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English
Kenya English
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Namibia English
Rwanda English
Zambia English

2023 TRANSUNION NAMIBIA SUMMIT

NAVIGATING

FINANCIAL INCLUSION:

A Path to Inclusive Growth

REGISTER NOW

UNLOCK THE GROWTH POTENTIAL OF EMERGING CREDIT CONSUMERS

This year’s Summit promises to provide a forum for leading lenders to come together to learn, contribute and collaborate. We aim to inspire you with informed conversations on how financial inclusion can stimulate economic growth, support small businesses, boost consumer spending, enhance stability and drive economic growth in Africa.

Summit highlights will include:

  • Voice of the customer: Gain insights on Namibian consumer behaviour and attitude about current and future household budgets, spending and debt
  • Empowering tomorrow's economies: The Intersection of Micro-Finance and Digital Transformation in Bridging Financial Inclusion
  • Digital finance revolution: Assess the roles of Micro-Finance versus the traditional sector, and discover why Africa is a key region for growth
  • Industry disruption: Gain actionable insights on the importance of agile mindset for disruptive and inclusive growth

Secure your spot

Spaces are limited, so you’re encouraged to register today. You won’t want to miss this unique opportunity to network with leading industry experts and like-minded professionals at the forefront of financial inclusion in Africa.

Live Summit

Tuesday, 19 September, 9 a.m.– 3 p.m.

Windhoek Country Club Resort, Academia, golf street, Windhoek

(Breakfast and networking lunch included)

View the agenda and speaker profiles.

Hear From a Stimulating Mix of Speakers

Lee Naik
Chief Executive Officer
TransUnion Africa
Lee Naik Chief Executive Officer TransUnion Africa

Lee Naik serves as the Chief Executive Officer of TransUnion Africa, where he stands as a prominent figure in the continent's digital and technology transformation landscape. With oversight of a diverse portfolio spanning 8 countries, Lee plays a pivotal role in collaborating with governments and businesses to drive digital and financial inclusion initiatives, catalysing Africa's economic growth trajectory.

Drawing from over two decades of experience, Lee's tenure as the former Managing Director of Accenture Digital underscores his commitment to assisting organisations in navigating the complexities of digital transformation amidst evolving landscapes.

Beyond his executive role, Lee garners global recognition as a distinguished technology commentator and speaker. His insights have earned him accolades, including acknowledgment as an official influencer in the esteemed LinkedIn Top Voice awards. Moreover, Lee champions diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, earning accolades such as being voted among the top Inclusive leaders on the continent by the Gender Mainstreaming Awards.

Lee's academic credentials include a Bachelor of Computer Science, complemented by a PgDip in Futures Studies, earned with distinction (cum laude). Lee is also a Fellow of the Gordan Institute of Business Science (GIBS) it’s in Centre for Africa Management and Markets. His academic pursuits reflect his dedication to staying at the forefront of emerging trends and innovative practices within the digital realm.

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Weihan Sun
Principal, Research & Consulting
TransUnion APAC
Weihan Sun Principal, Research & Consulting TransUnion APAC

Weihan Sun currently serves as the Principal of Research and Consulting at TransUnion APAC and was formerly the Director of Research and Consulting at TransUnion Africa. In this role he is responsible for analysing and developing consumer lending insights, conducting research studies and delivering thought leadership across the APAC Region. He is highly skilled in storytelling, making the data come to life in a way that truly allows the business decision maker and the consumer to understand the value in the data.

He is well known within the industry as a commentator on market related credit and financial inclusion trends. Weihan joined TransUnion Africa in 2021 from Absa Insurance Company where he was Head of Strategy and Innovation. He has extensive experience in strategic planning, market intelligence, customer analytics, along with a deep understanding of the South African insurance landscape. He holds a master’s degree in financial management sciences from the University of Pretoria.

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Thabo Molefe
General Manager, Africa Regions
TransUnion Africa
Thabo Molefe General Manager, Africa Regions TransUnion Africa

Thabo Molefe serves as Head of Africa Regions at TransUnion where he oversees business development, and stakeholder and regulatory engagement, as well as full-scope operations across seven countries in East and Southern Africa.

