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Summary
South Africa's economic landscape presents a compelling story of resilience and transformation. While the past year has seen moderate economic growth, the financial services sector has emerged as a standout performer, demonstrating the economy's underlying strength. Recent structural reforms, including increased private sector participation in ports and strategic policy adjustments, signal a shift toward more market-friendly policies. The implementation of the new retirement savings scheme has injected fresh capital into the economy, showcasing the country's capacity for innovative financial solutions. Though South Africa faces challenges with public debt levels and evolving international trade relationships, its position as a key player in strategic sectors, including minerals and manufacturing, remains strong. With ongoing infrastructure developments and policy reforms taking shape, South Africa continues to adapt and evolve, pointing to new opportunities in this dynamic market.
Join us for a complimentary event as we delve into the complexities and opportunities of 2025 under the theme "Seize the Shift: Harnessing Opportunities in a Risk-Driven World."
This is a highly attended event each year. Seating is available on a first-come basis, so register early!
View the full agenda here.
Speakers
S&P Global Market Intelligence
Claire Lahoud
Head of Risk and Valuations Services - MEA
Claire is a regional Director with 16+ years of global experience in international banking, broader financial services and technology markets. Proven record of accomplishment in building high impact sales, new business generation across Emerging Markets. Helped over 500 institutions in over 40 countries in Emerging Markets to achieve their goals.
S&P Global Market Intelligence
Mark Moss
Executive Director, Desktop Business Development
Mark Moss is an Executive Director at S&P Global, leading the Capital IQ Solutions business unit across EMEA financial institutions. With 20 years in financial intelligence, including roles at London Stock Exchange Group and Dealogic, Mark excels in strategic leadership, aligning functions, and driving product innovation. He holds a BA in Economics and an MSc in Finance, and is dedicated to integrity, collaboration, and value creation for clients
S&P Global Market Intelligence
Aditya Sharma, CFA
Director, Product Management
Aditya Sharma, CFA, is Head of Product Management for Textual and Professional Datasets, and Quantitative Signals at S&P Global Market Intelligence. He leads the development and execution of product strategies that deliver quantitative solutions built on raw and processed text, traditional and alternative data.
Aditya is a specialist in textual and quantitative analytics, with deep expertise in applying advanced machine learning and natural language processing techniques to financial data. He joined S&P Global in April 2021 and has previously held global roles in data science and strategy at Western Union Business Solutions in London and Social Market Analytics, Inc. in Chicago.
S&P Global Sustainable1
Patil Mesrobian
Head of Commercial MEA – Sustainability Solutions
Patil serves as the Sustainability Solution Director for the Middle East at Sustainable 1, where she plays a crucial role in delivering tailored sustainability solutions that facilitate the region's transition to a greener economy. Her primary focus is to assist clients in integrating sustainability intelligence into their strategic decision-making processes. This enables them to effectively navigate the complexities of climate change risks and financial implications, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements while capitalizing on opportunities for growth and competitiveness in a rapidly evolving global marketplace.
Strate (Pty) Ltd
Gregory Naicker
Head of CSD Services
As Head of CSD Services at Strate, Gregory Naicker oversees South Africa’s principal central securities depository, which serves the financial market through the safekeeping of the legal, digital record of securities ownership, enabled through registry, settlement and asset services, for the benefit of the South African economy. Gregory has extensive knowledge of the registry, clearing, settlements and corporate actions industry, having begun his career at Standard Corporate and Merchant Bank in 1999 as a Settlements Officer, then progressed through various roles culminating in Product and Business Development Analyst, before joining Strate in 2007.
He was appointed Head of CSD Services in December 2019.
Westbrooke Alternative Asset Management
Brent Blankfield
Head of Private Credit and Hybrid Capital (South Africa)
Brent is head of Westbrooke’s South African private debt and hybrid capital business. Westbrooke is a leading provider of fast and flexible capital to middle market companies and entrepreneurs seeking value-added debt and equity private capital solutions. Westbrooke invests across the capital structure, including senior, subordinated or mezzanine debt as well as preferred or direct equity.
S&P Global Market Intelligence
Thea Fourie
Head of Regional Analysis, Middle East & Africa
Thea leads Sub-Saharan Economics and Country Risk analysis for S&P Global Market Intelligence. Her 30-year career has been devoted to macro-econometric modeling and macro-economic analysis of the Sub-Saharan region, with a focus on markets including South Africa, Nigeria, Zambia, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Central African Republic and Benin. South Africa and Nigeria are part of our proprietary Global Link Model - an econometric model covering 95% of global GDP - where she takes responsibility for these two countries.
S&P Global Market Intelligence
John La Vecchia
Senior Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer
John La Vecchia is the Chief Revenue Officer for S&P Global Market Intelligence, leading the division’s commercial strategy and its global sales team. He is a member of the division’s Operating Committee.
Prior to becoming Chief Revenue Officer, John served as the Head of Revenue for the Enterprise Solutions business line within Market Intelligence. He is a seasoned sales professional with a career that began in the technology sector, selling test equipment for Hewlett-Packard. In 1992, he transitioned to finance, joining the Institutional Fixed Income sales team at Merrill Lynch. During his tenure at Merrill Lynch, he contributed to investments in electronic trading and fixed income start-ups, including Securities Hub, which was later acquired by Markit.
John joined Markit, which was ultimately acquired by S&P Global, in 2009, where he held various sales leadership roles as the firm expanded. In his current role, he collaborates with sales and commercial leaders across Market Intelligence to strategically position the division for a new era of growth. He remains actively engaged with clients and prospects, dedicating significant time to understanding their needs.
John holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Bucknell University and earned a Master of Business Administration from George Washington University.
S&P Global Market Intelligence
Nour Taher, CFA
Senior Credit Product Specialist
Nour is a Senior Credit Product Specialist in the Credit & Risk Solutions Department, based in Dubai. He focuses on assisting multinational companies, financial institutions as well as professional service companies in improving their credit-related workflows, across a broad range of industries globally. Nour has over 10 years of experience in developing complex solutions related to all aspects of credit risk, specializing in delivering regulatory, pricing, and IFRS9 solutions.
Questions?
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