Mia Thom is a financial inclusion and innovation expert with over a decade of experience at Cenfri, where she leads the insights team. She specializes in private sector innovation, insurance market development, green finance, and digital transformation. Mia has spearheaded multi-year programmes, including the Risk, Remittances, and Integrity (RRI) initiative for FSD Africa and the Making Access Possible (MAP) diagnostics with UNCDF.

She has worked extensively on insurance market diagnostics in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and Rwanda for DFID and the World Bank. A global thought leader, she serves on the UNEP Principles for Sustainable Insurance initiative, the Insurance Development Forum, and co-chairs the ESG Roadmap & Reporting Working Group under NDSI. Mia holds a Master of Development Finance (cum laude) from Stellenbosch Business School, is a Chartered Accountant (SAICA), and has passed all CFA levels, with Honours in Economics and Accounting from Stellenbosch University

Dr. Monday Utomwen is a distinguished Chief Risk Officer with over 16 years of expertise in risk management, compliance, and insurance. Armed with an MSc in Risk Management & Insurance, an MBA in Financial Management, and multiple certifications—including CQRM, Data Science, and Monte Carlo Simulation—he is a recognized authority in the field. Currently, he leads risk strategy at WAICA Reinsurance Corporation Plc, overseeing operations across six African countries and the UK.

His career spans senior risk roles in multiple organizations, where he has embedded robust risk frameworks, developed key risk indicators (KRIs), and guided executive decision-making. Dr. Utomwen is a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist and a Chartered Insurer, with a strong passion for training and thought leadership in risk. He also co-chairs the ESG Taxonomy Working Group under the Nairobi Declaration on Sustainable Insurance, driving sustainability and responsible finance across Africa’s insurance sector

Butch Bucani is the Head of Insurance at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and leads the UN Principles for Sustainable Insurance (PSI) Initiative, the largest collaboration between the UN and the insurance industry. The PSI, endorsed by the UN Secretary-General and insurance industry CEOs, is a global framework designed to address sustainability challenges and build resilient, inclusive, and sustainable communities and economies on a healthy planet.

Butch conceptualized key industry concepts such as sustainable insurance, net-zero insurance, nature-positive insurance, and insurance SDGs. He spearheads initiatives that contribute to achieving the Paris Climate Agreement, the Global Biodiversity Framework, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). His leadership includes chairing the UN Forum for Insurance Transition to Net Zero, producing the first global environmental, social, and governance (ESG) guides for non-life and life & health insurance, and piloting climate-related financial disclosures with major insurers.

Additionally, Butch has been instrumental in developing the Sustainable Insurance Facility with V20 finance ministers for climate-vulnerable countries and aligning insurance portfolios with the SDGs. He co-led the creation of the UN Sustainable Insurance Forum for regulators and supervisors and worked alongside the California Insurance Commissioner to produce the world’s first sustainable insurance roadmap. Butch was also part of the Green Finance Task Force, initiated by the People’s Bank of China and UNEP, to help establish China’s green financial system.

Butch’s global efforts have led to the creation of regional sustainable insurance roadmaps and strategies for African, Latin American, and North American markets. He is recognized for his pioneering studies on sustainable insurance and responsible investment, and was named to Insurance ERM’s inaugural list of the most influential people leading the insurance industry’s response to climate change.

Iara Sousa is a professional with over ten years of experience in the African insurance industry. Throughout her career, Iara has been a fierce advocate for gender mainstreaming, financial inclusion, addressing social inequalities, sustainability, innovation, and tackling climate-related issues in vulnerable countries. Iara serves as the Co-Chair of the Learning & Development Sub-Committee under the Nairobi Declaration on Sustainable Insurance (NDSI), where she contributes to shaping initiatives that enhance skills and capacity-building within the insurance industry, with a focus on sustainability and inclusivity.

She was the Country Director for the Young Insurance Professionals, an organisation dedicated to advancing the development of the next generation of insurance professionals in Africa. Additionally, Iara serves as the Regional Director for Women’s Leadership in Insurance in Africa, where she promoted the advancement of women in leadership positions across the financial industry. Iara’s passion for gender mainstreaming led her to establish Mozambique Women for Inclusive Insurance, an organisation dedicated to providing tailored support to address the specific needs of women and girls affected by social inequalities and climate-related shocks. Iara is committed to driving change across various sectors and building resilient and equitable communities.

