SADC DFI NETWORK CEOS MET ON FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION (4IR)

The 17th forum for SADC DFI CEOs was held on 6th December 2018 in Cape Town, RSA. The theme for this
forum was “The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and Impact on DFIs”.
The 4IR encompasses the technological advancements that are moving us from basic connectivity and interaction
mainly through the internet, to a more complex merger of robotics, automation and artificial intelligence. The objective of this forum was to acquaint SADC DFI’s and other development stakeholders with knowledge, new insights
and share experiences on this crucial subject matter in order to understand ways in which they could adapt to the
inevitable changes that the 4IR brings about.
The forum sessions were organized along two theme lines – internal and external views on the 4IR.
The external view panel which looked at the major technological and business challenges that underpin 4IR, comprised of Dr. Markus Thill (Chief Executive Officer of Bosch Africa), Mr Theo Sibiya (Managing Director of AT
Kearney South Africa), Dr. Martyn Davis (Managing Director, Emerging Markets and Africa at Deloitte Africa), Professor. Fulufhelo Nelwamondo (Executive Director of Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Modelling and Digital Sciences) and Mr Yanesh Naidoo (Director of Sales & Design, Jendamark Automation, Pty, Ltd).
This session was moderated by Mr Craig Wing (Futurist and Business Specialist, Future World South Africa).
The internal view panel, which critically examined how Africa’s developmental finance institutions could prepare
and adapt themselves for the 4IR, consisted of Mr Christo Fourie (Head of New Industries at the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa), Dr Bruno Deprince (Regional Director – French Development Agency –
AFD), Mr Dylan Piatti (Senior Chief of Staff – Consumer and Industrial Products, Deloitte Africa), and Dr. Ralf
Dominick (Chairman of BBD South Africa). Professor William Gumede, Associate Professor, School of Governance at the University of Witwatersrand, RSA, moderated the session.
The Forum was chaired by Mr Patrick Dlamini, Chief Executive of the Development Bank of Southern Africa, while
the keynote address was given by Professor Tshilidza Marwala, Chief Executive and Principal at the University of
Johannesburg.
The forum was well attended with a record 80 participants, who included CEOs and senior officials from DFIs,
governments, financial institutions, the private sector and other development finance stakeholders.