Moody's and GCR Ratings South Africa Risk Summit
Global fractures. Local stakes.
Agenda
Check-in and networking 
Coffee and networking break
Lunch and networking
Moody's rating committee simulation: banking
Step inside a live Moody’s credit committee simulation. This immersive session will walk you through the analytical rigor, debate and decision-making that shape a banking credit rating - offering a unique window into how Moody’s assesses creditworthiness in today’s evolving market landscape.
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Simon Boemer is an Analyst on Moody’s Sustainable Finance Assessments team.
Simon is responsible for producing research and analyses related to sustainable and transition finance, including Moody’s Second Party Opinions (SPOs) and Net Zero Assessments (NZAs). He coordinates the internal working group focused on sustainable transport for SPOs and is actively involved in developing and maintaining sector- and region-specific decarbonization pathways for NZAs.
Simon has extensive experience in assessing sustainable financing frameworks across various sectors, including corporates, financial institutions, and sub-sovereign and sovereign issuers. These assessments frequently involve additional evaluations such as EU Taxonomy alignment assessments, UN sustainable development goals (SDG) mapping, and benchmarking against other relevant sector standards. He frequently participates in outreach activities and external exchanges through working groups, roundtable events, and conferences.
Prior to his current role, Simon was an Associate on Moody’s Financial Institutions Group (FIG) credit rating team, where he was responsible for a portfolio of banks and finance companies in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. He contributed frequently to sector specific research and was a member of the FIG environmental, social, and governance (ESG) Working Group.
Simon holds an M.Sc. in International Business – Sustainable Finance from Maastricht University School of Business and Economics in the Netherlands.
Tshepo is a skilled chemical engineer, having spent more than 11 years at Sasol wherein his last role was Senior Manager Technical Solutions –Sustainability and Risk, where he lead the development of technical solutions for the company’s emissions reduction roadmap and provided critical guidance and technical advice to regional operating hubs during times of uncertainty.
He joined RMB in July 2021, and since joining the Sustainable Finance and ESG Advisory team, Tshepo provides technical expertise on sustainable finance solutions, including driving the bank-wide transition finance strategy, and is a member of the carbon markets team. His sustainable finance experience includes green loans, sustainability-linked loans, sustainability bonds, and supporting the development of ESG advisory solutions .Tshepo lead the development of FirstRand’s Transition Finance Framework, which supported the bank in securing a landmark $150 million British International Investment Transition Finance Facility.
Tshepo serves as a member of the LMA’s Transition Loans Taskforce and the ICMA’s Climate Transition Finance Working Group. He also contributed to the guiding report published in December 2023 by the ILO and the UNEP FI titled Just Transition Finance –Pathways for Banking and Insurance, for banks and insurance companies in supporting a just transition to low-carbon, climate-resilient economies.
Scott Phillips is the Managing Director –Regional Co-Head (EMEA) and Head of the UK at Moody’s Ratings (MR). He is also the Country Manager for the UK, based in London.
Scott leads and coordinates MR in EMEA, ensuring the successful execution of global and regional strategies with strong governance, a robust risk culture, and effective oversight.
Until March 2025, Scott was an Associate Managing Director in Credit Strategy & Standards, serving as the Global Head of Emerging Markets and responsible for digitalization initiatives.
Scott began his career at Moody’s in 2011, as a senior analyst in both the Project & Infrastructure (PIF) team and then the Corporate Finance Group (CFG). He joined the Regional Management team in 2017, where he was chief architect of the strategy for global domestic markets and the development of strategic business intelligence capabilities. He also oversaw the acquisition of GCR Ratings and served on the boards of Midroog and MERIS.
Before joining Moody’s, Scott was an equity analyst at Dresdner Kleinwort and UniCredit. He is a graduate of the University of Oxford.
Marie Diron is global head of Moody’s Sovereign and Sub-Sovereign Risk Group, with responsibility for credit ratings on countries, regional and local governments, public sector entities and multilateral development banks. Marie is also Moody’s Investors Service lead coordinator on ESG monitoring and integration across asset classes.
Marie has worked in various functions at Moody’s in the Sovereign Risk Group and (then) Credit Policy. In particular, she was lead sovereign analyst for a number of Asia Pacific credits including Australia, China, India and some frontier market sovereigns. She then managed the Asia Pacific sovereign team, before expanding her responsibilities to today’s global role. Previously, in Credit Policy, Marie co-ordinated Moody’s Global Macro Outlook and other credit research.
