The Rokel Commercial Bank on Thursday February 22 2024 hosted one of Sierra Leone’s most historical symposiums in honour of Dr. Ekundayo Walton Gilpin, Managing Director of the Rokel Commercial Bank, who was awarded as Africa’s best Banker for the year 2023, in a highly competitive contest held in London.
In his address, Dr. Gilpin told the crowded Conference Hall of the Freetown City Council that the award, which saw other prosperous African nations in the competition such as Kenya, Nigeria, Botswana, Ghana, Zimbebwe, among others, was symbolic of the success he achieved by transforming the bank into a Sierra Leonean taste, with new competitive innovations, since it was transformed into Rokel Commercial Bank twenty-five years ago. He said the idea to host a symposium on Cyber Security and financial inclusion came into being at the Lord’s House in London, where he received the best African Banker of the year award.
He disclosed his plans for 2024, which aims to create a new transformation system that will focus on top 5 priorities such as Cashless Ecosystem, Banking Process Automation, Cyber Security Customize, Digital Transformation and Gender Parity. He said the main center of discussion by various experts such as, introducing Cyber Security in the Educational curriculum, Cyber Security Capacity Building, the Evolving Services, Cyber Security catalyst for innovations and inclusion, Cyber Security State of the Nation, Reputations Poll International, A commitment of the African Banker of the year. Recent Cyber Breaches and compromises Lessons Learnt, Data Protection and Regulatory Framework and a Case Study Presentation – Digital transformation and Cyber Security are thematic issues, with expertise to give a broad base analysis on Cyber Advantages and disadvantages, especially in a developing nation like ours.
The guest speaker, Mr. Lawrence McEwen, Executive Director, EST Applied Intelligence based in the United Kingdom, was man of the occasion, as he thrilled his audience with his expert lectures on the evolving landscape of Cyber Security in financial inclusion, recent Cyber Breaches and compromise lessons learnt, and an initiative round table discussion, in which he hosted guests from the public sector and a Ghanaian World Bank Cyber Expert.
Discussions among invited speakers vary from Strategies and Road Map, Awareness to a Board Analysis of Global view on Cyber Security and its Advantages and disadvantages, which should not be neglected from individual, institutions of all private and public categories and organizations. The criminals behind Cyber insecurity are well organized and therefore protective actions are the only remedy, they concluded.