The Financial Markets Indaba (FMI), in strategic partnership with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Zimbabwe (ICAZ), has announced the upcoming ICAZ Winter School and Investment Conference 2025. Scheduled to take place from 24th to 28th August 2025 at the University of Kent in Canterbury, United Kingdom, the conference is poised to offer a compelling platform for dialogue on Zimbabwe’s evolving investment landscape and the transformative potential of financial technology.
Organised under the theme “Global Perspectives, Local Impact: The Evolving Role of Finance Experts,” the five-day event will draw participation from ICAZ’s global membership, public and private sector institutions, international investors, and diaspora professionals. With more than half of ICAZ’s members based outside Zimbabwe, the convening seeks to facilitate a deeper engagement between global expertise and local development priorities.
Structured as a dual-track programme, the event will encompass the ICAZ Winter School—a continued professional development initiative—and a curated Investment Conference. The latter will specifically highlight Zimbabwe’s positioning as an emerging destination for capital flows and technology-led economic renewal. The dialogue will be grounded in real-time insights, structured engagements, and institutional partnerships.
A particular focus will be devoted to the emerging financial technology (fintech) and digital payments sector in Zimbabwe. The event will host a high-profile panel discussion on the subject, foregrounding the growing role of digital platforms in enabling financial inclusion, improving the remittance ecosystem, and fostering technological innovation. According to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, remittances in 2023 amounted to US$1.8 billion—approximately 16% of the country’s GDP—with the majority transacted through mobile money and digital financial services. This growing trend underscores the pivotal role of fintech in linking the diaspora with domestic economic needs.
Leading the fintech conversation will be four notable figures whose contributions span financial services, telecommunications, and digital infrastructure:
- Andy Jury, Chief Executive of Mukuru, heads a prominent remittance and digital financial platform serving millions across Africa, Europe, and Asia. Mukuru has consistently been ranked among the top 100 global cross-border payment providers and is widely recognised for its operational footprint in Zimbabwe and other frontier economies.
- Ollie Walsh, President of Qenta, leads a fintech enterprise driving innovation in digital assets and remittance channels. Qenta’s infrastructure includes over one million compliant pay-in points and access to more than 300 million mobile money accounts across over 45 countries, offering scalable solutions for diaspora-linked financial transactions.
- Harpal Mann, CEO of Clear Mobitel, is at the helm of a telecommunications firm integrating 5G, cloud-native networks, and AI-enabled infrastructure. The company’s work in smart cities and rural broadband connectivity is viewed as foundational to digital transformation efforts in Africa.
- Ciaran McSharry, Chief Executive of Jamboo, is advancing financial access for the African diaspora through a mobile-first digital banking solution. The platform offers virtual Mastercard services and multi-currency remittance capabilities, with particular relevance to diaspora communities in the UK.
These speakers are expected to provide critical insights into the future of cross-border finance, the role of innovation in remittance models, and regulatory pathways for inclusive fintech expansion. The discussion will explore strategic alignment between fintech solutions and Zimbabwe’s macroeconomic objectives.
Beyond fintech, the conference will also offer curated B2B meetings, roundtable forums, and company spotlight sessions. Confirmed participants include the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA), Mutapa Investment Fund, Old Mutual Investment Group Zimbabwe, CBZ Holdings, and ZB Financial Holdings, among others. These engagements will allow investors to interact directly with project sponsors and institutional representatives, promoting targeted capital mobilisation and partnership-building.
The ICAZ Winter School and Investment Conference 2025 is set to be a strategic nexus for transnational finance, investment facilitation, and technological innovation. By leveraging diaspora expertise and global investor interest, the event aims to frame Zimbabwe as a credible partner in Africa’s next phase of digital and economic transformation.