Marie was previously Director at Oxford Economics, leading the company’s forecasting and scenario analysis service to financial sector and corporate clients, after a number of years at the European Central Bank and Brevan Howard LLP. Marie received a MPhil in Economics from the University of Cambridge and graduated from the Ecole Centrale Paris.
Marie Diron is global head of Moody’s Sovereign and Sub-Sovereign Risk Group, with responsibility for credit ratings on countries, regional and local governments, public sector entities and multilateral development banks. Marie is also Moody’s Investors Service lead coordinator on ESG monitoring and integration across asset classes.
Marie has worked in various functions at Moody’s in the Sovereign Risk Group and (then) Credit Policy. In particular, she was lead sovereign analyst for a number of Asia Pacific credits including Australia, China, India and some frontier market sovereigns. She then managed the Asia Pacific sovereign team, before expanding her responsibilities to today’s global role. Previously, in Credit Policy, Marie co-ordinated Moody’s Global Macro Outlook and other credit research.
Marie was previously Director at Oxford Economics, leading the company’s forecasting and scenario analysis service to financial sector and corporate clients, after a number of years at the European Central Bank and Brevan Howard LLP. Marie received a MPhil in Economics from the University of Cambridge and graduated from the Ecole Centrale Paris.
Deputy Governor Rashad Cassim heads up the Markets and International Cluster, which includes the Financial Markets Department, International Economic Relations and Policy Department, and General Counsel. He is also in charge of the National Payment System Department.
He commenced his second term as Deputy Governor on 1 August 2024, which will conclude on 31 July 2029.
Dr Cassim first joined the SARB as Head of Economic Research and Statistics in March 2011, during which he acted as the Secretary of the Monetary Policy Committee.
Between 2019 and 2022, he served as the Chairperson of the Irving Fisher Committee on Central Bank Statistics under the auspices of the Bank for International Settlements.
Before joining the South African Reserve Bank, Dr Cassim served as the Deputy Director-General responsible for economic statistics at Statistics South Africa. He was instrumental in enhancing both the quality and the credibility of economic statistics in South Africa.
Until he joined the public service, he held several leading academic roles, including Professor and Head of the School of Economic and Business Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand, as well as various research and academic positions at the University of Cape Town (UCT). He holds a PhD in Economics, and Honours and Master’s degrees in Economic History from UCT.
Evan is a Vice President - Senior Credit Officer working on sovereign ratings focused on Northern and Eastern Europe as well as the CIS. His portfolio has included the UK, Switzerland, Iceland, Hungary, Serbia, the Baltics, Ukraine and Moldova. Evan joined Moody’s in 2015 after a varied career in the UK public and private sector. Prior to starting at Moody’s, he spent five and half years working as an economist at the Bank of England, where his last role was an economic adviser in the External Monetary Policy Committee unit.
He also worked as a financial economist in the Monetary Analysis division as well as in the bank resolution area working with other UK authorities to monitor and resolve financial institutions as part of the UK’s Resolution Regime. Before joining the Bank of England, he worked in corporate finance at KPMG focusing on debt advisory and mergers and acquisitions. He holds an MSc in Finance from Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Spain as well as an MComm in Economics from the University of Cape Town in South Africa.
Evan is a Vice President - Senior Credit Officer working on sovereign ratings focused on Northern and Eastern Europe as well as the CIS. His portfolio has included the UK, Switzerland, Iceland, Hungary, Serbia, the Baltics, Ukraine and Moldova. Evan joined Moody’s in 2015 after a varied career in the UK public and private sector. Prior to starting at Moody’s, he spent five and half years working as an economist at the Bank of England, where his last role was an economic adviser in the External Monetary Policy Committee unit.
He also worked as a financial economist in the Monetary Analysis division as well as in the bank resolution area working with other UK authorities to monitor and resolve financial institutions as part of the UK’s Resolution Regime. Before joining the Bank of England, he worked in corporate finance at KPMG focusing on debt advisory and mergers and acquisitions. He holds an MSc in Finance from Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Spain as well as an MComm in Economics from the University of Cape Town in South Africa.
Yasmina Serghini is a Managing Director in Moody’s Rating's Corporate Finance Group. She manages the teams in Madrid, Milan and Paris that are responsible for investment grade and high yield companies primarily in the TMT, retail, pharmaceutical, healthcare, food, packaged goods, railways and postal services industries.
