Abiodun Adebimpe
RMB Nigeria
Head of Custody Services : RMB Nigeria
RMB Nigeria
Head of Custody Services : RMB Nigeria
Ekow Afedzie
Ghana Stock Exchange
CEO
Mr. Ekow Afedzie, is currently the Managing Director of the Ghana Stock Exchange and a member of the Council (Board) of the Exchange. He was educated at the University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana where he obtained a master’s degree in business administration, (MBA) in 1989 and a Master of Arts degree (MA) in Economic Policy Management. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in Law (LLB) from Mountcrest University College and a Qualifying Certificate from the Ghana School of Law. He has been working with the Ghana Stock Exchange since its establishment in 1990.
Mr. Afedzie has been associated with many transformational projects at the Ghana Stock Exchange. He coordinated the automation of the trading, clearing and settlement of the Exchange and the establishment of the depository company for equities. Mr. Afedzie also coordinated the establishment of the Ghana Fixed Income Market (GFIM) and Ghana Alternative Market (GAX).
Mr. Afedzie is currently the Chairman of the West Africa Capital Markets Integration Council and the Co-Chair of the Africa Regional Committee of the International Capital Market Association (ICMA) with sole responsibility over the West African Sub-Committee.
Ghana Stock Exchange
CEO
Mr. Ekow Afedzie, is currently the Managing Director of the Ghana Stock Exchange and a member of the Council (Board) of the Exchange. He was educated at the University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana where he obtained a master’s degree in business administration, (MBA) in 1989 and a Master of Arts degree (MA) in Economic Policy Management. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in Law (LLB) from Mountcrest University College and a Qualifying Certificate from the Ghana School of Law. He has been working with the Ghana Stock Exchange since its establishment in 1990.
Mr. Afedzie has been associated with many transformational projects at the Ghana Stock Exchange. He coordinated the automation of the trading, clearing and settlement of the Exchange and the establishment of the depository company for equities. Mr. Afedzie also coordinated the establishment of the Ghana Fixed Income Market (GFIM) and Ghana Alternative Market (GAX).
Mr. Afedzie is currently the Chairman of the West Africa Capital Markets Integration Council and the Co-Chair of the Africa Regional Committee of the International Capital Market Association (ICMA) with sole responsibility over the West African Sub-Committee.
Kerry Baker
BNY Mellon
Director - Global Network Oversight – Asset Servicing
BNY Mellon
Director - Global Network Oversight – Asset Servicing
Andrew Barman
The Network Forum Ltd
MD
With a long background (25+ years) in market research of the global securities industry, Andrew launched The Network Forum in January 2017 together with his business partner Ed Jones. Unique to the the custody and post-trade industry, The Network Forum aspires to be the undisputed global community for market participants. Andrew's strengths are in Product and Business Development, Negotiation, Sales and Customer Relationship Management (CRM).
The Network Forum Ltd
MD
With a long background (25+ years) in market research of the global securities industry, Andrew launched The Network Forum in January 2017 together with his business partner Ed Jones. Unique to the the custody and post-trade industry, The Network Forum aspires to be the undisputed global community for market participants. Andrew's strengths are in Product and Business Development, Negotiation, Sales and Customer Relationship Management (CRM).
Rikki Barnes
FNB
Retail Foreign Exchange
Rikki Barnes has been with FirstRand for 12 years, predominantly in Foreign Exchange and Commercial Banking. He currently heads the group’s Retail Foreign Exchange portfolio, servicing FNB and RMB Private Bank clients.
Rikki holds a Bachelor of Business Science (Honours) in Actuarial Science and Finance, and a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) in Financial Planning. Rikki qualified as a fellow of the Faculty and Institute of Actuaries in 2007.
Rikki’s industry experience spans Life Insurance, General Insurance and Banking, across a range of quantitative, product and front-office roles. He is involved in several modernization and digitization initiatives for FirstRand, and has recently pivoted towards crypto and blockchain applications.
FNB
Retail Foreign Exchange
Rikki Barnes has been with FirstRand for 12 years, predominantly in Foreign Exchange and Commercial Banking. He currently heads the group’s Retail Foreign Exchange portfolio, servicing FNB and RMB Private Bank clients.
Rikki holds a Bachelor of Business Science (Honours) in Actuarial Science and Finance, and a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) in Financial Planning. Rikki qualified as a fellow of the Faculty and Institute of Actuaries in 2007.
Rikki’s industry experience spans Life Insurance, General Insurance and Banking, across a range of quantitative, product and front-office roles. He is involved in several modernization and digitization initiatives for FirstRand, and has recently pivoted towards crypto and blockchain applications.
