LISTEN TO THE BEST IN INSURANCE AND REINSURANCE FIELD Event Speakers
Dr Corneille KAREKEZI
Group Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer African Reinsurance Corporation (Africa Re)
Dr Corneille KAREKEZI
Group Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer African Reinsurance Corporation (Africa Re)
Prior to joining the reinsurance industry, the professional career of Dr. KAREKEZI started in 1991 with the primary insurance industry where he served practically in all the financial, marketing, technical and reinsurance departments at senior management levels of the leading insurance companies in Burundi and Rwanda, up to the position of CEO of SONARWA, the then insurance leader of Rwanda.
He joined the reinsurance industry, first as a Board Director of Africa Re Group for 3 years, and he fully joined the Group in 2009 as its Deputy MD/COO for 2 years before he rose to the current position of Group MD/CEO.
Dr. KAREKEZI holds various professional and academic certifications, diplomas, and degrees, awarded by prestigious institutions around the world, including a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics, a Master’s Degree in Management, Postgraduate Diplomas in Business Administration, an Honorary Doctorate in Business Administration, and an Earned Doctorate in Business Administration.
He speaks fluently English, French, Swahili, and some other African languages.
Since 1996, he has contributed significantly to the development of the insurance and reinsurance industries in Africa through his involvement and leadership in various national, regional, and continental initiatives and organizations. He has participated actively, as speaker, in seminars, conferences, symposia and other fora across the world, particularly on issues of insurance development and reduction of insurance protection gap, risk management for development, InsurTech, and in general on issues of economic development and leadership.
Dr. KAREKEZI has served as chair and/or member of governing bodies of various financial institutions and foundations in Africa and at the global stage. He is currently the Chairman of Africa Re (South Africa) Limited, Chairman of Africa Retakaful Company (Egypt), Member of the Executive Committee of the African Insurance Organization (AIO) where he chairs the Finance Committee, Chairman of the AIO Foundation, Chairperson of the Governing Council of the Alliance of African Multilateral Financial Institutions (AAMFI), Member of the Executive Council of the International Insurance Society (IIS) and Member of the Steering Committee of the Insurance Development Fund (IDF).
Mr. Tope Smart
Group Chairman of NEM Insurance Plc
Mr. Tope Smart
Group Chairman of NEM Insurance Plc
Tope Smart, an associate member of both the Chartered Institute of London and Nigeria is a graduate and an award winner from the University of Lagos. He also holds a master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
He is presently the Group Chairman of NEM Insurance Plc, Chairman, Alpha Morgan Bank Limited amongst others.
He is a Council member, Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, Council member, West African Insurance Companies Association (Ghana), Council member, Nigeria-Britain Association, member of Senate, University of Lagos, and a past Chairman of Nigeria Insurers Association. Tope is a past President of the African Insurance Organisation (AIO). He was at one time appointed by the Federal Government of Nigeria as Co-Chairman of the Insurance Industry Transformation Committee.
He is a past winner of Insurance CEO of the Year and a three-time winner of the Businessday Top 25 CEOs award.
He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School.
Mr. Walter Voigts-von Forster
Chief Executive Officer, Munich Re Africa
Mr. Walter Voigts-von Forster
Chief Executive Officer, Munich Re Africa
Walter Voigts-von Forster is the Chief Executive Officer of Munich Re Africa. He is responsible for leading the strategy, performance and market development of the business across the African continent.
In addition to his role as CEO, Walter jointly serves as Head of Non-Life for Munich Re Africa, overseeing the management, strategy and performance of the reinsurance portfolio across African markets. The portfolio covers Property, Casualty and Specialty reinsurance across both treaty and facultative business.
Walter has over 19 years of experience in the reinsurance industry. He joined Munich Re in 2007 and has held various leadership roles, including Head of Aviation Treaty based in Munich. He was appointed jointly Head of Non-Life for Munich Re Africa in 2022 and assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer in 2026.
He holds a Diploma in Mathematics from the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU).
Dr. Abiba Zakariah
Acting Commissioner of Insurance - Ghana
Dr. Abiba Zakariah
Acting Commissioner of Insurance - Ghana
Dr. Abiba Zakariah holds a Doctorate in Management from the Swiss Management Centre, Geneva, and a Master’s degree in Marketing from the University of Ghana, Legon. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute (UK) and the Chartered Insurance Institute Ghana, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing Ghana, a member of the Institute of Risk Management Professionals Ghana and holds an LLB degree.
With over 30 years’ experience, she has served in senior leadership roles across the insurance industry, including Managing Director of Ghana Reinsurance Company Ltd and Group Chief Operating Officer of WAICA Reinsurance. She was appointed Acting Commissioner of Insurance by the President of Ghana.
Dr. Zakariah founded the Chartered Insurance Ladies Association of Ghana (CILAG) and has served on several national and international boards. She is a multi-award-winning insurance professional and an ordained Pastor of the Assemblies of God Church, Ghana.
