Letshego Africa has appointed Reinette Estelle van der Merwe as its new Group Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 October 2025.
She replaces Aupa Monyatsi, who resigned in January and subsequently joined the Botswana Stock Exchange as CEO.
Van der Merwe, a seasoned financial services executive with more than 30 years of experience, has previously held senior leadership roles in both Botswana and South Africa. Her appointment has been vetted and approved by the Non-Bank Financial Institutions Regulatory Authority (NBFIRA).
She is a qualified Chartered Accountant [CA(SA)], a member of the Botswana Institute of Chartered Accountants (BICA), and holds a Master of Commerce degree. Her career highlights include serving as CEO of First Capital Bank Botswana and Managing Director of Barclays Bank Botswana (now Absa Bank Botswana). She has also held senior positions within Absa Africa Group, where she built a reputation for strategic transformation, stakeholder engagement, and strong governance leadership.
The Letshego board said it expects her leadership to strengthen the company’s inclusive finance mission across Africa.
“The Board welcomes Ms. van der Merwe and looks forward to her valuable contributions to the company’s continued growth and success,” the statement read.
The board also expressed gratitude to Brighton Banda, who has been serving as interim Group CEO since February 2025. Banda was praised for maintaining “strategic continuity and operational stability” during the transition period.