Sarah Baynton-Glen
Standard Chartered Bank
Director, Africa Economist
Sarah is a Director and Economist on the Africa Research team at Standard Chartered based in London. Her role includes producing macroeconomic analysis on African economies and interacting with bank management, clients, policy makers and the media. Prior to joining the Bank, Sarah was based in Beijing, where she studied Mandarin and produced research for Beijing-based European Commission projects. She holds a Master’s degree in Chinese Economy from Fudan University, Shanghai, and obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Bristol, UK. Sarah speaks English and Mandarin. She is a CFA charterholder.
Standard Chartered Bank
Director, Africa Economist
Sarah is a Director and Economist on the Africa Research team at Standard Chartered based in London. Her role includes producing macroeconomic analysis on African economies and interacting with bank management, clients, policy makers and the media. Prior to joining the Bank, Sarah was based in Beijing, where she studied Mandarin and produced research for Beijing-based European Commission projects. She holds a Master’s degree in Chinese Economy from Fudan University, Shanghai, and obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Bristol, UK. Sarah speaks English and Mandarin. She is a CFA charterholder.
Chris Becker
Investec Bank
Blockchain Lead
Chris is Investec’s blockchain lead and focuses specifically on product development and strategy for the Specialist Bank. He has more than a decade experience as a macro-economist strategist consulting to institutional and corporate clients, before his fascination with the history of money and the inner workings of the monetary system led him to the world of blockchain and privately issued monies four years ago.
His career spans roles as an economist, sovereign risk analyst and sell-side economic strategist. Chris is a co-founder of the South African chapter of the Mises Institute and is currently an advisor to the economics curriculum at a private South African university as well as a strategic advisor to a Chamber of Commerce. He holds an undergraduate degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Stellenbosch University.
Investec Bank
Blockchain Lead
Chris is Investec’s blockchain lead and focuses specifically on product development and strategy for the Specialist Bank. He has more than a decade experience as a macro-economist strategist consulting to institutional and corporate clients, before his fascination with the history of money and the inner workings of the monetary system led him to the world of blockchain and privately issued monies four years ago.
His career spans roles as an economist, sovereign risk analyst and sell-side economic strategist. Chris is a co-founder of the South African chapter of the Mises Institute and is currently an advisor to the economics curriculum at a private South African university as well as a strategic advisor to a Chamber of Commerce. He holds an undergraduate degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Stellenbosch University.
Sunil Benimadhu
The Stock Exchange of Mauritius
CEO
Sunil Benimadhu has been in office as Chief Executive of the Stock Exchange of Mauritius (SEM) since May 1998 after having held various positions in the Securities Industry. He has played an instrumental role in uplifting the operational, technical and regulatory infrastructure of the SEM and contributed to its emergence as one of the leading Exchanges in Africa. Sunil is the Chairman of Global Finance Mauritius, the apex body of private sector operators in the Financial Services Industry in Mauritius.
Sunil was elected in October 2014 for a three-year term on the Board of the World Federation of Exchanges (WFE), an association of the World’s leading Stock Exchanges and has been re-elected in September 2017 for a further three-year term. Sunil was the President of the African Securities Exchanges Association (ASEA) an association of 28 Exchanges operating on the continent, from August 2010 to November 2014. He was a member of the Executive Committee of the South Asian Federation of Exchanges (SAFE), and the Chairman of the SADC Committee of Stock Exchanges (COSSE). Sunil is a regular speaker on emerging markets and on African markets in international stock exchange conferences.
The Stock Exchange of Mauritius
CEO
Sunil Benimadhu has been in office as Chief Executive of the Stock Exchange of Mauritius (SEM) since May 1998 after having held various positions in the Securities Industry. He has played an instrumental role in uplifting the operational, technical and regulatory infrastructure of the SEM and contributed to its emergence as one of the leading Exchanges in Africa. Sunil is the Chairman of Global Finance Mauritius, the apex body of private sector operators in the Financial Services Industry in Mauritius.
Sunil was elected in October 2014 for a three-year term on the Board of the World Federation of Exchanges (WFE), an association of the World’s leading Stock Exchanges and has been re-elected in September 2017 for a further three-year term. Sunil was the President of the African Securities Exchanges Association (ASEA) an association of 28 Exchanges operating on the continent, from August 2010 to November 2014. He was a member of the Executive Committee of the South Asian Federation of Exchanges (SAFE), and the Chairman of the SADC Committee of Stock Exchanges (COSSE). Sunil is a regular speaker on emerging markets and on African markets in international stock exchange conferences.
