On Wednesday 08 November Ben Kruger, the Deputy CEO of Standard Bank, spoke at LSE to an audience of MSc students about the development of the banking sector in Africa, highlighting the immense potential for development in the continent and how the financial services can drive this forward. Ben discussed Standard Bank’s strategies when working with African countries on projects that would fuel their development and gave the students a real sense that Africa was the developing market with the most growth and potential and opportunities. In particular he highlighted how in many areas the use of mobile and tablet technology is rapidly opening up new markets and providing banking services to people whom have never had access to them before.
Professor David Webb, who hosted the talk, thanked Ben for taking time out to speak to our students and commented that his insights into the incredible recent growth in Africa had been one of the most interesting presentations he’d heard in recent times.
Ben and colleagues from Standard Bank were also at LSE to meet the 2012/13 Standard Bank Scholars, four of whom are studying on the Department’s MSc programmes, at a reception hosted by LSE Director, Professor Craig Calhoun. The Standard Bank scholarships offer an exciting opportunity of funding for students from emerging market countries (with a preference for students from Africa, China, Turkey and Indonesia) to study a Master's programme at LSE.