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The theme recognises that payments are no longer merely a function of financial services, but a critical enabler of economic activity, innovation, financial inclusion and regional integration.
As payments become increasingly digital, interconnected and embedded in everyday economic interactions, payment systems must evolve to support new business models, emerging technologies and changing consumer needs.
The Conference will bring together a diverse range of stakeholders; including policymakers and regulators, banks, fintechs, payment service providers, infrastructure operators, merchants, technology partners, academics, as well as regional and international institutions
| 09:00–09:10 | Welcome and opening remarks |
| 09:10–09:30 | Opening address | Catalysing Change in Payments, together |
| 09:30–10:30 | In conversation | Building inclusive payment infrastructure through access, competition and adoption Harish Natarajan | Practice Manager, Financial Inclusion and Infrastructure, World Bank (Virtual) |
| 10:30–11:00 | Coffee/tea break |
| 11:00–12:00 | Special Feature | Digital Payments and Cash in an inclusive economy Lucy Nshuti Mbabazi | Managing Director at the United Nations hosted Better Than Cash Alliance |
| 12:00–13:00 | Panel engagement | Modernising core infrastructure to strengthen settlement efficiency and system resilience Thomas Lammer | Deputy Head of Secretariat for the Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures (CPMI) |
| 13:00–14:00 |
Lunch |
| 14:00–15:00 | The African perspective | Advancing Africa’s payments integration through cross‑border and multi‑rail connectivity Timothy Wafula | Deputy Director, Banking and Payment Services, Central Bank of Kenya |
| 15:00–16:00 | Panel | Strengthening financial integrity in payments through risk and fraud prevention Henock Shilongo | Head: Product and Ecosystem at Instant Payments Namibia |
| 16:00–17:00 | Leadership Insights | The future of tech and impact on payments Cheslyn Jacobs | Chief Executive Officer, GoTyme Bank |
| 09:00–09:05 | Welcome and opening |
| 09:05–09:20 | Opening address | Shaping the Next Frontier of Payments: Integration, Innovation and Resilience Rashad Cassim | Deputy Governor, South African Reserve Bank. |
| 09:20–10:20 | Panel engagement | Exploring the future of money through tokenisation, digital assets and new payment models Federico Grinberg | Chief of Staff (Assistant to the Director), Monetary and Capital Markets Department, International Monetary Fund |
| 10:20–10:50 | Coffee/tea break |
| 10:50–11:50 | Expert talk | Payments in a fragmenting world: Sovereignty, strategy and system design Denis Beau | Deputy Governor of the Banque de France (Virtual) |
| 11:50–12:50 | Panel engagement | Strengthening trust through resilience, AI and financial integrity Fernando Lozano Vazquez | Policy analyst - FATF (Virtual) |
| 12:50–13:50 |
Lunch |
| 13:50–14:30 | In conversation | Lessons from BRICS: Insights from India Ghita Erling | Independent advisor |
| 14:30–15:30 | Panel engagement | Building a modern, inclusive and resilient payments system for South Africa Tumi Sefolo | Executive: Currency Cluster, SARB |
| 15:30–15:45 | Tea break |
| 15:45–16:45 | Closing panel | Defining the future role of central banks in strengthening mandate, legitimacy and ecosystem trust Fundi Tshazibana | Deputy Governor, SARB |
| 16:45–17:00 | Closing remarks Nozipho Tshabalala | Programme Director |
Lesetja Kganyago | Governor South African Reserve Bank
Harish Natarajan | Practice Manager: Financial Inclusion and Infrastructure World Bank
Chris Hamilton | Former Chief Executive Officer: BankservAfrica (now PayInc); Payments Expert and Founder: Hamilton Platform
