Chris Low 2018 Speaker

Senior Advisor

Motive Labs, Sub-Saharan Africa

Biography

Most recently, Chris Low was Group CEO of Letshego Holdings Limited, one of Botswana’s largest public quoted and multinational Groups, where he grew the business to $100m+ in pre-tax profits and a market capitalisation of $400m. As a truly African financial services provider, Letshego is headquartered in Gaborone and has a footprint in 11 Southern, East and West African countries; the Group’s focus is on delivering inclusive finance solutions (loans, savings, micro-insurance and payments) to underserved individuals as well as micro and small enterprises. Working closely with technology and ecosystem partners it leverages innovation to promote digital access and service to a growing base of nearly a million customers; through a staff compliment of over 3,000 it is committed to improving the lives of those who have limited access to traditional financial services. Between 2013 and 2016 also Chris was a Non-Executive Director at Diamond Bank plc in Nigeria and currently he sits on the Advisory Board to Motive Labs, a membership-led global innovation and investment organisation that works with financial institutions as part of Motive Partners’ mission to back and build the next generation of financial technology.

Prior to joining the Letshego Group in 2013, Chris held senior executive roles at National Bank of Kuwait (2008 to 2011 – Deputy CEO, International Banking), Standard Chartered Bank (1990 to 2008 including General Manager and CEO roles in South Africa, East Africa, Kenya, Tanzania and India) and Goldman Sachs (1986 to 1990). With over 30 years of financial services sector experience, Chris has developed a passion for, and a knowledge of diverse and emerging economies, across Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Also he has in-depth experience of executing transformational and growth strategies including M&A, governance and risk management international best practices and leading human resources development disciplines.

Chris is Associate Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales and studied Zoology at Oxford University.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrislow1/