FINANCIAL SERVICES
LEADING DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION MUST BEGIN AT A PERSONAL LEVEL Anél Bosman, Nedbank Anél Bosman is the Group Managing Executive of Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) at Nedbank. She leads a team of investment bankers and financial experts who provide transactional, corporate, and investment banking services to local and global markets. CIB’s client base includes leading corporations, financial institutions, state-owned enterprises and governments across Africa. She started her career as an economist and has grown into executive leadership roles in a highly diverse and dynamic organisation. It is within her current role that she identified the urgency to drive Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and thus embarked on the journey to both support her fellow leadership team members as well as to walk the path herself, accelerate her learning, and lead by example. “I have learnt that DEI is not a perfect linear process, but a complex, iterative journey of discovery and personal growth. An important part is the creation of psychological safety for leaders and everyone in our business unit to be intentional about transformation, to learn from their mistakes, recover, and continue with the aim of making Nedbank the best place to work. We encourage all leaders to use their power to create inclusion and speak up against acts of discrimination.” “At Nedbank, we believe that transformation is both a social and an economic imperative – an economic imperative that results in financial benefits for the organisation, as well as contributes to the upliftment of the community in which we conduct business. I cannot overemphasise the importance of a diverse and inclusive workforce in enhancing productivity, innovation and creativity – the driving forces of our business growth. We are committed to transforming and advancing a national social compact, to be a catalyst for inclusive growth and enhance social cohesion in South Africa. Our philosophy for purpose-led transformation is that it must transcend legislation to meet national interests while leveraging the components of human, socioeconomic, financial and leadership capital.” Many believe that adopting a DEI focus can dilute productivity and performance, at least for a short while. In fact, it is a common narrative to equate DEI or transformation to a lowering of standards. However, Anél has achieved both her goals – driving a powerful message of change and transformation while leading Nedbank’s CIB to new heights. Anél wants to play her part in paving the way for more women to be appointed in executive positions in Nedbank. Women of all races can excel in this, and any field if provided with the same
DEI in the Global South | Edition 1
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