Mr Tito Mboweni will make his first speech as Governor of the Reserve Bank on 7 August at a banquet at Gallagher Estate in Midrand attended by key role players in international finance, politicians, business people and other prominent personalities. President Thabo Mbeki will deliver an address at the banquet, which will also be an occasion to say farewell to the present governor, Dr Chris Stals, after a career at the Reserve Bank which started about 44 years ago.The Reserve Bank expects about 1 300 guests at the dinner. The International Monetary Fund will be represented by its First Deputy Managing Director, Professor Stanley Fischer, who will be among the speakers. Also on the list of speakers is Mr Urban Bäckström, Governor of the Central Bank of Sweden and a high-ranking official in the Bank for International Settlements. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) will be represented by Dr Adriano Maleiane, Governor of the Bank of Mozambique, who will wish Mr Mboweni well on behalf of SADC central bank governors.Other dignitaries will include Mr Bill McDonough, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and Mrs Maria Ovalle, member of the Board, Central Bank of Chile. The ceremony will be hosted by Mr Tim Thahane, Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank. Guests will be entertained by well-known local artists including Sibongile Khumalo, Johannes Kerkorrel, the Soweto Strings and Sibongile Mngoma. ​