Cowhan Govender | Group Head: Personal Banking Standard Bank Group
Thomas Lammer | Deputy Head of Secretariat: Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures Bank for International Settlements
Timothy Wafula | Deputy Director: Banking and Payment Services Central Bank of Kenya
Tim Masela | Former Head: National Payment System Department South African Reserve Bank
Chipo Mushwana | Divisional Executive: Emerging Payments Nedbank Group
Federico Grinberg | Chief of Staff (Assistant to the Director) Monetary and Capital Markets Department International Monetary Fund
Lyle Horsley | Head: Fintech Division South African Reserve Bank
Bongi Kunene | Managing Director The Banking Association South Africa
Annah Masoga | Divisional Head: Policy, Regulation and Licensing South African Reserve Bank
Tumi Sefolo | Group Executive: Currency Cluster South African Reserve Bank
Mellanie de Jager | Programme Delivery Director: Payments Ecosystem Modernisation Programme South African Reserve Bank
Stephen Linell | Chief Executive Officer PayInc
Dr Rashad Cassim | Deputy Governor South African Reserve Bank
Pradeep Maharaj | Executive Director: Payments Ecosystem Modernisation Programme South African Reserve Bank
Brendan Pearce | Chief Executive Officer FinMark Trust
Nomcebo Hadebe | Head: Africa Regional Office Alliance for Financial Inclusion
Paolo Bramini | Deputy Head: Payment Systems Directorate Banca d’Italia
Clarence Blay | Head: Payment Systems Bank of Ghana
Henock Shilongo | Head: Product and Ecosystem Activation Instant Payments Namibia
Dr David Fowkes | Adviser to the Governors South African Reserve Bank
Shelley Havemann | Head of Payments VALR
Denis Beau | Deputy Governor Banque de France
Fernando Lozano Vazquez | Policy Analyst Financial Action Task Force
Dr Balakrishnan Mahadevan | Former Senior Leadership at India’s Payment Utility, and author
Douglas Arner | Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance/ University of Hong Kong/Queen Mary University of London
Chantal Maritz | Partner PwC South Africa
Arif Ismail | Head: National Payment System Department South African Reserve Bank
Fundi Tshazibana | Deputy Governor and Chief Executive Officer: Prudential Authority South African Reserve Bank
Ana María Prieto Ariza | Head: Payment Systems Central Bank of Colombia
Lucy Nshuti Mbabazi | Managing Director Better Than Cash Alliance
Michael Jones | Director: Payment Operations Bank of England
Nomwelase Skenjana | Divisional Head: Domestic and Regional Settlement Services South African Reserve Bank
Irene Venter | Deputy Director: Digital Payments Oversight, Licensing and Policy Bank of Namibia
Dorethee Delort | Senior Financial Sector Specialist: Payment Systems Development Group World Bank
Cheslyn Jacobs | Chief Executive Officer GoTyme Bank
Stafford Masie | Executive Director Africa Bitcoin Corporation
Naomi Takeda | Assistant Director: Monetary and Capital Markets Department International Monetary Fund
Clement Kapalu | Director General Financial Intelligence Unit Zambia
Ghita Erling | Independent Adviser
Israel Skosana | Chief Product and Scheme Officer PayInc
Farzana Badat | Deputy Commissioner Financial Sector Conduct Authority
The 2024 SARB Payments Conference will bring together national and international experts and thought leaders within the payments, technology and innovation industry to explore the opportunities and challenges of the future of payments in South Africa.
The conference will also highlight strategies to shape a fit-for-purpose, inclusive, accessible, digital, safe and efficient payment system for South Africa.
Join us to connect, collaborate and explore the future of payments in South Africa.