Pamela Ramagaga has over twenty-five years of experience in the non-life (short-term) insurance industry. She began her career as a non-life insurance corporate broker and subsequently spent nearly seven years in the niche and specialist division of a leading South African non-life insurer.

Pamela joined the South African Insurance Association (SAIA) in 2018 as an Executive Manager, where she worked closely with the Executive Team on a range of strategic initiatives across the organisation.

Since June 2020, in her role as General Manager: Insurance Risks, she has led a team responsible for driving key non-life insurance industry initiatives, with a focus on identifying, managing, and responding to current and emerging systemic risks facing the sector.

Pamela brings extensive industry expertise, supported by strong academic credentials, including a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS).

Viviene Pearson has served as Chief Executive Officer of the South African Insurance Association (SAIA) since January 2016. She joined SAIA in 2004 and has held several senior leadership roles, including Motor Manager and General Manager: Projects and Insurance Risks.

Viviene has been instrumental in advancing key industry initiatives, notably in the areas of microinsurance, consumer education, and motor insurance reform. She also played a leading role in the establishment of the South African Insurance Crime Bureau (SAICB), underscoring her long-standing commitment to strengthening industry integrity and collaboration.

Prior to joining SAIA, Viviene worked as a financial journalist specialising in the insurance sector. She began her career in the Diplomatic Corps and holds a BA Honours degree in Political Science and Journalism from the former Rand Afrikaans University (RAU).

Viviene currently serves on the boards of SAIA, the National Financial Ombud Scheme (NFO) and the Financial Sector Transformation Council (FSTC).

Sylvain acts as Head of Innovation & Sustainability for Africa Specialty Risk. In this role, Sylvain develops insurance solutions for agriculture, forestry and Nat Cat as on parametric format. Sylvain is also involved in academia via roles at NASA Harvest and Ecole Polytechnique de Lausanne, were is drives research projects around sustainability. Sylvain hold a PhD in Environmental Engineering.

Liz Booth is a seasoned editorial leader and a driving force in the insurance and finance sectors. As Managing Director of AFAH Publishing since 2019, she brings strategic vision, editorial expertise, and business acumen to the forefront. Previously, she spent over eight years as Editor at Commercial Risk Africa, shaping industry discourse on risk management and insurance. Beyond publishing, Liz is a key advocate for sustainability in insurance. She co-chairs the Engagement & Advocacy Sub-Committee under the Nairobi Declaration on Sustainable Insurance (NDSI), spearheading efforts to promote responsible finance and sustainable industry practices.

Her deep industry knowledge, combined with her strategic expertise in public policy, engagement, and advocacy, makes her a leading voice in the evolving landscape of sustainable insurance. Passionate about driving positive change, Liz continues to influence the sector through thought leadership, editorial excellence, and impactful advocacy.

Irene Mutonyi is the Chief of Staff at the APA Apollo Group, where she is working closely with executive leadership to drive strategy execution, governance, transformation, and ESG integration across the Group’s insurance and financial services businesses.

With over 20 years of experience across insurance, finance, FMCG, and education, Irene brings a strong blend of strategic leadership and operational delivery. She served as the key focal point for APA Apollo Group in the Nairobi Declaration on Sustainable Insurance (NDSI) ESG Technical Assistance Programme, coordinating a cross-functional team that participated in ESG integration sessions delivered by Impact Actuarial, the technical advisors appointed by FSD Africa.

Through this work, Irene has helped translate ESG commitments into practical, measurable actions across governance, operations, and reporting, strengthening collaboration and accountability across business units. She is passionate about sustainable insurance, climate resilience, and embedding ESG as a core business discipline within Africa’s insurance sector.

Diana is the Regional Coordinator for Africa & Middle East for V20 Sustainable Insurance Facility under Principles for Sustainable Insurance in the UNEP Finance Initiative. She is experienced in developing climate smart insurance solutions and building strategic partnerships key in delivering solutions for building resilience and decarbonization projects. She has slightly over 16 years of experience in Non-Life Insurance with various companies in the Kenyan Insurance Industry. Prior to joining UNEP FI she was the Underwriting Manager and Business Development Manager at Fidelity Shield Ins Co.Ltd in Kenya where she was instrumental in the co-insurance uptake of the DRIVE project for livestock insurance run by ZEP Re and funded by the World Bank.

