The Bankers Association of Botswana (BAB) announced the appointment of Dr Lesedi Senatla as Chief Executive Officer, effective 1st April 2026.
Dr Senatla is a distinguished economist and policy leader with nearly four decades of experience. He holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Nottingham, United Kingdom, and has built an extensive record of institutional leadership and policy contribution at the highest levels.
His tenure at the Bank of Botswana saw him serve in several senior directorships, including Director of Research and Financial Stability, Director of Banking Supervision, and Director of Statistics, Data Management and Analytics. Dr Senatla is credited with establishing the Financial Stability Division and the Statistics Department—institutional foundations that continue to underpin Botswana’s financial architecture.
Dr Senatla’s international credentials are equally distinguished. He has served at the International Monetary Fund, completed an attachment at JP Morgan, and served on high-level technical committees, including UK-initiated Commissions for Africa and macroeconomic subcommittees for SADC and the Association of African Central Banks, in connection with the establishment of the African monetary union. In 2019, he was appointed by the United Nations office in Botswana to develop policies supporting the country’s economic diversification agenda.
In his role as Chief Executive Officer, Dr Senatla will carry overall responsibility for the management and strategic direction of the Association. His mandate includes leading the development and execution of BAB’s strategy, overseeing its financial affairs, and ensuring the effective operation of key industry systems, including the Botswana Automated Clearing House (BACH) and the eKYC platform. He will serve as BAB’s principal spokesperson and representative in engagements with stakeholders domestically, regionally, and internationally, while providing strategic support to the BAB Council.
“I am honoured to accept this appointment and grateful to the BAB Council for the confidence they have placed in me. A banking sector earns its place not by its size, but by what it enables and the impact it has. BAB exists to unite Botswana’s commercial banks behind a single agenda: advocacy, education, and service to our nation’s growth and development. That is the mandate I carry, and history will judge us by how well we execute it,” said Dr Senatla.