Mr. Bachir Baddou
Chief Executive Officer, CAT Assurance et Réassurance
Mr. Bachir Baddou
Chief Executive Officer, CAT Assurance et Réassurance
Bachir Baddou holds a degree in economics from Pierre Mendès France University in Grenoble and an MBA from the University of Sherbrooke (Canada).
He spent more than twelve years at the insurance company La Marocaine Vie, where he served as Chief Executive Officer. He is currently Chief Executive Officer of CAT Assurance et Réassurance and Executive Vice-President of the Moroccan Insurance Federation (FMA).
In December 2024, he was elected Vice President of the Global Federation of Insurance Associations (GFIA), which brings together more than 40 federations representing nearly 87% of global insurance turnover.
He is also Executive Vice-President of the Moroccan Maritime Insurers Committee and the Moroccan Central Insurance Bureau (“Green Card” system), Past President of the African Insurance Organization (OAA), and a member of its Executive Committee.
Dr. HILLARY MAINA WACHINGA
Group Managing Director
Dr. HILLARY MAINA WACHINGA
Group Managing Director
Dr. Hillary Maina Wachinga is a multiskilled strategic thinker with over 20 years
of proven work experience in risk management, compliance and auditing. His visionary and well-researched business solutions have maximized realization of corporate goals in entities he has worked for. His previous job of overseeing Risk & Compliance operations at Kenya Re Group gave him deep understanding of different cultures, business and regulatory environments in Africa, Middle East and Asia.
Dr. Wachinga holds a doctorate in Business Administration, Masters in Business Administration and undergraduate BSC degree in Computer Science – all from University of Nairobi. He is a Certified Public Accountant of Kenya (CPA-K), Certified Information Systems Manager (CISM), Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC), Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), Certified Enterprise Risk Manager (CERM) and Certified Compliance Analyst (CCA). He also has certificates in insurance proficiency (COP) from College of Insurance, project management from Strathmore University and corporate governance from Centre of Corporate Governance.
Dr. Wachinga’s key skills include corporate strategic planning, executive leadership, networking, coaching and mentorship, emotional intelligence skills, communication, budget development and implementation, board reporting, relationship management with key stakeholders and capacity building. He has industry knowledge and experience in various sectors – financial auditing, Banking, Insurance, Reinsurance, Investment, Project Management and Cybersecurity.
Dr. Wachinga is a flexible and adaptable corporate leader with demonstrable success in strategic planning and implementation, project management, financial management, auditing and risk management. He has been involved in successful implementation of core business IT systems as well as automation of Internal Audit, Risk Management and Compliance Management functions.
Mr. Gerald Gakundi
Deputy Managing Director – Supervision Bermuda Monetary Authority
Mr. Gerald Gakundi
Deputy Managing Director – Supervision Bermuda Monetary Authority
As Deputy Managing Director and Head of Insurance and Investment Funds at the Bermuda Monetary Authority (Authority or BMA), Gerald Gakundi is a member of the BMA’s Senior Leadership Team, contributing to the development and implementation of the Authority’s strategies and policies, with a specific focus on leading the teams supervising all (re)insurance and investment funds licensed entities.
Mr Gakundi has over 25 years of experience working in the insurance industry, including almost 20 of those in Bermuda. Mr Gakundi joined the Authority in 2010 as Assistant Director, Supervision (Insurance). He has extensive knowledge of Bermuda’s insurance regulatory environment, which has allowed him to be an active contributor in the BMA’s international engagement efforts, including leading dialogue with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) and numerous other insurance regulatory authorities. Over the years, he has also assisted in developing and implementing the Authority’s long and medium- term insurance supervision strategy and policy.
Prior to joining the Authority, Mr Gakundi worked as a Senior Audit Manager at Ernst & Young Ltd. Bermuda.
Mr. Kelvin Massingham.
Director, Adaptation and Resilience | FSD Africa
Mr. Kelvin Massingham.
Director, Adaptation and Resilience | FSD Africa
Kelvin is a seasoned executive with over 25 years of diverse leadership experience across the development, corporate financial services, and startup sectors. As a qualified Actuary, he has built a strong career working in emerging markets, holding senior executive roles in a variety of industries.
Kelvin has served as CEO of a life insurance company in Tanzania, Regional Director for a digital health company in Kenya, and co-founder and COO of a healthtech startup in India and Pakistan. His entrepreneurial spirit and leadership have shaped his ability to navigate complex environments and deliver impactful solutions.
Currently, Kelvin is the Director, Adaptation and Resilience at FSD Africa, where he leads efforts to drive financial market innovation across Africa. His focus is on enhancing resilience and enabling green, inclusive growth across the continent.
Based in Cairo, Egypt, Kelvin is deeply committed to making a positive impact in the regions he serves.
