Global Reputation Forum Closes Two-Day Summit at the House of Lords and County Hall

By Tolulope Oke

Reputation Poll International wrapped up the 2023 edition of its Global Reputation Forum in London on Saturday after two days of sessions that brought together figures from African governance, British politics, international finance, and the diaspora community.

The forum, held on December 8 and 9, used two venues. The first day took place at the House of Lords in the Palace of Westminster. The second moved to the London Marriott Hotel County Hall on Westminster Bridge Road, culminating in a black-tie dinner at which the organization presented its annual Reputable Banks and Fintech Awards.

The speaker list reflected the forum’s stated focus on the intersection of African development, financial technology, and institutional governance. Baroness Verma and Lord JD Waverly, both Members of the House of Lords, participated across the two days. H.E. Atifete Jahjaga, who served as President of Kosovo from 2011 to 2016 and was the first woman and first civilian to hold that office, addressed delegates on the first day.

Professor Mthuli Ncube, Zimbabwe’s Minister of Finance and Economic Development, spoke on the African fiscal landscape. Franklin Amoo, a member of the United States President’s Advisory Council on the Ease of Doing Business in Africa, also addressed the forum. Peter Kolade Fashesin-Souza, Head of Technology and Security Risk Oversight at the Bank of England, participated in sessions focused on financial regulation and digital banking across African markets.

Other speakers included Dr. Yvonne Thompson CBE, Founder and President of WinTrade Global Network and Deputy Lieutenant for Greater London, and Dr. Graham Bright, Head of Compliance and Operations at Euro EXIM Bank.

Sessions across the two days covered topics including digital transformation in African banking, sustainable finance, financial inclusion, and the reputational dimensions of institutional governance. Delegates came from financial institutions, government ministries, and professional bodies across West Africa, East Africa, and the United Kingdom.

The forum runs alongside RPI’s annual 100 Most Reputable Africans list, which the organization has published each year since its founding in 2017. The 2023 list, released earlier in the year, was independently covered by Africanews, the pan-African television network owned by Euronews, marking the first time the list received coverage from a broadcaster of that reach.

Reputation Poll International was re-incorporated in Aberdeen, Scotland, in March 2022, following the dissolution of its original English entity in 2019. Its executive director, Dr. Tonye Rex Idaminabo, is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. The 2022 edition of the Reputable Banks and Fintech Awards was also held in London.

The organization has announced that the 2024 Global Reputation Forum will follow a similar format, with details to be confirmed in the coming months.