Building Bridges in Banking: The Power of Partnerships from the Nairobi Summit 2024

Nairobi, Kenya – The Connected Banking Summit, orchestrated by The International Center For Strategic Alliances (ICSA), has once again demonstrated its unparalleled ability to bring together the brightest minds in banking, fintech, and financial services. The 11th Edition Connected Banking Summit- Innovation & Excellence Awards East Africa 2024 took place on  6^th of March, 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya, enriched by the support of partners like Kaspersky, Freshworks, TransUnion, and Access Bank, became a melting pot for fostering strategic partnerships and collaborations that are essential for the industry’s advancement.

Our esteemed speakers Includes: –
Mary Mulili, CEO, United Bank for Africa Kenya Limited.
Samuel Addae Minta, Country Managing Director, Access Bank (Kenya) PLC.
Stanley Kamanguya, CEO, ICT Authority.
Sumayya Hassan, CEO, Takaful Insurance of Africa.
David Mukaru, CEO, Caritas Microfinance Bank.
Morris Maina, CEO, TransUnion Kenya.
Njeri Jomo, CEO and Principal Officer, Jubilee Health Insurance Limited.
Lillian Odhiambo, Executive Director, Wholesale Banking, Access Bank Kenya PLC.
Winston Vimalraj, Territory Sales Lead, Africa, Freshworks.
Cyrus Kamau, Deputy Director and Chief Analyst, Infrastructure and ICT, National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation.
Amritha Reddy, Director, Fraud Solutions, TransUnion Africa.
Eunice R. Gatama, Deputy GM Group Digital Lending, Ecosystems & Partnerships, I&M Bank), Everline Wangu Kamau (Territory Manager at VMware by Broadcom.
Dr. Gitonga Muriithi, Head of Commercial, Mwananchi Credit.
Winnie Kaaka, Head Products and Channels, Access Bank PLC.
Moses Munguti, Lead Technical Expert East Africa, Kaspersky.
Joshua Odongo, CEO, Tusenti Limited.
Julius Orayo, Group Chief Information Officer, Jubilee Insurance.
Hartnell Ndungi, Chief Data Officer, Absa Group.
George Wanjohi, Chief Information Security Officer, Co-operative Bank of Kenya.
John Frank, CEO, Benkiko.
Angela Mwirigi, Director Digital Financial Services, KCB Bank Group.
Charles Kinyanjui, Head New Ventures and Fintech Development, National Bank of Kenya (NBK).
Winnie Syowai Onyancha, Corporate Relationship Public Sector- Transaction Banking Expert, KCB Bank Group.

The Innovation & Excellence Awards acknowledged outstanding achievements across categories, with notable winners: –
The Connected Banking Innovation & Excellences Awards 2024, are one of the most recognized awards in the region in the past 5 years. The awards aim to honor the exemplary contribution from individuals and organizations towards achieving sustainable growth in the BFSI sector, to stay ahead in the global race of digital evolution. They serve as an efficient platform to effectively reward the leaders of today and inspire the leaders of tomorrow, to showcase their proficiency and outstanding contributions, while also endeavoring other organizations to attain the levels of excellence needed to promote sustainable growth, while upholding the mission statement – “Connect, Integrate and Transform.” 

• Excellence In Customer Responsiveness – Family Bank Ltd
• Excellence In Product Innovation – National Bank of Kenya
• Best Islamic Bank of The Year – Gulf African Bank
• Excellence In Payment Innovation – Access Bank (Kenya) Plc
• Best SME Bank – Equity Bank Kenya Ltd
• Excellence In Product Marketing – KCB Bank Group (Kenya)
• Excellence In SME Finance – Co-Operative Bank of Kenya
• Excellence In Digital Banking – Standard Chartered Bank Kenya Ltd
• Excellence In Innovative Banking – Absa Bank Kenya Plc
• Excellence In Financial Reporting – Diamond Trust Bank Kenya Ltd
• Excellence In Investment Banking – Stanbic Bank Kenya
• Excellence In Customer Experience – NCBA Bank Kenya
• Best Bank of The Year – UBA Kenya Bank Ltd
• Microfinance Bank of The Year – Kenya Women Microfinance Bank Plc
• Microfinance CEO of The Year – Dennis Mombo, Mwananchi Credit Ltd
• Insurance CEO of The Year – Dr. Julius Kipng’etich, Jubilee Holdings Ltd
• Insurance Provider of The Year – Jubilee Holdings Ltd
• CEO of The Year – Kariuki Ngari, Standard Chartered Bank Kenya Ltd
• CTO of The Year – Moses Okundi, Absa Bank Kenya Plc
• CISO of The Year – Thelma Kganakga, Equity Bank Kenya Ltd
• CDO of The Year – Hartnell Ndungi, Absa Bank Kenya Plc
• COO of The year – Amrit Gayan, SBM Bank Kenya
• Digital Personality of The year – Mary Mulili, UBA Kenya Plc
• Excellence In Financial Inclusion, Safaricom

The summit provided a unique platform for networking, fostering collaborations among attendees, sponsors, and LaunchPad exhibitors, including Tusenti and Benkiko.

A Catalyst for Collaboration
One of the summit’s highlights was its facilitation of networking opportunities among attendees, which served as a catalyst for initiating conversations that could lead to transformative collaborations. Whether it was through panel discussions, breakout sessions, or casual networking events, participants found common ground to explore potential partnerships that promise to drive innovation and solve complex challenges in banking.

Innovative Solutions Through Fintech Partnerships
The summit placed a strong emphasis on the importance of banks and fintech companies working together to bring innovative solutions to market. Discussions revolved around how these collaborations could enhance digital banking experiences, streamline operations, and expand access to financial services, especially in underserved communities. By partnering with fintech startups, traditional banks can accelerate their digital transformation journeys, offering customers more personalized and efficient services.

The Role of Technology Providers
Technology providers, including the event’s sponsors, played a significant role in demonstrating how cutting-edge solutions can support the banking sector’s needs. From cybersecurity measures provided by Kaspersky to customer engagement tools offered by Freshworks, these partnerships are crucial for banks to stay ahead in an increasingly digital and competitive landscape.

Towards a More Connected Banking Ecosystem
The summit underscored the importance of building a more connected banking ecosystem, where collaboration between different stakeholders leads to greater innovation, inclusion, and sustainability in the sector. These partnerships are not just about technology adoption but also about sharing knowledge, best practices, and visions for the future of banking.

A Global Platform for Local and International Collaboration
As the summit looks forward to its next editions in cities such as Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Johannesburg, South Africa; Manila, Philippines; Manama, Bahrain; Luxembourg City, Luxembourg; Dhaka, Bangladesh and Accra, Ghana, it continues to offer a global platform for fostering local and international collaborations. These future events will undoubtedly serve as key venues for forming new partnerships and reinforcing existing ones, driving forward the collective mission of innovating and transforming the banking industry.

For professionals and organizations interested in exploring partnership opportunities or seeking to contribute to the future of banking, we invite you to reach out via email to Mohammed@connected-banking.com or visit our website at https://connected-banking.com/summit/

The Connected Banking Summit remains committed to being a bridge-builder in the banking sector, facilitating partnerships that pave the way for a more innovative, inclusive, and resilient financial ecosystem.