She also previously worked amongst others with UAP (now Old Mutual) in the commercialization of Kilimo Salama an agricultural index insurance product to cover small holder farmers from the effects of climate change. She has a Master of Arts (International Relations) from USIU-Africa, Bachelor of Commerce (Insurance Option) from University of Nairobi and Advanced Diploma in Insurance (ACII) from the Chartered Insurance Institute of London, UK. She is a member of the Insurance Institute of Kenya and the Kenya Women In Insurance Network.

David Kirk is Principal and Consulting Actuary, and Managing Director for Africa at Milliman. He advises life and non-life insurers across the continent on strategy, M&A, risk and capital management, and financial and regulatory reporting. He is a Fellow of the South African, UK, Namibian, Nigerian and Kenyan actuarial bodies, and also holds the CFA, CAIA and PRM qualifications.

He has led major regulatory and transformation projects across Africa and the Middle East, created the New Business Margin on Revenue methodology, and writes regularly on insurance strategy, capital and emerging market innovation. David serves as Head of Actuarial Function for several insurers and contributes to ASSA’s work on life insurance, SAM and microinsurance.

Yeside is a qualified actuary and a Fellow of both the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA) and the Nigeria Actuarial Society (NAS). With over 20 years of experience across Europe and Africa, she is a seasoned insurance executive known for driving growth, innovation, and robust risk management in diverse and evolving markets. She has held senior and board-level roles, contributing to strategic direction, governance, and risk oversight. She currently serves as an Independent Director on several Boards, where she sits on Risk, Audit, and Remuneration Committees, strengthening enterprise risk management and supporting organisational sustainability objectives.

Beyond her corporate leadership, she is deeply committed to advancing the actuarial profession. She is a Past President of the Nigeria Actuarial Society and serves within the International Actuarial Association as Vice Chair of the Africa Committee, while also contributing to the Climate & Sustainability Committee and the Strategic Planning Committee. She is also the co-founder of the African Actuarial Development Academy (AADA), an initiative dedicated to expanding actuarial capacity and strengthening the profession across the continent.

Dr. Musiwalo Moses Khangale is the Manager of Stakeholder Programmes at Santam, leading the company’s flagship Partnership for Risk and Resilience (P4RR) programme. He brings extensive experience from senior roles in South Africa’s disaster risk and fire services system, including serving as Senior Manager of Fire Services at the National Disaster Management Centre.

He holds a PhD in Disaster Risk Studies, a Master’s in Disaster Management, and an MPhil in Leadership in Emerging Economies, complemented by executive training from Harvard Business School.

Dr. Khangale has played a central role in national resilience efforts, including heading the COVID-19 National Disaster Operations Centre, contributing to the White Paper on Fire Services, and co-chairing the UN International Search and Rescue Advisory Group for the Africa–Europe–Middle East region. At Santam, he oversees P4RR support to municipalities across South Africa and drives key risk-reduction partnerships.

Mr. Chukwuemeka Akwiwu, also known as Emeka, is a seasoned executive with over 20 years of experience in the reinsurance industry. Since 2021, he has served as the Group Executive Director of Continental Reinsurance Plc, overseeing approximately $200 million in premiums across Africa. Continental Reinsurance is the largest private pan-African reinsurance company, with offices in Lagos, Douala, Nairobi, Abidjan, Tunis, and Gaborone.

Before joining Continental Reinsurance, Mr. Akwiwu spent two decades at Gen Re, working in various roles across Manchester, London, and Johannesburg. His experience at Gen Re included serving as P&C Sub Sahara Regional Manager, Property Manager for South Africa, and Property Manager for the UK and Ireland. Mr. Akwiwu holds a Bachelor’s degree in Government and Public Administration from Abia State University, Nigeria, and a Diploma in Insurance from the Chartered Insurance Institute in London.