Mr. Lesley Ndlovu
CEO of AfrexInsure
Mr. Lesley Ndlovu
CEO of AfrexInsure
Lesley Ndlovu is the CEO of AfrexInsure, Afreximbank's insurance subsidiary. He has over 20 years' experience in corporate finance, investment management and insurance. Prior to joining Afreximbank, he was the CEO of the African Risk Capacity, a specialist reinsurance company for natural catastrophes. He spent the bulk of his career with the AXA Group in various senior management roles including Chief Investment Officer for AXA Singapore, Chief of Staff to the Chairman of the Group in France and CEO for AXA Specialty in the United Kingdom.
He has extensive international experience having worked in Egypt, South Africa, the United Kingdom, France, Singapore, Bermuda. He is a graduate of the University of Oxford and INSEAD Business School. His industry leadership has been recognized through selection as one of the Young Global Leaders by the World Economic Forum, nomination to the Times 100 Business Leaders and a member of the Choiseul Africa.
Ms. Ramatoulaye Goudiaby
Managing Director of SICAURIS Consulting
Ms. Ramatoulaye Goudiaby
Managing Director of SICAURIS Consulting
Ramatoulaye Goudiaby is a finance professional with 20+ years of experience in capital markets, structured finance, and institutional relationships across Africa.
She is the Managing Director of SICAURIS Consulting, where she advises financial institutions and public stakeholders on market development, investment structuring, and strategic partnerships.
She has also built a strong track record in designing and delivering high-level financial events and platforms, mobilising regulators, banks, DFIs, investors and corporates.
Former Director of the Africa Financial Summit (AFIS), she now leads initiatives that accelerate capital mobilisation and market deepening in Africa, with a particular focus on local currency markets, securitisation, and investment ecosystems
Ms. Prdnya Bhadlikar
Strategic Planner and Business Development Lead at Protection Reinsurance Brokers
Ms. Prdnya Bhadlikar
Strategic Planner and Business Development Lead at Protection Reinsurance Brokers
Seasoned reinsurance strategist with 15+ years across Africa. Holds a Master’s in Insurance, is a Fellow of the Insurance Institute of India, and a member of CII UK.
An active advocate for women in insurance through AIWA and YIPs Africa, she regularly delivers reinsurance training programs to build industry talent.
Currently serves as Strategic Planner and Business Development lead at Protection Reinsurance Brokers, Bahrain. Expertise :
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Surety Bonds & Guarantees
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PVT vs Political Risks
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Liability Policies & Cyber Risk
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Marine Insurance & Protection & Indemnity (P&I)
Mr. OLA Jacob
London Market Business Development Director at Global Parametrics,
Mr. OLA Jacob
London Market Business Development Director at Global Parametrics,
London Market Business Development Director, Global Parametrics || Chair at BIBA London and South East || Trustee at Lloyds || Insurance Times Technology Champion of The Year Winner||
Ola is a senior leader in global risk innovation, currently serving as London Market Business Development Director at Global Parametrics, where he drives growth of parametric insurance solutions that strengthen resilience to climate, weather, and natural catastrophe risks across emerging and developed markets.
With over fourteen years in the London Market, his previous experience covered Casualty, Product Recall, Terrorism, and Onshore Energy. Ola has led product strategy and distribution for advanced risk transfer offerings — transforming how insurers and clients approach protection gaps.
He is Chair of BIBA London and South East and a Trustee at Lloyd’s, roles through which he champions innovation, professional development and industry transformation. Recognised as Insurance Times Technology Champion of the Year, Ola combines deep technical insight with strategic leadership.
A recognised voice on climate risk and insurance innovation, he regularly speaks at major global forums on emerging risk solutions. Ola is committed to expanding access to sustainable protection and closing insurance gaps worldwide
Mr. Mikir Shah
Chief Executive Officer, Africa Specialty Risks
Mr. Mikir Shah
Chief Executive Officer, Africa Specialty Risks
Mikir Shah is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Africa Specialty Risks, with over 25 years of experience in Africa.
Prior to ASR, Mikir was Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AXA Africa Specialty Risks. A highly skilled practitioner with extensive financial experience, Mikir has also previously held the position of Head of Insurance (UK) and Head of Financial Institutions at Barclays Investment Bank. He started his career at ABN AMRO Bank N.V where he became Head of European and Emerging Markets before joining Macquarie Capital as Head of India showcasing his diverse market experience and skillset.
An advocate of taking a proactive approach to insurance by finding and working with clients on the ground in Africa, Mikir was born in Kenya and has frequently visited Africa to understand client’s specific needs and provide solutions.
Mrs. Adetola Adegbayi
Founder/Executive Director, Mutual Aid Specialist (MAIDS) Microinsurance Limited
Mrs. Adetola Adegbayi
Founder/Executive Director, Mutual Aid Specialist (MAIDS) Microinsurance Limited
