3RD WITS GLOBAL FINTECH CONFERENCE 2026 (DAY 1 & DAY 2) Theme: Shaping the Architecture of the Future Financial System
3RD GLOBAL CLIMATE FINANCE CONFERENCE 2026 (DAY 2 & DAY 3) Theme: Mobilising Capital for a Just and Resilient Net-Zero World
28 - 30 October 2026
Cape Town, South Africa
PROGRAMME Please Note: All times are in South Africa Standard Time (SAST)
Day 1: Wednesday, 28 October 2026 08:30 - 09:00 09:05 - 09:20
REGISTRATION & REFRESHMENTS INAUGURAL SESSION 1
Session Chair: Prof. Chimwemwe Chipeta, Director: Wits Fintech Hub Prof. Uma Kollamparambil,
Head of School Economics & Finance, Wits
Prof. Moinak Maiti,
FirstRand Foundation Chair & Conference Chair, Wits
09:20 - 11:10
KEYNOTE ADDRESS Session Chair: Prof. Chimwemwe Chipeta, Director: Wits Fintech Hub Architecture leads Behaviour: What On-Chain Data Teach Us About Designing the Future Financial System:
Prof. Dr. Claudio J. Tessone, Professor and Chairman, UZH Blockchain Center, University of Zurich
“Computational Theory Building in Management Using Machine Learning”:
Prof. Arpan Kumar Kar, ASG Endowed Chair Professor, Yardi School of Artificial Intelligence, DoMS, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi
“From Digital Payments to Autonomous Economies: How Agentic Commerce Will Reshape the Financial System”: Kirsten Wortmann, Vice President, Telco, EEMEA, Mastercard
11:10 - 11:20
SHORT BREAK
11:20 - 12:50
TECHNICAL SESSION 1
A Goals-based Wealth Management Framework for Prof. Adeola Oyenubi, Wits University Session Chair: Investing Sustainable
Charney Shivonje Akala, and Hermann Donfack, University of Johannesburg
Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation: Catalyst or Constraint for Europe’s Crypto Venture Capital Ecosystem? Adrian Pucher, Nick Rentschler, and Dirk Schiereck, Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany
Fintech Adoption and Financial Performance: A Case of South African Listed Firms Phindulo Mulaudzi, Wits Business School, and Chimwemwe Chipeta, Wits University
Towards inclusive digital transformation in South African townships: contextual factors influencing smart service adoption Olebogeng Nojila, Joshua Chukwuere and Karikoga Gorejena, North West University
Does Predictive Accuracy Translate into Better Poverty Estimates? Machine Learning for Climate-Shock Microsimulation: Natashya Dikola and Adeola Oyenubi, Wits University
12:50 - 13:30
LUNCH BREAK
13:30 - 15:10
TECHNICAL SESSION 2
Session Chair: James Britten, CFA, Wits University The Africa Fintech Index:
Pierre Ntakirutimana, Carnegie Mellon University, Chimwemwe Chipeta, University of the Witwatersrand, Yudhvir Seetharam, University of the Witwatersrand & First National Bank, Ganesh Mani, Patrick McSharry, & Edith Luhanga, Carnegie Mellon University
What Makes Artificial Intelligence Useful in Consumer Financial Decision-Making? The Role of Competence, AI Readiness, and Perceived Ease of Use Michal Buszko, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland
Do Bitcoin Diversification Benefits Persist Over Time?