Mr. Philip Lopokoiyit is the Group CEO of ICEA LION Group. He was previously the CEO of ICEA LION General Insurance company having joined the Group in September 2021. He has a wealth of experience in Finance, Risk Management and Corporate Governance, having worked for over 20 years in various senior management capacities in multinational companies.

Philip was a board member of PSI (Principles of Sustainable Insurance) and a leadership council member of UNEP-FI until his term ended in December 2024. Philip is currently the Chair of the Nairobi Declaration on Sustainable Insurance (NDSI) and also a Non-Executive Director of NCBA Group Plc.

Patty Karuaihe-Martin is the Managing Director of NamibRe and immediate past President of the African Insurance Organization (AIO). She succeeded Cherif Benhabiles and took on this leadership role at a critical time when the organization is focusing on the challenges of rising natural catastrophes across Africa.

With over 30 years of experience in the financial sector, Karuaihe-Martin has been at the helm of NamibRe since 2014. She is a graduate of prestigious institutions, including HEC Paris and the Universities of Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape-Occidental, KwaZulu-Natal, and Stellenbosch Business School in South Africa.

Her leadership extends beyond NamibRe, having served as Chairman of the Board of the Organization of Eastern and Southern Africa Insurers (OESAI) from 2018-2019. She was also Vice-President of the AIO from May 2023 to January 2024, further cementing her influence in the African insurance sector.

Roelof Coertze is Prudential plc’s Environment Director. He is based in the vibrant city of Nairobi.  Roelof joined Prudential in 2019, and since then, he has made significant contributions to the Actuarial, Risk, and Sustainability teams, as well as the regional Africa team. His expertise has been instrumental in developing climate scenario testing for the Group, and he has co-authored several sections on climate in its Sustainability reports. Most recently, Roelof served as the Head of Enterprise Risk Management for Africa.

Roelof is unwaveringly committed to sustainability, both professionally and personally. He has been actively involved in volunteering and co-chaired the Actuaries Carbon Collaboration alongside the then president of the UK actuarial society. On a personal note, Roelof is a proud father of two, and is dedicated to making the world a better place for future generations. He also recently achieved the impressive feat of completing a half marathon in a Kenyan wildlife sanctuary.

Zibusiso serves as a Climate Finance Officer at FBC Holdings Limited, bringing practical insights from prior experience as an Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) Officer.

He focuses on the financial sector’s role in responsible ESG integration and reporting, specialising in sustainable and blended finance, ESG strategy, and the development of inclusive financial products. With a background in Environmental Science and Health and currently pursuing an MBA in Impact Entrepreneurship, Zibusiso actively contributes to regional sustainability efforts, having been part of the NDSI’s ESG Roadmap Working Group and the Southern African Climate Finance Partnership Programme. He offers invaluable perspectives on climate finance and practical ESG integration within emerging markets.

Zillah Malia is a Senior Manager – Climate Finance at FSD Africa, where she leads Sustainable Insurance, Renewable Energy, and Climate Adaptation programs. An economist with over a decade of experience in sustainable finance and development impact, she has worked across more than 30 African countries. Zillah is a Certified Expert in Sustainable Finance, Climate Adaptation Finance, and Renewable Energy Finance, and holds a Diploma in Green Finance from the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management. She has published several papers on sustainable development and is a recognized thought leader in the field. Her work focuses on designing and scaling innovative financial solutions that support climate resilience and serve vulnerable communities.

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.

Gerald is the Chief Investment Officer at ICEA LION Asset Management Limited. He holds a Master’s Degree in Financial Management, Bachelor’s degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics and Bachelors degree of Commerce from the University of Cape Town, South Africa.

Gerald is an investment professional with over 18 years expertise in investment strategy, asset allocation, and portfolio management across a wide range of asset classes. In addition, he has a proven track record of implementing robust governance frameworks and aligning investments with client liability profiles to deliver exceptional outcomes in complex, global markets.

He is a passionate advocate for the growth of Africa’s capital markets and has spearheaded numerous research initiatives for global development finance institutions and industry associations. He previously worked with RisCura Africa as the Executive Director, Atria Africa as a Partner, Imara as a Fund Manger, Business Partners International as the Regional Investment Manager and at FutureGrowth Asset Management as a Credit Analyst.