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Theo Klein
Economist
Guest
Theo Klein Economist Guest

Theo Klein holds an MCom in Economics from the University of Stellenbosch. In 2018, Theo joined Simonis Storm Securities in Windhoek in the Wealth Department, serving various functions in financial planning. In August 2021 he joined the Research Department, being the principal analyst for Namibia. Theo recently joined Oxford Economics Africa.

 

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Amritha Reddy
Director, Fraud Solutions
TransUnion Africa
Amritha Reddy Director, Fraud Solutions TransUnion Africa

Amritha Reddy is a seasoned executive with experience across the financial services, banking and healthcare sectors. She has held various leadership positions in the industry, including as executive head of fraud risk management at a leading bank, and is active in developing strategies to mitigate fraud risk across different sectors. She served as a board member for the SA Fraud Prevention Services, as a risk council member for Visa and a fraud council member for MasterCard. Ms. Reddy holds a Business Mng Certification from UCT’s Graduate School of Business and is a certified fraud examiner (CFE).

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Saara Shivute
Head: Specialist Finance
Bank Windhoek
Saara Shivute Head: Specialist Finance Bank Windhoek

Saara has 24 years of experience in Namibia’s Banking, Microlending, Power and Telecommunications industries, with roles in Operations, Sales and Distribution, Retail Banking, Specialist Finance, Security Services, Branch built and Premises maintenance, Credit Control, and Procurement. As Head: Specialist Finance at Bank Windhoek she drives the overall bank strategy within the Specialist Finance branches of Property Finance and Vehicle and Asset Finance; and oversight and leadership to BW Finance, a company wholly owned by the bank specialising in micro-finance. To have a career in banking and microlending simultaneously is an exciting and self-fulling journey that enables her to have multiple disciplines within her profession.  She holds an honours in Business Management, bachelors in Economics and a certificate in Executive Management Programme for Retail Bankers.

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Chris Botha
Chief Executive Officer
IDToday
Chris Botha Chief Executive Officer IDToday

Chris Botha, CEO of IDToday, boasts an impressive track record in the entrepreneurial and assurance sectors. He co-founded PayToday, a mobile payment solution that was later acquired by Nedbank. Prior to venturing into the startup world, he gained senior audit experience at top accounting firms, serving at Deloitte in Luxembourg and KPMG in Namibia. A registered Chartered Accountant, Botha brings a unique blend of expertise to his current role.

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Imanuel Hawanga
Deputy Director-Offsite Analysis
Bank of Namibia
Imanuel Hawanga Deputy Director-Offsite Analysis Bank of Namibia

Imanuel is currently the Deputy Director-Offsite Analysis, within the Banking supervision department at the Bank of Namibia. Mr. Hawanga started his career in 2003 at the commercial banks in Namibia where he worked for 5 years in different departments at First National Bank Namibia and Nedbank Namibia. In 2008, he joined the Bank of Namibia and grew through the ranks and serve in his current role since 2018. He is responsible for offsite monitoring of banks, credit bureaus and customer complaints handling. He is an Associate member of the Microfinance Association of the United Kingdom and a member of ISACA having completed his foundation certificate on COBIT principles recently. He holds a Master’s degree in Banking and Finance, a honours in Microfinance and a degree in Economics.

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Lara Burger
Country Manager
TransUnion Namibia
Lara Burger Country Manager TransUnion Namibia

Lara Burger, country manager of TransUnion Namibia, has been an active member of the business development industry since starting her career 15 years ago. Having worked across a wide spectrum of industries, Lara brings strong customer service skills and a solid target mindset of promoting growth and generating sales to the table. Her strong relationship building history and negotiation skills across all levels of business allow her to actively find opportunities for clients and the best solutions for their businesses.

Lara has an LLB Degree at the University of Namibia and is responsible for driving business growth within TransUnion Namibia’s market whilst ensuring seamless customer acquisition processes and maintaining regulatory compliance.