| 09:00–09:05 | Welcome and opening remarks |
| 09:05–09:30 | Opening address and Q&A | South African payments landscape outlook – 2025 and beyond |
| 09:30–10:30 | Panel discussion | Payment developments in emerging markets (insights into Africa, Asia and South America) Stephen Mwaura | Chairperson, Fintech Institute and Former Head: National Payments System, Central Bank of Kenya |
| 10:30–11:00 | Coffee/tea break |
| 11:00–12:00 | Panel discussion | Disruptions awaiting South Africa’s payments landscape – the country’s roadmap for the future Dr Mellanie de Jager | Moderator |
| 12:00–12:05 |
Video insight | Evolution of Payments in SA |
| 12:05–13:00 | Spotlight session | Payments of the future: What role should central banks play in retail and wholesale payments modernisation and digitalisation? Anneke Kosse | Senior Economist: Secretariat − Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures, Bank for International Settlements |
| 13:00–14:00 |
Lunch |
| 14:00–15:00 | Spotlight session | How faster payments can bridge gaps to enable seamless, affordable, interoperable, accessible and inclusive domestic and cross-border payments Benjamin Lee | Senior Advisor, Singapore Coordinator and Nexus Implementation Lead: Bank for International Settlements Innovation Hub – Singapore Centre |
| 15:00–16:10 | Spotlight session | Leveraging emerging digital payments to address digital and financial exclusion Kagisho Dichabe | Co-founder, Fintech Association of South Africa |
| 16:10–16:25 | Wrap up for Day 1 Nozipho Tshabalala | Programme Director |
| 16:30 | End of Day 1 | Networking cocktail function |
| 09:00–09:05 | Welcome and opening remarks |
| 09:05–09:30 | Opening address and and reflection on Day 1 | Promoting a safer, stable, resilient, sustainable South African payments landscape Rashad Cassim | Deputy Governor, South African Reserve Bank |
| 09:30–10:30 | Panel discussion | Payment system resilience: How to effectively respond to crises and ensure continuity in the era of rapid change and threats Nomwelase Skenjana | Moderator |
| 10:30–11:00 | Coffee/tea break |
| 11:00–12:00 | Panel discussion | Managing financial crime in payments and striking a balance between competing objectives to achieve trade-offs for access and safety Pieter Smit | Acting Director, Financial Intelligence Centre |
| 12:00–13:00 | Spotlight session | Climate change from a payment perspective: The role of central banks and regulatory authorities in mitigating the impact of climate change Harish Natarajan | Practice Manager: Financial Inclusion and Infrastructure, World Bank |
| 13:00–14:00 |
Lunch |
| 14:00–15:00 | Spotlight session | Overseeing the NPS without overreaching: Applying agility in the regulation of the payment system Massimo Cirasino | Head: Payment Systems Development Group, World Bank |
| 15:00–16:00 | Spotlight session | Consumer experience and protection: The next generation solutions Seipati Nekhondela | Director: Tax and Financial Sector Policy, National Treasury |
| 16:00–16:15 | Wrap up for Day 2 |
Lesetja Kganyago | Governor, South African Reserve Bank
Rashad Cassim | Deputy Governor, South African Reserve Bank
Nozipho Tshabalala | Programme Director The Conversation Strategists
Ghita Erling | Chief Executive Officer Payments Association of South Africa
Harish Natarajan | Practice Manager: Financial Inclusion and Infrastructure, Finance, Competitiveness and Innovation World Bank
Brendan Pearce | Chief Executive Officer FinMark Trust
Debbie Janeczek | Chief Security Officer Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication
Faith Stewart | International Payment System Consultant
Benjamin Lee | Senior Advisor, Singapore Coordinator and Nexus Implementation Lead: Bank for International Settlements Innovation Hub – Singapore Centre
Dr Mellanie De Jager | Programme Delivery Director, Executive Management Department, South African Reserve Bank
Nomwelase Skenjana | Divisional Head: Domestic and Regional Settlement Services, National Payment System Department, South Africa Reserve Bank
Stephen Mwaura | Chairperson Fintech Institute
Pradeep Maharaj | Chief Operating Officer South African Reserve Bank
Anneke Kosse | Senior Economist: Secretariat − Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures Bank for International Settlements
Stephen Linnell | Chief Executive Officer Bankserv Africa
Charles Nevhutanda | Acting head: Financial Surveillance Department South African Reserve Bank
Pieter Smit | Acting Director Financial Intelligence Centre
Massimo Cirasino | Practice Manager: Financial Infrastructure and Remittances Service Line Head: Payment Systems Development Group World Bank
Seipati Nekhondela | Director: Banking Development in the Tax and Financial Sector Policy Division National Treasury
Dr Muhammed Sayed | Climate Change Specialist: Climate and Environmental Finance Unit, Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA)
Raadhika Sihin | Head of Policy Elevandi
Tim Masela Head | National Payment System South African Reserve Bank
Justin Jacobs | Head: Payments, Settlement and Innovation Supervision Division Financial Market Infrastructure Directorate Bank of England
Lyle Horsley | Divisional Head: Fintech Unit South African Reserve Bank
Kagisho Dichabe | Co-founder and Chairperson Fintech Association of South Africa
Michelé Schliesser | Chief Information Officer South African Reserve Bank
Dr Josephat Mutepfa | Deputy Director: Financial Markets Division, National Payment Systems and Fintech Department Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe
Dr Eliki Vula Boletawa | Director: Policy Programmes and Implementation Alliance for Financial Inclusion
