraud management, data analytics, and information security.
Cem Gulbayir
Senior Account Executive
Camunda
Camunda
Camunda’s Cem has 10+ years in enterprise software, specializing in application development and agentic orchestration, while growing Africa’s ecosystem through customers, partners, and community connections.
Oliver Oursin
Vice President Strategy and Growth, Elastic International
Elastic
Elastic
Elastic executive Oliver Oursin drives EMEA and APJ growth, aligning AI, strategy, and customer outcomes across global markets.
Amol Chandolikar
Vice President & Head of Banking & Financial Services
Zensar
Zensar
Amol Chandolikar is an AI evangelist driving BFSI innovation through human-centric AI, customer experience transformation, operational excellence, and risk management.
Zaheer Haniff
Regional Lead – Security & Resilience Platform (South Africa & SADC)
Dell Technologies
Dell Technologies
Regional Security & Resilience leader at Dell Technologies driving cyber recovery, ransomware preparedness, data protection, and operational resilience across Southern Africa.
Khantse Radebe
Chief Executive Officer: ABF
WesBank
WesBank
Chartered Accountant and MBA with 17+ years’ experience. Former CFO and GM specializing in secured lending across Mining and Energy. I deliver operational excellence and award-winning strategic performance.
Alex Comninos
Chief Risk Officer
JSE Clear
JSE Clear
Chief Risk Officer at JSE Clear, overseeing risk for derivatives, equities and bonds; joined JSE in 2006, ex-Merrill Lynch and Commerzbank, 25+ years’ experience, engineering, MBA, CFA Level I qualified.
Mandla Mbasane
Acting Chief Information Officer
National Housing Finance Corporation SA
National Housing Finance Corporation SA
Senior ICT Executive (CIO/CISO) with 22+ years driving ICT innovation, digital transformation, cybersecurity, and governance. Delivered measurable business value through large-scale ICT programmes across multiple industries.
Pragashani Reddy
BFSI Digital Expert
Executive Director of Digital, Absa Group; led innovative banking products across major banks, driving financial inclusion, fintech solutions, and digital transformation with measurable operational impact across Africa.
Dr. Gavin Moss
CIO: Corporate Banking
Rand Merchant Bank
Rand Merchant Bank
Collaborative, innovative leader passionate about mentoring, solving complex problems, driving agile transformation, and creating impactful technology solutions that deliver real value.
Khetha Cele
Group Chief Information Officer
Ithala Development Finance Corporation
Ithala Development Finance Corporation
Khetha Cele, Group CIO, drives digital transformation, cybersecurity resilience, cloud adoption, and IT alignment across financial services, with decades experience.
Boipelo-Angi Mosiane
Head of Data Mangement
Standard Bank South Africa
Standard Bank South Africa
Data management leader specialising in big data, engineering, governance, analytics, and scalable data solutions that drive innovation, efficiency, and business growth.
Theo Groenewald
Head Of Data Management
Discovery Limited
Discovery Limited
Theo Groenewald is a senior data and technology leader driving scalable data strategy, platform innovation, DataOps excellence, and cross-functional collaboration at Discovery.
Lorraine Mekwa
Managing Executive: CX
Sanlam Corporate
Sanlam Corporate
Lorraine Mekwa is a financial services leader driving customer experience, marketing, digital transformation, and client-centric growth through multidisciplinary team leadership.
Tshidiso Ledimo
Group Head: Core Platforms, Cloud Engineering, Applications, Infrastructure, ITSM & Operations
Santam Insurance
Santam Insurance
Tshidiso Ledimo is a banking and insurance technology executive leading cloud, platforms, and digital transformation initiatives at Santam.
Paul Eccleston
Scored Product Head
FNB South Africa
FNB South Africa
Senior manager with cross-sector experience delivering full lifecycle implementations on time and budget. Known for strategic vision, operational excellence, and leading teams to execute complex business-critical projects.
Muvhango Sipho Steven Livhusha
Vice President
ISACA South Africa
ISACA South Africa
Experienced risk and audit professional with 10+ years across industries, passionate about people, technology, and process improvement. Skilled in stakeholder management, governance, compliance, and driving strategic value through effective risk management.
Sanisha Packirisamy
Group Economist
Momentum Investments
Momentum Investments
Economist with 15+ years’ investment experience, translating global and local macro trends into actionable market insights. CFA, FRM, and CAIA charterholder, currently delivering research-driven investment perspectives at Momentum Investments.
Lelané Bezuidenhout
Chief Executive Officer
Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa
Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa
CEO of the Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa with 26+ years’ experience. Certified Financial Planner passionate about ethical standards, professional excellence, global collaboration, and empowering financial planners and individuals.