Since joining Moody’s in 2005, Yasmina has been in charge of the credit ratings of automotive and truck manufacturers, retail, consumer packaged goods companies, including beverages and business services companies. Prior to joining Moody’s, Yasmina worked for Caisse Nationale des Caisses d’Epargne as a credit risk analyst where she had responsibilities for the analysis of companies mainly in the airlines, telecoms and real estate industries as well as aircraft and shipping financings. Yasmina is a CFA charterholder.
She holds a Postgraduate Diploma (“DESS”) in Finance from Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris and has a university degree (majoring in Finance) from Dauphine University (Paris). She is fluent in English, French and Moroccan.
Eyal Shevel is the Head of Corporate and Public Sector Ratings at GCR Ratings, based in the South African office. With extensive experience across diverse industries, Eyal has conducted ratings for companies in the construction, industrial, agricultural, and mining sectors throughout Africa.
He has played a pivotal role in leading credit rating teams for numerous municipal ratings in South Africa and across the continent. In the property sector, Eyal has been deeply involved in analysing and rating South African REITs for over 15 years, as well as evaluating property companies and transactions in other African markets.
Beyond corporate ratings, Eyal continues to collaborate with development agencies to promote creditworthiness in public sector entities across Africa. His expertise also extends to projects in the water and energy sectors, reflecting his broad impact on infrastructure and sustainability initiatives.
Eyal holds a B.Com Honours degree from the University of Witwatersrand and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder, underscoring his strong academic and professional foundation in finance and credit analysis.
Lisa Jaeger is a Vice President – Senior Analyst in Moody’s Corporate Finance Group based in Dubai. She is responsible for a diversified portfolio of issuers across the Middle East, Turkey and South Africa, including Investment Holding Companies and Conglomerates, Telecoms and Diversified Industrials. Lisa joined Moody’s in 2020 after spending 5 years at Goldman Sachs in London, where she was an Executive Director and senior credit risk manager, covering leveraged lending to corporates as well as real estate and structured finance lending and investing transactions. Prior to that, Lisa spent 6 years at J.P. Morgan in London, where she started her career with the bank’s credit risk graduate program in 2009, covering a wide range of different clients and products, including financial institutions, private equity sponsors and diversified investment grade and non-investment grade corporates. During her time at J.P. Morgan, she also spent one year in the leveraged finance origination team. Lisa holds a Master’s degree in Finance and Strategy from Sciences Po Paris. She speaks fluent English, German and French and is learning Arabic.
Nicole Gibb is a seasoned financial services professional with over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. She currently serves as the Group Head of Ratings and Research at GCR Ratings, the leading provider of credit ratings in Africa and an affiliate of Moody’s. Based in GCR Rating's Johannesburg office, Nicole oversees the agency’s analytical output and research strategy, driving methodological excellence, market-relevant insights, and high-quality credit opinions that support financial resilience and sustainable growth across the continent. Nicole’s leadership at GCR Ratings is central to the vital role that GCR Ratings plays in Africa’s financial ecosystem where the team combines deep local insights with international best practices to shape the capital markets across the continent.
Prior to GCR Ratings, Nicole held senior positions at Absa Group, Fitch Ratings, and Rand Merchant Bank, while also having worked at Commerzbank. Most recently, she served as Head of Credit for Non-Bank Financial Institutions at Absa Group, and has been responsible for Banks, Financial Institutions, and Global Corporate portfolios in her previous roles. Her expertise spans credit risk assessment, financial analysis, research, and strategic thought leadership. Nicole has worked across various African markets, building a deep and nuanced understanding of each region’s credit dynamics.
Widely respected for her strategic acumen and people-centric leadership, Nicole is known for building high-performing teams and fostering a values-driven and results-focused culture. A regular contributor to industry thought leadership, Nicole is recognised for her integrity, strategic vision, and analytical rigour in every role she undertakes.
Corné Els started his Debt Capital Markets career at Eskom Finance Company (SOC) Ltd as a Securitisation Officer. During his tenure he managed the Nqaba Finance 1 (RF) Ltd RMBS Securitisation vehicle from June 2006 to May 2013. He was responsible for the day-to-day management, servicing reporting, accounting, analysis and investor liaisons for the vehicle. Nqaba Finance 1 won the EMEA Finance ‘Best securitisation vehicle of the year’ (February 2012) and The Banker ‘Deals of the Year 2014 – Africa’ (April 2014) for the May 2013 refinance.
In June 2013 he started at Global Credit Ratings as a Structured Finance Analyst responsible for reviewing several structured finance transactions across multiple asset classes in South Africa, Kenya, Ghana and Uganda. In March 2021 he transitioned to the Financial Institutions team as a Senior Analyst and was subsequently promoted to the Sector Head of Financial Institutions in 2023.