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AGENDA

9:05 - 9:15
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Introduction to the 2023 TransUnion Namibia Summit

Lara Burger, TU Country Manager: Namibia 

9:15 - 10:00

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State of the Economy

Theo Klein — Economist, Guest Speaker

The Namibian economy continues to exhibit a strong recovery from pandemic lows. While mega projects related to the energy and mining sector certainly provide optimism for the medium- to long-term economic outlook, momentum in other sectors support a positive outlook on short-term economic growth. 

In this session, Theo Klein unpacks his perspective on the state of the Namibian economy and its recovery. He will also provide forward looking views on the growth trajectory going forward.

10:00 - 10:45

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Leveraging Sentiment to Determine Consumer Needs

Weihan Sun — Director, Research and Consulting, TransUnion Africa

As much as 56% of Namibian households' income is worse than planned as of Q3 2023, signalling a critical need for a comprehensive assessment of the financial health of Namibian consumers. In this pivotal context, this presentation will delve into an in-depth analysis based on responses from surveyed participants nationwide. The study will encompass three key areas: the evolution of household income, how consumers manage their expenses and debt obligations, and their financial intentions for the upcoming festive period.

We will use sentiment analysis to provide a forward-looking perspective on the potential credit risks associated with Namibian consumers. The primary objective of this presentation is to offer a comprehensive overview of the current financial health of Namibian consumers, with a focus on credit risk, and provide insights that can help financial institutions and policymakers make informed decisions to manage and mitigate risks.

10:45 - 11:05

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Break

11:05 - 11:35

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Digital Inclusion: A case for Africa

Amritha Reddy Director of Product & Fraud Management

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the pace of digital transformation across all industries. As more and more people work and do business online, financial institutions are under increasing pressure to provide efficient, accessible, and high-quality services through digital channels. The recently published 2023 State of Omnichannel Fraud Report states that 34% of Namibian consumers were targeted by fraud from September to December 2022. Although the results are staggering, the opportunities are endless, as digital inclusion provides a launchpad for financial inclusion.

In this session, we will explore the importance of creating a Friction-Right customer experience that avoids penalising good customers in the pursuit of fraud detection and prevention. The session will highlight the tangible benefits of digital automation and its direct correlation with growth amplification, reduced operational costs, and increased efficiencies resulting in customer centricity.

Drawing parallels from emerging economies that have successfully used digital transformation to enable financial inclusion, we will unpack how forward-thinking and proactive fraud-fighting measures can ensure prosperity for Namibian organisations.

11:35 - 12:20

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Panel Discussion:

Empowering Tomorrow's Economies: The Intersection of Micro-Finance and Digital Transformation in Bridging Financial Inclusion in Namibia

Moderated by: Thabo Molefe — General Manager, Africa Regions, TransUnion Africa

Panelist:

  • Saara Shivute, Head: Specialist Finance, Bank Windhoek
  • Chris Botha, CEO, IDToday
  • Imanuel Hawanga, Deputy Director: Off-Site Analysis, Bank of Namibia

Digital transformation has significantly impacted financial inclusion in emerging markets, revolutionising the way financial services are delivered to underserved populations. Technology-enabled micro-finance solutions are playing a crucial role in bridging the gap, providing access to financial services for individuals and small businesses who are often excluded from formal banking systems. 

In this session, TransUnion hosts a panel discussion to explore the rise of micro-finance institutions and solutions in Namibia, including progress made in policy, regulation, infrastructure, products, applications, processes, and business models to promote financial inclusion and create a seamless digital onboarding experience.

The session will address the challenges faced by digital finance providers and highlight the importance of supportive institutional frameworks and coherent financing architecture for digital start-ups. Additionally, the discussion will emphasise the role of micro-finance platforms and digital finance in financing SMEs and promoting SDG-aligned consumer spending.

12:20 - 12:40

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Closing Keynote: Path to Inclusive Growth

Lee Naik — Regional President, TransUnion Africa

12:40 - 12:50

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Event-Wrap Up

Lara Burger, TU Country Manager: Namibia

13:00 - 15:00

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Lunch/Networking

2023 TransUnion Namibia Summit Registration

This event is by invitation-only and non-transferable.

Register Now