David Bolger
RBC Investor Services
Network Manager
David Bolger is a Network Manager working at Royal Bank of Canada responsible for covering the Middle East, African and Central & Eastern European regions. David has 24 years industry experience. Prior to joining RBC in 2017, David held several positions within Citibank’s operations including Billing, Settlements, Stock Lending and Corporate Actions.
RBC Investor Services
Network Manager
David Bolger is a Network Manager working at Royal Bank of Canada responsible for covering the Middle East, African and Central & Eastern European regions. David has 24 years industry experience. Prior to joining RBC in 2017, David held several positions within Citibank’s operations including Billing, Settlements, Stock Lending and Corporate Actions.
Hari Chaitanya
Standard Bank
Head, Investor Services, Product Management
Based in Johannesburg, Hari Chaitanya is responsible for leading global product strategy for the Custody Services and Investor Services business across Africa. Prior to joining Standard Bank, Hari has held executive management roles at Standard Chartered Bank managing Investors and Intermediaries business In Africa and South East Asia. Hari has more than 25 years of Securities Services industry experience during which he has held executive management positions at Deutsche Bank in India, Indonesia and the Asia Pacific regional office in Singapore.
Standard Bank
Head, Investor Services, Product Management
Based in Johannesburg, Hari Chaitanya is responsible for leading global product strategy for the Custody Services and Investor Services business across Africa. Prior to joining Standard Bank, Hari has held executive management roles at Standard Chartered Bank managing Investors and Intermediaries business In Africa and South East Asia. Hari has more than 25 years of Securities Services industry experience during which he has held executive management positions at Deutsche Bank in India, Indonesia and the Asia Pacific regional office in Singapore.
Gideon Chokah
Standard Chartered Bank
Executive Principal, Head, Financing & Securities Services (Kenya & East Africa), Financial Markets (Corporate, Commercial & Institutional Banking)
A graduate of the University of Nairobi and an Associate of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI) – UK (London) with several years banking experience (in Barclays and Standard Chartered Bank) spanning across several areas including:
• Operations (General Banking Operations; International Payments and Custody Operations)
• Client services
• Sales & Relationship Management
• Securities Services
Standard Chartered Bank
Executive Principal, Head, Financing & Securities Services (Kenya & East Africa), Financial Markets (Corporate, Commercial & Institutional Banking)
A graduate of the University of Nairobi and an Associate of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI) – UK (London) with several years banking experience (in Barclays and Standard Chartered Bank) spanning across several areas including:
• Operations (General Banking Operations; International Payments and Custody Operations)
• Client services
• Sales & Relationship Management
• Securities Services
David Curtis
JP Morgan
Network Manager
David's role in the Network Management Team is to oversee the EMEA markets and sub custodian’s relationships and markets in Africa and Middle East for JPM.
He started his career in City of London in 1984 with London Life Fund Managers, where he worked in the operational fund management department. In 1986 he moved to Chase Manhattan Bank, where he worked for 6 years in UK Operations. In 1991 joined Standard Chartered Bank working in Relationship and Sales team covering European clients investing in the Asia region. 1998 joined the Network Management Team at Royal Bank of Canada covering European and Asian markets until 2006 when he joined JPM.
JP Morgan
Network Manager
David's role in the Network Management Team is to oversee the EMEA markets and sub custodian’s relationships and markets in Africa and Middle East for JPM.
He started his career in City of London in 1984 with London Life Fund Managers, where he worked in the operational fund management department. In 1986 he moved to Chase Manhattan Bank, where he worked for 6 years in UK Operations. In 1991 joined Standard Chartered Bank working in Relationship and Sales team covering European clients investing in the Asia region. 1998 joined the Network Management Team at Royal Bank of Canada covering European and Asian markets until 2006 when he joined JPM.
Francis Daniels
Anibok Investment Research Chambers
Francis Daniels is a director of Africa Opportunity Partners. He co-founded Africa Opportunity Partners, an investment management firm specializing in value investing in African capital markets, in 2007 and manages its subsidiary, Anibok Investment Research Chambers (Pty) Ltd, in Johannesburg. His career spans roles as a corporate lawyer and an investment analyst in the US and Southern Africa. Francis holds undergraduate and postgraduate law degrees from the University of Ghana, the University of Toronto and New York University Law School.
Anibok Investment Research Chambers
Francis Daniels is a director of Africa Opportunity Partners. He co-founded Africa Opportunity Partners, an investment management firm specializing in value investing in African capital markets, in 2007 and manages its subsidiary, Anibok Investment Research Chambers (Pty) Ltd, in Johannesburg. His career spans roles as a corporate lawyer and an investment analyst in the US and Southern Africa. Francis holds undergraduate and postgraduate law degrees from the University of Ghana, the University of Toronto and New York University Law School.