As Sector Head, Corné is responsible for overseeing the analytical work of a team of eight analysts located in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mauritius and Kenya who between them process more than 115 ratings per year.
Matt Putman is the co-founder and CEO of iKhokha, a pioneering South African fintech company. In recent years, he has led iKhokha through major milestones, including being named CEO of the year at Crossfin’s South African fintech conference in 2023, 2024 and 2025, and guided the company to win the MTN financial services app of the year in 2023. In 2025, Matt oversaw iKhokha’s acquisition by Nedbank, a landmark deal in the South African Fintech space and was awarded IT Personality of the Year at the 2025 IITPSA President’s Awards.
Constantinos is a Senior Vice President and leads a team of analysts covering banks in Africa, the Middle East and the Balkans.
Since joining Moody’s Limassol-based banking team in 2005, Constantinos has followed banks as lead analyst in South Africa, Egypt, Ghana, Israel, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Montenegro, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. He has authored numerous articles covering the African and Balkan banking systems and is a regular speaker at regional conferences.
Prior to joining Moody’s, Constantinos worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers in London, both in audit and advisory. He holds a BSs in Economics from Queen Mary, London University and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
Stephen is a Managing Director and Global Co-Head of banking. He is co-responsible for global bank ratings and is based in London where he primarily focuses on banks in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).
From 2022-2025 he was the Managing Director and Regional Head of EMEA, Stephen also served as the Country Manager for the United Kingdom for Moody’s Ratings. He was responsible for core business strategy, governance and oversight in the EMEA region.
Before relocating to London, Stephen held the position as Global Co-Head of Banking from 2010 to 2022, based in Hong Kong. In this role, he was responsible for global bank ratings with a primary focus on banks across the Asia-Pacific region.
Prior to joining Moody’s, Stephen worked at J.P. Morgan in London, Tokyo and Hong Kong in various senior credit, research and rating advisory positions. From 1990-1996 he was a bank analyst at S&P Global in London and Paris.
Stephen began his career as a banking regulator at the Bank of England. He is a graduate of the University of Oxford, where he studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics.
Mr Kenny Fihla was appointed as Group Chief Executive Officer and executive director of Absa Group and Absa Bank, effective 17 June 2025.
Kenny is a recognised leader with substantial Pan-African banking experience and a proven track record.
He has nearly 20 years of experience in leadership roles in the banking sector. He joined Standard Bank Group in 2006 as head of Investor Services, Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB). In 2008, he was appointed head of Transactional Products and Services, SA, for Standard Bank CIB, whereafter he was appointed deputy chief executive of CIB in November 2016 and chief executive officer of CIB in May 2017, a role he held until August 2024. He was appointed Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Standard Bank Group and Chief Executive Officer Standard Bank South Africa effective 1 September 2024. As Deputy Chief Executive, he was the accountable executive for Standard Bank’s subsidiaries outside of South Africa.
Kenny holds an MSc in Financial Economics (University of London) and an MBA (University of the Witwatersrand).
Clement Chamboko, Managing Director: Business Development and Group Chief Commercial Officer GCR Ratings, Africa.
Clement has extensive knowledge of regulatory and market dynamics across the African continent, underpinned by a deep passion and appreciation for Africa’s growth potential. He leads the strategic expansion and customer engagement initiatives at GCR Ratings, playing a pivotal role in driving commercial growth and building strong client relationships. His leadership underscores a commitment to advancing transparency and sustainable development by fostering trust through strategic market engagement.
Clement has notable experience designing and implementing business plans for regional growth and is adept in strategy formation and leading teams to deliver on the objectives set. He has strong business development experience harnessed during his foundational career within banking.
In his current role, Clement oversees the expansion of GCR Ratings’ footprint and the agency’s growing participation in Africa’s capital markets.
Clement has had a stellar career spanning almost two and a half decades, cutting across corporate and investment banking, business banking as well as retail banking.
He has held key positions in leading financial institutions across Africa, including Ecobank, Bank One, Nedbank, Commerzbank, Barclays, Absa, and HSBC.
Clement holds a Post-Graduate Advanced Diploma in Banking Law from the University of Johannesburg and a Post-Graduate Advanced Diploma in Management from Milpark Business School. He also holds a Bachelor of Social Science (Hons) from Rhodes University and formed part of the Executive Development Programme at Wits Business School. He is also a Certified Associate of the Institute of Bankers of South Africa.