BRIAN YALLA MCSI MANAGER, CAPITAL MARKETS, AT FINANCIAL SECTOR DEEPENING AFRICA
In Brian’s role at Financial Sector Deepening Africa (FSD Africa), which aims to reduce poverty by strengthening Africa’s financial markets and making finance work for the country’s future, he leads the development and management of ambitious transformative programmes, such as the Africa Private Equity and Private Debt programme, which was launched in 2021 to support the development of private capital markets in Africa. Brian developed an “interest and passion
for finance and investment” after graduating from the University of Nairobi in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in economics and statistics. He undertook further study, and in 2019 achieved the CISI level 6 Diploma in Capital Markets. In March 2022, he delivered a
presentation for a joint CISI–ICIFA
(Institute of Certified Investment and Financial Professionals) webinar on the topic of climate risk and green finance in Kenya (
bit.ly/CISI-ICIFA).
Climate change and inclusion Brian’s biggest concern about the sector relates to the “existential threat of climate change”. The sector is “slow in fully adopting” responsible finance, he says, “either from a lack of appreciation of the gravity of the situation, inverted priorities, or both”.
Looking ahead Brian would like to see a financial sector that is “genuinely inclusive and serves the needs of society”. Agility and adaptability are two key skills that will be needed in future, he says.
CLAIR MILLS DIRECTOR AT THE BANK OF ENGLAND AND CISI BOARD MEMBER
In January 2022, Clair was appointed Director of Strategy, Change & Operations in Markets, Banking and Resolution at the Bank of England. This is her greatest career achievement, she says, but “winning the Central Banking Global Award 2019 for RegTech after creating the function from scratch within the Prudential Regulation Authority was up there too!” Thirty years ago, Clair was working
at a building society in a “process orientated, manual” role. “Typewriters were still a standard office item, albeit electric. We were moving from MS-DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System, discontinued in 2000) to Windows NT 4.0 (operating system). Hybrid working was not even a thought back then – although you could say the same for five years ago – and video calls … well …” The financial services sector has become
“far more complex in several ways,” says Clair. “The use of technology has transformed what we do and how we do it, but keeping current is a challenge.” Looking ahead, Clair would like
to see an improvement in financial education and diversity and inclusion, leading to effective career paths and “better understanding for all”. User experience (based on customer needs) and adaptability will be two key skills needed.
Cryptocurrencies
are based on nothing but hot air, and contribute precisely nothing to the market
SIR DAVID HOWARD FCSI(HON) CHAIR, CHARLES STANLEY LORD MAYOR OF LONDON FROM 2000 TO 2001
What do you think financial services will look like in 2052? I would like to think that continued advancement in technology and data analysis will provide a more detailed level of information and better tools at a lower cost to the sector. However, that needs to be balanced, in that regulation and risk management does not get so streamlined and automated that we increase the risk of losing the good minds that challenge our way of thinking and bring new concepts to what we do.
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