The Bank started from humble beginnings as a Green Field operation in 2006, and has steadily developed into an establish player within the Botswana market with a full bouquet of financial services solutions to fulfil our customer needs.
Bank Gaborone Managing Director, Sybrand Coetzee said, ” We have a holistic approach to banking that begins with us understanding our customers’ needs before we make any recommendations. Our key differentiator is the service excellence and convenience we offer our customers whose patronage is highly appreciated throughout this journey. To this end, our primary function is to provide Batswana with relevant, affordable and easy-access to products and services.”
In regards to the Banks milestones, the Bank has recently signed a 3 year, P3 million football sponsorship deal with Gaborone United Sporting Club. The sponsorship is expected to keep the club running effectively and continue on a winning streak. The deal will also help raise awareness for the Bank Gaborone brand. Bank Gaborone also introduced to the market a First in Botswana instant money Visa Card-2-Card payment, demonstrating the capability and expertise of the local teams.
Other meaningful activities that demonstrate the Bank’s commitment to local communities include the more than P300 million Citizen Economic Empowerment Projects that were launched in conjunction with Debswana and Morupule Coal Mine. This is in an effort to spearheaded private and public partnerships (PPP) in order to assist the government of Botswana’s agenda to create employment and build sustainable businesses.
Coetzee stated that it is the dedication and hard work of the red and vibrant team that has made the Banks achievements possible, with some of them being firsts in the market. A few of the milestones include:
Firsts
- 2010 – Ipeele Savings Account. A First in the Botswana market, savings account that is embedded with funeral cover, initially at P5000 and increased to P10,000.
- 2011- Tobetsa mobile banking: First cellphone banking solution to onboard customers remotely.
- 2018- New Head office in CBD is the the first of its kind in Botswana, having received an A grade green star
- 2022- Card-2-Card: A first in Botswana Visa Card-2-Card instant payment solution
Other milestones include:
- 2014 – Launched a partnership with Diabetes Association of Botswana, in which Bank Gaborone and its partners have successfully raised BWP500,000.00 to date
- 2017- Implementation of ‘’Branch of the future’’ which is more customer friendly; CBD Branch, Palapye Branch, Francistown, Kasane and Maun Branch.
- 2021/2022 – Participation in the Citizen Economic Empowerment Programme (CEEP) with Debswana and Morupule Coal Mine worth P200 million and P100 million respectively, aimed at funding citizen owned companies to assist government with job creation and building sustainable businesses
- 2022 – A multi-year P3 million sponsorship of Gaborone United Sporting Club which runs from 2022 to 2025
In addition to these milestones the Bank is committed to diversity and inclusion with over 70 percent of its staff being women and over 50 percent holding leadership positions.
“As we look to the future of the Bank, we appreciate that technology is constantly evolving, and that Botswana’s market is highly competitive. Bank Gaborone has ambitious growth plans that include digital transformation in our infrastructure to give clients convenience and next level banking. We are on a growth trajectory with a proven capability to launch new products and services significant to customer needs. Our strategy and focus is on operational excellence, which will continue creating value for our stakeholders and contributing to positive change.” concluded Coetzee.