Scott Dickinson
Standard Chartered
Managing Director, Regional Head of Financing & Securities Services, AME, Financial Markets
Scott joined Standard Chartered in September 2017. He is currently based in Dubai and is the Regional Head of Securities Services for Africa and Middle East. In a career spanning over 35 years’ in financial services he has held senior roles in global custody, investment banking and fund management. He is a graduate in Economics and Accountancy and a sovereign wealth specialist.
Standard Chartered
Managing Director, Regional Head of Financing & Securities Services, AME, Financial Markets
Scott joined Standard Chartered in September 2017. He is currently based in Dubai and is the Regional Head of Securities Services for Africa and Middle East. In a career spanning over 35 years’ in financial services he has held senior roles in global custody, investment banking and fund management. He is a graduate in Economics and Accountancy and a sovereign wealth specialist.
Simon Dingle
Inves Capital
Founder
Simon is a fintech entrepreneur, broadcaster, and author of 'In Math We Trust: The future of money'. He was selected as one of the Mail & Guardian's Top 200 Young South Africans in 2011 and was awarded the 2010 Telkom Classic Financial Journalist of the Year award for his columns in Finweek Magazine. Simon's career spans radio, journalism, strategic communications, open source technology, and serving on the founding teams of four fintech startups including Luno and Curve. He has worked actively with Bitcoin and blockchain technologies since 2011
Inves Capital
Founder
Simon is a fintech entrepreneur, broadcaster, and author of 'In Math We Trust: The future of money'. He was selected as one of the Mail & Guardian's Top 200 Young South Africans in 2011 and was awarded the 2010 Telkom Classic Financial Journalist of the Year award for his columns in Finweek Magazine. Simon's career spans radio, journalism, strategic communications, open source technology, and serving on the founding teams of four fintech startups including Luno and Curve. He has worked actively with Bitcoin and blockchain technologies since 2011
Farzam Ehsani
VALR
CEO
Farzam is the CEO and Co-Founder of VALR.com, a platform that bridges the gap between our traditional financial system and the new world of cryptocurrencies. He was previously the Blockchain Lead at Rand Merchant Bank and the FirstRand Group, and was the inaugural Chairperson of the South African Financial Blockchain Consortium. He previously worked at McKinsey & Company in Johannesburg, Deloitte Consulting in San Francisco, the Baha’i World Centre in Haifa, and the United Nations in Nairobi. He studied economics at the University of California – Berkeley.
VALR
CEO
Farzam is the CEO and Co-Founder of VALR.com, a platform that bridges the gap between our traditional financial system and the new world of cryptocurrencies. He was previously the Blockchain Lead at Rand Merchant Bank and the FirstRand Group, and was the inaugural Chairperson of the South African Financial Blockchain Consortium. He previously worked at McKinsey & Company in Johannesburg, Deloitte Consulting in San Francisco, the Baha’i World Centre in Haifa, and the United Nations in Nairobi. He studied economics at the University of California – Berkeley.
Bernard Ferran
Euroclear
Chief Commercial Officer
Bernard joined Euroclear in 2001. He is in charge of the overall Business Development, commercial support as well as Marketing. His remit includes servicing US$ 40 trillion of assets under custody across 2,000 clients located in more than 120 countries. He supervises a large commercial team of 350 people spread across 11 Euroclear offices located in Europe, Middle East, Asia and the Americas. Before being appointed as Chief Commercial Officer, Bernard held several senior and regional positions such as managing clients across the Americas, as well as Europe and the CIS. He also acted for more than 10 years as Chief Representative Officer in Dubai to further promote the footprint of Euroclear across the Middle East & Africa.
Euroclear
Chief Commercial Officer
Bernard joined Euroclear in 2001. He is in charge of the overall Business Development, commercial support as well as Marketing. His remit includes servicing US$ 40 trillion of assets under custody across 2,000 clients located in more than 120 countries. He supervises a large commercial team of 350 people spread across 11 Euroclear offices located in Europe, Middle East, Asia and the Americas. Before being appointed as Chief Commercial Officer, Bernard held several senior and regional positions such as managing clients across the Americas, as well as Europe and the CIS. He also acted for more than 10 years as Chief Representative Officer in Dubai to further promote the footprint of Euroclear across the Middle East & Africa.