Meshack Ndwandwe
Chief Information Officer
First National Bank
First National Bank
Meshack brings 30+ years’ experience leading digital transformation, Oracle implementations, and enterprise systems across industries, while fostering high-performing teams, innovation, and inclusive talent development globally.
Jesang Kiptorus
Regional Digital Payment Specialist, Africa
Better than Cash Alliance
Better than Cash Alliance
Jesang Kiptorus is a Regional Digital Payment Specialist for Africa at the Better Than Cash Alliance, where she leads initiatives to advance responsible digital payments and financial inclusion across the continent. Based in Johannesburg, she works with governments, regulators, and industry leaders to design and implement inclusive digital payment ecosystems.
Dr Thabang Chiloane
Head of Financial Inclusion and Public Policy
The Banking Association South Africa.
The Banking Association South Africa.
Driving financial inclusion through strategic policy, stakeholder engagement, and communication, while fostering collaboration with government to enable meaningful societal impact.
Pride Ndhlovu
Business Information Security Officer
Nedbank Corporate and Investment Banking
Nedbank Corporate and Investment Banking
Pride Ndhlovu is a BISO at Nedbank CIB with 10+ years’ experience strengthening cyber resilience, aligning security with business goals, and enabling secure digital transformation through a pragmatic, risk-based approach.
Jason Moss
Executive Head: Data and Analytics, Group Risk
Standard Bank
Standard Bank
Jason Moss is a strategic data leader with 25+ years’ experience driving enterprise transformation, AI innovation, governance, operational efficiency, modernization, and high-performing global teams.
Candice Lachman
Head of Customer Experience
Old Mutual Corporate
Old Mutual Corporate
Candice Lachman is a financial services leader driving customer experience, market conduct, compliance, innovation, operational excellence, and sustainable business transformation initiatives.
Phathutshedzo Mathivha
Head Digital Chapter
Hollard Insurance
Hollard Insurance
Phathutshedzo Mathuvha is an IT executive specializing in digital transformation, strategy, operations, Agile delivery, and technology-driven business efficiency across industries.
Caroline Belrose
Head of Group Client
Capitec
Capitec
Caroline leads Capitec’s KYC and due diligence strategy, combining expertise in cryptography, fraud management, data analytics, and information security.
Grace Brown
Head: Customer Experience and Client Services
JSE
JSE
Results-driven leader with 20+ years’ experience driving client value, operational excellence, business transformation, stakeholder engagement, and high-performing teams across financial services, FMCG, automotive, and capital markets.
Jacobus Eksteen
CEO
Bonisa Applied Insights (Pty) Ltd.
Bonisa Applied Insights (Pty) Ltd.
Co-founder and CEO driving data-driven consulting solutions through decision science, analytics, modelling, and innovation to solve complex business challenges globally.
Cem Gulbayir
Senior Account Executive
Camunda
Camunda
Camunda’s Cem has 10+ years in enterprise software, specializing in application development and agentic orchestration, while growing Africa’s ecosystem through customers, partners, and community connections.
Oliver Oursin
Vice President Strategy and Growth, Elastic International
Elastic
Elastic
Elastic executive Oliver Oursin drives EMEA and APJ growth, aligning AI, strategy, and customer outcomes across global markets.
Amol Chandolikar
Vice President & Head of Banking & Financial Services
Zensar
Zensar
Amol Chandolikar is an AI evangelist driving BFSI innovation through human-centric AI, customer experience transformation, operational excellence, and risk management.
Zaheer Haniff
Regional Lead – Security & Resilience Platform (South Africa & SADC)
Dell Technologies
Dell Technologies
Regional Security & Resilience leader at Dell Technologies driving cyber recovery, ransomware preparedness, data protection, and operational resilience across Southern Africa.
Our Impact Speaker
Our Impact Speaker
Pieter Geldenhuys
Something is shifting beneath the surface of the global economy and it is not happening in isolation. As artificial intelligence accelerates, it collides with a world that is simultaneously fragmenting, rewriting the rules of money, power, and trust. Join us to hear Pieter uncover how data, geopolitics, and financial infrastructure are converging in unexpected ways, and why the leaders who decode this intersection early will define what comes next.
Why Attend ?
Our events bring together the latest technology advancements and real-world innovations driving transformation across the BFSI sector. We connect industry leaders, technology experts, and solution providers to explore how emerging tech is reshaping banking, financial services, and insurance.
Featured Discussions
How AI Is Rewriting the Future of Work
- How can organisations adopt and enable AI responsibly while managing emerging risks, ensuring governance, and keeping pace with rapid advancements in AI technologies?
- What is the role of agentic AI and democratised data in accelerating digital transformation and enhancing decision-making across business functions?
- How can leaders stay abreast of evolving AI trends to prioritise the right tools, use cases, and investments for long-term value?