Miguel Adriao, Ruby Kopelowitz, and Moinak Maiti, Wits University
Impact of Stablecoin Issuance on Bitcoin Price
Zola Thamaga, Harith and Wits University and Moinak Maiti, Wits University
Beyond Access: Fintech Efficacy and Financial Inclusion for the Underserved in South Africa: Tebogo Legodi, and Wallace Chigona, University of Cape Town
15:10 - 15:30 15:30 - 17:00
TEA BREAK TECHNICAL SESSION 3
Session Chair: Dr. Delane Naidu, Wits University and Kirsten Wortmann, Telco, EEMEA, Mastercard
Block-Level Anomalies as Early Indicators of Network Stress in Ethereum
S’phesihle Khumalo, Monocle Solutions and Moinak Maiti, Wits University
The Illusion of Protection: Why Fintech Regulation Fails Consumers Danni Bian, and Bing Xu, Georgia Gwinnett College, USA
The Probability of Informed Trading on the JSE
Anotidaishe Mutevhe and Douglas Mbululu, Wits University
Decentralised finance meets African equity markets: Dynamic volatility spillovers and hedging opportunities
Kusaselihle Shangase, Siseko Merena, Hilary Muguto and Lorraine Muguto, University of KwaZulu-Natal
Can the price of crypto in rands reveal how tightly South Africa’s exchange controls are binding? Molefiseng Thabethe, CAT Financials and Wits Fintech Society
Day 2: Thursday, 29 October 2026 08:30 - 09:00
REGISTRATION & REFRESHMENTS
09:00 - 09:20
INAUGURAL SESSION Session Chair: Prof. Uma Kollamparambil,
Head of School Economics & Finance, Wits
Prof. Jason Cohen,
Dean of the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, Wits University
Prof. Chimwemwe Chipeta, Director Wits Fintech Hub
09:25 - 10:45
KEYNOTE ADDRESS Session Chair: Prof. Adeola Oyenubi, University of the Witwatersrand “The changing role of banking and finance in building a sustainable economy”
Kuben Naidoo, Head Corporate Payments Channel in the Business and Commercial Banking Division, Investec
“From Data to Decisions: Who is Accountable for AI in Sustainable Finance?”:
Carolynn Chalmers, CEO Good Governance Academy, Chief Strategy Officer ESG Exchange, Executive Director Candor Governance
10:45 - 11:15 11:15 - 13:00
SHORT BREAK JOINT TECHNICAL SESSION 1
Session Chair: Lerato Mapela, University of the Witwatersrand, and Carolynn Chalmers, CEO Good Governance Academy Temporal Explanation Stability as an Underwritable Risk Signal: Quantifying Perception Instability in Autonomous Vehicles with Blockchain-Anchored Evidence Kgosi Tsintsing, Moinak Maiti, Wits University, and Amr El Mougy, American University in Cairo
Analysing the impact of climate change on economic growth in the SADC region: a synthetic control approach Tendai Gwatidzo, Wits University
The role of XAI in Financial Inclusion: A literature review Nonhlanhla Ntombela, N.F. Ntombela, L. Ntsalaze, and K. Xivuri, University of Johannesburg, H. Twinomurinzi, UNISA
From Instructions to Entitlements: A Glass-Box AI Architecture for Reimagining Corporate Actions Kumar Chinnakali, Capgemini, Canada
The impact of ownership structure on the corporate governance of South African firms Delane Naidu, University of the Witwatersrand
Invest and Insure: A Financial Resilience Framework to Manage Impacts from Natural Hazard Disasters: Theunis F.P Henning, Annisa Hasanah, Agam Khanna, Lucy Feng and Anin Nama, University of Auckland, New Zealand
13:00 - 13:45 13:45 - 14:20
LUNCH BREAK SPECIAL SESSION
Session Chair: Prof. Moinak Maiti, University of the Witwatersrand Designing the World’s First Exchange-Traded Rainfall Derivatives Framework: Theory, Market Architecture, and the RAINMUMBAI implementation
Prof. Piyush Pandey, Centre for Machine Intelligence and Data Science (C-MInDS), and Shailesh J. Mehta School of Management, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
14:20- 15:30
JOINT TECHNICAL SESSION 2
Session Chair: Prof. Tendai Gwatidzo, University of Witwatersrand Beyond Basel: Contractual governance, prudential regulation and the people in sustainable banking Lenin Chisaira, University of Amsterdam, Netherland
From Corn to Soybeans: Climate Policy, Renewable Fuel Credits, and the Reallocation of Food–Fuel Risk Ayesha Sayed, University of Cape Town and Christo Auret, University of the Witwatersrand
Beating the Benchmark? Machine Learning-Driven Strategies vs Passive Investing in Johannesburg Stock Exchange Boingotlo Tshesebe, Alexforbes, and Wits University, and Moinak Maiti, Wits University
From Forecast to Finance: When Climate Information Becomes a Financeable Agricultural Decision Jackson Mambozoukuni, AuctusAgri, Zimbabwe
15:30 - 15:50
SHORT BREAK
15:50 - 17:00
JOINT TECHNICAL SESSION 3
Session Chair: Wendy McCallum, Stellenbosch University & Rhodes University
Strengthening Project Preparation for Subnational Climate Finance in Africa: A Systems and Operations Management Approach
Amandla Uzoka-Jarrett, Cambridge Judge Business School, University of Cambridge
Predicting M&A Outcomes in South Africa: Market Reactions, Deal Characteristics and Machine Learning
Lerato Mapela, Chimwemwe Chipeta, and Moinak Maiti, Wits University
