Absa Group Executive for Africa Regions, Mr Charles Russon, paid a courtesy call on President Dr Patrick Herminie at State House this afternoon, where he introduced the newly appointed Managing Director of Absa Bank Seychelles, Ms Venus Hampinda.
Ms Hampinda was accompanied by the Chairman of Absa Bank Seychelles, Mr Marc Houreau, and Regional Executive for East Africa, Mr Saviour Chibiya.
Ms Hampinda thanked President Herminie for the opportunity to meet and expressed her commitment to working closely with Government and relevant stakeholders. She said Absa would engage with technical teams to better understand projects in the pipeline and identify opportunities for financing and investment.
Discussions focused on the development and modernisation of Seychelles’ financial sector, access to finance, capacity building, digitalisation and opportunities for increased investment in the country.
President Herminie highlighted Government’s commitment to building a financial sector that is internationally respected, responsive to the needs of the domestic economy and aligned with national development priorities. He stressed the importance of improving the quality and speed of banking services and encouraged Absa to play a leading role in creating a more dynamic, accessible and efficient banking environment.
The President also underscored the importance of expanding digital solutions within the banking sector, including greater use of SeyID to simplify account opening and loan applications, reduce administrative requirements and improve processing times, while maintaining necessary customer due diligence and financial safeguards.
The continued participation of commercial banks in Government-backed lending schemes, including housing, SME and education financing, was also discussed. President Herminie noted the important role these programmes play in improving access to finance and supporting individuals and businesses.
Chairman Marc Houreau spoke about the importance of strengthening local capacity. He noted that Absa provides training opportunities for its staff across its Pan-African network, creating opportunities for Seychellois professionals to gain experience in other Absa markets.
He further highlighted the need to develop specialised skills in areas including information technology, accounting, auditing and financial services, with the objective of progressively increasing the participation of Seychellois professionals in senior and specialised positions.
Mr Charles Russon provided an overview of Absa’s growth as a Pan-African banking group and reaffirmed its long-term commitment to Seychelles. He also highlighted Absa’s experience in financing major infrastructure projects across Africa and expressed the Group’s interest in exploring opportunities to support development projects in Seychelles.
The meeting also touched on the potential expansion of Seychelles’ financial services sector, with participants noting the importance of maintaining a strong regulatory framework, appropriate technology, specialised skills and robust risk-management systems.
Ms Hampinda’s appointment also marks a milestone for Absa Bank Seychelles, as she becomes the first woman to serve as its Managing Director. Prior to her appointment, she served as Chief Financial Officer of Absa Bank Zambia.
Also present at the meeting were Minister for Finance, Mr Pierre Laporte, and Chief of Staff, Ms Jenifer Vel. Accompanying the Absa Bank Seychelles delegation were Head of Marketing and Corporate Relations, Mrs Marie-Paule Samson, and Head of Financial Crime Operations, Mr Collin Dubignon.