- How will AI reshape workforce structures, required skill sets, and leadership expectations, and what strategies help teams transition successfully?
- How can organisations retain and motivate talent during AI-driven shifts while fostering a culture that supports continuous learning and human-AI collaboration?
From Black Swans to Grey Rhinos
- Shift from black swans to underestimated grey rhino global risks increasingly.
- AI boom shows limited productivity gains but rising energy infrastructure demand.
- Geopolitics and protectionism reshape trade, US tariffs fail reducing imbalances persistently.
- Economic nationalism rises, US policy shifts, strategic resources gain importance globally.
- Middle East tensions, energy markets impact shipping costs, oil, inflation risks.
Designing for Customer Outcomes: Orchestrating Trust-Led Journeys Across Financial Services
- Journey orchestration across digital and assisted channels, the technology landscape supporting orchestration efforts
- Responsible use of data, Al, and personalisation
- Experience design in high-stakes moments (claims, fraud, hardship, disputes)
- How success is defined and measured from both customer and business perspectives
- Challenges, risks and advice when financial services businesses starts and/or scales their efforts to orchestrate customer journeys.
Transform or Conform: Modernising Digital Transformation in Finance
- How can organisations accelerate digital transformation while modernising legacy systems and ensuring the security and regulatory compliance of their platforms, data, and services?
- What strategies help businesses choose the right cloud tools and architectures to enable rapid deployment, efficient scaling, and seamless integration across complex environments?
- How can financial institutions deliver secure digital banking, mobile solutions, open banking features, and omni-channel experiences that meet evolving customer expectations?
- What role do project and change management play in guiding modernisation programmes, aligning stakeholders, and ensuring successful adoption of new digital tools and operating models?
- How does maintaining an accurate, mature CMDB support cloud migration, reduce configuration complexity, and enable reliable service operations in digital-first organisations?
Regulation Nation: Cybercrime, Privacy, Compliance, and Data Protection in the Digital Age
- How can organisations strengthen cyber and information security to protect against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats, cybercrime, and data privacy risks?
- What strategies help businesses improve compliance, data quality, governance, and access while establishing a reliable single source of truth and positioning data as a strategic asset?
- How can organisations navigate intensifying regulatory pressures such as POPIA and industry-specific compliance requirements while maintaining operational efficiency?
- What does effective IT risk ownership look like in modern enterprises, and how can leaders better understand and respond to emerging technology risks?
- How can organisations ensure third-party data assurance, strengthen records management, and elevate overall data trustworthiness across complex, interconnected environments?
Industry Focus
Who Will You Meet ?
- Chief Information Officer
- Chief Technology Officer
- Chief Information Security Officer
- Chief Digital Officer
- Directors/ VPs/ GMs/ Heads of IT
- Directors/ VPs/ GMs/ Heads of Digital Solutions
- Directors/ VPs/ GMs/ Heads Digital Transformation
- Head of IT Infrastructure
- Heads of Information security
- Head of IT Operations
- Digital Advisors- Government
- Head of Analytics / AI
Partners 2026
Platinum Partner
Gold Partners
Silver Partners
Supporting Partners
Media Partners
PR Partners
Past Partners
Media Partners
Series Partners
What Clients Say ?
Testimonials
The event was highly beneficial, giving us the chance to meet enthusiastic prospective clients interested in our portfolios and services. The one-to-one sessions allowed focused discussions with delegates and dignitaries, helping us clearly demonstrate the value we bring. The attendees were influential, including senior executives and department heads, which made the engagement impactful. Overall, it was a wonderful collaboration, and we would gladly participate again in the future.
The event was excellent, providing the opportunity to connect with highly relevant and targeted participants in an intimate, small-format setting. The networking was particularly valuable, allowing for follow-up discussions on how to create further value. Most attendees were from the banking and insurance sectors, aligning closely with the areas where we operate, making the audience very relevant. Overall, it was a well-organized, engaging event, and we would be happy to participate in similar events in the future.
The summit was excellent, bringing business executives and technology leaders together to collaborate and make unified decisions that leverage AI for growth and cost optimization. While the sector is still in the early stages of transformation, strong AI use cases exist in financial crime prevention, though customer-facing applications remain limited. Most institutions are currently focused on internal efficiencies and improving data quality to better leverage AI. Overall, AI adoption is at a tipping point, marking the beginning of a journey that promises greater value, innovation, and organizational impact.
The summit was highly valuable, offering new technologies, useful learnings, and meaningful interactions with industry peers. Digital transformation, once new, has rapidly evolved and become essential, especially for digital-first businesses and the broader national landscape. The BFSI sector has played a major role in developing digital skills and shaping what the country can achieve technologically. Overall, it was an exciting and worthwhile experience, and there’s great anticipation for the next edition.
Venue
Focus Rooms
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