Exploring the antecedents of trust in a carbon-backed digital currency Wendy McCallum, Stellenbosch University & Rhodes University, Euan Phimister & Jako Volschenk, Stellenbosch University
Quantifying and visualising the economic and social impacts of road network disruptions: Eduardo Allen, University of Auckland, New Zealand, Cathy Bebelman, Auckland Transport, Theunis F.P. Henning, University of Auckland, New Zealand, Peter Hill, Steven Jiang, Andrew Maughan, Stantec New Zealand, Dhimantha Ranatunga, WSP New Zealand, Ashishika Sharma, Auckland Transport, and Seosamh B. Costello, University of Auckland, New Zealand
18:30 - 20:30
CONFERENCE DINNER
Day 3: Friday, 30 October 2026 08:45 - 09:00
REGISTRATION & REFRESHMENTS
09:00 - 10:10
KEYNOTE ADDRESS
Session Chair: Prof. Chimwemwe Chipeta, University of Witwatersrand
“Intelligent Capital: How AI is Transforming Sustainable Investments”
Prof. Patrick McSharry, Research Professor at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Research Fellow at the Kigali Collaborative Research Centre (KCRC), Strategic Advisor to the World Bank funded African Centre of Excellence in Data Science (ACE-DS)
“Climate Finance 3.0: When Capital Becomes Intelligent, Programmable and Verifiable: How AI, Tokenisation and Digital Twins Can Mobilise Capital for the Net-Zero Transition” Prof. Aristides Samitas, Vice-Rector and Professor of Finance and Development, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
10:10 - 10:30 10:30 - 12:50
SHORT BREAK TECHNICAL SESSION 1
Session Chair: Prof. Tendai Gwatidzo, University of the Witwatersrand What Gets Funded? Firm Characteristics, Technology Orientation, and the Anatomy of Funding Success in Technology Firms: Davis Nyangara, and Chimwemwe Chipeta, Wits University
Screening Adaptation Options for Climate-Resilient Infrastructure Investment: A Two-Stage Decision-Support Framework: Jin Qian, Theunis F.P. Henning, University of Auckland, New Zealand, Eleni Goni, and Leticia, E2ARC, Belgium
The role of Multilateral development banks in addressing climate induced migration in Africa: A case of a Missed opportunity? Patrick Kadima, and Jenika Gobind, Wits Business School
Climate-related risk and volatility spillovers across African equity and sovereign bond markets Nico Magwaza, University of KwaZulu Natal
Green Bonds as a Financing Mechanism for Transition Resilience: Evidence on Firm Value and Financial Performance from Zambia's Emerging Capital Market Nakaundi Nakazwe, University of Zambia
From SDG Finance Pledges to Bankable Deals: Why Africa’s Green Investment Packages Stall and How Public Risk-Sharing Can Unlock Execution Collins Otoo, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia
The Impact of Extreme Weather Events on Mental Health: Evidence from Gauteng Province, South Africa
Smruti Ranjan Sahoo, Adeola Oyenubi, and Uma Kollamparambil, University of the Witwatersrand
Bridging the climate finance adaptation gap: A gendered analysis of smallholder agricultural producers' credit access as an enabling adaptation mechanism in Gauteng Province: Maesela Lesedi Molefe and Senyolo Grany Mmatsatsi, Tshwane University of Technology
12:50 - 13:05
CLOSING REMARKS AND END OF CONFERENCE
13:10 onwards
LUNCH
Announcement of the Best Paper Awards sponsored by ABSA and Nedbank
OUR TEAM
Organising Committee:
Prof. Moinak Maiti, Associate Professor, Wits & FirstRand Foundation Chair in Financial Data Science (Conference Chair) Prof. Chimwemwe Chipeta, Professor, Wits & Director Fintech Hub (Conference Co-Chair) Prof. Christo Auret, Professor Emeritus, Wits & Editor Emeritus Editor of Investment Analysts Journal
Prof. Gary van Vuuren, Distinguished Professor, Wits & International Banker Prof. Yudhvir Seetharam, Professor, Wits & Chief Analytics Officer FNB, South Africa Prof. Daniel Page, Associate Professor, Wits, Head of Quants at 27four Investment Managers, & Editor-in-Chief of Investment Analysts Journal
Sponsors & partners
Partner journals: Africa Research Bulletin, Wiley Global Business Review, SAGE IIM Ranchi Journal of Management Studies, Emerald Investment Analysts Journal, Taylor and Francis Research in Globalization, Elsevier Review of Financial Economics, Wiley South African Journal of Economics and Management Sciences Studies in Microeconomics, SAGE
Web & IT Team Lehlohonolo Mokoatle, SEF, University of Witwatersrand
Finance and Payment Team Tebogo Mmolawa, SEF, University of Witwatersrand Sibongile Horo, Wits Commercial Enterprise, University of Witwatersrand
Operations and Logistics Team: Mamosa Moletsane, SEF, University of Witwatersrand
Conference Venue: Southern Sun The Cullinan, 1 Cullinan Street, Cape Town City Centre (Foreshore), Cape Town, 8001, South Africa
Conference Websites:
3rd Wits Global Fintech Conference 2026
www.wits.ac.za/sef/fintech-hub/conferences/gfc2026/
3rd Wits Global Climate Finance Conference 2026 www.wits.ac.za/sef/fintech-hub/conferences/gcfc2026/
www.wits.ac.za