Access Bank Botswana strengthens its retail banking leadership with the appointment of Shathiso Choto as Head of Retail Banking, a move that underscores the Bank’s commitment to customer-led growth, service excellence and inclusive banking at scale.
Over the past 12 months, Access Bank Botswana has taken deliberate steps to bring inclusive banking from vision to reality. From expanding access across communities through Cardless Orange Money Cash-In Cash-Out at ATM options that enable individuals; particularly within lower income and previously unbanked segments, to transact securely for both their personal and business needs, to championing financial empowerment through initiatives such as the W Initiative (Women Banking; ). The Bank has also launched FreshLite, a bank account that requires only an identity document to open, thus broadening meaningful participation in the financial system. Ms. Choto’s appointment builds on this momentum and reflects the strategic direction of the Bank’s retail division.
Ms Choto brings over 25 years of retail banking experience to this role, having built a distinguished career across some of Botswana’s leading financial institutions. Her expertise spansover customer networks, sales, integrated distribution and service delivery; areas that sit at the heart of Access Bank’s retail growth agenda.
Ms. Choto is no stranger to Access Bank, having joined in March 2024 as Head of Distribution. Her appointment to Head of Retail Banking is a testament to the Bank’s commitment to recognize growing talent from within, and to the tangible impact she has already delivered during her tenure at the Bank. It reflects both the confidence the Bank places in her leadership and a natural progression in a her distinguished banking career, making another step in the advancement of the Bank’s retail strategy.
What sets Ms. Choto apart is not only her breadth of experience, but the depth of it. Her career is defined by a consistent ability to drive performance, grow customer portfolios and elevate services standards. This depth of experience is further enriched by international exposure across markets in Asia and Africa, giving her a strategic and operational perspective that extends beyond our borders.
“Shathiso brings a rare combination of strategic vision and grounded-level insight that can only be built over decades of meaningful customer engagement. Her deep roots in distributing channels give her an instinctive understanding of what customers truly need, and that is exactly the kind of leadership that will drive our inclusive banking agenda forward. Access Bank is building a bank that works for everyone, and Shathiso’sappointment brings us closer to that vision,” noted Managing Director, Shep Aisam in his welcome address to Ms. Choto.
Ms. Choto holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and a Bachelor of Social Science from the University of Botswana, as well as an Associate Diploma in Banking from the Botswana Institute of Banking.
On behalf of Access Bank, we warmly welcome Ms. Choto to her new role and look forward to her valued contribution towards an inclusive, future-ready banking business that gives every customer access to more – more agility, more convenience, more opportunity.
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