Simon Freemantle
Standard Bank Group
Senior Political Economist
Having joined Standard Bank in 2008 Simon first spent 2 years working from the bank’s Nairobi office as an East African Economist. In his current role, Simon is the bank’s dedicated South Africa political economist, primarily serving both the local and international corporate and institutional investor communities. For the past seven years (2015 - 2021) Simon has been ranked 1st in South Africa in the Political Analysis category of the Financial Mail’s annual Ranking the Analysts Awards; while in 2010 Simon also led a team which was ranked 1st in the Other African Economies and Markets category.
Simon has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Law as well as Honours in International Studies (cum laude), and a Master’s degree in International Relations from the University of Stellenbosch and the University of Amsterdam. Simon has also completed short courses at the London School of Economics and has given a course on SA’s political economy to an executive MBA class at the Gordon Institute of Business Science.
Simon has presented on SA and African political economy topics at Columbia Business School; Oxford University’s African Studies Centre; Chatham House (London); the Council for Foreign Relations (New York); and the New York University Stern School of Business. In September 2015 Simon delivered a talk at TEDx (Stellenbosch) on the rising demographic, urbanization and communication trends in Africa.
Standard Bank Group
Senior Political Economist
Having joined Standard Bank in 2008 Simon first spent 2 years working from the bank’s Nairobi office as an East African Economist. In his current role, Simon is the bank’s dedicated South Africa political economist, primarily serving both the local and international corporate and institutional investor communities. For the past seven years (2015 - 2021) Simon has been ranked 1st in South Africa in the Political Analysis category of the Financial Mail’s annual Ranking the Analysts Awards; while in 2010 Simon also led a team which was ranked 1st in the Other African Economies and Markets category.
Simon has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Law as well as Honours in International Studies (cum laude), and a Master’s degree in International Relations from the University of Stellenbosch and the University of Amsterdam. Simon has also completed short courses at the London School of Economics and has given a course on SA’s political economy to an executive MBA class at the Gordon Institute of Business Science.
Simon has presented on SA and African political economy topics at Columbia Business School; Oxford University’s African Studies Centre; Chatham House (London); the Council for Foreign Relations (New York); and the New York University Stern School of Business. In September 2015 Simon delivered a talk at TEDx (Stellenbosch) on the rising demographic, urbanization and communication trends in Africa.
Stuart Hobson
Northern Trust
Vice President
Stuart Hobson is a Vice President and a member of Northern Trust’s Network Management Team based in London. Stuart has more than two decades of asset servicing experience and has focused on Network Management for the past three years. In this role he has managed the assessment of capital market infrastructures, operational and market risk, and the selection, monitoring and ongoing management of the service delivery of sub-Saharan subcustodian relationships. Prior to this role, Stuart was a senior Relationship Manager delivering custody, value added services and providing strategic support and relationship development to his client base which included asset managers and large multinational pension funds based in the US, UK and Europe.
Northern Trust
Vice President
Stuart Hobson is a Vice President and a member of Northern Trust’s Network Management Team based in London. Stuart has more than two decades of asset servicing experience and has focused on Network Management for the past three years. In this role he has managed the assessment of capital market infrastructures, operational and market risk, and the selection, monitoring and ongoing management of the service delivery of sub-Saharan subcustodian relationships. Prior to this role, Stuart was a senior Relationship Manager delivering custody, value added services and providing strategic support and relationship development to his client base which included asset managers and large multinational pension funds based in the US, UK and Europe.
Lyle Horsley
South African Reserve Bank
Divisional Head - FinTech
Mrs Lyle Horsley is currently the Head of Fintech at the SARB. She previously worked as a lead policy specialist in the Prudential Authority of the SARB, with a focus on banking and financial markets. She was part of the core team in the SARB that participated in the development and implementation of the Twin Peaks architecture in South Africa.
Lyle is an admitted attorney and conveyancer in South Africa, having obtained her LLB in 2005 from the University of Cape Town and her LLM (cum laude) from the University of Witwatersrand in 2009. She has also served as a researcher to former Chief Justice Pius Langa at the Constitutional Court and worked as a senior associate at Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr, and has extensive experience in regulatory development and policy formulation in the financial sector.
South African Reserve Bank
Divisional Head - FinTech
Mrs Lyle Horsley is currently the Head of Fintech at the SARB. She previously worked as a lead policy specialist in the Prudential Authority of the SARB, with a focus on banking and financial markets. She was part of the core team in the SARB that participated in the development and implementation of the Twin Peaks architecture in South Africa.
Lyle is an admitted attorney and conveyancer in South Africa, having obtained her LLB in 2005 from the University of Cape Town and her LLM (cum laude) from the University of Witwatersrand in 2009. She has also served as a researcher to former Chief Justice Pius Langa at the Constitutional Court and worked as a senior associate at Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr, and has extensive experience in regulatory development and policy formulation in the financial sector.